BISP student Napat ‘Toy’ Paramacharoenroj (above centre) recovered brilliantly from a nightmare start to claim victory in the inaugural Faldo Series Thailand Championship – South 2016, held 8-11 September 2016.
One of the pre-tournament favourites, Toy, a 15-year-old two-handicapper and member of the BISP Golf Academy at British International School, Phuket (BISP), ran up a triple-bogey seven on the opening hole followed by a bogey-four at the short second in the first round at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Displaying commendable skill and mental strength, Toy then proceeded to play the remaining 52 holes in 12-under-par.
Bouncing back from his early disaster, he signed for an even-par 71 in the first round of what was the ninth leg of the record-breaking 2016-17 Faldo Series Asia season.
He followed that with a 68 on day two before closing out the tournament with a stylish 66, the low round of the tournament which attracted entries from all over Thailand, India, Malaysia and Singapore.
With a three-day aggregate of eight-under 205, Toy topped the leaderboard in the Boys’ Under-16 category. He also led the way in the overall standings in the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event, earning himself an exemption into the forth-coming Singha Phuket Open at Laguna Golf Phuket, part of the All Thailand Golf Tour.
This year marked the first time that Thailand has hosted two Faldo Series Asia qualifiers with Putt Sridama triumphing in the Faldo Series Thailand Championship – North at Watermill Golf and Gardens in May.
Putt will now be joined by Toy in the 11th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Laguna Lăng Cô in Danang, Central Vietnam, in March, 2017.
BISP Golf Academy Head Coach Oliver Bates said, “As part of the BISP Golf Academy, Toy is almost on a professional-level training regime, combining his studies with three hours practice per day during the week, and then playing on the course all weekend.
“At the Faldo Series tournament at Laguna, Toy showed great mental strength as well as great ability, quickly moving past the triple bogey on the first hole, and a bogey on the next, to birdie the next hole – he never looked back from that point.
Toy agreed, “After the first two holes, I was not thinking about what had just happened, as there were another 52 holes to make birdie – and I did on the third. The next shot is all that matters, and every day I got better.”
Supported by The R&A and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2016-17 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months.
As well as two events in China, India and Thailand, championships will be staged in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ja-pan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, The Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006.
Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, touching more than 7,000 golfers each year. Past winners include Tseng Yani and Rory McIlroy, both multiple Major winners.
For more information about golf at BISP, visit: www.bispgolf.com
Faldo Series Thailand Championship – South, leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 210 – Phaiboon Phumkliang (69-67-74). 211 – Varun Parikh (69-69-73). 213 – Natchapon Eaksen (70-71-72). 227 – Noppasit Paramacharoenroj (74-78-75). 233 – Anshul Patel (79-77-77). Boys’ Under-16: 205 – Napat Paramacharoenroj (71-68-66). 211 – Bryan Tan (69-75-67). 214 – Kittiphong Phaithuncharoensuk (69-73-72). 234 – Tamm Pawornsit (74-81-79). 244 – Mohnish Shah (80-85-79). Girls’ Under-21: 210 – Phisitkhwan Pooratanaopa (69-69-72). 229 – Audrey Tan (74-77-78). 248 – Chanisara Kruakaew (79-84-85). 268 – Aditi Vakharia (92-87-89).