Former national golfer Joshua Ho’s decade-long journey in the national set-up brought him to countless tournaments across the globe and he counts his SEA Games gold and a Meritorious Award at the 2018 Singapore Sports Awards among his many career highlights.
Now the general manager at the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), Ho continues to sing high praises of the prestigious World Amateur Team Championships (WATC) calling it a “privilege” to compete in two editions of the tournament, also known as the Eisenhower Trophy.
His debut at the blue-riband event for the world’s top amateur golfers came in 2016, when he travelled to the other end of the globe to play in the south of Cancun, Mexico. The trio of Ho and fellow national team golfers Joshua Shou and Gregory Foo’s arduous travel was made worthwhile as they created history on the scenic but challenging courses at the Riviera Maya, registering the best results for the Republic, finishing 23rd in a 71-team field.
Speaking on their landmark feat, Ho said: “It was particularly special because we were a close-knit team. Gregory Foo has since become a touring professional, Joshua Shou is now coaching at SGA, while I am the (general manager) at SGA.”
Their then-team manager Jerome Ng is now with the R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews), one of golf’s leading governing bodies, while their national coach Andrew Welsford continues to coach in Australia.
“Nearly a decade later, we’re all still actively contributing to the game, which speaks to the lasting impact of this experience,” Ho added.
The 30-year-old also singled out his seven-under 65 score in the second round of the competition, the lowest among the 215-player field, as a standout moment of his competitive golfing career.
The credible showing in Latin America also propelled Ho to the 2018 edition in Dublin and the trio of Ho, Shou and Foo teamed up with Marc Ong to triumph over hot favourites Thailand in a playoff at the 2017 SEA Games where they took home gold.
“WATC is essentially the Olympics of amateur golf. Many of today’s top professionals have represented their countries in this championship… Olympic gold medalists Scottie Scheffler and Lydia Ko both played in WATC before turning professional. Their journeys highlight just how valuable this event is as a stepping stone for elite amateur golfers aiming for success at the highest level,” Ho said.
Foo, who plies his trade on the China Tour after securing a full card last November, echoed his former teammate’s views. He recalled seeing the likes of reigning world no.1 Scottie Scheffler, world no.5 Collin Morikawa and rising star Viktor Hovland at the WATC before they came to prominence with trophy success on the PGA Tour in recent times.
“I think it’s a great springboard for high-level amateur golf. Especially being able to measure yourself and compete against the best amateurs from all over the world who could potentially be the next generation of golfing stars,” he said.
Thankfully, local golf hopefuls need not make the exhausting sojourn halfway around the world to compete at the WATC with the upcoming edition held at the award-winning Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines course.
Likewise, Singaporean golf fans will be able to catch world-class sporting action right in their backyard, and noteworthy performances by local golfers in recent editions of the tournament will give fans much cause for excitement.
Reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s individual champion Hiroshi Tai, who will be teeing up at Augusta National for the 2025 Masters, teamed up with SEA Games individual gold medallist James Leow and Ryan Ang in the 2022 edition where they placed 21st. This marked Singapore’s best finish since Ho and company’s 2016 heroics.
In 2023, Tai and Leow combined with SGA national squad member Troy Storm, signing off strongly with a joint-lowest round score of 12-under 132 on the final day of proceedings. The 15-year-old Storm quickly built on his WATC debut with a B Division title win at the Thailand Junior Championships shortly after.
Over in the women’s competition, Inez Ng underlined her credentials with a joint-fourth finish in her Espirito Santo Trophy debut as she recorded a nine-under 279. Together with SEA Games silver medallist Aloysa Atienza and rising teenage star Chen Xingtong, Ng finished 20th in the team standings to mark Singapore’s best showing at the competition.
With a slew of credible results in recent years bolstered by home fan support, the WATC 2025 will be a thrilling prospect for the local golf faithful.
2016 WATC participant and current assistant national coach Shou will be with the national team every step of the way ahead of the Oct 1-11 tournament and his experience in the championships will prove vital for the new generation of golfers.
His advice to his charges? “Prepare well and lean into your strengths. Being selected for WATC shows that you have the game to compete, so trust yourself,” Shou said.
The former Singapore Open Amateur Champion, who himself turned professional and played on the Asian Development Tour and the China Tour after his WATC exploits, also urged fans to take the opportunity to watch top amateur golfers in person.
“Fans can expect the very best amateur players in the world to come to this event, players who would go on to become PGA and LPGA stars. So please grab this chance to watch them now.”
The WATC will tee off with the Espirito Santo Trophy from 1-4 Oct while the men’s championship for the Eisenhower Trophy will be played from 8-11 October 2025.
Main picture: The 2016 WATC Singapore contingent, from left: coach Andrew Welsford, team members Gregory Foo, Joshua Shou and Joshua Ho, and team manager Jerome Ng.
