Charongrat and Park share lead with strong starts at JAT-NB3 Elite Series Circuit 3
Charongrat Jitnavasethien and South Korea’s Jaemin Park impressed with 2-under-par 70, sharing the lead in the Boys' Open and Class A categories at the JAT-NB3 Elite Series International Junior Golf Tournament at Lakeview Resort and Golf Club in Cha-Am on Friday.
The tournament, jointly sanctioned by Trust Golf, the Junior Asian Tour (JAT), and Notah Begay III (NB3), draws male and female junior golfers competing in two primary age groups: Class A (15-18 years) and Class B (13-14 years).
Competitors in these divisions play 54 holes over three days, contributing to the overall Open Class rankings. Class C players (ages 10-12) contest over 36 holes, with scores counting toward the JAT Order of Merit, the Junior Golf Scoreboard, and the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
In the Boys’ Open, Charongrat and Park’s matching 2-under-par 70s placed them at the top, with Satsin Chantaurai close behind at 1-under-par 71. In the Girls’ Open, Suritpreeya Pruksanubal, competing in Class B, launched her tournament bid with a solid 1-under-par 71, fueled by four birdies and three bogeys.
Thitaree Visavapattanamawan from Class A followed in second at 1-over-par 73, while Nattakarn Praveerothai and Natcharey Khunpasut tied for third with 2-over-par 74.
Charongrat and Park shared the lead within the Class A division with their 2-under-par 70 scores, while Satsin Chantaurai held third at 1-under-par 71. On the girls’ side, Thitaree led with 1-over-par 73, followed by Nattakarn at 2-over-par 74, and Varaya Wisitsakda in third with 3-over-par 75.
In the Boys’ Class B category, Lubanzi Tselane of South Africa, Nattagorn Bennukul, and Nutpob Luengcharoenwatana were top at 2-over-par 74. Suritpriya continued her momentum as the Girls’ Class B front-runner with 1-under-par 71, followed by Natcharey at 2-over-par 74 and Kankawee Linjongsubongkot at 4-over-par 76.
The second round for Class A and B, along with the first round for Class C, continues on Saturday. Follow updates from the JAT-NB3 Elite Series via the Junior Asian Tour Facebook page.
This event marks one of seven tournaments leading up to the final international "JAT-NB3 Asian Championship." In this culminating event, 80% of participants will qualify through the JAT Order of Merit, with 20% of competitors from across Asia vying for the chance to advance to the "NB3 World Championship" in the United States in November 2025.
Players must compete in at least four out of seven events in the JAT-NB3 Elite Series to qualify for the Asian Championship.
The tournament series offers an exciting opportunity for young golfers, as the top 20 players from the Overall Class will earn a spot at the prestigious NB3 Elite Camp in Florida, where they will meet with college coaches from renowned universities and have the chance to compete in international events.
Additionally, the eight winners from the four classes in the Asian Championship will secure a place in the NB3 World Championships in the United States, further elevating the competitive stakes for junior golfers in the region.
