Son Ends Jinx and Achiraya Rises at APGC Junior Championship

Colombo, Sri Lanka: Korean Son Je-yi and Thai Achiraya Sriwong produced accomplished final-day performances to claim top honours at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Championships.

The top-ranked players in their respective categories, Son and Achiraya added their names to an impressive list of APGC Junior winners who have gone on to fame and fortune in the professional game.

Based on their dazzling displays at the Royal Colombo Golf Club, the duo appear destined to follow in the footsteps of the likes of past champions Keita Nakajima and Nasa Hataoka of Japan, Australians Harrison Crowe and Grace Kim and Thais Denwit Boriboonsub and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap and carve bright careers for themselves.

In a scintillating final-day show of strength, Son, who turned 16 last month, snared seven birdies en route to a six-under-par 64. That gave him a three-day aggregate of 10-under 200 and a three-stroke success from first-round leader Harjai Milkha Singh of India with Singapore’s Troy Storm a further shot back in third.

For her part, Achiraya made five birdies in a round of 68. Her 54-hole total of six-under 204 was five strokes clear of Korean Yoon Gyu-ri and China’s Xing Feiyu in joint second place.

Victory was especially sweet for Son, who began the week in 275th position in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the top-rated player in the Boys’ field.

Son, who shared the lead with Storm after two rounds, said: “Before this week, whenever I played outside Korea, somehow I struggled with my game and had never won overseas. Now I’ve ended the jinx and that’s a big accomplishment for me.

“Also, before this week I didn’t know anything about Colombo or Sri Lanka, even where exactly the country was or what it would be like. Every moment I’ve had here I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Harjai, son of legendary Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, covered the front nine in four-under 31 to keep the pressure on Son. But bogeys for Harjai at 11 and 14 allowed his playing partner to ease home.

Harjai was fulsome in his praise of Son. He said: “It was very tight, very close – but he got me in the end. Props to him. He played phenomenal golf. Six-under-par on this course … that’s lights out golf. He deserved to win.”

Achiraya, meanwhile, began the final round with a three-shot cushion and never appeared in danger of surrendering that advantage.

Reflecting on her triumph, the Thai, who celebrated her 18th birthday last week, said: “I’m very happy to win the APGC Junior Championship. I enjoyed everything. I just focused on my game and having fun. Thank you to the APGC, the Sri Lankan Golf Union, the Thailand Golf Association and my team-mates. Everyone helped me so much.”

Achiraya, 22nd in the WAGR, added more silverware to her collection by winning the Girls’ team title, in partnership with Marisa Tojai.

There was double satisfaction for Son, too. He joined forces with Kim Gyu-been, low individual at last month’s Queen Sirikit Cup, to top the standings in the Mixed Team event.

The Boys’ team title went to Harjai and Krish Chawla, who holed what proved to be a crucial 20-footer on the final green to give the Indian pair a one-stroke success from Thailand.

Kaya Daluwatte and Adhithya Weerasinghe both finished the tournament strongly to earn the distinction of being the best-placed Sri Lankans.

With a closing 66, Weerasinghe soared into joint ninth place in the Boys’ standings, while Daluwatte signed for a second successive 67 to secure a share of fourth place among the Girls’.

“It’s amazing to have this tournament at Royal Colombo and to play alongside the best in Asia, here in Sri Lanka. Hopefully the APGC will come back and we’ll have many more tournaments here,” said Daluwatte, who will take the next step in her career in August when she heads to college at Pepperdine University in the United States.

LEADING FINAL SCORES

BOYS’ INDIVIDUAL
200 – Son Je-yi (Korea) 71-65-64
203 – Harjai Milkha Singh (India) 68-69-66
204 – Troy Storm (Singapore) 69-67-68
206 – Takrit Supagonchoowong (Thailand) 74-66-66; Jessada Chunagprayoon (Thailand) 74-65-67
208 – Lander Lee (Hong Kong, China) 69-72-67; Krish Chawla (India) 74-66-68
211 – Daniil Sokolov (Qatar) 72-72-67
212 – Adhithya Weerasinghe (Sri Lanka) 73-73-66; Yan Jinheng (China) 71-71-70 

GIRLS’ INDIVIDUAL
204 – Achiraya Sriwong (Thailand) 70-66-68
209 – Yoon Gyu-ri (Korea) 72-68-69; Xing Feiyu (China) 70-70-69
210 – Kaya Daluwatte (Sri Lanka) 76-67-67; Kim Gyu-been (Korea) 71-72-67; Marisa Tojai (Thailand) 71-71-68
211 – Wang Yung-jen (Chinese Taipei) 73-73-65; Sabrina Wong (Hong Kong, China) 70-69-72
214 – Amelie Blossom Ng (Singapore) 71-72-71
215 – Annika Chen (Chinese Taipei) 71-75-69 

BOYS’ TEAM
411 – India (Harjai Milkha Singh, Krish Chawla) 142-135-134
412 – Thailand (Takrit Supagonchoowong, Jessada Chuangprayoon) 148-131-133
413 – Korea (Son Je-yi, Chun Ji-yul) 143-136-134
427 – Hong Kong, China (Lander Lee, Joseph Cao) 143-147-137
431 – Singapore (Troy Storm, Bruce Kwong) 148-143-140 

GIRLS’ TEAM
414 – Thailand (Achiraya Sriwong, Marisa Tojai) 141-137-136
419 – Korea (Kim Gyu-been, Yoon Gyu-ri) 143-140-136
426 – Chinese Taipei (Wang Yung-jen, Annika Chen) 144-148-134
427 – China (Xing Feiyu, Peng Yan-Xuan) 143-142-142
435 – Hong Kong, China (Sabrina Wong, Felicia Hughes) 146-139-150

MIXED TEAM
410 – Korea (Kim Gyu-been, Son Je-yi) 142-137-131
416 – Thailand (Marisa Tojai, Takrit Supagonchoowong) 145-137-134
418 – Singapore (Amelie Blossom Ng, Troy Storm) 140-139-139
430 – Hong Kong, China (Sabrina Wong, Joseph Cao) 144-144-142; China (Peng Yanxuan, Yan Jinheng) 144-143-143