Nagoya: The Thai national golf team is gearing up for the 20th Asian Games, set to take place from September 19th to October 4th, 2026, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The golf competition is scheduled from September 30th to October 3rd at the Kasugai Country Club (East Course), with backing from the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and the National Sports Development Fund. The tournament will feature four gold medal events: men's individual, women's individual, men's team, and women's team. Each participating nation is allowed a maximum of six athletes, comprising three men and three women.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Kittisak Chaimongkoltrakul, Secretary and Competition Committee member of the Golf Association of Thailand, has announced that the women's team will be spearheaded by "Pro Piano" Apichaya Yubol. Yubol is a two-time gold medalist from the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, having excelled in both individual and team categories. Joining her are "Pro Plai" Patcharajuhta Kongkrapan, who was part of the gold-winning team in Hangzhou, and "Sim 300" Nattakrita Wongtaveelap. The men's team comprises "Pro Phet" Sadom Kaewkanjana, "Pro Phum" Phum Saksaensilp, and "Fifa" Pongsapak Laophakdee, all competing as amateur golfers. Coaching duties will be handled by Mr. Preecha Senaprom and Mr. Pompetch Saraputthi.
Mr. Kittisak highlighted that Japan poses the most significant challenge in this edition of the Asian Games, given their skilled athletes and the home advantage of being familiar with the course. Additionally, South Korea and China are also considered strong contenders. Nevertheless, the association holds a firm belief in the capabilities of Thai golfers, confident that they can compete effectively for gold medals against any other Asian nation.
Reflecting on the team's past success, Mr. Kittisak noted, 'At the last Asian Games, we secured two gold medals in the women's individual and team events, along with a silver medal in the men's team event. This year, we aim to clinch at least one gold medal.'