[Newstart New Challenge] Bunjjan "I Love Korea So Much"

Debuting on the KLPGA Regular Tour This Year as a Thai Player
Secured Full Tour Card by Tying for 16th in Last Year’s Seed Ranking Tournament
Focused on Short Game Training and Strengthening Swing During the Off-Season
"My Goal Is Victory. Expect Great Performances"

There is a player who loves Korean culture. She is Jaravee Boonchan, an International Tour (I-TOUR) member from Thailand, representing Hana Financial Group. She smiled brightly, saying, "I like Korean food, K-pop, and K-dramas." She has a special affection for Korean dramas and even learned short Korean sentences from them. The dramas she enjoys watching include ‘Kingdom’ and ‘Fire Station Next to the Police Station’.

Boonchan said, "Korean dramas are a hobby I enjoy. Korean actors express their characters well, which keeps me immersed throughout the show," adding, "Watching dramas helps me maintain a work-life balance." She is preparing for a new challenge to compete in the 2025 season of the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) regular tour.

‘Thai golf prospect’ Jaravee Boonchant will debut on the KLPGA Tour this year. He said, "I am happy to play as a professional in Korea, a country I like." Photo by Hana Financial Group

Boonchan is a promising talent in Thai golf, recognized alongside Chanette Wannasaen and Natakritta Wongtawilab as a rising star from the ‘emerging golf powerhouse’ Thailand. Born in Bangkok, she moved to the United States at age 15. She attended Duke University on a full scholarship and led her team to victory in the NCAA championship team event. In 2022, she also won on the Epson (LPGA’s developmental) Tour. She debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2023, achieving four top-10 finishes by last year, including a career-best tie for 7th at the 2023 Dana Open.

In 2021, Boonchan signed a main sponsorship contract with Hana Financial Group through a connection with a domestic company. Since then, she has participated annually in the KLPGA Tour’s Hana Financial Group Championship hosted by Hana Financial Group, gaining experience and adapting to Korea. Her results have been solid: tied 8th in 2022, 29th in 2023, and tied 32nd last year. In March, she tied for 8th at the Hana Financial Group Singapore Ladies Open.

Boonchan has fallen deeply in love with Korea. Her favorite player is LPGA member Park Sung-hyun. "I like how Park Sung-hyun performs on the course," she said. Boonchan plans to be active in Korea starting in the second half of 2023 and tied for 2nd place at the KLPGA 2024 International Qualifying Tournament (IQT). She joined the KLPGA as an I-TOUR member in December last year and earned the right to compete in the 2025 Dream (second-tier) Tour through her IQT performance. However, she did not stop there; aiming for the regular tour, she competed in the KLPGA 2025 Seed Ranking Tournament and finished tied for 16th. She secured her regular tour card this year and will play as a KLPGA Tour rookie.

Jjarawi Bunjjan is a skilled player with a victory record on the LPGA Webson (Division 2) Tour. Photo by LPGA

Challenging the KLPGA Tour was not an easy decision. Like when she left Thailand to play on tours in the United States, she had to start over from scratch. She is thoroughly preparing for her regular tour debut. "Korean golf courses have many hills, unlike those in the U.S. or Thailand, so I need to practice more on various elevations," she said. "I also plan to adjust my club fitting to suit Korean courses." Additionally, she mentioned, "Besides golf, I had to find a home, coach, fitness trainer, and places to eat, so there were many new challenges."

Boonchan is improving her short game skills, which were lacking in Thailand, and refining her swing to be more solid. On the 26th of last month, she performed well, tying for 11th at the KLPGA Dream Tour Indonesia Ladies Open held at Damai Indah Golf Club BSD Course in Jakarta, Indonesia. She is also participating in tournaments in Thailand to maintain her competitive edge. She said, "Playing in Korea requires creativity in course strategy," adding, "I need to play more freely than before."

Jjarawi Bunjjan is working on improving her short game and other weak areas to succeed on the KLPGA Tour. Photo by KLPGA

Boonchan will start from the opening event of the KLPGA Tour. She is scheduled to compete in the Blue Canyon Ladies Championship (total prize money $800,000), held over four days from the 13th of next month at Blue Canyon Country Club (par 72) in Phuket, Thailand. She is focusing on making a strong start. She said, "In Korea, fans come to cheer for their favorite players, and I look forward to playing with many galleries every weekend," adding, "I think I will be able to enjoy playing here." She continued, "I will become a player with solid skills and show great performances," promising, "I will do my best aiming for victory."

This year marks the debut of Jarawi Boonchan on the KLPGA Tour. Photo by KLPGA