Talented Thai Duo Top the Bill at Damai Indah

Jakarta, Indonesia: Teenage titans Parin Sarasmut and Marisa Tojai will be aiming to extend Thailand’s proud record at the Mandiri Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship (CGJWC) when the 2026 edition tees-off this week.

Parin and Tojai are among 142 golfers from 29 countries who have registered for the tournament that is being staged at Damai Indah Golf, PIK Course, from June 10-12.

At the ages of 17 and 15 respectively, Parin and Tojai are two of Thailand’s hottest golfing prospects and are expected to challenge for the titles in one of the region’s longest running junior events, which has been dominated by Thais in recent years.

Launched in 1993, the CGJWC has been a stepping stone for many prominent Asian players who have gone on to achieve success in the professional game.

For Parin and Marisa, strong performances at Damai Indah would provide further momentum as they aim to follow in the footsteps of compatriots Patty Tavatanakit, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, Thanyakon Krongpha, Danthai Boonma and Sarit Suwannarut all of whom graced the tournament during their junior days.

Other standouts to have played in the CGJWC include Japanese Taiga Semikawa, Nasa Hataoka and Miyu Goto, China’s Guan Tianlang and Malaysian Mirabel Ting.

Now at college in the United States prior to launching their professional careers, Rianne Malixi of the Philippines and Thai Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee, winner of last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, also enjoyed impressive showings here.

In irresistible form this year has been Tojai, who tore up the record books with a runaway success in the ANNIKA Invitational Asia in Thailand at the start of last month.

On day two at Laguna Golf Phuket, Tojai produced one of the most eye-catching performances of the year in women’s amateur golf, scorching her way to a 13-under-par 58, a round which included nine birdies and two eagles. Added together with her opening even-par 71 and closing 72, Tojai’s 12-under 201 total was 12 strokes clear of her closest rival.

It was Tojai’s second straight win, following on from her victory at the previous week’s Singha Thailand Amateur Match Play.

Her golden spell continued at Padivalley Golf Club in Indonesia a fortnight ago when she swept to a 13-shot win at the Makassar Amateur Golf International Championship. That triumph saw her soar to 246th in latest WAGR standings, the first time she’s made it into the top-250.

Her remarkable run showed no signs of slowing last week when she won the 33rd Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open at Barcelona Valley Golf Club (Rayong Green Valley).

For his part, Parin has been a regular participant at the tournament over the past few years. He won both the individual and team title in 2023 and was once again the Thai standout player last year, finishing joint runner-up individually, behind Indonesian Rayhan Abdul Latief.

Since then, Parin has continued to impress, posting six further top-five finishes, including a share of fourth place at The Royal Junior in Japan in April. He was also a member of the Thai team that struck gold at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bangkok last December, claiming the individual bronze medal for good measure.

Parin is currently 120th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the third highest Thai in the standings, behind only Pongsapak (34th) and Josh Duangmanee (49th).

Other players to keep an eye on at Damai Indah are Korean Park Si-woo, Indonesian Jayawardana Dornan, Malaysia-based Japanese Daichi Hayashi and Thai Warut Boonrod among the boys.

In the girls’ category, Korean An Yun-ju, Thai Kanyarak Pongpithanon and New Zealand’s 13-year-old Elise Barber, the youngest player in the field at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in her home country in February where she made the cut, all arrive in good form.

The Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship was initiated 33 years ago by the late Dr (HC) Ir. Ciputra. After being contested as a national championship until 2003, the tournament’s scope expanded to Southeast Asia (2004), Asia (2006) and then to a world level in 2007.

This year marks the first time that the Mandiri Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship (CGJWC) has received an official sanction from the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC). It’s a collaboration that is aimed at increasing the number of participating countries, as well as improving player quality.