Phachara ready for Euro Masters tilt
Thai teen sensation set to spearhead elite Asian Tour cast at co-sanctioned event in Switzerland
>> CRANS MONTANA: Teen titan Phachara Khongwatmai believes the experience of playing in Europe will give him an edge when he steps up to the tee for his first European Masters this week.
The talented 18-year-old Phachara, nicknamed ‘Phet’ which means diamond in Thai, capped a solid 2016 season by finishing 14th on the final Asian Tour Order of Merit, earning himself a spot in the Swiss showpiece, as well as several other starts on the European Tour this season.
After enjoying starts in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Czech and England, where he made a second appearance at The Open last month, Phachara will head to Switzerland for the only event co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours on European soil from Sept 7-10.
Currently third on the money list, Phachara will spearhead an elite Asian Tour cast, which consists of 33 winners and five Order of Merit champions, at the picturesque Crans-surSierre Golf Club.
They will battle against a starstudded field headlined by defending champion Alex Noren of Sweden, England’s Danny Willett, Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood at the €2.7 million (approximately 109 million baht) event.
“I have been playing quite a bit in Europe so I am getting used to the conditions here. I am currently in Prague for the Czech Masters so I don’t have to adjust to the weather and the time difference in Switzerland next week. Hopefully that helps in my performance,” Phachara said.
“I am beginning to feel comfortable playing in the cold weather here in Europe. I went to India earlier and was down with sinusitis due to the temperature change. I have recovered from it since and I am glad to be back enjoying the cool weather in Europe again.”
Phachara’s good form in 2016 spilled into the 2017 season where he secured two runner-up finishes in Singapore and Perth earlier in the year.
While he has yet to make his mark in Europe, Phachara hopes his growing experiences and the comfort gained from playing in the continent will help him put up a good showing next week.
“It is going to be my first time there and I am very excited. It is a tournament which every player dreams of playing,” said the young Thai.
“I heard the fairways are quite narrow and the greens are difficult. I haven’t played this kind of golf course before, especially at such a high altitude. It should be a good learning week for me.”
Ranked 218th in the world rankings, Phachara is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Thailand. When he was 14, he won as an amateur to become the youngest player to win a professional tournament in the world.
In the following year, he came into prominence when he won the 2015 PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship to become the youngest Asian Development Tour (ADT) winner at the age of 15.
Other notable players set to feature in the European Masters are Thai stars Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee, India’s SSP Chawrasia, Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines and Lee Soo-Min of South Korea.