Fickle weather and funny bounces are classic features of links golf, making the British Open a test of the mind as much as anything else.
Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise to see Sadom Kaewkanjana near the top of the leaderboard at Royal Portrush.
Kaewkanjana is an ordained Buddhist monk from Thailand who took a break from golf in 2023 to practice meditation.
He said being a monk was helping him “concentrate on the golf course” and improve his focus.
“Forget everything outside, just live in the present,” he said after shooting a 3-under 68 in his first round to be one stroke off the clubhouse lead in his second appearance at golf’s oldest championship. “I was cut off from the rest of the world when I was ordained,” Kaewanjana, ranked 262nd in the world, told golfchannel.com. “That made me feel more calm. I was able to concentrate more, which will help me improve my game of golf.”
In his first — in 2022 — he finished tied for 11th place at the home of golf in St. Andrews.
That was his only previous experience of links golf.
“When I play links course, it’s a new experience for me,” the 27-year-old Kaewkanjana said. “I really enjoy to play a links course. It’s fun to play with a windy course and tough conditions.”
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Kaewkanjana had the most fun at No. 5, a drivable par 4. He reached the green with his tee shot and holed an eagle putt from 20 feet.
Sadom Kaewkanjana’s major championship experience
Kaewkanjana is competing in his fourth major championship. He had previously qualified for the PGA Championship in both 2022 and 2023 due to his strong World Golf Ranking, where he has reached as high as 75th globally. Kaewkanjana also holds the record for the highest finish by a Thai player in British Open history, tying for 11th at St. Andrews in 2022.
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