No coach, No System: Pakistan's Ahmad Baig on golf journey, struggle and life on Asian Tour

Lahore golfer opens up on tough conditions, self-taught game and representing Pakistan alone at Singapore Open

When Ahmad Baig walks onto the course this week at Sentosa Golf Club, he is not just playing another event.

He is carrying something else with him.

“I am the only one playing here on the Asian Tour from Pakistan,” Baig said, speaking to travelling Indian media during the Singapore Open, part of the International Series.

It’s not something he says for effect. It’s just the reality.

Playing through tough conditions and holding his ground

Baig’s first three rounds reflect a player holding his own in difficult conditions, rounds of 69, 71 and 67, taking him to -6 overall and inside the top five.

But the numbers don’t tell the full story.

“I played very well today. The conditions were very tough…a lot of wind and it was very hot,” he said.

“I just tried to stay calm.”

That calm showed especially in Round 3, where he went bogey-free and picked up momentum.

From Lahore to the Asian Tour without a blueprint

Baig’s journey into golf wasn’t planned.

“My brother used to work at the golf course…when he came back, he used to talk about golf,” he said.

That’s how it started. Access wasn’t easy.

“In Pakistan, you can’t just walk into a golf club. You need entry,” he explained. “I used to get in because of my brother…sometimes.”

At one point, even that stopped.

“My brother told the guards not to let me in,” he said, laughing.

Still, he found a way.

“They told me not to pursue golf”

His early progress didn’t convince everyone.

“In 2014, I played and won…but they told me not to pursue golf,” said the now 27-year-old golfer.

Two years later, he made the call anyway.

“In 2016, I started focusing properly. I made the Pakistan team, won tournaments…Qatar Open, Iran Amateur, Bangladesh Amateur, Faldo Series.”

The results followed.

In 2019, he turned professional.

By 2024, he had done enough on the Asian Development Tour, including wins and multiple top finishes, to earn his Asian Tour card.

Related: ‘I could have been disqualified’- Jeev Milkha Singh relives dramatic 2008 Singapore Open win

A self-made game

There is no academy story here. No structured system.

“I don’t have a coach…I learnt everything from YouTube, I see videos of Tiger Woods, Rory and Adam Scott,” Baig said.

“And I practised a lot. Eight, ten hours a day.”

Even now, he leans on experience around him.

“I ask senior Indian golfers like Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia…they guide me. Course planning and all.”

The financial reality

Golf, in his words, is simple.

“It’s an expensive game.”

Support wasn’t always there.

“My father had a heart problem…we told him to relax. Financially, it was tough.”

To even get onto international circuits, he had to find backing for himself.

“I approached companies…two or three people helped. Then one sponsor supported me fully.”

As results improved, so did support.

Why aren’t more Pakistani players here

For Baig, the bigger issue is not talent.

It’s access.

“Nobody comes here from Pakistan because it’s expensive…flights, staying, everything,” he said.

“If you have a good sponsor, then you can.”

Right now, that gap shows.

“I am the only one with an Asian Tour card,” he added.

Watching India, hoping for more

Interestingly, Baig keeps a close eye on Indian golf.

“We watch Indian golf…There is a lot of improvement. IGPL, PGTI…good tours,” he said.

He also sees the difference in volume.

“There are 10–15 Indian players playing every week,” he pointed out.

And relationships exist beyond borders.

“I am good friends with Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia (SSP), Karandeep Kochhar, Ajeetesh Sandhu…we meet every week.”

Still learning, still aiming higher

Even now, Baig is still building.

“SSP always tells me to go to Europe…he says I play well,” he said.

For now, the focus is simple—keep moving.

“Last year, I had a good chance of playing at the International Series India. The Indian Embassy in Pakistan takes time for this, but now I am based in Indonesia.

He is currently based in Jakarta, managing visa issues and travel logistics just to stay on tour.

“I will play the Bharath Classic in Morocco and try to play the International Series in India, added Baig.

The dream remains simple

Like many golfers, his idols are clear.

“Rory McIlroy…then Adam Scott, Tiger Woods,” he said.

And somewhere, that dream still feels possible.

“Maybe one day I’ll get to play with Rory McIlroy, Insha Allah.”

More than just a scorecard

This week at Sentosa, Baig’s name sits high on the leaderboard.

But behind that is a different story.

No structured system.

Limited access.

Financial struggle.

Self-taught game.

And still, competing.

For now, he stands alone from Pakistan on this stage.

But not quietly.