Sawt Falasteen - First Singaporean golfer at Masters hopes 'not be in awe' of heroes

"Being from Asia, Hideki Matsuyama is a big role model for how he carries himself on and off the golf course," the 22-year-old Tai told reporters in his home city at the weekend.

"Scottie Scheffler has been playing very well, and he is mentally very strong.

"I hope not to be in awe of them when we meet," added Tai, who studies business administration at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he made headlines earlier this year capturing college golf's biggest prize.

Tai's victory in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship in May secured his invitation for a Masters debut in the most elite field of any of the four majors.

The prestigious victory put Tai's name in lights alongside previous NCAA champions such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.

It also gave him his first taste of a major with an entry to this year's US Open at Pinehurst, where he missed the cut by four strokes after solid rounds of 75 and 74.

Born in Hong Kong to a Singaporean father and Japanese mother, Tai can't wait to soak in the atmosphere at Augusta National and test himself alongside his role models at the highest level.

"I just want to play to the best of my abilities and finish as high as possible," said Tai.

"But I'm sure I'll be looking around and enjoying the experience."

Tai was introduced to golf by his parents when he was four.

As his interest in golf grew, so did his talent for the sport.

"My parents would bring me to the driving range where I would hit balls with my younger sister," said Tai.

"That's how I started. I went to high school in the US, and it was around that period when I knew playing golf was something I could pursue."

Tai's talents did not go unnoticed by the Singapore Golf Association and he was inducted into the national squad.

He represented Singapore at major amateur tournaments, including the World Amateur Team Championship and Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, where he finished 14th as a teenager in 2019.

Tai's golfing priority is testing himself against the best at the Masters, but he is already setting sights on a professional career after he graduates in 2026.

"Hopefully, in a year-and-a-half, after I finish college, I can turn professional."

Asian golf fans will hope he can play back on the continent of his birth in the future in Asian Tour events, and Tai is not ruling it out.

"I would like to try playing in the US first," Tai admitted.

"But there are many different pathways today, and I'll look at them when the time comes."

L.Hussein--SF-PST