Monk, ordained and focused, aims high amidst the bustle, challenging Rory McIlroy's dominance at The Open Championship
In the picturesque setting of Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, the 202X Open Championship is underway, with a host of top golfers vying for the coveted title. However, not all competitors are facing the same circumstances.
For Harris English, the absence of his caddie, Eric Larson, due to visa issues has made the tournament a "tough" play, as English's coach, Ramon Bescansa, has stepped in to fill the void. English, currently ranked 21st in the world, is playing without his caddie for the second straight tournament.
Meanwhile, Thai professional golfer Sadom Kaewkanjana, ranked 262nd, is making waves in the competition. Kaewkanjana, who became a Buddhist monk in 2023 and returned to professional golf in 2018, opened the championship with a score of three-under 68. His impressive round was propelled by three birdies across the next six holes, causing a stir among the thousands-strong crowd that followed him.
Kaewkanjana credits his meditation practice, learned during his time as a Buddhist monk, for his focus and ability to block out distractions. However, it's important to note that while his period as a monk may have benefited him in some unspecified way, there is no concrete evidence linking his meditation practice or monk lifestyle directly to his performance in golf tournaments.
Rory McIlroy, a five-time major champion and local favourite, started the championship with a score of one-under 70. Despite a narrowly missed putt leading to two consecutive bogeys at the 12th and 14th holes, McIlroy ended his first round with a respectable score of 4-under 67, one shot behind a five-strong leading group that includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Jacob Skov Olesen, Haotong Li, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and Harris English.
McIlroy, who is playing in his home country for the Open Championship, is expected to receive high support from fans due to his long-awaited glory at the Masters in April. The Northern Irishman believes that winning at Royal Portrush could be more emotional than his win at the Masters, as he stated, "This is where I grew up playing golf. It's a very special place for me, and I think winning here would be even more emotional than winning the Masters."
The second round of the championship is scheduled to begin at 6:35 a.m. local time (01:35 a.m. ET), with McIlroy and Scheffler set to head out at 10:09 a.m. (5:09 a.m. ET) and 3:10 p.m. (10:10 a.m. ET) respectively. As the competition heats up, Kaewkanjana's goal of cracking the top 50 of the world rankings and securing a spot in the Masters tournament seems within reach. With his focus and determination, the Thai golfer is undoubtedly a player to watch in the coming days.
Despite Harris English's coach, Ramon Bescansa, stepping in as his caddie due to Eric Larson's visa issues, English is still finding the tournament difficult, given his current spot of 21st in the world rankings. On the contrary, Thai golfer Sadom Kaewkanjana, ranked 262nd, is making an impressive impact in the competition, having opened with a score of three-under 68.
