Sydney boy, 9, who’s a better golfer than Tiger Woods

He’s the nine-year-old prodigy from Western Sydney who has hit a golfing milestone four years earlier than Tiger Woods. Jonathan Hong is now a “scratch” golfer after a run of incredible rounds — but he’s not stopping there.

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He’s the nine-year-old Aussie prodigy who has hit a golfing milestone four years earlier than Tiger Woods — and nine years earlier than Greg Norman.

Jonathan Hong is now a “scratch” golfer after a run of incredible rounds that has seen his coach describe him as the “best nine-year-old in the country and one of the best in the world”.

And the well-spoken Jonathan is training 50 hours a week as he chases the dream of beating Tiger Woods on the golf course.

He scored two rounds of four-under at the par-61 course in Five Dock. Combined with a four-over round at Liverpool Golf Club and an even-par score at Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club, he is now playing off 0.1 — a scratch handicap.

Jonathan Hong, aged nine, is homeschooled and plays golf eight hours a day during the week and five hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. Picture: Brett Costello

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The lower a golfer’s handicap, the better golfer they are. Scratch is when a player requires no handicap assistance to shoot a par round.

Major winners Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Australian Jason Day all got to scratch at age 13.

Norman was 18 when he reached scratch — although he only took up at game at age 16.

Asked how Jonathan compares to Tiger, coach Chris Willard said “he’s better”.

“I would say that Jonathan Hong is better than what Tiger Woods was at age nine,” Willard, an Australian PGA professional, said.

“I’m quietly confident that he is the youngest kid ever to reach scratch.

“I’m pretty sure he is the best nine-year-old in the country at the moment. He is also one of the best in the world.”

Jonathan Hong is “better” than Tiger Woods was at his age. Picture: Brett Costello

Tiger Woods playing golf as a child.

Golf NSW general manager of golf, Graeme Phillipson, said the feat was incredible.

“I don’t know of any other golfer who has played off scratch that young,” he said.

“I would be surprised if someone has reached this milestone at the age of nine before.

“It is a big positive for the sport.”

Changes to the handicapping system in 2014 mean a players’ handicap is determined by the best eight rounds of their past 20.

PGA golf professional Chris Willard coaches Jonathan Hong. Picture: Brett Costello

Golf NSW general manager of golf, Graeme Phillipson, says Jonathan’s low scores are “extremely rare”. Picture: David Tease

Before 2014 every round counted toward your handicap, including blowout scores. This made it harder to get to scratch.

Mr Phillipson said, regardless of these changes, the score was “extremely rare”.

Jonathan still has a way to go, however.

Last year he finished second in the Jack Newton Junior Golf Points Race, a system designed to recognise players who are consistent performers in all JNJG Junior Masters Series Events in 2018.

Ten-year-old Maximilian Fischer finished first with more than double the number of points.

Jonathan also finished second two shots behind winner Toby Farrar, age 10, in the Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf event, held January 7-11.

Jonathan, from Newington in Western Sydney, plays alongside his eight-year-old brother Nathan, who plays off a handicap of eight.

Speaking about his second round of -4 at Barnwell Park Golf Club in Five Dock, Jonathan said “I could have done better”. Picture: Brett Costello

The boys’ father Daniel Hong runs his own paint contracting business, giving him the time to get his sons out on the course every day.

After they showed their skill at the game, Mr Hong pulled his boys out of Newington Public School and they are now home-schooled.

“Monday to Friday we practice for eight hours a day and then do three hours study,” Jonathan said.

“On Saturday and Sunday we play for five hours then study five hours.

“I want be a professional golfer and be the world number one. I want to beat Tiger Woods. I want to make my handicap better.”

LOCATION OF JONATHAN’S PAST 20 ROUNDS

Barnwell Park: 9 rounds at the par 61 course

Cabramatta: 4 rounds (par 70 course)

Liverpool: 2 rounds (par 72 course)

Ryde-Parramatta: 5 rounds (par 71 course)

JONATHAN’S BEST ROUNDS

Barnwell Park, January 26: -4

Barnwell Park, January 25: -4

Ryde-Parramatta, January 26: even

Barnwell Park, January 10 and 15 (combined nine-hole competition scores): -1

Originally published as Sydney boy, 9, who’s a better golfer than Tiger Woods