Hiroshi Tai to be first S’pore golfer to compete at the Masters after historic NCAA win
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Hiroshi Tai, 22, is the first Singaporean golfer to win the NCAA national individual championship on May 27 in Carlsbad, California.
PHOTO: PGA TOUR UNIVERSITY/X
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SINGAPORE - Up against some of the top college golfers in the United States, Hiroshi Tai made history on May 27 (May 28, Singapore time) when he became the first Asian and Singaporean to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship in Carlsbad, California.
With the win, Tai, who enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology in 2022, booked his spot in two Majors – June’s US Open and the 2025 Masters. He will be the first golfer from Singapore to play at Augusta National, home of the prestigious Masters tournament.
Previous winners of the NCAA individual championship include Major champions Ben Crenshaw, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
Tai, 22, said in a post-game interview: “It was pretty nerve-racking, but winning the individual championship means a lot to me.
“Obviously, coach (Bruce) Heppler has done a great job of recruiting guys. Adding my name to that list is awesome, and I’m just surrounded by a bunch of great guys. It’s been a great experience for me.”
Singapore Golf Association (SGA) general manager Joshua Ho hailed Tai’s victory as a huge achievement and tipped him to play on the top-level PGA Tour one day.
Mr Ho told The Straits Times: “It is a proud day for Singapore golf. This is really just a start to a bigger journey for him. Playing in the Majors would have him testing his skills against the top pros in the world. This would motivate him to keep pushing and eventually getting a full card on one of the Major tours like the PGA Tour.
“He has the best chance to go all the way. From a very young age, his maturity was way beyond his years. His commitment, dedication and professionalism to the game were always something that separated him from other elite golfers.”
Mr Ho has first-hand experience of Tai’s talent and maturity, having caddied for him at the 2019 SEA Games. Then, the spotlight was on his more experienced teammate James Leow, who had just clinched Singapore’s second individual gold medal in the Philippines.
But in the team semi-finals, it was Tai who stepped up to help defeat Indonesia in a sudden-death play-off.
Mr Ho said: “The format was for each team to select any player to go for a one-on-one play-off. When we were discussing as a team, Hiroshi put his hand up and said he was ready to go. He made birdie to send Singapore to the final. It just shows his maturity and confidence even five years ago.”
Hiroshi Tai is the first Singaporean golfer to win the NCAA national championship title.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Competing at the La Costa North Golf Course on May 27, Tai, ranked No. 70 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings
He also had to make a tricky par putt on No. 9 to ensure Georgia Tech qualified for the team championship as the eighth seed.
The sophomore is the fourth player from Georgia Tech to win the NCAA individual title and the first since Troy Matteson in 2002. He had previously clinched two titles in 2022 – the Maui Jim Invitational and Georgia Collegiate Invitational.
Tai is now focused on helping his school in the team matchplay quarter-finals against No. 1 seed Illinois on May 28.
SGA coach Murray Smit praised Tai’s level-headedness, noting that “nothing really fazes him”.
He said: “He just gets on with it and gets the job done. That’s one of his superpowers. He’s very good off the tee and in his approach play.
“He has been doing significant work with his coach in the US to improve his putting, which was kind of the last missing piece to get to the elite level.”
He added that the achievement was a huge moment for Singapore golf. “It shows a lot of the up and coming kids what can be achieved. You know, if you’re willing to work hard and do the right things. Hopefully it also inspires them to dream big and try to win some of the biggest amateur and professional tournaments.”
Tai picked up golf after his parents took him to the Bukit range at Singapore Island Country Club when he was just four years old.
At the club, he became close friends with fellow golfer Ryan Ang, 24.
Ang said: “He sticks to his business, doesn’t really complain much and just gets the job done. He’s just a super solid player all round. I definitely think he has what it takes to play on the PGA Tour.”
