A rising young Australian golf star has died in Thailand after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
Jessica Bang, 18, was in Bangkok preparing to play in the International Qualifying Tournament for the Korean women’s professional tour.
She collapsed on Aug 1 and was rushed to Synphaet Ramintra Hospital in Bangkok. After emergency brain surgery she was placed on life support but she passed away on Thursday.
Bang’s family had earlier launched an online appeal to raise money to bring the golfer back to Australia after her medical emergency.
The WPGA Tour of Australasia announced Bang’s death in a statement.
‘The WPGA Tour of Australasia and the broader Australian golf community is deeply saddened by the passing of young Tour member Jessica Bang in Thailand,’ the statement read.
Bang earned her place on the tour through qualifying school at the end of last year. In just her fifth professional start in February of this year, she won her first tournament, the Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Event at Moss Vale.
The death of the young golfer was the second tragedy involving an Australian athlete in Thailand this year.
In June, 25-year-old sprinter Jemma Stapleton was killed in a road accident on Koh Samui while on a family holiday.