{{short description|Thai professional golfer}} {{use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} '''Sukree Onsham''' (born 8 October 1944<ref name=asm/>) is a professional golfer from Thailand. He was the most successful Thai golfer of his era.<ref name=lure>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-29-mn-5305-story.html |title=Links Are a Lure to Clients : In Bangkok, Golf Is Very Big Business |date=1988-05-29 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |agency=Reuters |first=Siriporn |last=Buranaphan |access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref>
== Professional career == Onsham started his career as the club professional for Royal Bangkok Sports Club in Bangkok, Thailand.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107895829 |title=Taiwan, US lead golf |date=1969-10-03 |work=The Canberra Times |access-date=2020-01-09 |page=22}}</ref> He participated in the World Cup in 1969.
Onsham was the first man from Thailand to play in the Masters, playing in the 1970 and 1971 events. He missed the cut both years.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.golfchannel.com/article/associated-press/fit-be-thai-jaidee-masters-incentive |title=Fit to be Thai Jaidee with Masters Incentive |last=April 5, 2006 |agency=Associated Press |work=Golf Channel |access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> He is often referred to as the first non-white person to play at the Masters;<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://legendsrevealed.com/sports/2012/08/22/did-clifford-roberts-say-as-long-as-im-alive-golfers-will-be-white-and-caddies-will-be-black/ |title=Did Clifford Roberts Say "As Long as I'm Alive, Golfers Will be White, and Caddies Will be Black"? |date=2012-08-23 |website=Sports Urban Legends Revealed! |access-date=2019-06-17}}</ref> this is false. The Japanese golfers Torakichi Nakamura and Koichi Ono played in the 1958 Masters Tournament well before Onsham. Also several other players from Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines played in the event during the 1960s.
Onsham had much success in 1972 on the international circuit. Early in the year at the Malaysian Open, he finished one behind Japan's Takashi Murakami, tying Walter Godfrey and American Marty Bohen for second.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.where2golf.com/golf-tournament/men-asiantour.asp |title=Men Asia tournament results |website=where2golf.com }}</ref> On 23 October 1972, Onsham finished runner-up to American Bob Murphy at the 1972 Wills Masters, an event on the Australian Tour held outside of Sydney.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102010101 |title=Bob Murphy wins Wills Masters |date=1972-10-23 |newspaper=The Canberra Times |access-date=2019-06-17 |page=14}}</ref> Two weeks later he posted another runner-up in Australia at the Dunlop International, four shots behind Tony Jacklin, finishing tied for second with David Graham.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110619075 |title=Jacklin takes Dunlop title |date=1972-11-06 |newspaper=The Canberra Times |access-date=2019-06-16 |page=14}}</ref> That year he also placed third at the Japan Open Golf Championship.<ref name=asm>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asianseniormasters.com/playerprofile.asp?PlayerID=138 |title=Sukree Onsham |publisher=Asian Senior Masters Golf |access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref>
Two years later, Onsham won an event, the Malaysian Dunlop Masters, defeating Australia's Ted Ball and Malaysia's Bobby Lim by two shots.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110770008 |title=Malaysian Open won by Thai |date=1974-04-01 |work=The Canberra Times |access-date=2020-01-14 |page=14}}</ref>
Onsham's career began to wind down in the 1980s, however, he did have some success that decade. He finished runner-up at the 1981 Indonesia Open. A young Payne Stewart made a 20-foot birdie putt to defeat him and Taiwanese golfers Hsu Chi-San and Chen Tze-chung on the first playoff hole.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126832237 |title=Stewart wins Indonesian Open in play-off |date=1981-04-07 |newspaper=The Canberra Times |access-date=2020-01-08 |page=21}}</ref> As of 1988, he was a golf instructor.<ref name="lure" />
Onsham also represented Thailand multiple times in the World Cup.<ref name="asm" />
As a senior, he played on the European Senior Tour and Japan Seniors Tour from 1998 to 2000.<ref name=asm />
==Professional wins== *1974 Malaysian Dunlop Masters<ref name=":0" /> *1983 Maruman Classic<ref>{{cite news |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singmonitor19831219-2.2.48.8 |title=Rahmat has the last laugh |newspaper=Singapore Monitor |date=19 December 1983 |page=32 |accessdate=12 February 2020 |via=National Library Board (Singapore)}}</ref>
==Playoff record== '''Asia Golf Circuit playoff record (0–1)''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponents!!Result |-style="background:#F2C1D1;" |align=center|1 |1981 |Indonesia Open |{{flagicon|TWN}} Chen Tze-chung, {{flagicon|TWN}} Hsu Chi-san,<br>{{flagicon|USA}} Payne Stewart |Stewart won with birdie on first extra hole |}
==Team appearances== *World Cup (representing Thailand): 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onsham, Sukree}} Sukree Onsham Category:1944 births Category:Living people