Boonchu Ruangkit
Encyclopedia
Boonchu Ruangkit is a Thai
professional golf
er who plays on the Champions Tour
.
As a young man, Boonchu tried for a career in kick boxing, but he gave it up after being knocked out cold in his third bout. He made his mark in golf when he won the 1985 Australian Amateur
and he turned professional the following year. He has won five titles on the Asian Tour
since its first modern season in 1995, and has several other victories to his name. He was the runner-up on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 1995 and also made the top ten in 1998 and 2004. In the latter year he won the Thailand Open for the second time in his career at the age of 47.
In 2006, Boonchu turned 50 and became eligible to play in senior tournaments. He finished first in the 2006 Champions Tour
Qualifying School
and joined the Champions Tour in 2007. In 2010, he joined the European Seniors Tour
and won four events (including three straight) and the Order of Merit.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er who plays on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
As a young man, Boonchu tried for a career in kick boxing, but he gave it up after being knocked out cold in his third bout. He made his mark in golf when he won the 1985 Australian Amateur
Australian Amateur
The Australian Amateur is the national amateur golf championship of Australia. It has been played annually since 1894 and is organized by Golf Australia....
and he turned professional the following year. He has won five titles on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
since its first modern season in 1995, and has several other victories to his name. He was the runner-up on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 1995 and also made the top ten in 1998 and 2004. In the latter year he won the Thailand Open for the second time in his career at the age of 47.
In 2006, Boonchu turned 50 and became eligible to play in senior tournaments. He finished first in the 2006 Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
Qualifying School
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
and joined the Champions Tour in 2007. In 2010, he joined the European Seniors Tour
European Seniors Tour
The European Seniors Tour is a professional tour for male golfers aged 50 and over run by the PGA European Tour.The Tour was founded in 1992. In 2008 it had a total prize fund of €7,729,284, so it is much further behind the U.S.-based Champions Tour in relative prize money than the main European...
and won four events (including three straight) and the Order of Merit.
Asian Tour wins (5)
- 1995 Langkawi Open
- 1996 Myanmar OpenMyanmar OpenThe Myanmar Open was a professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour. It was founded in 1996, and was played every year until 2005. After a four year hiatus, the event returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2010.-Winners:-External links:*...
, Lexus International - 1997 Myanmar OpenMyanmar OpenThe Myanmar Open was a professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour. It was founded in 1996, and was played every year until 2005. After a four year hiatus, the event returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2010.-Winners:-External links:*...
- 2004 Thailand OpenThailand Open (golf)The Thailand Open is a golf tournament. It was an Asian Tour event through 2009. In 2010, it will become part of the fledgling OneAsia Tour's schedule. It was founded in 1965.-Winners:-External links:*...
Other wins (5)
- 1992 Thailand OpenThailand Open (golf)The Thailand Open is a golf tournament. It was an Asian Tour event through 2009. In 2010, it will become part of the fledgling OneAsia Tour's schedule. It was founded in 1965.-Winners:-External links:*...
- 1998 Mercuries Masters (Taiwan)
- 2003 Singha Classic (Thailand)
- 2004 Chevrolet Championship (Thailand)
- 2006 Singha Masters (Thailand)
European Senior Tour wins (5)
- 20102010 European Seniors TourThe 2010 European Seniors Tour was the 19th season of the European Seniors Tour, the professional golf tour for men aged 50 and above operated by the PGA European Tour...
Aberdeen Brunei Senior MastersAberdeen Brunei Senior MastersThe Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters is a men's professional golf tournament on the European Seniors Tour. It was founded in 2008 and is played at The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Brunei.-Winners:-External links:*...
, Chang Thailand Senior Masters, Berenberg Bank Masters, Benahavis Senior MastersBenahavís Senior MastersDe Benahavís Senior Masters is a golftournament of the European Seniors Tour.The Senior Masters is held at La Quinta Golf & Country Club near Marbella, Spain.... - 2011 Travis Perkins plc Senior MastersTravis Perkins plc Senior MastersThe Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters is a golf tournament for men over fifty on the European Seniors Tour. It was founded in 2001 and has always been played at Woburn Golf and Country Club in England...