Singapore: Hiroshi Tai hopes his debut at the Masters Tournament will inspire fellow Singaporeans to strive for greater sporting excellence.

Tai, who is pursuing a Business Administration degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, is back in Singapore for the holidays, ahead of his appearance for the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that will take on Europe in the Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in the United Arab Emirates in early January.

In April, he will make history when he becomes the first Singaporean golfer to tee up at Augusta National.

“Being the first Singaporean golfer to compete at the Masters Tournament is indeed an honour and privilege. I hope I can be an inspiration to all Singaporeans as we show the world we can punch above our weight on the global stage. We need to believe in ourselves and be confident in our own abilities,” said Tai.

A national squad member of the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), Tai has represented Singapore at several major tournaments, including the World Amateur Team Championships and the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Together with James Leow and Nicklaus Chiam, he clinched the team silver at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines. He also finished tied-eighth at the Singapore Open Amateur that year.

“SGA has given me a lot of support from offering me a scholarship grant to allowing me to represent Singapore at big amateur events such as the World Amateur Team Championships, which will be here (at Tanah Merah Country Club) next year.”

But teeing up at the Masters among elite company ranks as his biggest career highlight yet.

“It’ll be a great experience for me. I want to play to the best of my abilities and finish as high as possible,” said Tai, who fulfilled his National Service (NS) obligations as a weapons specialist with the Navy and credits his time during NS for shaping him into the golfer he is today.

“I enjoyed my time in NS. I got to interact with many people from different backgrounds and made some good friends. I learned a lot about being disciplined and also, time management.”

When asked why he chose golf over other sports, Tai said: “Golf teaches you many life lessons, even as you try to get better at it every day. It’s also a great way to spend time with your family and friends. You are out there for a couple of hours and it’s a great way to bond.”

The Masters Tournament is scheduled to take place at Augusta National in Georgia, United States from April 10-13, 2025.