Buddhist Monk Sadom Kaewkanjana's Clear Message Amid The Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The 2025 Open Championship is officially underway at Royal Portrush. While the spotlight is on big names like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, a surprising contender is quietly making waves, Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana.

Sadom Kaewkanjana is a 27-year-old pro from Thailand who has gotten into contention at the British Open . He shot 3-under 68 to finish one shot off the lead at the time his round concluded, behind Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jacob Skov Olesen and Li Haotong. Kaewkanjana got up and down at No. 18 from off the green for par to close out his round

The 27-year-old Kaewkanjana is the only Buddhist monk in the field this week. He took a short hiatus from professional golf in 2023 to live as a Buddhist monk and practice meditation before returning to the game. Before the hiatus, he won twice on the Asian Tour and finished 11th at the 2022 British Open at St. Andrews.