The Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) race reaches its conclusion at the Saudi Open presented by PIF this week.

The US$1million season-ending tournament will tee-off at Dirab Golf & Country Club, outside of Riyadh, on Wednesday.

The OOM battle will not only determine who wins the crown – and the five-year exemption that goes along with it – but also, importantly, it will decide who keeps their card for next year by finishing in the top 65.

TWO HORSE RACE

Even with an elevated points breakdown and 787.5 points going to the winner this week, compared to the normal 525 points for a win in a US$1million event, it is a very short list of players that can walk away with the OOM trophy on Saturday: Japan’s Kazuki Higa [main picture], presently ranked first, and second-placed Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe. Both players would be the first from their respective countries to win the title.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena, Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji would also have had a mathematical chance to top the list, in second, third and fourth respectively, but are not here this week. A heavy flu has ruled out Tabuena.

Scott Vincent. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Higa currently leads the rankings with 1,958.59 points and controls his own destiny, after a brilliant season that included back-to-back wins in the Shinhan Donghae Open and Yeangder TPC in September.

The 30-year-old, who started the season with three straight top 10’s, tied for second at the International Series Philippines in late October to take the top spot from Vincent, and he’s held it ever since.

Vincent, who wrapped up The International Series Rankings title three weeks ago to book his place back on the LIV Golf League, is in second place with 1,816.12 points – 142.47 points behind Higa.

The Zimbabwean has also been impressive all season, and in addition to his win at the International Series Morocco in July, he has collected five other top-10s, including finishing runners-up at the Shinhan Donghae Open and Jakarta International Championship.

The 32-year-old Denver, Colorado, resident, needs at least a solo-fifth to surpass the leader in the unlikely scenario that Higa misses the cut.

Higa needs only to make the cut to stay ahead – provided Vincent finishes outside the top-four.

BOYS ON THE BUBBLE

Much of the drama will likely centre around those trying to secure playing rights for next year by finishing in the top 65. Those just inside and those hovering closely outside are on the bubble and aptly named, the “bubble boys”.

Sean Ramos. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.

Currently holding the precarious 65^th spot on the Merit list is Sean Ramos from the Philippines with 227.58 points, with Argentina’s Miguel Carballo just outside in 66^th, a mere 2.54 behind with 225.04. Just behind, of those playing this week are Korea’s Bio Kim (67), Ahmad Baig (68) from Pakistan and Australian Brett Rankin (70) with 222.64, 217.65 and 213.73 respectively.

On the right side of the cut-off line, but still very much in the danger zone, we find Sarut Vongchaisit from Thailand in 60^th position on 262.68 points, with Australian Jed Morgan a fraction behind with 262.56 points and in 61^st place.

These two players can likely secure their status for next season by making the cut, with a top-40 finish should guarantee it.

Australian Jack Thompson sits in 62^nd with 254.11 and Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom a further point behind 253.14 in 63^rd. Filipino Justin Quiban is in 64^th place with 242.67 points and starting his week fifteen points clear of the last position that keeps their cards.

This last group of Thompson, Sudsom and Quiban will likely all need to at least make the cut, and perhaps quite a bit better than that, to finish their season inside the top-65.

In a scenario where the magic number would be 265 points to keep the card, Thompson would need to finish 52^nd, Sudsom 50^th and Quiban 40^th.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Some notable tournament winners, and multiple tournament winners, also finding themselves on the outside looking in, starting with Chan Shih-chang from Chinese Taipei and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, who both won twice in 2022 and have been playing on a Multiple Tournament Winner category the last three years. Nitithorn also won in 2023, but that event only carried a one-year exemption.

Chan Shih-chang.

Chan is a five-time Asian Tour winner and is currently in 74^th place on 204.73 points and needs something like a top-20 or better to retain his playing rights.

Nitithorn, a three-time champion, is further down the list in 95^th position with 116.69 points and likely needs a top-five to keep his card after a poor season.

Ajeetesh Sandhu from India, with one Asian Tour win from 2017 on his resume, is currently 72^nd on 210.22 points could be safe with a finish around top-25.

Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman, with two Asian Tour wins, has been playing on a Country Exemption category this season. Ranked 88^th with 126.70 points he would likely need a top-five result to get back into the top-65.

American Berry Henson, winner of the 2011 ICTSI Philippine Open, is ranked number 103 on 98.92 points after playing eight Asian Tour events this season. He probably needs a solo-fourth or possibly a T4 with one other player to earn his card for next year.

Todd Sinnott from Australia won the 2017 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open but has had a difficult last two years. Sitting in 106^th place with 94.59 points he is in a similar position as Henson above.

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat is a four-time Asian Tour champion but in 110^th on the OOM with 84.82 points, a solo-fourth could likely be required. Currently 13^th on the Career Earnings list with over US$3 million made, he would still have this category to fall back on next year for playing privileges should he not finish inside the top-65.

Khalin Joshi from India, winner of the 2018 Panasonic Open India, is in 131^st place with 53.38 points and probably needs a T3 with one other player to secure his playing rights.

Spaniard Carlos Pigem won the Yeangder TPC back in 2016 and finished a career best 13^th on the Merit list that season. After playing sparingly on sponsors invites in 2025, he is 139^th in the rankings on 44.48 points and would also require a T3 with only one other player to earn his card back.