If the stars line up for Nateesh Ganesh and lead him to the Masters this week, the young Malaysian will be able to celebrate what would be a historic feat with the two people who matter most to him – his parents.
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With his father, Anatha, on caddying duty at Te Arai Links, the 21-year-old carded a 2-under 69 in Thursday’s opening round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, putting himself on the leaderboard where this week’s champion will earn coveted spots in the Masters and The Open next year.
Ganesh bore the brunt of the weather during the morning session, with wind gusts reaching up to 54kph. Despite two early bogeys, he was undeterred and fought back with four birdies to finish the day tied for sixth, six shots behind leader and defending champion Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand.
“I’m happy with the round. It started pretty bad, back-to-back bogeys. And a little bit of rain started to pour, and then I was like, all right, I mean, I’ve got nothing much to lose, right? You have to go and get it, just keep the grind going. That was the mentality,” said Ganesh, who won the UC San Diego Invitational earlier this year while representing Loyola Marymount University.
His parents flew out from Malaysia to meet their son in New Zealand, and his father, Anatha Ganesh, decided to put his son’s clubs on a trolley and double up as his caddie.
“I mean, it’s awesome. He’s just there doing his thing. He wanted to be my caddie, and I can’t say no,” said Nateesh.
“The first time he caddied for me was an event like back home, and I got into a play-off, shot 14-under for the week which was my personal best. And that’s what kind of like made him, yeah, I’m caddying for you again.
“And just having dad on the bag, it just feels a little better. You don’t have a random (caddie) on the bag, and he knows me pretty well. He knows what I like, and he knows I don’t like to talk much.”
His father, who previously worked in the golf industry, was the reason Ganesh took up the game at the age of three and has supported his dream by funding his college education in the U.S. The investment is beginning to pay off, with Ganesh recording his first collegiate victory in March.
“Apparently, I’d hit buckets of balls and while the balls didn’t go far, my parents supported me as they saw I was really into it. I didn’t have a clue but they invested their time and money for me,” said Ganesh.
“There were many challenges along the way but it provided the fire in me to try harder, to get better. My parents supported me throughout and they are the reason why I’m doing this. That’s why they sent me overseas to the U.S.”
His victory at Torrey Pines reinforced his self-belief that he could compete at the highest level. Returning to the AAC after a three-year hiatus has also been an enjoyable experience for Ganesh and his parents.
“Nowadays, I’m playing D1 (Division One) golf which is great. It was pretty sick to win at Torrey Pines, I don’t know any other cool place to have done this,” said Ganesh.
“This one (win) boosted my confidence. If I am playing good golf, I feel I can beat anyone.”
As he begins Friday’s second round six shots off the lead, Ganesh is determined to give his best and continue to dream of victory, especially with places in the Masters and The Open at stake. No Malaysian has won the Asia-Pacific Amateur since it was inaugurated in 2009.
“It would mean a lot to me and family,” said Ganesh. “First Malaysian to get to the Masters, that would be a good thing to brag about although I want to always stay humble. When I get to Masters, it’ll be a great experience for me and my family.
“The AAC is a great opportunity for me to get to the top level.”
