June 11: Talented Thai star Pavit Tangkamolprasert (main image), who finished runner-up to Australian Travis Smyth in the International Series Japan earlier this year, reversed the position on the opening day of the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.

Pavit shot a bogey-free eight-under par 65 to finish two ahead of Smyth, tied for second position alongside Younghan Song. Coincidentally, the Korean, who was bogey-free in his 67, was second in the International Series Japan last year, and is looking to win for the first time on the Asian Tour.

On the acclaimed par-73 Red Course of Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, American Andy Ogletree, one of the most successful players in The International Series with three titles, signalled a return to form with a storming finish that included an eagle-birdie finish in his five-under 68.

He was joined on that score by the in-form Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, runner-up last week on the Japan Golf Tour, Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana, Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard and American Grant Haefner, who played with rented and borrowed clubs after his bag did not turn up at the airport.

Travis Smyth of Australia. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

Defending champion Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe made a determined start to his campaign with a three-under 70. Hugo Trommetter, a promising amateur, was the leading Moroccan player with a round of 73.

Among the various LIV Golf stars in the field, RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson shot a four-under 69, while Korea Golf Club’s Doyeob Mun was tied 18th with a 70.

Pavit looked good in his opening nine, the back nine of the golf course and made four birdies before the turn. He then made five pars on the trot, before scripting a superb finish of four straight birdies.

“I feel like today everything was right for me. I haven’t really played well since Namseoul (the GS Caltex Maekyung Open), where I shot a five-under on the first day, and it’s been a bit of a struggle over the last few events,” said the 37-year-old two-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“I couldn’t really putt well. I just kept grinding, kept my chin up, and reminded myself that this is The International Series. It’s a big opportunity. So yeah, today everything just came together. On a course like this, with tricky greens and tough pin positions, you need to be in the right spots to have birdie chances, and I hit my irons really well.”

Younghan Song of South Korea. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

Smyth has won twice this year – The International Series Japan and back home on the PGA Tour of Australasia – and spent a couple of fruitful weeks on LIV Golf deputising for the injured Paul Casey in Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC.

“First of all, I just love this golf course. It’s a place where I feel I can play well, so I arrive with good vibes straight away,” said the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader.

“I love the challenge of having to shape the ball both ways and hit different trajectories. I enjoy moving the ball around and visualising different shots, and this course really suits that style of play. With the tree-lined fairways, it forces you to be creative, which I enjoy.

“I think winning in Japan earlier this year took a huge weight off my shoulders. Before that, I would come into International Series events knowing how important they were and probably put a bit too much pressure on myself.

“I’d be trying harder, maybe not sleeping as well, and feeling a little more stressed. Since that win, and then going on to play well in Singapore and having some great experiences with Crushers GC in LIV Golf, I’ve felt much more relaxed. I feel like I’ve proven to myself that I can get the job done.”

Andy Ogletree of the USA. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

Ogletree, the 2023 Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Ranking winner opened with a 68. Winner of the International Series events in England and Qatar in the 2023 season, started from the 10th tee and was one-under after 13 holes. The 28-year-old then birdied the fifth, eagled the eighth, and closed with another birdie on the par-three ninth hole.

“It was a good day. I did a really good job of staying patient. The golf course was definitely gettable this morning, but it’s still a very difficult course,” said Ogletree.

“When we got to my final two holes, my caddie actually said, ‘Let’s finish eagle-birdie here, keep your head up’.

“On the eighth, I hit it down the fairway but just into the right rough. I had a good lie, though, and managed to get it onto the green. Then I rolled in about a 50- or 60-footer for eagle. On the ninth, I hit another good shot and made birdie. Maybe, my caddie needs to start calling the shots a little earlier.”

The International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco is the third leg of the ‘elevated’ events on the Asian Tour and is being played in Morocco for the fourth time.