Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat has been making waves in the world of golf over the past year after winning the Asian Tour’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup last April to become the youngest golfer ever to win on one of the world’s major tours at the age of 15 years and 37 days.

The Thai amateur, now 16, has gone on to feature in International Series events, the PIF Saudi International and also play on the LIV Golf Series — all while balancing his school studies.

TK was competing at the Amateur Championship at Hillside Golf Club in England while taking time to take to Golf Digest Middle East.

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It has been a very busy and hectic time trying to get the balance right between school and ‘work’, but I usually just focus on the task in hand. If I have a golf tournament, I focus on that, I put all my attention toward golf for the moment. With my international travel, regarding my schoolwork, I do a lot of work online and work with tutors on phone calls so I can catch up with all the work, which can happen from any country before I return home to school.

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Honestly, finding time to relax doesn’t really exist at the moment. The only time I am not golfing or studying I am usually in the car. Let’s say, if I get a rare moment at home to relax, I am usually just listening to music or watching TV series. Sometimes I like to watch a bit of football and chat with my friends when I can. When I am actually physically in school, sure I am studying, but I am with my friends, having fun, so that is relaxing for me. 

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I have some pretty ambitious career goals as I want to win a major Grand Slam and become world No. 1, these are my all-time goals. In the nearer future, I aim to get to amateur world No. 1 — while I am still an amateur — break into the top 200 in the world, get my second Asian Tour title, and win one of the amateur majors — like the one I am playing in right now — and get into one of the majors.

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The experience I have gained playing alongside some of the top professionals on the Asian Tour, the International Series and on LIV Golf has been vital. I think the Saudi International was especially life-changing the two years I got to play there, and the International Series, where I also got to play alongside so many world No. 1s and major champions. The stuff they have passed on to me at LIV has been life-changing, too. Playing with the pros has also made me more mature. You spend weeks around these determined adults and it changes how you see things. Some of the pros like Phil [Mickelson] and Cam Smith have been inspirational. 

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The International Series has been a great introduction for me as I have learnt golf in Europe and Asia are almost a different sports: the climate, the grass, the way you play and plan the course. It rained here in England for a couple of hours this morning but I missed it. I got lucky with the British weather! I think it is great that the Asian Tour has expanded to these new destinations and I am super-excited to get to Scotland [Fairmont St Andrews for the International Series St Andrews Bay Championship in August]. I 100 per cent want to play in as many places as possible as, if you want to play pro, it is super important to help you learn new shots and see things differently, and it is great to get that exposure early on. 

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When it comes to my favourite place to play, that is a tough one. I love Singapore as the three courses I have played — Laguna, Sentosa and Tanamera — have all been amazing, but I love to play in the States because they have some stunning courses and the weather can be not as hot as in Asia … I am done with the heat! If I was to pick a favourite course it might be [LIV Golf destination] Centurion Club, because it is just perfect.