THE KING WHO INSPIRED THAI GOLF STARS TO NEW HEIGHTS
For the Kingdom’s top players, the most coveted trophies are those which were blessed by the late morach, writes Kittipong Thongsombat
Thai golfers have been making waves across the globe, winning prestigious titles, but to them nothing matters more than seeing their names engraved on two trophies: the Thailand Open and King’s Cup. The reason for this is simple — the trophies for these two events were blessed by His Majesty King, who displayed an unwavering commitment to helping Thais better their lives for some 70 years.
“These are two great events that every golfer — especially the Thais — wants to win,” said Boonchu Ruangkit, former president of the Professional Golf Association of Thailand who won the Thailand Open in 1992 and 2004.
Apart from Boonchu, Suthep Meesawat and Prayad Marksaeg are the only two other Thai players to have won the Thailand Open, which was initiated in 1965. Boonchu is the only Thai to have lifted the trophy twice. As for the King’s Cup, the Thai champions are Udorn Duangdecha, Arnond Vongvanij, Prayad and Thaworn Wiratchant.
All these Thai players were driven by one common zeal — they all wanted to be a part of the lists that display the names of winners of these two prestigious trophies.
“The King inspired us to play, not only to vie for his trophies but also to flourish in our careers,” said the 59-yearold Boonchu, who now competes on the Japan Senior Tour.
Boonchu has vivid recollections of his past appearances in these events.
Suthep is the first Thai to have won the Thailand Open in 1991 when Boonchu was second.
After that, Boonchu was advised by his senior colleagues to behave and avoid uttering rude words while playing in the tournament because “the King’s event is sacred”. He was cautious the following year and ended up winning the title.
“I was told not to deliver any rude words during the tournament because it was the King’s event,” he said.
“I was really focused the next year and finally I won it for the first time. I am really proud.”
Boonchu, who had an audience with the King before leaving for the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, received the news of the King’s passing on Oct 13 during a Japan Senior Tour event and he felt extremely sad.
“My wife called me on that day that the King has passed away. I was so sad that I could not sleep at all that night,” said Boonchu.
“His Majesty was everything for all Thais. He set a good example for his people, especially with his self-sufficiency economy philosophy.”
Prayad, 50, has always been impressed with the King’s benevolence.
Fittingly, Prayad was born in the seaside resort of Hua Hin, where the King often stayed at his Klai Kangwon Palace and initiated lots of public welfare projects.
Among the most important traits Prayad learned from His Majesty was being grateful to one’s parents after seeing the King so affectionately attending to his late mother, HRH the Princess Mother, on TV.
“I learned from him and I looked after my mother until the last minute,” he said.
Prayad is the only Thai to have won both Thailand Open and King’s Cup titles, lifting both trophies in 2013.
He has also won the Queen’s Cup in 2013 and 2015, making him the only Thai to have claimed the Kingdom’s three ‘royal’ tournaments.
He is now playing on both senior and main tours in Japan, where he has won nine titles in total, including four senior events in his debut season this year.
Like all other Thais, the 47-year-old Udorn also had special inspiration to play at these two events. His first King’s Cup win came at Watermill Golf & Resort in Nakhon Nayok when he was 25.
He then bagged the second one in 2010 at Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club. He has never won the Thailand Open but he still has the fond memory of making a hole-in-one at the 1995 edition at Pinehurst Golf & Country Club.
“I am really proud to have won the King’s trophy twice,” he said.
Udorn said that despite never having seen the King in person, His Majesty had been with him all the time and he always sought his blessings when facing any difficult task.
“For me, everything about the King was important,” he said.
He said the King left many valuable teachings behind and he chose to use them in his life.
“What I learned from the King is the difference between being thrifty and prudent. He was the King but he spent his life like a common person,” he said.
Meanwhile, two-time Asian Tour No.1 Thaworn, who landed the King’s Cup in 2014, claimed that he always felt upbeat when playing at the events blessed by the Royal family.
“Winning these titles are like blessings to me and also my family members,” said Thaworn, who also clinched the Queen’s Cup in 2012 and 2014.
The 49-year-old Thaworn, who is going to qualify for the Champions Tour in the US next month, was deeply impressed by the King’s way of living and he has opted to make his life as simple as possible.
“He was the King but he lived like a common person, reaching out to people from all walks of life and talk to them,” Thaworn said.
“Some people might look at me as a superstar thanks to my successful career, but, as you know, I prefer to live a simple life. The King is my idol in this.”
Thaworn was shocked to learn about the King’s death after the first round of the Macao Open
“I was in shock and did not know what to do or say. It was hard to accept,” he said.
“I could not stop my tears when there was a minute’s silence to pay respects to the King in the second round.
“Even now, I try not to watch excerpts from his life being shown on TV because I cannot control my tears.”
Like other Thais, Thaworn adored His Majesty because of what he did for his people after ascending the throne in 1946.
“As far as I know, he often came out at night to observe the real situation while his people were sleeping. He even worked when he was in hospital,” Thaworn said.
“He worked for 70 years for more than 60 million people. Losing the King is the greatest loss.”
Failing to make the cut in Macau, won by Thailand’s Pavit Tangkramonprasert, Thaworn flew back home immediately and went to pay his respects to the King at Bangkok’s Grand Palace on Sunday.
Unfortunately, he was not able to enter the place due to a heavy rain and a very long queue.
“I waited outside the palace for more than four hours but could not get the chance to enter,” he said.
“However, I am happy that I was there to pay my respects to my beloved King.”