Singaporean golfer Hiroshi Tai out for a good time before turning pro in 2026

SINGAPORE – Hiroshi Tai has had an amateur career to remember, with the national golfer playing on the

sport’s biggest stages at the US Open and Masters

over the last 1½ years.

Now, as the 23-year-old looks to take the next step by turning professional in 2026 after graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology, he hopes to make the most of his final year as an amateur.

One of the tournaments Tai is looking forward to is the World Amateur Team Championships (WATC), where he will represent Singapore alongside Brayden Lee and Troy Storm.

The event is at the Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines Course from Oct 8 to 11, with the trio competing for the Eisenhower Trophy.

Tai, who played in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the WATC, noted that the tournament is significant as once he turns professional, the opportunity to play team events may not come by often.

“The next few years as I turn pro and after that, I’m learning to enjoy everything,” he said.

“Because if I was 15 years old and told myself I’d get to play in the WATC, I probably wouldn’t have believed myself.

“So enjoying the experience and hoping that everyone has a fun week, that’s probably the biggest thing I hope to do in the next few years.”

Tai, who was the

first Singaporean to feature at the US Open (in 2024) and Masters (2025)

after winning the

National Collegiate Athletic Association individual title in 2024

, will be looking to tap on the lessons from playing in those events.

While he missed the cut at both Majors, finishing tied-109th and joint-73rd at the US Open and Masters respectively, playing alongside the world’s best helped shape his routines and practice.

One particular moment that stood out was when he played a practice round with American world No. 3 Russell Henley in Augusta.

He said: “He doesn’t hit it super far but he’s a top-five golfer in the world right now... watching how he plays the golf course and how good he is with his short irons and wedges is pretty nice for me to watch and learn how he does that.”

The WATC is one of the final major events for Tai before turning professional.

He is trying to secure playing status on the DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour – the development tour of the PGA Tour – and is set to miss December’s SEA Games due to a scheduling conflict.

Teammate Troy, who played in the 2023 WATC, is looking forward to his second outing in the tournament.

The 16-year-old said: “For my first WATC, I was pretty nervous, teeing it up at the biggest tournament that I’d played. This week, I’ll be more experienced and definitely be more comfortable competing.

“Being here at home is definitely going to help with that. But I think just trying to stay calm out there tomorrow and all four days will be really important.”

Debutant Brayden is raring to go and hopes this maiden WATC campaign will act as a stepping stone for his goals.

“I’m looking forward to competing alongside Troy and Hiroshi and just taking everything in, taking one shot at a time,” said the 18-year-old.

“I hope that this experience will somehow help me and my journey as a golfer and probably serve a purpose, maybe once I reach my ambition of turning pro and playing for the nation.”

Defending champions United States will be looking to complete the double after the girls’ team of Megha Ganne, Farah O’Keefe and Catherine Park won the Espirito Santo trophy on Oct 4.

While the boys were unable to watch the girls’ victory as they were travelling to Singapore then, they are inspired by those heroics as they look to lift the Eisenhower Trophy for the 17th time.

American golfer Mason Howell said: “To watch them lift that trophy at the end of the week is definitely a confidence vote for us and we know we can definitely back that up.”