James Leow finally makes it to the Asian Tour. He talked to Tim Pinnegar about his hopes and dreams, and how he’s going to make the most of it.

It is easy to envy the glamorous world of professional golf based on what we see on our TV screens: the world’s top golfers playing for prize money in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, in front of huge adoring crowds. But don’t forget that most of these top players have worked their way up by playing local amateur events and lesser-known professional golf tours. One person who is on that journey is 29-year-old James Leow, a professional golfer from Singapore.

As a young boy, James says his dream “was to play in one of the four golf majors.” While he has not achieved that yet, he took a significant step forward in December 2025 when he won the season-ending event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at Rolling Hills Golf Club in Saudi Arabia. The win saw him leap from 51st to number four on the ADT rankings and gain playing rights for 2026 on the full Asian Tour. This will see him competing not only in all the Asian Tour events but also in the International Series, where he will rub shoulders with players from LIV Golf and compete for prize money of up to US$2 million per event.

LEVELLING EARLY FOUNDATIONS

Saudi Arabia and the Asian Tour were a far cry from the nine-hole, par-29 executive course at Mandai where, at the age of six, James’s golf journey began. He accompanied his father to the driving range and played nine holes. Under the guidance of golf coach Phua Tin Kay, his game progressed, though golf had to jostle for his time with other sports such as basketball, badminton, swimming, and football. By the age of 12, golf had become his passion. A move to Seletar Country Club gave him access to an 18-hole course and excellent practice facilities. Good results in local junior tournaments put James on the radar of the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), and he was enrolled in the SGA Development Squad in 2011, then promoted to the full National Squad in 2013. A win at the 2015 Singapore National Amateur Championship further cemented his potential.

Golf was now competing with his studies at Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC), and James readily admits, “golf was winning.” This saw him take the bold step of leaving ACJC early and enlisting for National Service in 2016. Like many aspiring athletes before him, James found that juggling National Service with sporting performance was not easy.

“While I was fortunate to have an 8am to 5pm role, Monday to Friday, a long journey to and from camp via public transport ate into my available time and sapped energy levels. As time went on, I realised the key was quality of practice rather than hours spent. The weekends were my days to get in full practice sessions and play 18 holes.”

James’s time management and dedication paid off, and even with the rigours of National Service he managed to keep his game at a high level, winning the Perak Amateur Open in 2018. This, along with his previous results, caught the attention of Arizona State University. A recommendation from professional golfer Choo Tze Huang, who knew university golf coach Matt Thurmond, helped James secure a place to study finance and earn a spot on the golf team.

As a freshman, he had to compete with more experienced seniors to make the starting line-up, so his first year offered few playing opportunities. “Having a roster of 10 players who were WAGR ranked top 10 to 200 for only five spots was not easy,” James remembers. “Those not selected for the team would still travel and get to play as individuals or in secondary events.”

Once again, his determination shone through. James won the Arizona Intercollegiate Championship in 2019. This was quickly followed by what he admits was his greatest achievement as an amateur: winning the 2019 SEA Games individual gold medal.

However, pain in his left hip which he had been experiencing on and off started to worsen and in late 2020 surgery was required on a labral tear. Five months of intensive rehab meant that by mid-2021 James was back competing and soon became a regular in the Arizona State team. More amateur wins followed, most notably at the Southwestern Amateur Championship and the Thunderbird Collegiate Championship, the last one earning him a place on the International Team at the Arnold Palmer Cup — the first Singaporean to achieve this honour.

TURNING PRO IS NO EASY MOVE

Given these successes, James had no hesitation in joining the professional ranks upon graduating in 2022. But, as many before him have experienced, it is no easy transition to make.

“College events were mostly three days and one practice day, with coaches on hand and a support team organising all the logistics, compared to professional golf where you are very much on your own and have to organise your own travel and accommodation, in addition to four tournament rounds and two practice rounds,” James recalls. “I had to learn to manage my energy levels better, with an emphasis on pre-round warm-ups and post-round recovery, along with improved nutrition.” Something the new breed of aspiring Singapore amateur golfers should take note of.

Despite this meticulous approach, his early years as a professional included many disappointments. Notable among them was missing out on the final stage of the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying by two shots. Another setback came at the 2024 Aramco Invitational Tournament, where a poor final round saw James narrowly miss out on an Asian Tour card.

“These setbacks started to weigh on me — a loss of confidence led to doubts,” James admits. “I am thankful to my family and close friends for always being there for me. It was never easy, but self-belief and a quote from Ted Lasso, one of my favourite TV shows — ‘be a goldfish’ — kept me moving forward.”

In 2025, James remained committed to life on tour. A move to work with Australian golf coach Jonathan Wallett and fitness trainer Robbie MacGregor from Athletic Collective Gym saw his confidence and form return, culminating in his greatest achievement to date: that win in Saudi Arabia in December 2025 and his Asian Tour card for 2026. Despite the challenging times, James would not swap life on tour for another career. “I really enjoy travelling to new places, having meals with fellow touring buddies, and experiencing new golf courses with different conditions. I love being in contention as well as representing Singapore. There are challenges to being on the road — waking up in a different bed every week, different food, missing family — but that’s what makes the result on Sunday worth it,” he says with a smile.

A NEW BEGINNING

So how is James preparing for life on the full Asian Tour?

“I practise every day, though I might take the occasional Sunday off,” he admits. “I make sure to get four 18-hole rounds in on weekday mornings and practise in the afternoon. I have stats from every event and review them with Jonathan Wallett to find what was below average and work on it before the next event. I am also constantly trying to get my body right and stronger, so when not competing I will have fitness sessions three times per week and sports massages.”

The mental side of golf is another area James speaks about at length, and one he has focused on with his coach. “There will often be shots that a golfer just doesn’t like,” James explains. “I have worked on a pre-shot routine to help. For me, it’s being clear about what the shot requires, and focusing on my tempo.”

A tidy, repeatable swing, solid iron play, and a dependable short game have allowed James to compete across a wide range of courses and conditions. In an era increasingly obsessed with distance, James demonstrates that accuracy, decision- making, and emotional control remain decisive factors.

As someone who always sets goals, I ask James what his objectives for 2026 are. “Retaining my Asian Tour card, winning an Asian Tour event, and trying to qualify for a major,” he rattles off. James is also keen to thank the support he receives from, Partee Golf, Titleist, FootJoy, the Singapore National Olympic Council, Radar Tyres and the Singapore Golf Association.

TIME OFF

With a busy schedule and unwavering dedication to practice, James has little time to relax. However, when he does get some downtime, it is spent playing pickleball, enjoying mahjong with friends and family, and, when on the road, watching TV shows and films.

“These allow me to leave the game at the gate, especially on my off weeks or when playing back-to-back events. I am also all in for laughter over food with friends while catching up on everybody’s lives.”

His story is not one of overnight triumph, but of accumulated effort — near-misses absorbed with perspective, and victories earned through hard work, determination, and patience. That combination might just see him achieve that boyhood dream and allow us to watch him competing in one of golf’s majors.