Heavy rains may have shortened the three-day Trust Golf Singapore Junior Masters driven by CarTimes Group event to 36 holes, but it did not dampen the spirit of the competition. In fact, this year’s boys’ Open division was fought tooth and nail from the get-go.

Singapore national player, Brandon Han, may have just played his last competitive round as a junior at the event, which took place at Laguna National Golf Resort Club's Masters Course on November 28-30. And he did it in style too, by winning with a four-under-par 140 total after rounds of 69 and 71.  

But it was 14-year-old Bhumkit ‘Heart’ Pitchayasaowapak from Thailand who started strong and set the pace for the rest of the field. Currently ranked third in the Thailand Junior Golf Association’s nationwide ranking system, Heart, as he is also called, showcased the quality that pervades the development that has made the country one of the best golfing nations in the Far East.

His birdie-birdie start led to a strong front nine that ended with two more birdies on holes 7 and 8 to turn over at 4-under-par 32. Two bogeys and a single birdie at the back resulted in a first day total of 3-under 69 to lead the tournament with Han, who also shot a steady 69 through scintillating play at the back nine.

The leaders started Day 2 from the 10th in the afternoon and played three holes before rain brought them back. Heart took the clubhouse lead at 3-under after trading a 10th hole birdie with a bogey at the par-3 12th hole after hitting his tee shot into the water.

Han made bogey at the par 5, 11th, just one shot behind after three holes, and when it was clear that they would not go back out, the tournament was shortened to two rounds with the deciding holes to be played out the next day.

On Day 3, the Thai boy again started strongly again with a birdie at the par-4 13th to stretch his lead to two and made no mistake throughout the rest of the front nine. Han did well to save them back with birdies on the 15th and 16th but gave back one shot at the difficult par-3 17th hole.

The turning point came at the second hole. A difficult par-5, especially for shorter hitters, the green is well-guarded with water all along its left, and that was where the young Thai player made his mistake with a triple bogey while Han made birdie.

“I hit a good drive and was left with a 6-iron into the green," said Han. "He (Heart) was further back and had to hit a three-wood, which ended up in the water. He then proceeded to hit his next shot into the water as well and ended with a triple-bogey. The pin was tucked to the left, so I played it safe, hit a draw from the outside in and landed pin high, 25-feet from the pin.”

“At that time, I just told myself to play aggressive golf and keep my foot on the pedal. I’m leading by three and I want to keep making birdies, and stretch my lead,” added Han.

And he did, making yet another birdie on the par-5 7th hole before dropping a late double bogey on the next hole to reduce his lead to two. Both players ended up making birdie on the last hole and the title went to the Singaporean.

“It was a great way to end the year, and my days playing junior golf,” said the 20-year-old Han, who is now setting his sights on open amateur events next year.

Together with the Open division, Han also won the U-20 division. Pitchayasaowapak took home the U-16 title with a two-under-par 142 (69, 73) total, while Malaysia’s Andrew Yung won the U-13 division with a five-over-par 149 (74, 75) total.

In the girls’ category, Arianna Lau of Hong Kong was champion of the Open division with an impressive four-under-par 140 (67, 73) total. She was also the U-16 winner by two shots over Alisa Inprasit of Thailand.

The girls’ U-20 division was won by Hannah Cheryl Alan from the UAE with a score of 147 (73, 74), while France's Louise Uma Landgraf secured victory in the U-13 with rounds of 71 and 71 for a two-under-par 142 total. Landgraf was also tied runner-up in the girls’ Open division together with Inprasit.

In the team categories, the U-20 title was shared between Team India Warriors and Team Singapore Gunners with Team Malaysia taking third place. The U-16 team title was won by Team Thailand APJGA UNO with Team Hong Kong Chasers and Team Thailand The Genz D in second place. The U-13 went to Team Thailand Natchanan, followed by Team Thailand The Genz A and Team Singapore Power Par Girls in third place, signaling yet another successful finish to the junior golf event put together by LLD Sports Development and Management.

“Kudos to the winners of this year’s championship and we are glad to witness the gritty play and determination from the juniors, many who had come from all over the world to play in our event. Most of all, I would like to thank Trust Golf and Laguna National, both of whom had shown faith in us by supporting our event and junior golf development in the region,” said Lyn Yeo, founder of LLD Sports and the Singapore Junior Masters.

Title sponsor Trust Golf has also offered exemptions into the Thailand Mixed Series in 2023.