With the Open Championship in full swing this week, it is important to take a look at the players who are there and explore their stories. The usual pros are on the field, like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Matt Fitzpatrick. There are also a few players with a special story. Ryan Peake, who had turned his life around after a prison sentence, is on the field. There is also Aldritch Potgieter, a star rookie who had his first PGA win at the Rocket Classic. Then there is Sadom Kaewkanjana, a pro player who lived as a Buddhist monk and was officially ordained.
Who Is Sadom Kaewkanjana?
Sadom Kaewkanjana was previously a pro golfer with the Asian Tour. He has won three times on the Asian Tour and five times on the Thailand Golf Tour, as well as dipping into the majors whenever he could. During its inaugural season, he even played on LIV Golf. In 2022, Kaewkanjan managed to finish in 11th during the Open at the oldest golf course, St. Andrews, before he took a step back from golf.
Kaewkanjana As A Monk
After the 2022 Open, Kaewkanjana became a Buddhist monk and was officially ordained as such. According to him, in a 2023 interview, it was to repay his parents.
“I was ordained because I wanted to return the greatest merit and repay my parents.”
After Kaewkanjana was ordained, he was able to improve his golf game. According to him, the isolation and the calm atmosphere helped him improve his focus.
“I was cut off from the rest of the world when I was ordained,” he added. “That made me feel more calm. I was able to concentrate more, which will help me improve my game of golf.”
With his skill and his record, Kaewkanjana was able to get through the qualifying series in the Kolon Korea Open in May. There, he managed to get himself a spot in The Open, where he is now playing.
At The Open
After being away from golf, Kaewkanjana’s time spent practicing and training while being a monk is paying off. He started out strong with 3 under 33 in the first round. At the time of writing, he is in the top ten. Currently T6 on the leaderboard and is unwavering in this position. Kaewkanjana is more than likely to make the cut, especially if the second round is anything like the first. Despite spending time away from the sport, he is proving that he iss still more than capable of competing with the best in the world.
Kaewkanjana Going Forward
The Open Championship for 2025 is going to be a very memorable event for anyone talking about Kaewkanjana. He is in the top ten right out of the gate, he is getting a lot of attention for it, and his story before the major is something that will come up in trivia for a long time now. He may not be in the top 100 in the OWGR, but after this performance alone, it is very easy to see him taking a path to claim a space there.
Main Photo Credit: © John David Mercer-Imagn Images
