Photos courtesy of Augusta National Golf Club/The Masters
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Hiroshi Tai is the first Singaporean golfer to compete in the Masters, and the junior Yellow Jacket is the fifth amateur from the Institute to compete in the tournament. Following are some news articles, videos and social media posts to give our fans a peek into his week at Augusta National Golf Club.
SINGAPOREAN GOLFER HIROSHI TAI’S LONG JOURNEY TO THE MASTERS
In the early years of this century, a young boy gets special permission to use the range at the Singapore Island Country Club. He’s five years old, but his immediate love of golf is quickly advertised in his persistence. He won’t leave the range, just hitting bucket after bucket of balls till a blister appears and his finger bleeds.
That boy is now two days away from his Masters debut.
Hiroshi Tai is 23, ready, his putter polished, his golf balls marked with a black line, his ball marker from the East Lake Golf Club where the legendary Bobby Jones, co-founder of the Masters, came from. He is also no longer a boy.
Just ask Georgia Tech’s assistant coach Devin Stanton, a former baseball player from the university who will caddie for him in Augusta and is impressed by his stint in the Navy.
“He did the two years of military service right out of high school,” says Stanton. “And without a doubt, he was the most mature freshman I had ever seen. He came in and he was a grown man.”
In Augusta are Tai’s sister Yoko, a plus-two handicap golfer, and his parents Yukiko and Jacky. He’s Singaporean and she’s Japanese and if Hiroshi can’t speak her language he can understand it. “He knows,” smiles Yukiko, “when I am scolding him in Japanese.”
Singaporean golfer Hiroshi Tai’s long journey to the Masters https://t.co/Bsl5ofxb1o
— ST Sports Desk (@STsportsdesk) April 7, 2025
TAI “HONOURED” TO BE THE FIRST SINGAPOREAN TO PLAY IN THE MASTERS
Hiroshi Tai will make history as the first Singaporean golfer to play in the Masters this week, but the 23-year-old can count on a strong Georgia connection to buoy his bid for low amateur honours at Augusta National.
Tai secured his place in the field for the year’s first major almost a year ago, when he won the NCAA collegiate championship representing Georgia Tech.
It’s the alma mater of US golf great and Augusta National co-founder Bobby Jones – and creates a link to this day between the club and Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets teams.
But Tai said on Monday that the drive down Magnolia Lane felt “a little different” when he was arriving to prepare for his first Masters.
“Obviously being at Georgia Tech and there’s a lot of history involved with the Masters with Bobby Jones being a founder and obviously he played at Georgia Tech, graduated from there,” Tai said.
Hiroshi Tai will make history as the first Singaporean golfer to play in the Masters this week, but the 23-year-old can count on a strong Georgia connection to buoy his bid for low amateur honors at Augusta National. https://t.co/rb3JF0QlI4
— Khmer Times (@KhmerTimes) April 9, 2025
THE MASTERS – 2025 AMATEUR PREVIEW AND RESULTS
The 89th Masters will take place at Augusta National G.C. this week between Thursday 10th and Sunday 13th April.
A field of 95 players will be competing, six more than last year.
Five amateurs will be playing, the same number as last year.
The primary goal for each amateur is to make the 36-hole cut and if they achieve that to then go on and win the low amateur Silver Cup.
Tai was born in Hong Kong but represents Singapore; he is their first golfer to compete in The Masters. He was playing for Georgia Tech when he won the NCAA Championship.
- WAGR #47 (02/04/24)
- Top Amateur Odds – 8/1
U.S. and Amateur champions also receive non-playing honorary invitations which mean they are invited to attend The Masters every year for the rest of their lives.
Jose Luis Ballester 🇪🇸, Evan Beck 🇺🇸, Justin Hastings 🇰🇾, Noah Kent 🇺🇸 and Hiroshi Tai 🇸🇬 will compete for the low amateur Silver Cup at The 89th Masters Tournament. #themasters https://t.co/Dg6dWYf3kg
— Amateur Golf Bible (@GolfBible) April 9, 2025
HIROSHI TAI: FAST FACTS ABOUT SINGAPORE’S TOP AMATEUR GOLFER
He may not be a household name among Singaporean sports fans yet, but Hiroshi Tai could be the next sporting star to make waves in Singapore joining the likes of Joseph Schooling, Loh Kean Yew, Shanti Pereira and Max Maeder, whose sporting achievements elevated them into the general public consciousness in the country.
This week, the amateur golfer will become the first Singaporean to play at the 2025 Masters Tournament, the first men’s golf major of the season. He earned his invitation by winning last year’s NCAA Division One Men’s Championship, the top title for U.S.-based college golfers.
Playing collegiately for the Georgia Institute of Technology Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, the 23-year-old Tai – who lives in Florida out of term time – is making his Masters debut. Here are some facts about the rising star in golf.
Hiroshi Tai at The Masters
HIROSHI TAI ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Hiroshi Tai couldn’t attend Georgia Tech to play golf until he completed his required two years of military service in Singapore. Tai won the NCAA individual championship in 2024 and is now playing in the Masters. pic.twitter.com/tk4G42PQzK
— 30 for 30 (@30for30) April 9, 2025
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The experience at the Masters so far ticks all the boxes for Singapore’s Hiroshi Tai. #themasters pic.twitter.com/wNAYyINVOA
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2025
Monday at The Masters for @GTGolf’s Hiroshi Tai:
– Hung out in caddy house, ate lunch
– Amateur Dinner tonight
– Spending night in Crow’s NestCouldn’t get on the course with rain, but it doesn’t matter.
“This is a little bit better than being in class” @ATLNewsFirst pic.twitter.com/b3naNe5P8G
— Connor Hines (@ConnorHinesTV) April 7, 2025
