Three international players who have the deepest resumes
Though amateur golf has become increasingly international, Takumi Kanaya, Chun An Yu and Atthaya Thitikul established themselves as the breakout stars of 2019 with games that seemed to travel effortlessly.
Kanaya, of Japan, is currently the top-ranked player in the WAGR after a year in which he nearly defended his title at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, the tournament that opened the door for so many coveted starts in 2019, including the Masters. Kanaya won a professional event in Japan and finished third at the Australian Open to end the year.
Yu, who often goes by Kevin, started 2019 by winning the Master of the Amateurs in Australia. Back at Arizona State for his junior season, Yu finished inside the top five in seven of eight spring starts (including a third-place individual finish at the NCAA Championship) to lock up First Team All-America honors. Most recently, he was fifth at the Australian Open.
As for Thitikul, the Thai teen is No. 1 in the world and looks to be the second coming of Ariya Jutanugarn, who has spent time as the No. 1 LPGA player in the world. Thitikul has already won twice on the Ladies European Tour despite being only 16. Most of her 2019 starts came throughout Asia. Thitikul will of course qualify for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur again and should she accept the invitation, should figure into the tournament more prominently than she did with a missed cut a year ago.