“It gets a little bit hard sometimes” Thailand’s 15-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat golf prodigy on managing his life

“It gets a little bit hard sometimes” Thailand’s 15-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat golf prodigy on managing his life

Ratchanon Chantananuwat, 15-year-old golf prodigy

15-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat, also with the nickname TK, is known to be quite a golf prodigy. At such a young age he is already one of the best amateur golfer competing against some of the top professionals.

In April, just before his 15th birthday, TK made headlines when he became the youngest male player to win on a major Tour, winning the $750,000 Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Thailand. However, being only 15 years old, he also has to focus on his studies. He has recently been studying for a biology and economics exam, as he has to juggle studies with his golf. He also has to represent his country at the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, in Vietnam.

Young Ratchanon Chantananuwat golf prodigy wants to do well in school too

Ratchanon Chantananuwat
Ratchanon Chantananuwat, 15-year-old golf prodigy

Ratchanon Chantananuwat wants to prove his point as well, that students can do well in both sports and studies while juggling everything together. “It gets a little bit hard sometimes, but I enjoy the challenge,” he told CNN. “I love to do well in both and prove all the doubters wrong.”Apparently if you’re an athlete, you can’t do good in school. I’m trying to change that.”

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TK has been quite the star on the golf course. At the age of just 13 years and 4 months he became the youngest player to make the cut in the history of the All Thailand Golf Tour in 2020. His father is his caddie as well as sort of like a coach for him, putting in the long hours to help him in school and in golf. TK spends anywhere between 7 to 9 hours on the course honing his skills on the days he doesn’t have school.

“I love golf. I love practicing,” Ratchanon said.“Yes, it’s hard — it hurts and it takes a lot of discipline, but even just two months of super hard work just to get that one good shot or just a good result, I think it pays off for me.” However, he pays the same amount of attention in school as well. He wants to study physics at a college in the US, maintaining his golf balancing act on the side. “If we turn pro, this is our life. We can’t really turn back,” said Ratchanon Chantananuwat.

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