Asian Tour Yearbook - 2022

TK mixes with the best Historic week in Pattaya A pril 10, 2022, is a date that will be etched into golfing folklore. While Scottie Scheffler’s maiden Major title at the 86th Masters Tournament duly drew international headlines, other seismic golfing occurrences were taking place on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast. Some 14,860 kilometres from Augusta National, more golfing history was being made at Siam Country Club’s Waterside Course in Pattaya. Jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET), the inaugural Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup was feted as a significant occasion, both circuits widely praised for the introduction of such an innovative undertaking. Featuring a field of 144 – 60 players apiece from the Asian Tour and LET, plus 24 sponsor There is no shortage of emotion when Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat (FAR LEFT/RIGHT) plays to win. 49 The three weeks since the International Series Thailand, I’ve not been playing much. I’ve been doing a lot of schoolwork. RATCHANON ‘TK’ CHANTANANUWAT T R U S T G O L F A S I A N M I X E D C U P S IAM COUNTRY C LUB, WATER S I D E COU R S E | AP R I L 7-1 0 | P R IZE MON E Y US$750,0 0 0 invitations – participants were competing for the same US$750,000 prize fund and trophy. The only difference was that the women were playing from forward tees. Intriguing pre-event storylines were plentiful. None, though, were quite so fanciful as the drama that unfolded, culminating in the record-breaking triumph of a teenage Thai schoolboy. At 15 years and 37 days old, Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat fired a stunning closing seven- under-par 65 to post a two-stroke success. In so doing, he became the youngest male player to win on one of the game’s major Tours, improving on the previous mark set by Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, aged 15 years and eight months when he won the Japan Tour’s 2007 Munsingwear Open KSB Cup. On the Asian Tour, Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil had been the previous youngest champion, claiming the 2005 Double A International Open when he was 17 years and five days old. What made Ratchanon’s triumph all the more astonishing was that schoolwork meant his practice had been limited since his 11th place finish in the International Series Thailand three weeks earlier. Yet in the opening round at Siam Country Club he carded a 63 – his second nine-under return in three rounds following a similar score on day three at Black Mountain.