The golfing world has descended upon Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland as some of the biggest names in the sport vie for the famous Claret Jug.
However, with the Open Championship now well underway – an ordained Monk is capturing the audience’s attention for his ability to stay calm under pressure.
Sadom Kaewkanjana qualified for the tournament by triumphing at the Kolon Korean Open in May and has wasted little time in making the most of his opportunity.
On Thursday the Thai golfer ended Round One with an impressive 68, leaving him just one stroke off the clubhouse lead and ahead of 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy in the standings.
The highlight of the day for Kaewkanjana came as he came away from the the par-4 fifth at Portrush with an eagle courtesy of a 23-foot putt that earned the adoration of the spectators in attendance.
‘I hit [a] very good driver; I think it’s a lucky bounce from the green, bounce forward to the pin position and on the green and then have a good putt,’ he said.
Currently sitting at 262 in the world rankings, Kaewkanjana was briefly forced to put his burgeoning career on hold in 2023 as he spent two weeks in a monastery studying the teachings of Buddha.
The practice is common for young Thai men and is seen as a rite of passage.
Adherents are made to shave all of their hair and eyebrows and are required to walk through the streets at dawn to receive food offerings from members of their local communities.
‘Yeah, it’s my responsibility in Thailand, so I think it’s a new experience being a monk,’ he added.
The 27-year-old claimed that the experience proved beneficial to his skills on the course.
He added: ‘They help like more concentrate on the golf course or outside the golf course.
‘It’s made me [develop] a lot of focus—forget everything outside, just live in the present. So I really enjoyed being a monk.’
And while many of his contemporaries have lashed out at fans during the competition, Kaewkanjana has thus far managed to keep his cool amid the considerable pressure.
After an impressive showing in Northern Ireland, Kaewkanjana has wasted little time in outlining his ambitions going forward.
‘My goal is like I want to play in the Masters my whole life; I want to play one time,’ he said.
‘So to get in via the world ranking into the top 50, that’s my goal.’
Kaewkanjana’s performance at Royal Portrush has led to significant intrigue in the 27-year-old who finished T11 in his second Major appearance at the The Open Championship in 2022.
Just months before that milestone, he shared a photo alongside golfing great Tiger Woods to his Instagram account with the caption, ‘That’s the feeling when meeting a legend.’
In addition to his encounters with the sport’s royalty, Kaewkanjana also regularly shares snaps with his long-term partner, Jaravee Boonchant.
Boonchant is also a professional golfer, and attended Duke University where she won the Inkster Award, given to the highest-ranked women’s senior collegiate golfer.
