International Series Macau: star-struck Taichi Kho torn between respecting his golfing heroes and beating them
- The Hongkonger says he is still in awe playing with the likes of Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia, who are among the 20 LIV golfers in the Macau field
- Poulter says the 23-year-old Asian Games gold medallist is ‘definitely one on the radar’ to be part of his Majesticks team on the LIV circuit
One of Taichi Kho’s early meetings with Ian Poulter was at the 2011 Hong Kong Open, when the Englishman was defending his title and the Hongkonger was a star-struck 10-year-old.
Kho grabbed a picture that day at Hong Kong Golf Club, and on Tuesday he sat next to his hero at the Wynn Palace hotel in Macau for a press conference ahead of this week’s International Series event in the city, in which they are both playing.
It is not the first time the pair have been in the same field; they were together last March when Kho won the World City Championship at the course in Fanling, and have been at other Asian Tour events since.
But the 23-year-old said he was still in awe when lining up against the likes of Poulter, and Sergio Garcia, who are among the 20 LIV golfers playing in Macau.
“It’s incredible, really,” Kho said. “I’m so star-struck whenever I’m playing these International Series events, or seeing LIV Golf in Hong Kong last week, because I literally grew up watching all these players win major championships.
“You know, [holing] winning putts at the Ryder Cup and, you know, these are my heroes growing up, so to be sat next to them and to be playing along with them is a real dream come true.
“So, part of me really wants to beat them, but part of me also really appreciates, respects and understands the greatness in front of me.”
