Asian Tour: Thailand teen golf sensation Ratchanon ‘nervous but excited’ ahead of Singapore International

Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat can be forgiven for being nervous ahead of his appearance on the Asian Tour’s two closing events of the 2020-21 season – it will be the 14-year-old’s first time playing in a professional event overseas.

The latest talent to role off the Thailand golf production line, he made a big impression on both the Asian Tour and All Thailand Golf Tour last year, and has been invited to play in both The Singapore International and the SMBC Singapore Open.

In the Asian Tour Phuket Series in November and December ‒ the two events that marked the restart of the Tour following a 20-month hiatus caused by Covid-19 ‒ he upstaged the field in the Blue Canyon Championship by closing with a 65 to finish 12-under par and tied for 15th, before finishing joint 30th at the Laguna Phuket Championship.

Ratchanon, who attends Shrewsbury International School in Bangkok, also came close to winning on the All Thailand Golf Tour, finishing second in the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, and in ties for third and fifth at the Singha Thailand Masters and Singha All Thailand Championship respectively.

Still, Ratchanon said he was feeling “a bit pressured … and definitely nervous as well” ahead of next week’s Singapore International at the Tanah Merah Country Club.

There were few signs of nerves last year when the junior star was regularly in the headlines.

“I’m really happy with how 2021 turned out,” he said. “Yes, I could have won but I’m happy with how I managed myself being in contention and putting myself in contention in the first place.”

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The rising star is grateful for the support he has received from many of Thailand’s big-name players.

“I’m a really lucky kid that I’ve got the experience from playing with a lot of good players like Prom Meesawat and Thongchai Jaidee,” he said.

“The advice I’ve taken from most of them is to have fun out there. I’m still an amateur and it’s going to be first time playing outside of the country, so I won’t pressure myself too much. My golfing idol is Thongchai Jaidee. I’m lucky I got to practise with him and experience golf with him.

“He’s not just a great player who has won multiple times on the Asian Tour, he’s also a really nice guy and he definitely tries to share what he has with me, and I think I’m really lucky with that and it’s really very valuable.”

This year’s Singapore Open Amateur champion Ryan Ang and fellow Singapore national squad players Justin Kuk and Brandon Han will be the other leading amateurs competing at the SMBC Singapore Open.