By Joy Chakravarty

Talor Gooch became the first player in the short history of LIV Golf to win in back-to-back weeks, defeating Sergio Garcia in a playoff at Sentosa Golf Club on Sunday.

The 31-year-old from Midwest City, Oklahoma, shot a four-under par 67 in the final round, but that could not separate him from Garcia, who bounced back from two bogeys on the back nine with immediate birdies in his 67 as both finished on 17-under par 199 in regulation 54 holes.

In the playoff on the 18th hole, Gooch hit his tee shot that flirted with water on the left side, but landed in dry place and left him with 277 yards. Garcia hit a solid tee shot before pushing his second slightly into the right greenside bunker, from where he could not make his up-and-down.

Gooch hit his second to the heart of the green and two-putted for a birdie to follow up his win in LIV Golf Adelaide.

Brooks Koepka matched his partners in the leading group with a four-under par 67, but that left him where he started the day – one shot adrift of the leaders. The American four-time major champion finished solo third at 16-under par.

Asian Tour member Scott Vincent (67) put up a valiant fight, before an hour-long weather suspension led to a bogey from a difficult lie in the bunker on the 16th hole, but a birdie on the 18th helped him finish solo fourth at 15-under par.

The Team Championship closely followed the fate of the individual title, with Gooch’s Range Goats managing to steer clear by three shots in the end at 37 points. Harold Verner III, the 2022 Saudi Invitational champion, played a key role in that win with a six-under par 66 effort on Sunday.

Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC in action during day three of the LIV Golf Invitational – Singapore at Sentosa Golf Club on April 30, 2023 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

Garcia’s Fireballs, with Eugenio Lopez Chaccara contributing seven-under par 65, were second at 34-under, while a crucial birdie putt on his last hole by India’s Anirban Lahiri (67) ensured Crushers zoomed to the podium with a 20-under final-round effort that was set up by fantastic rounds of eight-under par 63 by Paul Casey and Charles Howell III.

Speaking about his incredible individual battle with Garcia through the day, Gooch said: “Back in Mayakoba, I had a lead going into the final round and I really didn’t play that bad. I played fine and it was just one of those days that the golf gods didn’t want it to be my time. Today was one of those days where the golf gods wanted it to be my time. I played well and I made a few putts that probably normally don’t go in when you don’t win.

“Sergio is playing so good right now. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go down that last hole and have a chance of winning by making par. I knew that I needed to birdie the last. So, I stood on the tee – and I don’t like that tee shot at all – and I just decided I’m going to hit driver, I’m just going to step up and do it. If it doesn’t go well, then we’ll deal with it.

“But it was just a perfect way to end the day of the regulation golf. Just, we were going back and forth all day. Even yesterday going back and forth all day. It was fun, it was special. I grew up watching Sergio. He’s one of the greatest golfers of this generation. To go and battle with him and come out on top is something I will never forget.”

Asian Tour member Scott Vincent of Iron Heads GC in action during day three of the LIV Golf Invitational – Singapore at Sentosa Golf Club on April 30, 2023 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images)

Vincent said there was just one shot he’d like to have back – the second shot on the 16th hole that he pushed slightly into the right greenside bunker from where it would have been tough to save par.

“It was great. It was a lot of fun. I’ve got a lot to learn and no better way to do that than to be in those situations and watch how players like Cameron Smith do that.

“At the end of the day, in the simplest form, golf is about just moving the ball from one place to the next and you try and make it as simple as possible. That’s all I was really trying to do out there. Trying to stay patient. I think there is a lot to be proud of this week.

“The bunker shot was a really tough shot. It wasn’t a great lie and with the pin really close, not many players could have stopped it short of that pin. I was just trying to give myself a look.”

Laurie Canter scored the third hole-in-one in LIV Golf history, and the second in as many weeks, following Asian Tour member Chase Koepka’s unforgettable one at the Watering Hole in Adelaide.

The Englishman said he “was gutted” when he felt he thinned his tee shot on the 185-yard 17th hole, only to hear the roar to realise that it had rolled into the cup.

“It was cool to get my first hole-in-one in a competitive round. Honestly, I was in between clubs and I thought it was going to be too much,” said Canter.

The next LIV Golf event will be played in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Cedar Ridge Country Club from May 12 – 14.

The unstoppable force called Talor Gooch added a six-under par 65 to remain on top of the LIV Golf Singapore leaderboard – a remarkable fifth straight round he has done that – but his lead this time was zero shots as Sergio Garcia caught up with him with a second successive bogey-free round on Saturday. Report by Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour, at LIV Golf Singapore.

At Sentosa Golf Club, the American and the Spaniard were tied on top at 13-under par 129, one ahead of the in-form Brooks Koepka (65).

In Adelaide last week, Gooch had opened with two successive rounds of 10-under par 62s and was 10 ahead of his closest rival going into the final round.

Asian Tour star Scott Vincent shot the best round of the day – a nine-under par 62 which matched the course record, but does not count as official because of the preferred lies in play – and moved to tied third place at 11-under par 131. He was joined on the same score by American Cameron Tringale and Australia’s Cameron Smith, both of whom produced bogey-free rounds of 66 each.

In the team championship, Tringale and captain Phil Mickelson (66) helped lift Hy Flyers to tie the lead with the Bubba Watson-led Range Goats at 25-under par. Both teams have never tasted success in the unique team championship of LIV Golf.

Talor Gooch. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).

The all-Australian Rippers were in third place at 22-under par, but Iron Heads (-21), Fireballs (-21) and Torque (-20) were within a shot of each other.

The 43-year-old Garcia, SMBC Singapore Open champion at the same venue in 2018, continued his brilliant ball-striking form. The only mistake he made was when he tried to lay up for his second shot on the par-five 18^th hole and pulled it into the bunker. From there, he failed to make a birdie that would have given him sole possession of the lead. Gooch, on the other hand, closed with birdies on the 17^th and 18^th to ensure himself first-tee privilege on the final day.

From his previous experiences, Garcia knows how difficult the Serapong course can play, but had an explanation for the low scores this week.

“Obviously, the calibre of players here, it just shows. On a day like today, where there wasn’t much wind, the course was gettable. We were able to pick the ball up on the fairway, so that probably makes it one or two shots easier,” said the 2017 Masters champion.

“Some of the memories (from past) help. But at the end of the day, I think that every tournament is a different story. The course is playing may be a little bit longer than when we played it here on the Singapore Open. It definitely makes a little bit of a difference, but obviously you know that if you want to contend on a LIV tournament, you have to raise your level as much as possible because all of these guys can really play the game.”

Gooch said he’d rather have a 10-shot lead than none against his closest rival going into a final round, but added that leading tournaments can help him add valuable experience.

“Nothing can replace experience. So, the more that I can put myself in this position, the more comfortable I’m going to get. The more you play with these guys and the more you feel like you can compete and beat these guys, the more comfortable you’re going to get,” said Gooch, who received his invitation to play the PGA Championship on Friday.

“I’ve been fortunate to play some good golf here over the last year and hopefully we can continue getting more and more comfortable and getting more experience.”

Vincent, who earned the right to play LIV Golf this season by winning the International Series Order of Merit on the Asian Tour last year, started with birdies on his first two holes, and never took his foot off the accelerator until making a 15-footer putt for his ninth birdie on his final hole. The round also included a monster birdie putt from 60 feet on the 13^th hole.

“The putter was working really well. That putt there on the 13th was just one that you’re trying to cozy up as close as possible, and the next thing it goes in. Yeah, it was one of those days today where a lot of putts went in, and it’s a lot of fun when that happens,” said Vincent.

“You take them when they happen. Very happy about how the day went. It was a lot of really good putting, but the other game was not too shabby too.

Scott Vincent. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images).

“The whole group actually started really well. We were all under par within the first two or three holes. And we were all kind of feeding off each other after that.”

Among other Asian Tour stars, Anirban Lahiri improved to tied 26^th place at three-under par after a round of 67, while American Sihwan Kim shot a 71 to remain on one-under par total.

On Sunday, the final round has been advanced to 8:05am (00:05 GMT), due to forecasted thunderstorms in the afternoons. Live broadcast starts at 8:00am (00:00 GMT).

There shouldn’t be an iota of doubt that Scott Vincent loves the Asian Tour. He just loves The International Series a bit more, writes Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour, on site at LIV Golf Singapore this week.

In 2022, the Zimbabwean star won the International Series in England – his first on the Asian Tour after several runner-up finishes – and he went on to win The International Series Order of Merit at the end of the season to secure full playing rights on this year’s LIV Golf League.

And even though Vincent has played only one of the four International Series events held so far in 2023, it hasn’t diminished any of his love for the exciting series of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour. And the fact his younger brother Kieran won the International Series Vietnam earlier this month means it’s also become a family affair now.

The 25-year-old Kieran, who rose to No50 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking before turning professional last year, is a matter of pride for Scott.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe with the International Series Order of Merit trophy last year. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“It’s amazing to see his progress and how it has happened. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I think he is a very talented golfer,” said the world No125, whose flowing mane is as much a trademark as his super-smooth swing.

“Obviously, I get to watch it from a closer perspective than most other people. It’s a really cool achievement what he has been able to do already so quickly in his pro career.

“We will wait and see what the rest of the year holds for him.”

Vincent was flying to Adelaide for the LIV event there on Sunday as Kieran was battling down the stretch and trying to get ahead of the clubhouse marker set by India’s Anirban Lahiri at KN Links. It was a tense moment and the flight could not have happened at a worse time. Thankfully, modern-day jets have WiFi.

“We were flying from Melbourne to Adelaide. Our flight took off right as he was teeing off on the 18^th, which was annoying. Fortunately, it had WiFi and my caddy was sending me videos of each shot that he hit. We didn’t get to see it live, but I think it was as good as we could have,” added Vincent.

“We found out pretty much right after everyone else knew, so that was amazing. And as soon as we landed, we gave him a call. And as you know, when these things happen, there’s so much that you have to do, so we only got to speak for a little bit, but it was an amazing feeling.”

With the history that Vincent family has with The International Series, his views on one of the latest initiatives of Asian Tour, with the financial backing of LIV Golf, would probably be biased, but Scott speaks from his heart.

“I would say The International Series has opened many doors for a lot of people. And it has changed the Asian Tour and made it an amazing Tour to play on,” explained Scott.

“Not that it wasn’t before. But it is even more so now. It now attracts a lot of high-class players that come and play. This helps all of us to continue to learn and see how these really good players do it and obviously compete with them.

“So that’s amazing and I’m very thankful to the Asian Tour. The Tour, and The International Series, has been really good to me. And yeah, it’s been really good for other Asian Tour members as well.”

Sentosa Golf Club, the headquarters of the Asian Tour, is hosting this week’s LIV Golf Singapore and being on ‘home ground’ has clearly helped inspire the Zimbabwean. A first round 69 on Sentosa’s Serapong course was followed up today with a brilliant course record equaling 62 that gives him a shot at the individual title tomorrow.

“I’m very excited to be back in Singapore and to have the opportunity to play on a golf course that the Asian Tour has always started the season with. It’s nice to kind of play it at a different time of year and to see what kind of changes that makes to the golf course,” said Vincent.

“I believe they had closed the course for four weeks before we got there. And you can see that with how pristine the fairways and the greens are looking in the bunkers and everything. So, a huge congratulations to Sentosa Golf Club for all the effort that they are putting in. As a player, we really appreciate it.”

Vincent won the International Series England in June 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

Before his first round, Vincent spoke about how patience would be key on a difficult golf course like Serapong.

“My game is always a work in progress. It’s obviously something that we work on, but something I can’t control,” said Scott.

“I think the Serapong puts up a really good fight every time you play it. What is required here is a lot of freedom…freedom to go and hit the shots, and not get caught up in the results. I think it requires a player that can be patient, but also one that believes that they are a world-class player.”

By Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor  – Asian Tour, onsite at LIV Golf Singapore.

Nothing bothered Talor Gooch. Neither the change of continents, nor the change of climate, nor a lengthy rain delay, and certainly not a beastly golf course.

For the fourth time in four LIV Golf rounds, the American maintained his stranglehold on top of the leaderboard, shooting a bogey-free seven-under par 64 that included a stunning eagle on the par-five 18^th hole of the Serapong course of Sentosa Golf Club.

On a day when a two-and-a-half-hour delay, caused by a passing thunderstorm, added to the energy-sapping heat and humidity, several superstars still managed to go low at LIV Golf Singapore.

One behind Gooch 65 were reigning Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia, Americans Brooks Koepka and Cameron Tringale, and Spain’s Sergio Garcia, winner of Asian Tour’s 2018 SMBC Singapore Open at the same venue.

And the leaderboard became even more decorated going down one shot. At 66 were major champions Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Louis Oosthuizen.

Brooks Koepka (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).

Among the Asian Tour players, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe was best placed, recovering well after an early double bogey with four birdies in his last seven holes for a 69.

American Sihwan Kim showed signs of returning to form with a 70, while India’s Anirban Lahiri (72) was left frustrated with two double bogeys coming in.

In the team championship, Tringale, Mickelson and James Piot (70) combined to give HyFlyers the early lead at 12-under, while the all-South African Stingers were a shot behind at 11 under with contributions from Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel (67) and Dean Burmester (69). Range Goats, Koepka’s Smash and Smith’s Ripper were tied third at nine-under par.

Gooch, who received welcome news this morning before his round that the PGA of America would be honouring his finish inside the top-30 of the FedEx Cup last year and grant him a spot at the PGA Championship next month, revealed how he managed to tuck his form in cottonwool and carry it across from Adelaide, where he had started with two straights 62s before winning by three shots.

“There’s no pixie dust I’ve thrown on the clubs the last couple weeks. It’s just the game comes and goes in waves,” explained Gooch, who smashed a hybrid from 253 yards to 25 feet on the 18^th for his eagle.

“I have a buddy of mine, who has been like a mentor to me since I was 10, and he always said, ‘In golf, the penthouse and the outhouse are always right around the corner from each other’. You try not to get too high or too low when things are too good or aren’t good.

“You’ve got to earn it. These 62s and 64s don’t just happen, and just because you’re confident, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling and go play some good golf and finish out a good week here.”

Garcia also had a splendid eagle, threading his second shot between two palm trees on his fourth hole (his second) to about seven feet. That was a kickstart to his round as he moved to four-under par through his first four holes.

Sergio Garcia (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).

Asked if his previous success at Sentosa played a role in his round today, the 2017 Masters champion said: “I think anytime you’ve done well at a course, it’s always a plus. It doesn’t mean that you start two or three shots better than anyone else, but obviously, it brings good memories.

“I’ve played Singapore Opens here a few times, and I’ve been able to win it once. It’s a course that I enjoy. I feel if my game is a little bit on, I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.

“A reason why you see so many major champions on the leaderboard, is because they are all good ball strikers. And that’s what this course is asking you.”

LIV Golf announced that tee times have been brought forward over the weekend due to forecasted thunderstorms in the afternoons.

Gates will open at 7:00am local time on both days, with shotgun starts scheduled at 8:15am (00:15 GMT) on Saturday, 29 April and 8:05am (00:05 GMT) on Sunday, 30 April. Live broadcast starts at 8:00am (00:00 GMT) on both days.

By Joy Chakravarty

Anirban Lahiri has turned one of the most demanding and tragic moments of his life into a source of immense strength and inspiration.

The 35-year-old Indian, a seven-time champion on the Asian Tour, finished second on Sunday in LIV Invitational – Adelaide after starting the final round 11 shots behind eventual champion Talor Gooch and closing the gap to two at one stage.

Lahiri shot 66 and 65 over the weekend at The Grange in Adelaide, matching his 13-under par show (67-64) over the final two rounds at the International Series – Vietnam the week before. At KN Links as well, he came close, falling one short of winner Kieran Vincent.

The two performances came for the world No91 after a couple of tumultuous weeks for the family, which saw him reach Vietnam without touching his clubs for more than a fortnight.

Lahiri was in the US, getting ready for the LIV Invitational in Orlando when he received a call from India that his mother-in-law, battling cancer, had to be rushed to the hospital after her vitals crashed. He had to pull out of the tournament and rush to Pune (near Mumbai). On Monday of the International Series – Vietnam, they moved her to palliative care unit.

In Adelaide on Sunday, moments after he closed with a bogey in his 65, Lahiri switched on his phone to be notified that his mum-im-law passed away during the round.

“The last few weeks have been tough for the family. Mom was in a lot of pain the last few days. So, we’re just relieved that she is probably at peace and she’s in a better place now,” Lahiri said.

“It’s hard to wrap your head around a lot of this. So just trying to process it right now. It breaks my heart not to be there with my wife Ipsa and my children. I’m here in Adelaide, but mentally and in spirit, with them. I guess these are some of the professional hazards that we have to deal with, and I am so very proud of my wife.

“The funeral is on Monday, so there is no way I can physically reach in time. I am planning to play Singapore, though it is hard to say that I am looking forward to it. I will then be in Pune for the post-death rituals, and probably reach Tulsa (next LIV event) later than scheduled.”

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 23: Anirban Lahiri of the Crushers reacts to nearly holing out of a bunker on the 12th during day three of Liv Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Course on April 23, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Lahiri felt that the only way he could explain his recent run of form is because of getting a new perspective in life, which has helped him play fearless golf.

“I did not have any expectations when I reached Vietnam. The family was going through a very challenging phase. We were just taking it one day at a time,” said Lahiri.

“I was forced to hit the refresh button. You have to still look at the positives and try to receive the messages that the universe is sending. What happened the last few weeks made me kind of reset and re-establish my goals, my perspectives in life.

“I think mentally I’ve managed to just get clearer, more focused, and get more involved in my processes. Honestly, I am just counting my blessings and enjoying a new perspective. Probably, I am just playing with a lot less fear and probably not trying so hard and just letting go a little bit more.

“I’ve always found that a very hard thing to do. I think all golfers find that hard. But you know, the last couple of weeks, it’s come a little easier.”

LIV Golf – Singapore is Lahiri’s next stop (starting Friday, April 28), and Lahiri said he was glad he was swinging well ahead of the trip to Sentosa Golf Club.

Sentosa Golf Club – Host venue of LIV Golf Singapore

“I am happy with the way I am playing and I am happy with the way I have been swinging my clubs,” said Lahiri, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion in 2015.

“I have played Sentosa many times, and I know one thing for sure – you can’t be going to Sentosa playing anything less than your A-game. So, hopefully, I can continue and have another good week.”

The Indian ace, who had dropped out of the top-100 in the world ranking before moving to 91 following his result in Vietnam, was also hoping he had done enough to secure his place in the PGA Championship, the second major of the year starting May 17 at Oak Hill Country Club, in Rochester.

“I have done what I possibly could. It’s out of my hands now. Hopefully, I will remain inside the top-100 when the field is determined and I get my invitation to the PGA Championship,” said Lahiri, who finished tied fifth in the 2015 edition in Whistling Straits, which remains the best-ever finish by an Indian golfer in a major championship.

Ends.

Talor Gooch, a former member of 4Aces GC who joined Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats GC in the offseason, completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday at LIV Golf Adelaide.

Anirban Lahiri from India followed up his brilliant second place finish in last week’s International Series Vietnam on the Asian Tour by also taking the runner-up spot in Adelaide.

Meanwhile, Gooch’s old team captured its first trophy of the 2023 LIV Golf League.

Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, which had podium finishes in the first three events of the season, produced a sizzling final round in a tight team battle at The Grange Golf Club. With Patrick Reed shooting a seven-under-par 65, new member Peter Uihlein contributing a 66 and Johnson adding a 67 (Pat Perez shot the same score), the Aces finished with a LIV Golf-record 47 under to win by a stroke over the RangeGoats. The all-South African Stinger GC took third.

Talor Gooch of RangeGoats GC poses for a photo with his trophy after winning Liv Golf Adelaide. Picture by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images.

Last year, the all-American 4Aces won four regular-season events and the Miami Team Championship, all on home soil. Their performance in Adelaide was their most dominant, with all four members finishing in the top-10 in points.

“Obviously, it was a great week,” said Johnson, whose team increased its lead atop the season-long points standings to 44 points. “All four guys played well. To get our first win outside the U.S. was nice.”

Gooch, meanwhile, had to endure some tight moments despite entering the day with a 10-shot lead thanks to consecutive 10-under 62s. A four-hole stretch in which he suffered his first two bogeys of the week, followed by a double bogey at the par-five 10th, whittled his deficit. At one point, he led by only two shots.

But after his double bogey, he responded with birdies at the 11th and 13th holes to restore some breathing room, then parred in the rest of the way for a 73, leaving him at 19 under for the tournament. That ties the all-time LIV Golf best score for three rounds.

“Golf is just really hard,” said Gooch as he proudly cradled the LIV Golf trophy while wearing the Goat Chain, his team’s nod to winning performances. “It’s hard to put back-to-back days together like I did and even harder to do it three times in a row. I actually played fine out there today. The golf gods, I think, said, ‘We don’t want this first win to be easy on you.’

Anirban Lahiri prepares to putt on the 18th on day three of LIV Golf  Adelaide. Photo by Brenton Edwards /AFP.

“Had a couple bad breaks here and there, so it made things interesting, but it was cool to kind of overcome the adversity and dig deep after I made a double on No. 10. It was kind of a point of we’re either going to dig deep and do this or you’re going to stumble coming in. It was cool to dig deep and get the job done.”

Crushers GC’s Lahiri shot a 65 to claim second place at 16 under while four players tied for third at 15 under: Reed, Perez, Cameron Tringale of HyFlyers GC and Cameron Smith, the captain of Rippers GC, the all-Australian team that were the crowd favorites this week. Reed took third in points via the tiebreaker.

“It would have taken something exceptional from the rest of the field to beat Talor after the start that he had,” said Lahiri, a six-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“So, yes, it is another second place finish for me, but I will take that and I am happy with the way I am swinging, and the way I played the whole week. I left some out there today as well, but I can’t complain about my golf over the weekend after shooting 13-under par.”

The Indian star unfortunately lost his ailing mother-in-law during the round and came to know about it only after his finish.

4Aces GC teammates Peter Uihlein, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez celebrate on the podium spraying champagne after they won the team event at LIV Golf Adelaide. Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images.

He said: “The last few weeks have been tough for the family. Mom was in quite a lot of pain the last few days. So we’re just relieved that she is probably at peace and she’s in a better place now.”

LIV Golf Singapore tees off next Friday at Sentosa Golf Club.

The Indonesian Masters will be played from 16-19 November later this year, once again playing a major role in the end of season action on the Asian Tour.

The long-standing tournament, which will boast minimum prizemoney of US$1.5 million, will once again be the final event of this year’s 10-event International Series and one of the closing events on the Asian Tour’s season.

Importantly, the prestigious event will have the final say in who wins the International Series Order of Merit (OOM) and secures passage onto the 2024 LIV Golf League.

Chairman of the Asian Tour and Founder of the Indonesian Masters, Jimmy Masrin, said: “The Asian Tour and The International Series have enjoyed outstanding starts to 2023, and we are thrilled that the Indonesian Masters will once again help contribute to an exciting climax to the season.  The two work hand-in-hand, with The International Series being the single most important development in the history of the Asian Tour.”

Lee Westwood won the first edition in 2011. (Photo by Khalid Redza / Asian Tour via Getty Images)

Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut (main picture) triumphed at the Indonesian Masters last year, during a memorable week when the tournament brought the curtain down on both the Asian Tour and International Series seasons. American Sihwan Kim claimed the Asian Tour OOM and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent the International Series OOM – both players have been competing on the LIV Golf League this season.

Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “The Indonesian Masters has always been a fitting battle ground for global trophy hunters over the last 11 years, and as it was last year, it now has the added bonus of being the clincher for a lucrative ticket to one of the world’s most exciting franchises – the LIV Golf League.”

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO, said: “While we continue to break ground at several new venues across the globe, events like the Indonesian Masters make up the backbone of the Asian Tour. The global nature of the event and its esteemed heritage, it is clear that the tournament is the right fit for The International Series.”

A prominent feature on the Asian Tour since its launch in 2011, the Indonesian Masters has always welcomed world-class fields and has a distinguished list of past champions including England’s Lee Westwood, a three-time champion and the winner of the inaugural edition. Other notable champions include Justin Rose, Jazz Janewattananond and Anirban Lahiri.

News on the host venue and supporting sponsors will be announced in due course.

Last Sunday saw the fourth International Series event of the season completed, with Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent, young brother of Scott Vincent, claiming the International Series Vietnam after a nail-biting finish.

The International Series Singapore will return to one of the Lion City’s most-renowned golfing venues later this year, Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC), and will be played from October 5-8.

TMCC’s Tampines Course, the scene of Nitithorn Thippong’s dramatic victory last year in the inaugural edition of the tournament, will once again be used for the event, which will boast a total purse of US$2 million, up from US$1.5 million.

SINGAPORE- T=Nitihorn Thippong of Thailand pictured during the International Series Singapore, the US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) August 11-14, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Ronald Ong, President of Tanah Merah Country Club, said: “Tanah Merah Country Club is once again proud to play our part in helping to bring world-class golf to Singapore. The International Series Singapore was a resounding success last year and, like this year, it is an important addition to Singapore’s increasingly busy sporting calendar.

“Tanah Merah is one of the region’s foremost golfing facilities and we have always felt it important to host major international tournaments.”

The Tampines Course regularly receives rave reviews from the Asian Tour membership and in an effort to deliver even greater playability the club has made enhancements over the past five months to the fourth, sixth, ninth, 14^th and 18^th greens. The objective being to create more variety of pin positions on the greens.

Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course)

Rahul Singh, Head of the International Series, said: “Singapore is an essential destination for The International Series as the impressive island nation boasts everything needed to stage elite-level sporting competitions.

“And with Tanah Merah Country Club again hosting the International Series Singapore we could not have asked for a better host venue. We thank everyone at the club for helping to share our vision and we look forward to returning there later in the season.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “The Asian Tour is headquartered in Singapore, so it is always special to stage tournaments on our home patch. The fact that the country is now a regular stop on the International Series adds even greater importance and is an outstanding opportunity for everyone.

“We had the pleasure of hosting two tournaments at Tanah Merah Country Club last year and it was an absolute pleasure to work with them, they are consummate professionals, and the Tour is excited to be returning in October.”

TMCC helped play an important role in the return to action on the Asian Tour in January of 2022 when it hosted The Singapore International, the penultimate event of its 2020-2022 season.

It proved to be a week of great significance as Joohyung Kim, popularly known as Tom Kim, beat Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan in a gripping sudden-death play-off on the Tampines Course. The victory helped Kim win the Asian Tour Order of Merit to mark the start of a brilliant breakthrough year by the teenager that would see him win twice on the PGA Tour.

Joohyung Kim, winner of The Singapore International which was held at the TMCC’s Tampines course in January 2022.

And when Thailand’s Nitithorn won in August it was equally as thrilling. He holed a pressure-packed 15-foot par-saving putt on the daunting par-five 18th to take the clubhouse lead on 16 under and then, because of a 40-minute weather delay, had to wait for an hour to see if anyone in the final group playing 18 could catch him.

The International Series, launched to much fanfare last year by the Asian Tour and LIV Golf, will stage 10 International Series events this year, with the winner of the International Series Order of Merit earning a place on the LIV Golf League in 2024.

Last weekend the fourth International Series event of the season was completed, with Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent, young brother of Scott Vincent, claiming the International Series Vietnam after a close finish.

Kieran Vincent made it a unique brotherly double on the Asian Tour today, when he claimed the International Series Vietnam at KN Golf Links – just 10 months after his brother Scott won the International Series England.

The Zimbabwean, in just his second year as a professional, holed a decisive 12-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole to beat Anirban Lahiri from India and Australian Kevin Yuan by one stroke.

Vincent shot a six-under-par 66, for a four-round aggregate of 19 under, while Lahiri carded a 64 and Yuan, who missed a similar length birdie putt on the last to force a sudden-death play-off, a 68.

Japan’s Takumi Kanaya had started the day with a three-shot advantage but, unlike the International Series Oman in February where he triumphed after also holding the third-round lead, he struggled on the back nine and closed with a 73 to tie for fourth, on 16 under, with American Michael Maguire (66), Korea’s Taehee Lee (67) and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai (67), Pawin Ingkhapradit (68) and Jazz Janewattananond (70).

Kieran Vincent. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“It is surreal right now,” said the 25-year-old Vincent, who won US$360,000.

“I think there are so many people I have to thank at this stage that have put so much time and effort into me that they deserve it more than myself.

“I feel like I am a lead singer in a band of people that have done so much for me. I am very appreciative. I don’t think it is going to sink in for a while.”

The Zimbabwean’s putter seemed to go cold on Saturday, but he bounced back today with six birdies and no dropped shots.

About his final putt, he said: “That is the game of golf, you win some, you lose some, some go in, some don’t, and I am just very thankful it went in at the right time, when I needed it, and so I was just lucky enough to keep giving myself opportunities. Yeah I could not have dreamed it any better.

He’s moved into second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and third on the International Series OOM, giving him a chance to emulate his brother Scott who won last year’s International Series merit list and is now playing on the LIV Golf League.

Kevin Yuan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

American Andy Ogletree remains in pole position on both OOMs.

Yuan, playing in the last group, came close to spoiling the party for Vincent, in the group ahead, but narrowly missed his birdie putt on 18.

Said Yuan: “I gave it my all out there today. Left a few shots out there today and a few shots out there this week, but I’m happy with where my game is and the progression that it’s on. I think it was an awesome round by Kieran today and a huge win for him, congrats to him. But overall, I’m pretty satisfied with how my tournament went and looking for more good things to come.”

The result continued a remarkable run of form by the up-and-coming golfer from Sydney, who has made the cut in all eight events on the Asian Tour this season. His result today improved upon his previous best finish, which was fifth place at the International Series Thailand last month.

Seven-time Asian Tour winner Lahiri was attempting to win his first Asian Tour title in eight years and was a strong favourite after storming through the field in the fifth from last group making eight birdies in his first 14 holes, with no dropped shots, but he could only par the last four holes.

“I’m happy with the way I played, disappointed not to make a couple more coming in,” said Lahiri, the Asian Tour’s number one player in 2015 before embarking on a successful career on the PGA Tour.

Anirban Lahiri. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“You know I got off to a really good start. I kind of found my rhythm yesterday and today so that was nice. Yeah, a little upset not to make maybe one or two in the last four holes which are very gettable. So yeah, great week, but it’s disappointing. I’ve had so many seconds now I need to break this habit of mine.”

The Indian star heads to the LIV Golf Adelaide event next week before LIV Golf Singapore

“Excited to take this form into the next few weeks. I think it is going to be an important stretch over the next month, month and a half. You know, you get into the meat of the season. And very exciting to go to Australia. I’ve been to Adelaide and I’m hearing great things about the venue, about the people and the anticipation, the buzz is great. I’m expecting it to be one of the best events of the year actually, for LIV. So yeah, you know, we’ll be off tomorrow and the show goes on.”

The Asian Tour heads to Korea next for the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, which will be played at its regular home Nam Seoul County Club from May 4-7. Korean Bio Kim is the defending champion.