SINGAPORE – Up against some of the top juniors in the region, Singapore amateur golfer Brayden Lee had to “dig deep” to claim the biggest win of his budding career at the Royal Junior on April 20.
At the Royal Golf Club in Okura, Japan, Brayden shot three birdies and three bogeys to finish round three for an even-par 72 and one-over 217 total to emerge victorious among the field of 49 players. Junior golfers from 15 countries, including China, South Korea, and the Philippines, competed in the three-day tournament.
Thailand’s Parin Sarasmut (71) placed second with a 218, while South Korea’s Yu Min-hyeok (77) was third on 219.
Brayden, 17, said: “Playing against the top few amateurs from Japan and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation is always a pleasure. It was a tough fight out there against the two Thai boys (Parin and Wiss Jittathorn, who finished sixth after a 76) up front. I really had to dig deep and win with a few one-putts on the last few holes.
“I knew I had a chance going into the final round, after the front nine there were six people tied for the lead, so I just kept on going.
“It’s great to win the Royal Junior this year, especially after last year (tied-eighth), where I didn’t do so well. This is my first win in 2025, and hopefully it will give me the experience and confidence to have a good year and hopefully more to come.”
The result came after his debut at the Porsche Singapore Classic in March, when he finished tied-68th and missed the cut by one stroke.
The Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student said: “It would have been good if I had made the cut but it gave me some experience to play these next few months of tournaments better. Tour life is just different, the amount of focus and concentration that you need for every single shot (comes with) much higher stakes.”
Assistant national coach and team manager Joshua Shou said: “Brayden’s win at the Royal Junior is a testament to how far he has come. He had to overcome a challenging golf course and a field of the best junior golfers in Japan and Asia for this win.
“Historically, no golfer outside of Japan has won the Royal Junior, so to be the first one is incredible and speaks to his potential to be one of the best in Asia.”
National coach Murray Smit noted that Brayden’s game “has matured immensely over the last 12 months in terms of his decision-making and overall composure in tournaments”, adding that he is “confident that many more great results willfollowthisone”.
Brayden said that the win in Japan, which gives him an exemption to play in the R&A Amateur Championship in the United Kingdom, will be a boost for the rest of the season. This is particularly after disappointing runs at the Australian Amateur and Riversdale Cup, where he finished tied-51st and tied-10th respectively.
Brayden Lee, 17, qualifies for golf’s Porsche Singapore Classic as top local amateurNational golfer Brayden Lee, 17, wins boys’ individual title at Asia Junior Team C’ships
From now until the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation Junior to be held from May 27 to 30 in Hong Kong, he will be focusing on his studies as his international baccalaureate examinations are coming up in October.
His 2025 campaign could also include the World Amateur Team Championships in Singapore in October, and the SEA Games in Thailand in December.
While the players for the team championships have not been selected, Brayden hopes his Royal Juniors victory will help him secure a spot.
He added: “If I finish well, and maybe even medal at the SEA Games, then I think that would cap the year off really well.”
- Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times.
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