Lions forward Ikhsan Fandi’s career on the upswing again – with some help from the golf course

SINGAPORE – Since he first kicked a ball as a toddler under the watchful eye of his father and local football icon Fandi Ahmad, Ikhsan Fandi has gone on to flourish in the sport. Today, he is the Lions’ leading No. 9.

Plagued by injuries over the last few years, the 26-year-old has been on fire for his club this 2025-26 season, having rediscovered his smile and his love for the game.

That renewed joy has unexpectedly been shaped by a different sport. When he is not chasing goals, Ikhsan now finds solace on Thailand’s lush golf courses, trading boots for clubs as he lines up his next shot.

Having returned to his parent club BG Pathum United after being recalled from his loan spell with fellow Thai League 1 side Ratchaburi FC in January, he has been in fine form. In 12 matches across league and cup competitions in 2026, Ikhsan has scored 10 goals and notched an assist.

He also hit a milestone with Pathum recently, bagging his 50th goal for the club on his 100th appearance, with a brace in a 3-0 win in the Thai Cup quarter-finals against second-tier Mahasarakham FC.

Asked for the reason behind the purple patch, Ikhsan attributed it to the new sport which he picked up only a year ago.

“I would say golf is one thing that has helped me a lot, especially at Ratchaburi, where I didn’t always get minutes, but I still managed to score a lot of goals in the time given,” said Ikhsan, who is part of the 27-man squad called up for the Lions’ Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh at the National Stadium on March 31.

“When you are playing golf, you need to be patient, and it is a sport that requires a lot of consistency. The focus is always on the next action, the next shot. You can’t dwell on the past. So that’s how I approach life and football now. It’s very similar.

“Every shot I have to compose myself, focus, be in the moment and then take the shot, and whatever happens after, you deal with it.

“Sometimes the ball doesn’t go where you want it, and it could be because of the wind, the lie or whatever the reason, you step up, move forward, and then you do your processes again, and you keep doing it until the ball is in the hole.”

Ikhsan had started the season fit after overcoming a right knee issue and a quadriceps injury, which resulted in him having limited game time with Pathum in the 2024-25 season. He scored just three goals in 21 appearances across four competitions.

A fresh start in his club career beckoned when he was allowed to spend the beginning of the 2025-26 season on loan at Ratchaburi, where he first picked up golf after some teammates introduced it to him.

Despite limited game time – he was handed just five starts – he scored seven goals in 12 appearances before the recall by Pathum.

Ikhsan said he finds time to hit the golf course at least once a week in Bangkok, when his schedule allows. In January, he even went on a golf trip to Phuket with his girlfriend.

On what draws him to golf, he said: “I can have a terrible game and then hit two amazing shots, and then my mood would just be super good. I think golf is just something that can calm you down. Just being in nature and outdoors, it’s active recovery too.”

While he is feeling at the peak of his powers on the field, Ikhsan is also eyeing more time on the fairways.

“Now, I’m just playing for recreation and as a hobby, but I do want to get better at it, and obviously, the goal is to get to scratch,” said Ikhsan.

The bigger target for now is to continue bulging the net for both club and country. Ikhsan, who has 22 goals in 46 games for the Lions, acknowledged that he still has ambitions of playing in Europe or bigger Asian leagues such as the J.League.

Lions coach Gavin Lee noted that it is great to see Ikhsan in form and scoring, adding: “The importance is not just for him but for everyone to stay fit and healthy, and it will be so beneficial for the national team if they arrive in good form too.

“Fingers crossed that he continues to get a run of games as he has. We know his quality, and we hope that he can carry on this consistency.”

While Ikhsan is nursing a foot injury and remains a huge doubt for the Bangladesh match – a dead rubber with the Lions having qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup – he is eagerly anticipating leading the line during the Jan 7-Feb 5 continental showpiece in Saudi Arabia.

Ikhsan said: “I want to keep improving as a player. I know what I need to do to be able to compete with the defenders at the Asian Cup.

“Most of them are playing at such a high level, week in, week out, so I know that I need to get fitter, stronger, and work on my finishing too. And then as a team, we just got to gel together, and we will have to play as a unit.

“We don’t have a (Lionel) Messi or (Cristiano) Ronaldo, so we need to work as a team. If everybody works on what they need to do, be it fitness, strength, technique or tactical knowledge, then I think we can really compete and show something really positive in Saudi Arabia.”