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.

Fickle weather and funny bounces are classic features of links golf, making the British Open a test of the mind as much as anything else. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise to see Sadom Kaewkanjana near the top of the leaderboard at Royal Portrush.

At first glance, Sadom Kaewkanjana, who shot 3-under 68 Thursday, appears to be one of those random names that usually appears near the top of the leaderboard early at an Open Championship. But his story is far from mundane.