University of Notre Dame men’s golf senior Taichi Kho has earned a berth in the prestigious 2022 Saudi International to be held at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, near Jeddah, from February 3 through 6, 2022. Kho earned the spot via a second-place finish at the 2021 Asian Amateur in November of 2021.
“I am just grateful and excited for the opportunity to play against the best in the world,” Kho said of the invitation.
“I’ve been preparing well for this event and I am going to give it my best shot to win next week just like any other week. I am looking forward to the experience and excited for the challenge ahead.”
The Saudi International field includes four players currently ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings and six major champions.
A native of Hong Kong, Kho created international news with his battle against the number-one ranked amateur in the world from Japan, Keita Nakajima, in the Asian Amateur. It was the highest finish ever for any golfer from Hong Kong in the renown amateur event. Kho battled Nakajima through four rounds and one playoff hole before falling by just a single stroke. The winner of the tournament received an automatic berth in the 2022 Masters Golf Tournament.
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Couldn’t be prouder of @taichikho, who battled the top-ranked player in the world to through a two-hole playoff to take second at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/53dzL83J1p
— Notre Dame Men's Golf (@NDMensGolf) November 6, 2021
In the fall of 2021, Kho helped the Irish golf team establish itself as one of the best units in the country. Notre Dame finished off the fall season with a share of the title at the Gopher Invitational (Kho finished in a tie for sixth place), then third place at the Windon Memorial, second at the Fighting Irish Classic and capped the schedule with a victory at the prestigious Stephens Cup – a tournament in which Kho finished third overall.
Golfstat.com has Kho as the 86th rated player entering the spring season in 2022.