Chaska, Minnesota, United States: Hopes of an Asia-Pacific US Amateur Championship double were extinguished at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Thursday.
A week after 17-year-old Rianne Malixi from the Philippines triumphed in the US Women’s Amateur, the region’s leading elite male amateurs were attempting to emulate her performance.
However, with the defeat of Thai Phichaksn Maichon in the Round of 16, the last surviving Asia-Pacific contestant was packing his bags for home.
On Thursday morning, Texas A&M’s Phichaksn produced an accomplished performance to beat Welshman James Ashfield, 4&2, in the Round of 32. Four-up through six holes, Phichakn was never seriously threatened by Ashfield, part of the European Golf Association (EGA) team that was defeated by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation in last year’s Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in Spain.
But Phichakn was unable to maintain that momentum in the afternoon Round of 16 contest against Spaniard Luis Masaveu, another member of the EGA’s 2023 Bonallack Trophy line-up.
Seeded third from stroke play, 2024 Open Championship qualifier Masaveu – he finished 78th at Royal Troon – took control early on and never offered the Thai a way back, eventually prevailing 3&2.
China’s Paul Chang and Thai Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, the only other Asia-Pacific representatives to survive the Round of 64, both suffered tense losses in the Round of 32.
Chang, who reached the Round of 16 in 2023, was ousted 2&1 by Tyler Mawhinney, a member of the USGA’s inaugural US National Junior Team who knocked out Vietnam’s Le Khanh Hung 4&3 in the Round of 64.
Incoming Stanford University freshman Ratchanon, meanwhile, put up a brave fight before succumbing one-down against 36-year-old American Bobby Massa.
There was never more than one hole difference in the clash. Ratchanon led one-up on three occasions but was pegged back each time. From one-up through 11, Ratchanon lost the 12th and 15th. With the final three holes all halved, it was Massa who progressed.
