Charleston, South Carolina, United States: Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Ding Wenyi when the 75th US Junior Amateur Championship tees-off tomorrow.
Last year, Ding became the first male golfer from the People’s Republic of China to claim a USGA championship when he defeated American Caleb Surratt, 3&2, in the 36-hole championship match at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
In his absence at Daniel Island Club this week, Thailand’s Ratchanon takes on the mantle as favourite. At 25th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), he is the highest rated player in the 264-strong field that features representatives from 33 countries.
From the Asia-Pacific, there are seven players from China, three each from Australia, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand and Thailand; two each from Hong Kong, China and Indonesia and one apiece from Japan, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore.
Winner of the Asian Tour's Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup last year, 16-year-old 'TK' is not the only Asia-Pacific player in the line-up to have beaten the professionals.
Last December, China's Zhou Yanhan became the youngest winner on the China Tour, then aged 14 years, eight months and 20 days. when he claimed the Chongqing Open on the second play-off hole.
Zhou, who started playing at age four, was also fourth in the Guangdong Open in May. Based on the WAGR, he is the second highest-ranked player in the US Junior Amateur field in 48th place.
Among the other Asia-Pacific representatives are TK’s compatriots Pongsapak Laopakdee and Teerawut Boonseeor, New Zealanders Joshua Bai and Zackary Swanwick, Indian Kartik Singh and Indonesian Rayhan Abdul Latief.
The championship begins with 18-hole stroke play rounds on Monday and Tuesday. The field will then be cut to the low 64 scorers for match play. Six rounds of match play will determine the champion. The championship match is contested over 36 holes.
The championship is open to any amateur golfers who has not reached his 19th birthday on or before July 29, and who has a Handicap Index not exceeding 4.4.
The USGA accepted 4,261 entries for the 2023 US Junior Amateur, the second-highest total in championship history and the highest since 1999 (4,508).
Located on the 4,000-acre Daniel Island, just north of historic downtown Charleston between the Cooper and Wando Rivers, Daniel Island Club features 36 holes that weave through a Lowcountry landscape of saltwater marsh, tidal creeks and waterways.
Designed by Tom Fazio, the Beresford Creek Course opened in 2000, followed by the Ralston Creek Course designed by Rees Jones, which opened in 2006.
For the US Junior Amateur, the par-72 Ralston Creek Course will be set up at 7,367 yards, while the par-71 Beresford Creek Course, which will serve as the stroke play co-host course for the two days of stroke play, will be set up at 7,039 yards.