Kiradech Aphibarnrat: The monk who aspires to win golf majors, clinch PGA Tour titles

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Kiradech Aphibarnrat showed signs of returning to form with a tied 13th finish at the just-concluded Hero Indian Open here on Sunday. Kiradech had finished joint 37th in the last edition of the Indian Golf Union's (IGU) flagship tournament.

He also had a top-10 finish at the Ras Al-Khaimah Championship at the start of the DP World Tour 2025 season.

The Thai pro carded rounds of 71, 71, 78, and 75 at the challenging Gary Player-designed DLF Golf & Country Club to pocket USD 33,969 (approx). for his effort in the USD 2.25 million event. After turning pro in 2008, the big break for 'Asia's John Daly', as he is fondly called for his burly figure, came in 2011 when he won the SAIL Open on the Asian Tour at the Delhi Golf Club.

Thereafter, he triumphed twice on the Asian Tour, including winning the Order of Merit in 2013 courtesy his Malaysian Open victory, and four times on the DP World Tour before becoming the first player from Thailand to become a full-time PGA Tour member in 2018. He also achieved his highest world ranking of 29 the same year. But he endured a downward swing the very next year due to a knee injury.

"Actually my first Asian Tour win came in 2011 in the SAIL Open. It really opened up my career. I know I have not really come close to winning the Indian Open title. But I have got good memories playing in India. I started playing on the PGA Tour in 2014 (had limited invitations then). I played good amount of major world golf events, played decent golf, hung in top-50 and top-30 of the world rankings five, six years until I hurt my knee in 2019 at The Masters. That almost destroyed everything that I've been working so hard for," Kiradech told MyKhel in an exclusive interview.

In fact, he has 9 top-10 finishes till date, including 2 top-3 and 6 top-5 finishes, on the PGA Tour helping him earn a whopping $4.01 million from 106 starts. His best finish in a Major championship came at the US Open in 2018, when he ended in sole 15th place. Kiradech registered a tied 15th result at The Masters in 2016.

"I lost my card on the PGA Tour in 2021 and since then I'm playing mainly on the DP World Tour. I mean, I've come so far as to be inside top-30 in the world and knocking on the door of majors and big golf tournaments. I know it's never been easy," he added.

Golf is all about behaving like a monk, being unperturbed on the course, adapting to frequently changing conditions while keeping one's emotions in check.

In 2014, Kiradech had shaved off his head and eyebrows to follow the Thai tradition of becoming a monk for at least a week. Not to mention, it did fetch him dividends. The 35-year-old still has vivid memories of the same and he seeks to learn meditation in India to boost concentration levels during events.

"I think you really understand our culture. India and Thai almost have the same thing (philosophy), you know. We both love our religion. So, I wish I can come to India and do meditation over here. It has a calming effect and it just makes me feel that I'm a better guy. I'm more calm and a grown up guy. It makes my mind, my head more like concentrated in the game," the Olympian elaborated.

The Thai professional is good friends with Anirban Lahiri, who now plies his trade on Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf Tour, having played together on both the Asian and PGA Tours. Kiradech believes Anirban is one of the best golfers in the world.

"Me and Anirban are very close friends. We know each other from like more than 10 years and both have played competitive golf together for so long. He's such a nice guy, a great gentleman. I have no doubt that he is one of the best players in the world. We have walked side by side together in almost 20 years on various Tours. I'm so happy every time I see him. We were just a couple of hours drive from where we lived in the States (USA) back when we played on the PGA Tour. I think he did the right thing to go to LIV. I'm so happy for him," he said.

Kiradech said that as a player he feels LIV came as the right disruption and Tours should not stop players from exercising their choice of playing anywhere. He also advocated the inclusion of world ranking points for LIV Golf events.

"As a player, I would say it's good for everyone. For me, I feel you have more event, you have more prize money, more choices for the player to go play. I think to have more leagues or more companies coming in this golf game and support, makes everything excited.

I'm so glad that couple of Asian players are a part of LIV Golf, couple of Asians be a part of European Tour, Asian Tour and the PGA Tour. I mean, every Tour Asians are strong enough to fight and play against the top players.

"I don't see the point why LIV can't get the world rankings. I mean, for me, I'm really open. I'm not on the same side, I'm on the European Tour side, the PGA Tour, (5:33) LIV or Asia. I'm just on the players' side. You're not supposed to be blocking every player to go. You can't go there, you have to play there. I don't think it's sensible. Everyone (all Tours) have to welcome each other with open arms," he explained.