Youngsters eye up Thailand Amateur Open
The country's oldest golf event is set to tee off at Panya Indra Golf Club next month, with local talents aiming to follow in the footsteps of Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee by clinching the Singha Thailand Amateur Open's prestigious Rama VII title.
The 77th edition of the tournament, which has been played since 1930, will be held from October 4 to 7 at the famous course on Ramindra road.
The tournament has become a breeding ground for home-grown talents thanks to famous names like Thongchai, who won an unprecedented third Order of Merit crown on the Asian Tour in 2009.
That serves as a source of inspiration for the current crop of young Thai golfers, who will pit their wits against foreign golfers in the stroke-play format over 72 holes for individual titles in both boys and girls categories.
"In this competition, we find out who are the best amateur golfers in the country. Many of our big names have won the event. It will be interesting to see whether our golfers can continue their winning streak this time," said Rungsrid Luxsitanonda, president of the Thailand Golf Association.
"The tournament has drawn huge interest from abroad. Players from countries such as Singapore and the Philippines will participate, which makes it more competitive and exciting.
"We'll also use this event to prepare our national athletes for the SEA Games in November in Indonesia. Hopefully, their results will boost the morale of the entire team."
