MAURITIUS: Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai will have a point to prove when he makes his second appearance at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, which starts tomorrow.
The 18-year-old has qualified for Team Asia in the 2018 EurAsia Cup and he hopes to show his worth by contending for the title at the €1million (approximately 38 million baht) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.
Phachara will be among a star-studded cast, which includes major champion Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, George Coetzee of South Africa, who won the inaugural event in 2015 and reigning Asian Tour No.1 Scott Hend of Australia.
Bangladesh's Siddikur Rahman, who agonisingly missed out on victory last year, will also feature in the event alongside Shiv Kapur of India, the only player to win multiple titles on the Asian Tour this year, and major winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa at the Heritage Le Telfair Golf and Spa Resort.
Phachara, currently ranked fifth on Asia's Order of Merit, has enjoyed a solid year but he is still chasing the elusive first win on the Asian Tour.
After finishing runner-up twice in 2017, the young Thai hopes to finally go one spot better at the Mauritius Open.
"I started well this year but in the middle of the year I struggled a bit on the European Tour. It was a new experience to play in Europe this year but I have learned a lot. I'm playing better now. My game is okay but I haven't been consistent," Phachara said.
"I don't have any pressure to win my first Asian Tour title because I'm only 18. If it comes then great, but if not, I will continue to work hard."
Phachara made his debut at the Mauritius Open last year where he finished in tied 34th place, albeit on a different golf course.
The young Thai enjoyed a hot start to the season when he claimed two runner-up results in Singapore and at the World Super 6 Perth.
He played regularly on the European Tour, the season of which ended earlier this month.
He did not have much success but said that the experience will help him in his young career.
He returned to Asia later in the season and finished tied third at the Resorts World Manila Masters.
Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner, hopes to recover from a back injury as he has unfinished business in the event.
The Bangladeshi was leading the tournament heading into the final three holes before a double bogey on 16 and a bogey on 17 dashed his title hopes.
India's SSP Chawrasia will make his debut in the event after finishing seventh in Hong Kong, where he lead the opening three rounds last week.
It will be an important week for the Indian as he aims to chase down money leader Gavin Green of Malaysia, who he trails by slightly more than US$140,000 (4.5 million baht).
"My form is really good at the moment. If you look at the last few weeks you will see that I'm playing so good except for the final round," he said.