Thailand’s K.K. Limbhasut Monday qualified for the Rocket Mortgage Classic to earn his second PGA Tour start of his career.
The 26-year-old needed to make a crucial par save at the last hole for a brilliant 5-under 67 to join Chris Nagel (66), Luke Guthrie (66) and Erik Flores (67) in the elite field at Detroit Golf Club, which hosts the Tour’s penultimate event of its Regular Season this week.
Reigning FedExCup champion and World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay headlines the US$8.4 million tournament which also features last week’s winner Tony Finau, The Open Championship runner-up Cameron Young and defending champion Cam Davis.
“I’m so excited to see what I can do this week, especially when this is not my first start on Tour,” said a delighted Limbhasut.
“I think I learned a lot from a couple of years ago at the Farmers Insurance, with the nerves an all. This is where you want to play. This has always been my dream to play on the PGA Tour and I’m really excited.”
The Bangkok-born Limbhasut moved to the U.S. when he was 14 to chase his dream in professional golf and landed in Southern California where he became firm friends with Morikawa in college.
While Morikawa’s career has skyrocketed, Limbhasut is patiently grinding away in hope of a breakthrough. He finished 94th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list in the combined 2020-21 season but struggled earlier this year with five missed cuts in six starts, which has since limited his playing opportunities in the U.S.
Morikawa said of Limbhasut previously, “We’ve been super close for a while and we talk almost every day. We talk like he’s my brother,” said Morikawa. “It’s awesome to see players that are my age, who I know really well, play well on the Korn Ferry Tour and hopefully make their way out here.”
Limbhasut will be joined in Detroit by countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who will be desperately seeking a strong week to ensure he at least qualifies for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, a series of three tournaments which will grant 25 PGA Tour cards, by being inside the top-200 of the FedExCup at the end of the Regular Season.
Kiradech, playing in his fourth straight year on Tour, has missed nine cuts from 17 starts this season and will have this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic and next week’s Wyndham Championship to salvage his 2021-22 campaign.
