Amateur star TK been doing homework at Black Mountain
Thailand’s Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat turns 15 on Friday aiming for victory in this week’s International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club and the ultimate birthday present.
“The goal is to win. I have been close. I have been up there. I am going to try and do it this week,” said the amateur sensation.
He has taken the Asian Tour by storm since making his debut at the end of last year in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship. He hasn’t missed a cut in five starts and came close to winning The Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club last month: he finished in third place, two shots shy of the sudden-death play-off won by Korean star Joohyung Kim.
He chose to skip last week’s Royal’s Cup to prepare for this week’s US$1.5 million event, which is the first of 10 groundbreaking new International Series events this year.
“I had a week off last week so I could catch up on schoolwork, and I spent my time here at Black Mountain. I have been practicing on the course,” he said.
“Yesterday I played much better than the past week. I am actually hitting quality shots as I am more focused because it’s tournament week, and I am in the zone.”
HUA HIN-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananuwat pictured on Tuesday March 1, 2022, during an official practice round ahead of the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club, Prachaubkhirikhan, Thailand. The USD$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged between March 3 – 6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Despite having the opportunity to practice at Black Mountain the Thai youngster admits winning this week will be difficult as he foresees some low scores being shot.
“Low scoring courses aren’t my thing,” he said.
“I am kind of like a Tanah Merah guy where it’s hard and fun, but I am going to try my best. I played okay yesterday. I have been practicing a lot for the past week. I feel pretty good.”
Despite all the attention he has been receiving he says he is still enjoying the moment.
He added: “I like talking. I love interviews. It’s all good right now.”
He plans to play in some junior tournaments after this week and has IGCSE tests to take and says he has been “doing a lot of tutoring”.
HUA HIN-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananuwat amateur golfer of Thailand jumps to see his ball land on the 12th green on Tuesday March 1, 2022, during an official practice round ahead of the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club, Prachaubkhirikhan, Thailand. The USD$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged between March 3 – 6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A tough couple of years it may have been, but there’s no masking the refreshing bullishness of Gaganjeet Bhullar ahead of his welcome return to the Asian Tour spotlight this week.
Free from injury and illness and embracing life as a new father, the strapping Indian is eager to rediscover the form that caught the attention of the golfing world more than a decade ago.
Ahead of the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club, Bhullar, who turns 34 in April, has repelled all negative thoughts and believes a resurgence is on the cards.
“I’m coming out with a new mindset. New season, new mindset. It’s like starting from scratch,” said Bhullar, determined to put a roller-coaster period in his career in the rear view mirror.
In 21 starts last year, he managed just two top-10 finishes and missed no fewer than 11 cuts. Further frustration came at the start of 2022 when he contracted Covid and was prevented from participating in the back-to-back Singapore events that belatedly brought the curtain down on the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.
Although he arrives in Hua Hin languishing in 546th place in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Bhullar insists he’s back on the right path after a sobering fall from grace.
Consider that nine years ago, in March of 2013, Bhullar soared to 85th in the OWGR. Such was his career trajectory then that he was widely tipped to make it into the elite top-50.
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
It didn’t happen then, but Bhullar, older and considerably wiser now, is optimistic of scaling those heights once more.
He said: “By 2013 I’d reached a good level and wanted to get to the highest Tours. That didn’t happen. But I am still confident of getting to where I want to. I am hopeful of soon getting back to where I was with my game. I feel my best is yet to come.
“I haven’t set any goals, as such. All I want to do is to play … and play well. The rest will take care of itself. I’ve spent 15 years in pro golf and I am now ready for the next 15. All I need to do is to play well.”
Bhullar knows a thing or two about playing well. In terms of number of victories, he ranks fifth in the all-time list of Asian Tour winners (from 1995 to present).
With nine wins to his name he’s behind only Asian Tour legends Thaworn Wiractchant (18), Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Scott Hend and Prayad Marksaeng (both 10).
If he needed an added incentive to make it into double figures, then the arrival of a daughter, Farida, five months ago has done just that.
“I am loving fatherhood. My daughter has started recognising faces and voices. I’ve been waking up to her smile every morning – that was the positive of having been at home for last two months,” said Bhullar, who fondly recalls having his wife by his side when he last tasted Asian Tour success, at the Fiji International in 2018.
“That was great to fly back with the trophy … and I had my wife to share the moment. Now I want to win for my daughter,” said Bhullar.
Three-time Asian Tour winner Andrew Dodt says “you really have to have all parts of your game on song” when playing Black Mountain Golf Club, venue for this week’s US$1.5 million International Series Thailand – the first of the groundbreaking new International Series events.
The talented Australian is more than qualified to comment on the course because he won the True Thailand Classic there in 2015.
“You have got to be good in the wind,” said the 36 year old.
“I have not been back since 2016, but from memory you have to be good in the wind. The mountain makes the wind swirl. You have holes that play up, you have holes that play down, and there are cross winds swirling around the mountain, so that’s tricky. And the greens get really firm. You really have to have all parts of your game on song.”
Dodt won the event, which was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and DP World Tour, by beating compatriot Scott Hend and Thai star Thongchai Jaidee by a shot.
“I remember playing really well on the final day, I played with Richard Green and Prayad Marksaeng. I was just really solid, I shot 67. Had a bit of fortune with Thongchai three putting the last, for me to win by one,” added Dodt.
“I remember I felt really good and calm all day. I holed some nice putts and hit a lot of great shots, and managed to come away with the trophy.”
Dodt finished tied 23rd in the Royals Cup at the weekend.
He added: “I like my game at the moment, maybe a little rusty. It’s just great to be back playing again. I have only played six events in the last two years. I am getting some momentum now and finding some form.
“I am 36, I know my game reasonably well now, if something goes wrong, I know how to fix it pretty quick, wish I knew that when I was 25.”
Hend, who won the True Thailand tournament the following year, is also competing in this week’s event.
Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat, popularly known as “Coconut”, has kindly agreed to document his season for us through a regular diary that will give us some insight into the life of a Touring professional. In the first of his entries, he looks back on his near miss in Phuket, where he tied for second, his on-going battles with a shoulder injury and being inspired by playing with Paul Casey.
January/February
First up, I’d like to thank the Asian Tour for giving me the opportunity to write a diary this year. It’s gonna be fun and I’m looking forward to it.
So, where do I start? Well, it’s really all about my shoulder injury.
After coming off a shoulder injury last year I was really happy to play well at the Laguna Phuket Championship before the year ended. I had a chance to win but I let it slip away. I can’t complain, it was the second event back after the long break and finishing second was a real boost.
At the two events in Singapore in January, I finished tied 23rd and tied 24th, so it was a grind. I had been working on my swing, and new swing thoughts, particularly trying to deal with my body changing from the injury. I was trying to get back to where it was and trying to get back in physical shape.
There’s been a bit of change in the swing caused by tightness from the injury. I’ve been trying to stretch it out but after the injury a lot of stuff doesn’t move the same. So, it’s been a lot of body work and it’s been working ok.
The injury last year started with a stiff neck; nothing was torn but it turned into a shoulder injury, on the right side, so I took three months off.
When the Phuket events came around, I wasn’t 100%, but luckily it went ok.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand pictured on Saturday December 4, 2021 during round three of the Asian Tour’s Laguna Phuket Championship 2021 at Laguna Golf Phuket, with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Fortunately, going into Singapore my putting was much better. I had done a lot of work on my putting and my game was fine, but it wasn’t sharp enough to get a top-10 or win but it’s still progress.
I still do some rehab even though there’s no more injury. What I have now is just tightness and strength that hasn’t come back to normal. It’s been a lot of body work, working a lot on my stretching to prevent another injury.
During time off I normally do some cycling, but I haven’t been able to do that because of the shoulder. I do road cycling, although that doesn’t exactly help the shoulder. But I’m raring to get back on the road again. I’m craving for cycling.
After the two Singapore events I went to Phuket for a week. I spent a couple of days at Laguna Golf Phuket and then mostly just relaxed by the beach to chill out.
Starting the new season at the Saudi International I obviously wanted to play well. It’s such a big event. You want to try to make the weekend and then climb up the leaderboard on moving day, but with the wind it was a tough week. It was a very strong wind which we usually don’t have on the Asian Tour. I mean a 40 to 50 yard wind is just something different. I think I learned a lot from it, and I enjoyed the week there, it was really good.
It felt great playing in an event with all the top players. I played with Paul Casey on the Saturday and just to play with him and see his shots, it just tells me that I have to go back and work on a lot of stuff. Because seeing world class golf up close, it just tells you where you’re at. You learn a lot from them because you want to be up there with them. You want to try to be at the same level, but it tells you that you’re not there yet.
I was practicing behind Tyrrell Hatton one day and watched him hit it so solid. Playing with Paul gave me a lot of tips from seeing it up close. I think I learned a lot because I’m a guy that observes. I kind of watched him play as well, and I just enjoyed it. It was very exciting, it’s very nice to see those guys up close.
When I got back from Saudi I took five days off completely and then got back to my normal off-week routines with doing some practice, gym work and cycling. Unfortunately, after getting back into it, I started feeling a twinge in my left shoulder which is not the one that was injured last year.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand, left and Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand walk to the 7th green pictured on Sunday, December 5, 2021 during the final round of the Asian Tour’s Laguna Phuket Championship 2021 at Laguna Golf Phuket, with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
I was trying to make a little bit of a swing change, and maybe that combined with the workouts and physio treatment brought the injury on. I started feeling it last Sunday, and the next day I woke up feeling really stiff. By Tuesday I knew I had to withdraw from this week’s Royal’s Cup in Kanchanaburi. That was really disappointing.
But as I write this, I’m feeling a bit better, so I’m hoping to be able to play in next week’s International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin. That promises to be a really exciting new event, which is great for the Tour.
I will let you all know how it goes in next month’s diary.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang sensationally took the halfway lead in the Royal’s Cup today after acing the par-three 16th and eagling the closing hole, a par five, at Grand Prix Golf Club.
The three-time Asian Tour winner, who led after day one with an eight-under-par 64, fired a 66 to lead on 14 under by two from Thailand’s Jakraphan Premsirigorn and American Sihwan Kim, who shot 62 and 65 respectively.
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, winner of the SMBC Singapore Open last month, is a stroke further back after shooting 67, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.
Chan started poorly and went out in one over, seemingly out of the running, before his phenomenal closing stretch of holes which also included birdies on 14 and 15.
The 35 year old holed out with a seven iron from 173 yards on the 16th, for which he won a Toyota Camry 2.5 HEV Premium. It’s the second time he has made a hole in one in a professional tournament. He says on the first occasion in Chinese-Taipei many years ago he won a watch, and added it’s the seventh time he has made an ace.
“I really wasn’t expecting to ace the 16th,” said Chan.
“I did hit it to within one foot on the par-three 12th for birdie but my tee shots haven’t been that straight today. So, I really wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t see the ball go in. I heard a sound and I thought it just hit the flagstick but then I heard Berry’s [Henson] group and the caddies cheering on the 17th tee. This back nine 29 is my new personal best. Also, 14-under for two days is my lowest so far.”
KANCHANABURI-THAILAND- Jakraphan Premsirigorn of Thailand pictured on Friday February 25, 2022 during round two of the Royal’s Cup at the Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a USD$ 400.000 Asian Tour event, February 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He won the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in November, which was the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 20-month break caused by the pandemic, but he’s struggled to find his form until this week.
Chan Shih-chang eagled the 18th after two brilliant shots to reach the green was followed by an eight foot putt.
He added: “The turning point came heading into the back nine. It was less windy in the afternoon too so that was an advantage. I was just aiming to shoot two under today because I didn’t start well and I wasn’t confident with my putting. Didn’t expect the ball to go in on 16, really.”
Jakraphan shot the lowest round of the week so far after making nine birdies and one eagle. Preferred lies were played so it could not stand as a course record.
“My putting was really great today,” said the Thai golfer, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2013 in Malaysia.
“When I hit the ball on the green, I made every birdie putt and when I missed the green, I can still make par. I had a backache coming into this week so today is very satisfying.”
KANCHANABURI-THAILAND- Sihwan Kim of the USA pictured on Friday February 25, 2022 during round two of the Royal’s Cup at the Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a USD$ 400.000 Asian Tour event, February 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kim has come close to winning over the past few months, including finishing fourth in the Blue Canyon event and tied fourth in Singapore’s National Open.
But he says he’s not putting pressure on himself to claim what will be his first win as a professional.
“I try not to think about. I try and go day by day, shot by shot. Playing pretty well right now so hopefully that will continue on and hope for the best,” said the American.
‘In golf you have just got to be patient. You could be three or four behind, but catch a hot back nine on the last day, so you can’t get frustrated.”
Sadom says he has put his win in Singapore well and truly behind him as he focuses on winning more titles.
“I have changed already, now is a new season, I think only about the present now,” said the 23 year old, who is familiar with the Grand Prix course as he practised here with the Thailand national squad several years ago.
“You really have to play well off the tee to score well here and I did that today. It feels good.”
He moved into contention again thanks to six birdies and just one bogey.
“I have missed only one fairway over the first two days. I had a lot of chances to make birdie even though this course is difficult,” he added.
Chan Shih-chang took the lead on day one of the Royal’s Cup today, recapturing some of the form that saw the Chinese-Taipei golfer win the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at the end of last year.
Chan fired an eight-under-par 64 at Grand Prix Golf Club, in Kanchanaburi province, to lead from Justin Quiban from the Philippines, who shot 65.
Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren plus Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Thitipan Pachuayprakong, returned 66s, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.
“I found back the same feeling I had when I played well in Phuket last year, which was nice,” said Chan.
“I hope it stays that way in the next few rounds. I haven’t been home since going to Singapore [in mid-January]. Went to Dubai to practice for a week after the events in Singapore, and then headed to the Saudi International, went back to Dubai again after Saudi before coming here. It’s been a long stretch on the road but looking to finish it off with a good result these two weeks in Thailand.”
The 35 year old is a three-time champion on the Asian Tour and a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour.
Chan’s first win on the Asian Tour came here in Thailand at the King’s Cup in July of 2016 before he claimed the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf in Japan, two months later.
His victory in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship last November is arguable the most significant for the Chinese-Taipei golfer as the event was the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 20-month hiatus caused by COVID-19.
Chan began his round today on the 10th and went out in five under and reached eight under for 13 holes before making his only bogey of the day on hole five. However, a birdie on his final hole saw the Chinese-Taipei golfer restore his impressive total.
KANACHANABURI-THAILAND-Justin Quiban of the Philippines pictured on Thursday February 24, 2022 during round one of the Royal’s Cup at the Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a USD$ 400.000 Asian Tour event, February 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Quiban turns 26 on Saturday and celebrated early with a fine round today.
“I just followed my game plan from the beginning. Tried to hit as many greens as I can. I was actually rolling my putts real good, reading the greens real good. Even the speed,” said the Filipino.
He nailed eight birdies and dropped one shot.
He added: “Ever since I played in the States last year for eight months just doing mini tours my game has been great, even when I played in the Asian Tour Phuket Series last year, played well, made both cuts.”
Hellgren, who attended Florida State University and roomed with American Brooks Koepka for two years, went round bogey free with four birdies on his front nine and two on his back, on the last two holes.
The Swede is playing his first season on the Asian Tour having played predominantly on the Challenge Tour in Europe.
He’s not missed the cut in all five events since the Asian Tour restarted at the end of last year.
“I played some interesting golf today. Made a couple of good saves. It was fun out there, I liked it,” said the 31 year old.
Having played in the wind for the past few weeks the Swede said he had started hitting a low fade as opposed to his normal draw, which he finally went back to today
He said: “I think my form has not been very good over the past few weeks, but I have managed to play the weekends. The last two weeks after Saudi we sat down and said we need to change things up, we need to start hitting the ball straight again, maybe even a draw. I have been playing a full fade for the past six weeks.”
The “we” he refers to includes his coach Robert Ericsson, who is currently at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, venue for next week’s International Series Thailand.
KANACHANABURI-THAILAND- Bjorn Hellgren of Sweden celebrates with his caddie on the 13th green on Thursday February 24, 2022 during round one of the Royal’s Cup at the Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a USD$ 400.000 Asian Tour event, February 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Hellgren has been attached to the club since winning an event there in 2014.
“I love it there, play there every winter. Normally two or three months every year but now I am going to have Black Mountain as my base as I want to focus on the Asian Tour,” he added.
Asked if he keeps in touch with four-time Major winner Koepka he said: “Still keep in touch, he sent me some messages when I was in Saudi.”
Newly crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim from Korea and American John Catlin, a four-time Asian Tour winner, were in a large group of players who returned 67s.
Catlin, back in Asia after three events on the DP World Tour, produced a typically accomplished round.
“I have tightened a few things up and it went well today. Off to a good start, three more days to go,” said the American, a three-time winner in Europe since 2020.
“I like playing in Asia, I like my chances of playing better and winning here. It’s a lot of travelling but it’s kind of a necessary evil. It’s part of the job I signed up for, you just go wherever the events are.”
Catlin’s most recent win on the Asian Tour was the 2019 Thailand Open.
In an outstanding development for the Asian Tour, the United States Golf Association (USGA) have announced that the 2020-21 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner has earned a place in the elite field for this year’s US Open.
This means newly-crowned Merit list champion Joohyung Kim will have the pleasure of recalibrating his schedule to include a trip to what will be the 122nd United States Open Championship – to be played at The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts, June 16-19.
“This is amazing news,” said the 19-year-old Korean.
“I have had a great start to the year, but things just got better!”
Kim, who is competing in this week’s Royal’s Cup in Thailand, wrapped up the Merit title last month after finishing joint second at the SMBC Singapore Open, the final event of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.
After earning US$108,125 at Sentosa Golf Club he topped the list with earnings of US$507,553 having played in all eight events on the schedule.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “This is tremendous news. The Asian Tour truly appreciates this recognition from the USGA. Joohyung Kim is clearly the number one player on the Asian Tour right now and without doubt deserves this honour.”
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kim became the second youngest winner of the Merit title after compatriot Seungyul Noh – who was also 19 when he won in 2010 but is a month younger.
His path to the top was helped by winning The Singapore International the week before Singapore’s national Open.
Shiv Kapur says his preparations for this week’s Royal’s Cup in Thailand, the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, have been impressive if a little different: he’s been skiing in Bulgaria!
“I am quite relaxed actually,” said Shiv Kapur ahead of this week’s US$400,000 event, which tees-off tomorrow at Grand Prix Golf Club, in Kanchanaburi province.
“I have had unusual preparation; I went skiing last week, and it could not have been different weather. I had a pretty hectic start to the year so I thought it would be nice to kick back and relax and come in with a different mindset.”
Shiv Kapur has a second home in Bulgaria, part owns a bar there at Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort and has been doing a Pro Am in the country for the past five years.
“Bulgaria is like a second home for me,” he adds.
The Indian star has been in excellent form since the Asian Tour restarted at the end of last year and he has not missed the cut in five starts.
However, he is still looking for his first Asian Tour victory since winning an earlier version of this week’s tournament at the very end of 2017. It was called the Royal Cup and as it featured only 30 Asian Tour players it did not count towards the Order of Merit.
Like this week, the trophy back then was bestowed by the King and Kapur is fully aware of its significance.
KANACHANABURI-THAILAND- Shiv Kapur of India pictured with his caddie / coach Shane Gillespie of the USA on Wednesday February 23, 2022 ahead of the Royal’s Cup at the Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a USD$ 400.000 Asian Tour event, February 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Any time when you win the Kings’ trophy in Thailand, it’s very special. I remember having my whole family there, my daughter was quite young, and my parents were also there that week,” said the 40 year old.
“I remember having a battle with Prom [Meesawat] down the stretch. I was lucky to come out on top that time. We have had some great battles in the past from my junior days to my amateur days and to come out on top was pretty special, and it was a great way to end that 2017 season for me.”
That proved to be the finest season of his career so far as he also won the Yeangder Heritage in Chinese-Taipei and the Panasonic Open India.
He now has four Asian Tour titles to his name and is determined to add to that total this year.
Said Kapur: “I put in a lot of effort during the time off. I have been in the gym, even though it may not show, trying to get fitter and stay injury free. I have done some pretty good work on my game. Haven’t had the wins, put myself in position, but not been able to close at the weekend, that would be something I would like to change. I am treating this week like it’s a new season, that’s why the break last week. It’s important to feel mentally fresh as well.”
He also has his coach Shane Gillespie caddying for him this week, as he will for next week’s International Series Thailand, and The DGC Open in New Delhi later in March
“I am feeling mentally refreshed, recharged batteries and ready to go again,” said Kapur.
“I am feeling good about my game. I think there is a lot of good work we have put in already in the last 24 hours. And I am quite excited for the week.”
The driving range at the Hong Kong Golf Club was bristling with activity. The sense of anticipation was palpable. It was the eve of the 1986 Hong Kong Open, the showpiece event on the Asian Circuit. High-profile participants were beating balls, ironing out last-minute flaws in their swings.
Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam and Paul Way, heroes of Europe’s momentous Ryder Cup victory five months earlier, were all busily at work. But it was a fresh-faced, diminutive golfer from Myanmar who was the centre of attention … and the individual I’d been tasked with tracking down for an exclusive interview for the South China Morning Post (SCMP), writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor.
Swinging effortlessly, Kyi Hla Han drew gasps of admiration from the watching galleries, spellbound at the control and pureness of the striking as golf balls soared high into the Fanling sky.
Every few minutes he halted his practice regimen to receive a long line of well-wishers, patiently queuing up to offer a welcoming word, a hand shake or a friendly back slap. The affection was heart-warming and genuine.
The South China Morning Post report, by Spencer Robinson, in 1986
Just 24 hours earlier, Kyi Hla was among thousands of disgruntled travellers stranded at Manila airport, caught up in what became known as the People Power Revolution, a non-violent campaign that brought more than one million civilians onto the streets of the Philippines’ capital and would lead to the end of Ferdinand Marcos’ 20-year reign and the restoration of democracy in the country.
Having finished 16th in the previous week’s Philippine Open, Kyi Hla couldn’t wait to get to Hong Kong and continue the positive momentum he was building up. However, with the uprising that was spreading across the streets of Manila, roads were blocked. On the Monday of Hong Kong Open week, the day he was due to fly, all flights out of the Philippines were cancelled.
Despite the chaos around him, Kyi Hla kept a cool head and managed to cajole a taxi driver to deliver him to the airport on Tuesday. His hopes were further raised when Philippine Airlines announced that four flights would be allowed to leave the country. The next challenge was to get onto one of them.
Using his charm and persuasive powers, he managed to gain an audience with the new president of the national carrier, who had taken over when his predecessor fled the country in the wake of the political crisis.
Standing on the range at Fanling that late February morning in 1986, Kyi Hla, a glint in his eye, recounted: “I told him I was a professional golfer who was supposed to be playing in Hong Kong and pleaded with him to get me out of the Philippines in time. Fortunately, he was also a golfer. He called over one of his staff and told her to arrange for me to get on the flight!”
Han’s Manila Escape Act was the back-page headline in the next day’s SCMP, accompanied by an endearing black-and-white image of the then 25-year-old, wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and sweater along with a warm, enigmatic grin that the golfing world would get to know so well over the following 35 years.
In action at Fanling in 1989 (Photo by Chu Ming-hoi/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)
Over that period of time, Kyi Hla’s star shone brightly as he lit up fairways around the globe with his sublime shot-making. From Bali to Bangkok, Manila to Melbourne, Shanghai to Singapore and Taipei to Tokyo, he rarely failed to thrill the galleries that came out to cheer him.
Most notable on his playing CV were victories in the 1994 Singapore Open and 1999 Volvo China Open, the year he topped the standings in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, earning him a maiden Major appearance at St Andrews in the 2000 Open Championship. Along the way he rubbed shoulders with all-time greats such as Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player, Greg Norman and Vijay Singh. Never did Kyi Hla look out of place alongside any of them.
As he would discover later in his role as Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, the competition and power battles in boardrooms around the world were no less daunting or intense. Fighting for the rights and recognition of Asian players, on occasions he found himself pitting his wits against heavyweight Tour commissioners Tim Finchem and Ken Schofield.
Through it all, Kyi Hla Han essentially remained the same easy-going, kind, caring and humble character. Neither did he ever lose sight of his good fortune in being able to carve a glittering career from a sport at which he excelled and loved; nor did his passion or spirit of generosity in sharing time and laughter with family and friends ever wane.
To be included on the invitation list for the gatherings he and his wife, Marlene, regularly hosted at their beautiful Singapore home was an honour and a privilege. Good friends, good food and good wine were always in plentiful supply. My son, then in his late teens, still fondly remembers his introduction to Myanmar beer, personally given to him by Kyi Hla at one New Year celebration.
The outpouring of love and affection that greeted the sudden and cruelly premature passing of Kyi Hla last weekend is testament not only to his standing as one of the Asian game’s iconic figures spanning the best part of four decades, but also the esteem in which he was held, evidenced by social media postings from many who may never have met him but were well aware of his achievements.
Kyi Hla Han was a bona fide giant of golf in the region, as articulated so movingly by Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and CEO, and television commentator and Asian Tour board member Dominique Boulet, a golfing contemporary and one of Kyi Hla’s closest buddies.
The 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic.
Given the reverence in which Kyi Hla is held by so many of the current generation, it’s fitting that the Asian Tour should ensure his legacy will thrive with the creation of a Kyi Hla Han Future Champion Award in his honour to aid the development of juniors and the sport of golf in Asia.
A devoted husband to Marlene and father to Natasha and Kaitlyn, Kyi Hla Han’s passing leaves a huge gap in the lives of all those blessed to have known him and spent precious time in his company. He will never be forgotten.
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan credits the enforced break caused by COVID-19 and help from former Asian Tour player turned coach Annop Tangkamolprasert for his dramatic turnaround in form this year.
Rattanon starts as a potential contender in this week’s Royal’s Cup at Grand Prix Golf Club, the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, after an impressive start to 2022 which included narrowly losing to Korean Joohyung Kim in a dramatic sudden-death play-off at The Singapore International last month.
It’s been a delight to see the 26 year old back in full flight after two torrid years when he feels the problem was more psychological than physical.
And any athlete that has experienced a mental block that hinders performance at the highest level will probably admit that these are more difficult to overcome than a technical one.
“It’s not that it wasn’t good, I could not hit them,” Rattanon says, particularly about when things started to go awry in 2019.
He is not the kind of player you would expect to have these issues: he claimed the Thailand Open in 2017 while collecting three other top-five finishes and finishing 37th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with over US$131,000 in earnings. And 2018 results were very similar with two top-five finishes in big events and a 36th place on the Merit list.
But the 2019 season would prove to be much more difficult.
“In 2019 I made the cut in only five Asian Tour events. I played many tournaments that year because I was also playing Japan Tour, but I lost my confidence to play and lost my mental capacity. I couldn’t hit my irons; I admit that I couldn’t hit the ball in 2019,” he adds.
So, what turned things around?
Firstly, while the hiatus forced by the pandemic was a testing time for a lot of players, it proved to be a much-needed clean break for Rattanon.
He said: “During the pandemic I didn’t practice very much, and I think that was good for me. When I didn’t play golf for a while, it made me forget about the bad shots”.
And, at the end of 2021, he started working with his friend Annop – brother of two-time Asian Tour winner Pavit Tangkamolprasert – and this collaboration proved promising after only a few weeks.
“I wasn’t confident in any shot for a year-and-a-half before going to Singapore. I practiced with Annop for a month in the end of last year, and he helped me a lot and improved my swing. He changed my grip and the swing a little bit,” said Rattanon.
It was a fourth-place finish in the Trust Golf Mixed event in Thailand at the end of December that gave him the confidence to travel to The Singapore International, which was played on the impressive but punishing Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Armed with a new belief in his ability, Rattanon performed beautifully in what was the penultimate event of the 2020-21 season.
Having held the overnight lead after both rounds two and three by two shots, he was eventually caught by Kim in the last round after shooting an even-par 72 to Kim’s 70. The play-off was decided on the first extra hole with a birdie from Kim while Rattanon’s effort slid by the hole.
“The conditions at Tanah Merah were very difficult and it was windy. My iron shots were not very good but my chip-shots and putting was great. Although I lost in the play-off I’m satisfied. It made me feel more confident,” said Rattanon.
Importantly, the runner-up finish in Singapore secured his playing rights for the 2022/23 Asian Tour season, and he started the new season with an impressive tied-46th placing against a world-class field at the Saudi International at the beginning of February.
“It’s really great to see the Asian Tour come back strongly. There are many tournaments to play this year, especially starting the season with a very big tournament like the Saudi International, and this week’s Royal’s Cup,” said the Thai golfer.
“My plan for this year is just to enjoy my game. I don’t want to expect too much because I don’t want to put pressure on myself like I did in the past. As you know, I played well in 2017 but a year later I practiced too hard and expected too much. When it didn’t work, I lost my confidence so from now on I will try to not think too much about the results. Just take it easy and concentrate on my game.”
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