Boom Ratanakul: International Competitions Are the Key to Producing Asian Junior Golfers.

Jakarta – How can we develop junior Asian golfers capable of competing on the world stage? This question formed the core discussion on the ITSMe podcast hosted by Raisha with Boom Ratanakul, CEO and Managing Director of The Junior Golf Series (The JGS), held on the sidelines of The JGS Elite International Championship at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, 28-30 April 2026.

During this discussion, Boom confirmed that the greatest challenge for Asian junior golf does not lie in lack of talent, but rather limited access to international standard competitions. According to him, young golfers need more opportunities to compete, face opponents from various countries, and develop within a sustainable coaching system.

This vision became the foundation for the development of The Junior Golf Series. Established in Thailand in 2010, this organisation continues to expand its competition network across multiple Asian countries. Indonesia became part of this expansion following a memorandum of understanding signed in December 2025, which granted a five-year operating license for JGS Indonesia. This move opens pathways for Indonesian junior golfers to participate in regional through to international competitions within The JGS network.

Boom Ratanakul explained that The JGS does not merely host tournaments, but builds a development ecosystem through its Point Race system. Throughout the season, athletes accumulate points from every tournament to qualify for higher level events including the Thailand Junior Masters, Singapore Junior Masters, Taiwan Junior Open, NextGen Australian Junior Masters, right through to the Asian Junior Masters. With this model, players do not only chase championship titles, but also gain competitive match experience and build a competitive mentality from an early age.

This concept is being rolled out through the 2026 The JGS Elite International Championship at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. The tournament, featuring 48 junior golfers across multiple age categories, proceeded successfully despite temporary delays and rainfall from adverse weather conditions.

The competition produced multiple champions, namely Passion Hsu (Singapore) and Jayawardana Dornan (Indonesia) for Class A, Mavis Chua (Malaysia) and Abraraza Adriano Musyanif (Indonesia) for Class B, Qalesya Azkia Shanum and Arhata Putra Malik for Class C, Milanka Azwar and Arsenio Ibrahim for Class D, Charlotte Belva Sutrisna and Caius Yap for Class E, and Karl Lee (Singapore) for Class F Boys.

For Boom, this list of champions is only the start. The core objective of The JGS is to build a continuous development pathway so that more young Asian golfers receive opportunities to progress and become ready to compete at international level. Through this vision, Indonesia now forms a critical part of efforts to cultivate the next generation of Asian golfers for the global stage.