It’s fitting that Thai golfer Kiradech Aphibarnrat‘s first of four career wins on the DP World Tour came at the weather-shortened 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open, because in the coming years he would take the golf world by storm.
Other golfers have exhibited a taste for the finer things — Aphibarnrat’s weaknesses have included Lambos, luxury watches and $25,000 sneakers — but not many have done so while skirting the gym and pulling on a vape pen between shots. There’s a reason “Barn Rat,” as he’s affectionately known, earned the moniker “the John Daly of Asia.”
Aphibarnrat’s immense skill hasn’t hurt his appeal, either. In April 2018, by which point his four DPWT wins were all behind him, he ascended to 29th in the world. That same year he made the cut in three majors, including a 15th-place finish at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Of Aphibarnrat’s high-roller lifestyle, his swing coach at the time, Mike Walker, told GOLF: “There is a cheekiness to it, so he gets away with it. With some people the flash is ego-based, and they want to show off to make other people feel lesser. With Kiradech, you can see how much he enjoys his toys, so you have to smile about it.”
Aphibarnrat was rolling, until he wasn’t. In 2020 and ‘21, the Covid pandemic slowed his progression. But so did a nagging knee injury. Over that stretch he made just nine DPWT starts, and by 2022 had dropped outside the top 300 in the world. That year resulted in a trip to Q school, as did 2024. By that point, he was playing a full schedule again but missing as many cuts as he was making, a trend that has continued into 2026.
By the time Aphibarnrat, who is ranked 108th in the DPWT’s Race to Dubai standings, arrived at this week’s Genesis Championship in South Korea — the final regular-season event on the calendar — he was facing a grim reality: finish 26th or better to creep into the top 100 and with a chance of securing a solid 2027 schedule. And 27th or worse? Back to Q school.
Aphibarnrat’s coach, Kwanchai Tannin, knew the stakes were high, so much so that earlier this week he sent Aphibarnrat photos of Aphibarnrat’s four DPWT wins. “He’s still seeing it in me there,” Aphibarnrat said on Wednesday. “It’s really pushing me. I believe that I can get my fifth one really soon. If I can still see it, things can happen.”
Things did happen in South Korea, just not the kind of things Aphibarnrat had in mind. On Thursday — in what was his 11th consecutive start and with a balky back — he opened with a four-over 75. On Friday, he suffered through nine more holes before his back could tolerate no more. He was done. White flag. WD. On the tournament. On his season. On any hope of guaranteeing he’ll avoid relegation.
Perhaps the only thing aching more than Aphibarnrat’s back was his heart, as was evident in his post-WD interview with the DPWT in which he choked up multiple times.
“I just have to apologize,” he said, speaking to his family and fans. “I really let them down. There’s not many times in my life that I have disappointed people.
“In the last 15 years I’ve had a really good career but just the last three or four years haven’t been easy. I’m a fighter so I believe I’m going to get past all of this and we’ll come back strong.”
Aphibarnrat spoke of the particular challenge of grinding through the last 10 weeks under do-or-die circumstances.
“I made the cut on the number many times so I feel like on the mental part I’m working twice as hard as everybody else,” he said. “My game was not quite there so I was trying hard from the first hole to the last one on the second day to make sure I make the cut.”
And now comes the prospect of an arguably even bigger grind: DPWT Q school, a gauntlet Aphibarnrat has survived twice before and is confident he can do a third time.
“I’m a fighter,” he said. “I believe I’m going to get past all of this and we’ll come back strong.”
