Thais Take Top Honours at Ciputra Junior Showpiece

Jakarta, Indonesia: Parin Sarasmut and Kanyarak Pongpithanon spearheaded a memorable Thai outing at the Mandiri Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship 2026.

Parin produced a gutsy performance to repel strong challenges from Australian Nate Johnson, Korean Park Jae-hyun, Shinichi Suzuki of the Philippines and Malaysia-based Japanese Daichi Hayashi to win the Boys’ title for the second time.

In the Girls’ Division, Kanyarak also had to battle hard to finish ahead of New Zealand’s Sarah Simei Li, Korean An Yun-ju and 13-year-old Indonesian Jennifer Quinn Effendi.

Parin and Kanyarak combined with Marisa Tojai and Warut Boonrod to bag the team title for Thailand, finishing with a four-day total of 620 (best three out of four four daily scores).

Five strokes clear of the field heading into the final round at Damai Indah Golf, PIK Course, Parin saw Johnson and Park make early inroads into his lead before finding his range on the back nine to join Indonesian Rayhan Abdul Latief (2024 and 2025) as just the second two-time winner, having savoured success for the first time in 2023.

After a bogey at the par-five first where he found water with his second shot, Parin birdied the second before reeling off eight successive pars as his advantage was trimmed to two by Johnson, who raced out of the block and was five-under through six. While Johnson and Park both reached the turn in five-under 31, Parin was out in even-par 36.

With tension mounting, Parin made a decisive move with birdies at 11, 12 and 14, while Johnson retreated following a double-bogey five at the short 15th and Park slipped with a six at the par-four 10th.

As Parin coasted home with a 71 for a three-day total of 12-under 204, Suzuki and Hayashi stormed up the leaderboard with 67s, the best score of the final round. They shared second place with Park (68) on 207. Johnson (68) ended fifth on 208.

"It wasn't the start that I wanted, but I had a good bounce-back birdie on the second hole and got some momentum going on the back nine. I just stayed patient and stuck with my gameplan, focused on the process, and the results came," said the 17-year-old Parin, who began the week in 120th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Kanyarak entered the final round one shot behind Quinn but prevailed after a closing 70. The only blemish on her card came at the final hole and meant she ended three shots clear of Li (70), An (71) and Quinn, who remained in contention until bogeys at 16 and 18 as she signed off with a 74.

Bidding for a third successive tournament triumph and a fifth win in 2026, Marisa Tojai had to settle for a share of fifth place on 212, four shots behind her victorious compatriot.

A double-bogey seven at the unlucky 13th ended Tojai’s hopes of adding to her recent successes at the Singha Thailand Amateur Match Play, ANNIKA Invitational Asia, Makassar Amateur Golf International Championship in Indonesia, and 33rd Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open.

"I'm super proud and happy to win, especially with Thailand taking the team title as well. I didn't play that well today but I just stayed patient, kept my focus and took it a shot at a time. I'd like to come back here next year to defend the title," said Kanyarak, who was making her first appearance in the Championship.

Parin received an invitation to the Asian Development Tour's Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournamen this August, while Kanyarak secured a start in the 2027 Indonesia Women’s Open which is a Korea LPGA Dream Tour event.

In the Development Division, Japanese golfers dominated. Hosono Yamato won the Boys’ category with a four-over-par aggregate of 220 (70-75-75), three shots ahead of Hong Kong’s Isaac Timso. In the Girls’ category, Sumire Andau posted rounds of 74, 74 and a closing 73 to edge and Indonesian Alletta Kajfi by two strokes. There was kudos for Indonesia’s Amara Putri Alvanina who made a hole-in-one on the third hole.

The Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship was initiated 33 years ago by the late Dr (HC) Ir. Ciputra. 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 marked the first time that the Mandiri Ciputra Golfpreneur Junior World Championship had received an official sanction from the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC). It’s a collaboration that’s aimed at increasing the number of participating countries, as well as improving player quality.