Singapore: Ratchanon Chantananuwat was picking up tips from his playing partners mid-round as he carded a 66 that put him in contention to become just the fourth amateur winner in DP World Tour history at the Porsche Singapore Classic.
The Thai, better known as TK, made eight birdies – including four in a row from the sixth – and two bogeys to get to 10-under in round three at Laguna National Golf Resort Club. But even if he does not lift the trophy today, it could still prove to be a big week in his career.
The 17-year-old was playing alongside 2023 European Ryder Cup Vice Captain Nicolas Colsaerts, who is 24 years his senior, and took the chance to closely study the Belgian’s driving for some pointers.
“I am learning so much from everybody around me,” he said. “As a matter of fact, the holes where I teed off first I actually took out my phone to film some videos of Nicolas Colsaerts. He didn’t seem to mind!
“Double my age, add five and I’m still younger than him … yet he blasts it 30 yards past me. I just want to know how to do that.”
TK is playing just his third DP World Tour event having missed the cut last season at Laguna National. But he believes he is a very different player now.
He said: “I am quite happy with how I played. It was just a good round in general. Last year, I just didn’t play great, my swing wasn’t great, I wasn’t in a good place and I didn’t really know how to handle the bad days.
“I just learned which holes to be aggressive, which holes to maybe play a bit safe.”
It was in April 2022 that ‘TK’ won the Asian Tour’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup to become the youngest golfer to win on a Tour recognised by the Official World Golf Ranking. He is currently 78th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), having reached a high of sixth 18 months ago.
