Journey to PGA goes via Thailand for D’Souza
Q-school reaches final stage for local golfer with big dreams of playing on pro tour
Playing on the PGA Tour has been Leon D’Souza’s goal since he was 13, and the Hongkonger will take another step towards making that a reality in Thailand today.
The 24-year-old goes into the first round of final qualifying for the All Thailand Golf Tour full of confidence, having won last week’s first stage at Kabinburi Sports Club.
And with next week’s Asian Tour Q-school event in Phuket also on the horizon, D’Souza said his game was “trending in the right direction”.
With groups going off the first and 10th tees at Watermill Golf Club and Resort in Nakhon Nayok, D’Souza tees off on the latter at 7.40am local time in the group before compatriots Terrance Ng and Lou Tan Chi-hin start at 8am.
The three Hongkongers are among nine amateurs to reach the last stage of qualifying, with 126 players chasing 40 spots on tour.
“If I get on [the tour] that’s great, I have something to play, but this Q-school is more preparation for the Asian Tour Q-school next week, that’s what we’re progressing towards,” D’Souza said.
“The end goal is to play on the PGA Tour, that’s what we’re trying to get to. But, whatever road I need to travel to get to the PGA Tour, we’ll figure it out.”
The realities of trying to earn a living on tour though are different to representing Hong Kong as an amateur, or playing college golf in the United States, where he said “everything was taken care of”.
“Out here you’re really on your own, it’s a grind, but you love doing it. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else,” he said.
Except for this week, as D’Souza is not entirely alone. Ng and Tan are also in the fight to earn tour cards. “It’s nice to be able to travel with some of the guys, you can play a practice round with them, eat with them, you don’t feel so alone,” he said. “We’re all trying to go for the same goal, we’re all working hard, but we’re all cheering each other on.”