Lee feeling ‘spectacular’ after taking lead at BNI Indonesian Masters
Richard T. Lee shot yet another exceptionally low round, a 10-under-par 62, to take the first-round lead at the US$2 million BNI Indonesian Masters today.
Last Sunday he also returned a 62 to finish equal second in the International Series Thailand – sensationally helped by six birdies in-a-row on the back nine – and he was in equally inspired form today at Royale Jakarta Golf Club making two eagles and seven birdies.
The Canadian is one ahead of Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the winner of this event in 2019, who fired a 63.
Next best placed are Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Prom Meesawat from Thailand, Filipino Angelo Que, and Korea’s Kyongjun Moon, who returned 66s – in the 17th event of the season on the Asian Tour, and the seventh of 10 stops on The International Series.
Jazz Janewattananond. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Lee, who started on the back nine today, turned 34 two days ago and helped celebrate that by eagling the par-five 12th, where he hit a three-wood second from 275-yards into the wind to five feet, and then holed a seven-iron from 173-yards for an eagle two on the par-four 17th.
“Today was just amazing,” said Lee, who dropped only one shot.
“It’s funny, made that first eagle on 12, but then made bogey on 13 from the rough. So wasn’t expecting too much but then on 17 I hit a good seven iron, couldn’t see the ball go in but it went in. Today’s round, well, it was pretty good.”
He has finished in the top-10 in the past three Asian Tour events, and earlier in the year secured third place at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. With eight top-six finishes, including three second places, since action resumed on the Asian Tour in 2022 after the global pandemic he has been one of the hottest players in recent times.
“I tend to putt pretty well on these greens. I love the atmosphere, I love the golf course,” added Lee, who has won twice on the Asian Tour before, at the 2014 Solaire Open and the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open.
“I went to the Dunhill Links recently and had some problems with sleep. Finally got it back here and feel my game is pretty solid now. I have changed to a new putter and it’s working great. My shots have always been there, I am just feeling spectacular right now.”
Shahriffuddin Ariffin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Currently sitting seventh on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings he just fell short of forcing a play-off last weekend after missing a birdie putt on the last.
Today’s 63 is one of Jazz’s best rounds for some time, and he put it down to hard work and his fondness for this week’s event and venue.
“I am happy with that. Great to play like that, I always play good to here,” said Jazz, who also won the Merit crown in 2019.
“There are not that many places I always want to come back but this is one. Most of the ones I would and where have won, like the Singapore Open and Thailand Masters, are not being played right now.
“This week is a long standing one where we come here every time. It’s one of the few that I really look forward to.”
He is currently working with US-based coach Dana Dahlquist and feels he is heading in the right direction.
He added: “I have done a lot of work on my swing. I am slowly getting a feel for it, understanding it. It’s slowly improving but still have some shots which are not right like today. Mainly working on not getting my right elbow stuck behind the ball. I get behind it and I lose it right. I have had a couple of bad seasons, but I think it’s been good for me, part of learning – it had to happen.”
Prom Meesawat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ariffin is currently battling to keep his card for next year, lying 157th on the Merit list, and needs to find some form quickly.
He’s only made two cuts in 14 starts this season but is hoping today’s performance will be the catalyst for a strong finish to the season.
Said the Malaysian, who was in the first group out: “It’s not been my best year, but hopefully today’s round will help change things. I have been working hard on all parts of my game, the swing and the mental side, but it has not been going well. Today my caddie and I decided not to force things, and not be too aggressive, and that 66 was a great start.”
Prom is also looking for a spark to ignite what has been a disappointing season so far.
“To be honest, I was very happy with where I finished with six under par,” said the Thai veteran, who last won on the Asian Tour in 2014.
“I was struggling a bit with my driver really, and I mean, I tried to work on something, tried to focus on process. If I can hit a drive, it shouldn’t be a problem.
“It doesn’t matter the distance the course is, you know, it is quite long for me. But yeah, I still can hit the irons, and I still can putt so I hope it’s going to be okay for the rest of the week. I hit a lot of fairways today, but I had three snap hooks too and that’s where I changed my mentality a bit and tried to focus, tried to stay with the process.”
Asian Tour and International Series number one John Catlin from the United States returned a 69, the same as last week’s winner Lee Chieh-po from Chinese-Taipei, while his countryman Bubba Watson carded a 70.
Defending champion Gaganjeet Bhullar from India also fired a 70.
Gaganjeet Bhullar admits “pressure is part of the game” in elite-level golf, as he revealed that he will once again be using special tools to support the defence of his BNI Indonesian Masters title against a strong field at Royale Jakarta Golf Club this week.
The Indian, an 11-time winner on the Asian Tour, recorded a sensational 24-under-par wire-to-wire victory last year to win by five shots from young compatriot Karandeep Khochhar.
Heading into the seventh event of 10 on The International Series this week he said: “Talking about pressure, I would say the answer is yes, I do feel pressure. I am sure a lot of the defending champions do feel pressure – it is part of the game.”
When referring to the steps he is taking to combat that pressure – the 36-year-old has had plenty of practice, with the first of his Asian Tour wins coming in the same country back in 2009, at the Indonesia President Invitation.
Gaganjeet Bhullar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“You know, you work hard over a period of years, and you try to make your mind much more stable, much more stronger by doing different things – yoga, meditation, or whatever.
“These are the things that make you a better player over a period of years. And in my personal opinion, meditation has played a very important role.
“Over a period of years, I have done that pretty much every day. And probably that is one of the reasons that we can hold some of the pressure.”
Explaining his routine, he said: “It has been regular for the last, I would say, 20 years. I wake up early morning and every day I have eight to 10 minutes of meditation. And that has changed me over the period of years. I mellow down on the golf course. I end up controlling my emotions better on the course. I think that is one area where I’ve actually improved.”
Over half of Bhullar’s 11 victories have come in Indonesia, and he’s putting a run together that suggests another win could be around the corner, after finishing T7 at the Black Mountain Championship and T19 at International Series Thailand.
Anyone who saw last year’s near flawless display will know that the Indian, who competed in this summer’s Olympics, is not to be underestimated. He said: “It’s a great privilege to be back here in Indonesia. Last year was 24 under, and wire-to-wire. With this golf course, this country, it is so special to me. This country is always some sort of lucky charm for me. I ended up playing well last year, so yes, the preparations are very good. The last few weeks, I played decent. So, I think the game is coming back in shape and I’m looking forward to a positive result this week.”
Tournament Information:
- Tournament: BNI Indonesian Masters
- Date: October 31- November 3, 2024
- Venue: Royale Jakarta Golf Club
- Par/Yards: Par 72 / 7,361 Yards
- Purse: US$2 million (First place US$360,000)
- Asian Tour leg: 17th event of the 2024 season
- International Series leg: Seventh
- Edition of tournament: 12th
- Total number of players: 144
- Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds to the leading 65 pros plus ties
- Social Media Hashtags: #BNIIM2024 #IndoMasters #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Scott Hend (2016), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (2013)
- Nationalities: 27
- Top contenders: John Catlin (USA), Ben Campbell (NZL), Michael Maguire (USA), Lee Chieh-po (TPE), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Bubba Watson (USA), Richard Bland (ENG), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: John Catlin (USA) #119
- Highest ranked player on 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit: John Catlin #1
- Highest ranked player on 2024 International Series Rankings: John Catlin #1
- Defending champion: Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND)
- Number of amateurs: 2
- Number of Indonesian players in the field: 18
MJ Maguire. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Tournament Notes
- American John Catlin has been superb this whole season with seven top 10s in 10 Asian Tour events, and he leads both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings. The 33-year-old has posted two victories so far this season, the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF, as well as three runners-up in the Black Mountain Championship, the International Series Morocco and the Yeangder TPC. A tied third finish in the season opening Malaysian Open secured him a spot in the 152nd Open Championship where he finished tied 16th for his best result in a major. He currently leads the Merit list with 2,900.68 points, ahead of last week’s winner Lee Chieh-po, who is in second place with 1,347.35. He also tops The International Series Ranking with 838.78 points against 621.10 for American Peter Uihlein who sits in second. He has also subbed in for injured players on three different teams on the LIV Golf League this year and posted an impressive T7 in LIV Golf Nashville in June. Catlin has amassed US$1,332,125 in earnings on the Asian Tour so far this season, while his LIV Golf League total was US$1,629,367 in his 2024 campaign.
- Last week’s winner Lee Chieh-po of Chinese Taipei has been on a tear lately, and in addition to the win at Thai Country Club last week, also had a solo third at the Black Mountain Championship, missing the play-off by only one shot, a fourth-place finish at Yeangder TPC and a T9 at the Shinhan Donghae Open in September.
- New Zealander Ben Campbell is a two-time International Series winner after capturing this summer’s International Series Morocco in a play-off against John Catlin, and the 2023 Hong Kong Open. Currently third on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and in The International Series Rankings, Campbell finished T4 in the Black Mountain Championship two weeks ago, and other good results this season includes a T5 at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and a T10 at the 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
- American MJ Maguire won the Black Mountain Championship two weeks ago after defeating John Catlin on the second play-off hole, and again had a great week at the International Series Thailand finishing T4 after a final round 61. He has made big gains on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and on The International Series Rankings the last two weeks, and now sits in fourth and fifth place respectively. Maguire also had a good result at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters a month ago where he finished T7.
- Richard T. Lee from Canada finished T2 at last week’s International Series Thailand, his third top 10 in a row after a T9 at the Black Mountain Championship and a T10 at the Yeangder TPC. He has been a remarkably consistent high performer this season, and also finished third at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open and eighth at the International Series Macau. His current cut streak on the Asian Tour stands at 13, and the last tournament he was not around for the weekend was last year’s International Series Singapore in October. Lee’s last Asian Tour win, his second, came at the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2017 and he is due for a return to the winner’s circle.
- The two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson from the U.S. who now captains RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League is making his first appearance at the BNI Indonesian Masters and will be aiming to add another “Masters” to his resume. While he has not had his best season on LIV this year, with his power off the tee and ability to shape his shots both ways, he might be a threat this week at Royale Jakarta. Watson is the winner of 12 PGA Tour events during his career, and his best Asian Tour result is a solo second at the 2022 PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
- The 51-year-old Englishman Richard Bland, who plays for the Cleeks on the LIV Golf League, captured the “Bland Slam” this summer, winning the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Open, the only senior Majors he was eligible to enter. In his only Asian Tour start this season he finished seventh at the International Series England.
- Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2013 after winning the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Maybank Malaysian Open, and a T3 at the PGA Tour co-sanctioned CIMB Classic. During his career he has won three Asian Tour events and four DP World Tour events, and in 2018 he gained membership status on the PGA Tour for the 2018–19 season, becoming the first PGA Tour member from Thailand to do so. Nicknamed “Arm”, his best result this season has been a solo second after a playoff loss in the Porsche Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour in March.
Bubba Watson says he has been overwhelmed by the warm welcome he has received at this week’s BNI Indonesian Masters, revealing that the locals have ‘blessed me with open arms” in Jakarta.
The famous lefthander and two-time Masters champion is visiting Indonesia for the first time, for the seventh tournament on The International Series, the set of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, and is trying to win his first title in six years.
His cause will no doubt have been helped by being made to feel at home.
“Any time you travel to a new place you don’t know what to expect,” said the American, who turns 46 next week.
(L-R) John Catlin, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Ricard Bland, Bubba Watson, and Jonathan Wijono. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“They have blessed me with open arms this week. It has been amazing so far, it has only been a couple of days. They love us so much, treat us so kindly, I could not ask for a better opportunity to play golf. I am just amazed by the smiles, the energy, the care and dedication to make this feel special here.”
Watson has been a frequent visitor to the Asian Tour during his 22-year professional career and has come close to victory here on a number of occasions.
He has finished runner-up on the Asian Tour twice, at the Thailand Golf Championship in 2012, where he tied for second, and the PIF Saudi International two years ago.
However, he pointed out that the courses here in the region do not really fit his style of play.
“I looked at the [winning] number last year, 24 under. I was like ‘I am not sure I can get to 24 under’.
“Golfing in Asia the greens are a little smaller, the fairways are smaller, they are tighter. It is a different kind of golf to what we are used to. We have bigger golf courses in America. You can hit driver in a lot of places. In Asia you have some tricky holes. That’s not the way I grew up playing. I hit driver everywhere. In Asia the golf course always beats me.”
Bubba Watson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Watson, who is currently captain of RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League, also revealed at the tournament’s pre-event press conference today that he is aiming to have his two children travel with him in the years ahead.
He explained: “I am actually looking at having my kids home schooled so they can travel with me and see the world. We have been talking about that a lot for next year. I want my kids to be able to experience what I have experienced. See different cultures, different parts of the world.”
And later when asked what his favourite Indonesian food is, he playfully replied: “French fries.”
Jonathan Wijono will have another crack at trying to become the first Indonesian to win an Asian Tour event on home soil in 35 years at the BNI Indonesian Masters, which starts Thursday.
It’s a big ask for the 23-year-old but of all the Indonesians competing at Royale Jakarta Golf Club this week, the young man from Surabaya has emerged as far and away the most likely candidate.
Two factors have led to this, firstly form and secondly for earning a reputation as a player for the big occasion.
Wijono is the highest ranked Indonesian on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, lying 68th and 44th respectively.
Jonathan Wijono. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A number of very impressive performances recently have led to his rise, in particular at the International Series England in August, where he finished 9th– his best finish on the Asian Tour – and the Black Mountain Championship just under two weeks ago, where he tied for 14th.
Both tournaments are part of The International Series, 10 upper-tier multi-million-dollar events that offer a pathway onto the LIV Golf League and the type of events that bring out the best in Wijono.
Explains the Indonesian: “I’m more focused if I play in the bigger tournaments, rather than just having fun, playing around. But I think I’m more focused on big tournaments, maybe that’s why the results are better, I would say.
“And I play better in the Asian Tour events than on the Asian Development Tour, I don’t know why. I’ve been hitting it well these couple of weeks, and hopefully I can just make the putts.”
Wijono has also worked very hard to get himself into this position, particularly focusing on the mental side, as arguably the country’s top golfer.
Jonathan Wijono. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think it’s just my mindset that’s a bit different than most of the players,” he adds. “I have been working with my coach on focusing on each and every shot and don’t really care about the result. Because when I play bad it’s when I start to overthink, trying too much, you know – I’m on hole one but I already think about what’s happening on the fifth hole. So, it’s like I have to make it so that my mind is still here, still in the present. And I would say that’s one of the things that helped me the most throughout these few weeks.”
His countryman Rory Hie, also playing this week, won the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship in India in 2019 to become the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour while the country’s legendary Kasiadi remains as the only local to win on home soil, at the 1989 Indonesian Open.
Judging by his present trajectory Wijono has the potential to join them in the winners’ circle, not least because he likes a challenge.
“I started playing golf when I was four, I watched TV at the time, so back then, I usually watched Cartoon Network and ESPN,” he says.
“Tiger was my favorite, so because of him, I play golf. So based on watching TV I actually start playing golf. I picked up the sport because it’s the hardest. I played all the sports, sports that have a ball in it, but I stuck to golf because it’s the hardest.”
Wijono also has the propensity to shoot low: he fired a 64 in the final round in England and a 65 on the last day at Black Mountain.
At last year’s BNI Indonesian Masters he closed with a 67 to tie for 24th but for a player growing in confidence the nation will be expecting so much more this week.
Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po finally claimed his maiden title on the Asian Tour today at International Series Thailand – after sensationally overtaking hot-favourite Peter Uihlein at the very end.
Lee birdied the final two holes at Thai Country Club to beat Uihlein by one, after the American had led the whole day – in fact he had been in front since day two.
The champion, playing in the penultimate group, fired a seven-under-par 63 to finish on 21-under, while Uihlein closed with a 67 to tie for second place with Canadian Richard T. Lee, who carded a 62.
Lee, whose English name is Max, birdied the par-five 17th to move to within one of Uihlein, who still looked to be heading for victory. However, Lee drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the last, shortly before his American opponent found a greenside bunker there and missed his par putt from a similar distance.
Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s been a simply amazing week,” said Lee, who had finished runner-up on two occasions before and had five other top-five finishes, including third place in last week’s Black Mountain Championship.
“I have come close to winning many times before. Even my first year on Tour in 2015, I nearly won. I think my tee shots and my putting are getting better and better, that’s why I can do even better this week.
“After last season, I changed my swing a little bit, but I knew I was on the right path, so I just kept doing it, kept working, and now it’s feeling better than last year.”
He had appeared to have slipped out of the running when he dropped his only shot of the day on 15 before his heroics on the final holes.
The 29-year-old grew up playing golf with Kevin Yu, a winner on the PGA Tour this year, and sees him as an inspiration.
Uihlein led by three at the start of the day, from a group of players that included Lee and was attempting to win his second title on The International Series in the space of three months, having claimed International Series England in August.
Despite the disappointment he was rational about the defeat, saying: “Fine. I mean I didn’t putt well enough to win this. So that’s just kind of the point blank. I felt like I was pretty good for four days to the green, and my approach play was really good, but I just putted terrible.
Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I mean, yesterday was awful on the greens, and that kind of put everyone in a position where, if they go out and shoot 63, 62 they’d have a chance. And, so, it was kind of yesterday that I shot myself in the foot a little bit. But today I made a bogey on the last and I missed a couple of easy putts. It is what it is.”
For Richard T. Lee it was yet another near miss. Since the Tour resumed after the global pandemic, he finished second twice, third on three occasions and has been in the running numerous times.
He missed a birdie putt on the last, which proved costly, and he birdied six in a row from the 12th – which was kind of the plan.
“It was funny,” said the Canadian, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, pre-covid.
“I was talking to my caddie after I made a bogey on nine, told him I’m going to shoot six under on the back nine. And he’s like, okay, let’s do it. And unfortunately, I made bogey on 10, and I was like, oh no.
“So yeah, I went on a birdie streak of six birdies, and I was just sticking everything and making putts. Just unfortunately, on the last hole, I missed the putt.”
Last week’s winner of the Black Mountain Championship Michael ‘MJ’ Maguire closed with a 62 to tie for fourth, three behind the winner, along with fellow-Americans Paul Peterson, in with a 63, and Christian Banke, who fired a 64.
American John Catlin, the top-ranked player on the Asian Tour and The International Series, returned a 68 and tied for 12th. His opponents have a lot to do if they are to catch him.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
All eyes will be on next week’s BNI Indonesian Masters, which commences on Thursday at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar is the defending champion, while two-time US Masters champion Bubba Watson from the United States is one of the star attractions.
Nick Voke said he was ‘very fortunate’ to be part of a ‘very interesting time’ for golf, after the pro-golfer turned YouTuber and influencer manager claimed a top 10 finish for the second consecutive week, at International Series Thailand.
The New Zealander, who has three wins on the PGATour China, as well as experience on the Korn Ferry Tour and the Asian Tour, carded a superb six-under 64 at Thai Country Club to finish T7 on 16 under, five shots behind surprise winner Lee Chieh-po.
Voke finished in the same position last weekend at the Black Mountain Championship in Hua Hin, just four off the champion MJ Maguire.
On that occasion, he played the first two rounds alongside the influencers he manages: Luke Kwon and Tae-Wook Ko, better known as Taco Golf, after the trio had received invites thanks to an innovative move by The International Series and Asian Tour to expand their audience.
Voke admitted the locker room had an ‘80/20 split’ over the intersect between the pro golf world and the YouTube world which took place over the past fortnight on The International Series, with Mac Boucher also playing this week in Bangkok.
Luke Kwon. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
He said: “It is a very interesting time for golf. I think the locker room is probably 80% for it, 20% against. But I think if you look on its merits, Kwon’s first video from Black Mountain had 300,000 views, and the second one has 295,000. They both have an average view time of 20 minutes. So, if you want to get eyeballs onto the game of golf, that’s a fantastic avenue.”
While Voke finished top 10 in consecutive weeks, Kwon also stated the case for the world of YouTubers and golfing influencers by making the cut last weekend.
“I think there will be some opportunities. I think what really helped the guys was that Kwong is a good golfer in his own right, he’s a former professional who has won on the PGATour China. He is a golfer first and so I do not think it is out of the ordinary to have him here.
“I think the traction has been phenomenal in terms of comments and social media engagement. So, I can see more of it going forward.”
Voke, 29, is more relaxed now because of the ‘very fortunate’ position he occupies at the intersect between the YouTube world and the pro game. Talking about playing in a field stacked with talented LIV Golf League stars and the cream of the Asian Tour, he said: “To be honest with you, a few years ago, I may have been rattled.
“I may have looked around a bit more, but I am at that point now where I’m half a YouTube golfer. I show up and I am much more relaxed, more comfortable with the game, and some really good scores are starting to show. I think there is some gold in there somewhere, and I will be keen to dissect it in the coming weeks.
“I have to say kudos to the Asian Tour and The International Series. Huge ups to them, to have the initiative to try this. Hopefully there will be a few more opportunities with them, and maybe with other tours sooner.”
Peter Uihlein’s recent victory on The International Series has clearly had a profound impact on the American as he took control of the International Series Thailand today – opening up a three-shot lead at Thai Country Club, in Bangkok.
He fired a third-round three-under-par 67 for a three-round aggregate of 17-under, in the sixth stop on The International Series this year – 10 Asian Tour sanctioned events that provide a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
Sitting in second place are Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (63), a star on this year’s Asian Development Tour (ADT), Rayhan Thomas (64) from India, Swede Charlie Lindh (65), Max Lee Chieh-po (67) from Chinese-Taipei and Australian Maverick Antcliff (69).
American John Catlin showed why he is the number one ranked player on both the Asian Tour and The International Series by shooting the lowest round of the week, a 61. He is another stroke back with Filipino Miguel Tabuena (65) and David Boriboonsub (67) from Thailand.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Uihlein’s round didn’t match his spectacular opening rounds of 64 and 62 but he was content with a performance that puts him in the driver’s seat with one round to go.
“Overall, it was fine,” said Uihlein, who led by one from Antcliff at the start of the day, “you know, it was a good enough day where I felt like it could’ve been really, really good. But, yeah, we’ll see.”
The American is presently third on The International Series Rankings and with five events to go, including this week, he needs a win tomorrow to help close the gap on runaway rankings leader Catlin.
A prodigious hitter of the golf ball he is laying siege to Thai Country Club – which is not the longest course and has wide fairways. Other factors are also helping him overpower the layout.
He explained: “Yeah, I mean, I think we’re taking off like four or five yards just based on heat, right? So, we’re taking off some distance, and then every ball basically is a flyer out of the rough, so if we’re in the rough we’re just kind of catching fliers. And it’s hot, so we’re taking off probably 20-25 yards just in the rough alone. So, yeah, even from the fairway and the tee we’re taking off distance just because it’s really, really hot.”
Ahmad Baig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Baig has emerged as the surprise package after recording one of the finest rounds of his career, which, remarkably, started with three birdies in-a-row and ended in the same manner.
He has been enjoying a breakthrough year on the ADT with two victories and is currently in second place on that Merit list.
Said the 26-year-old about playing on the Asian Tour: “It feels totally different especially because on the Asian Tour there are so many big names playing. So yeah, it’s a very good experience for me.”
Tomorrow Baig, who has a reputation for firepower off the tee, will attempt to become only the second player from his country to win on the Asian Tour. Taimur Hussain was the first, winning the 1998 Myanmar Open.
Thomas is also catching the eye, having only played a handful of events since turning professional this year
“I graduated at the end of May, so I just turned pro, kind of at the start of June,” said Thomas, who went to Oklahoma State.
Rayhan Thomas. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
In August we won on his debut on the Professional Golf Tour of India, winning the Coimbatore Open, and just earlier than that he tied for eighth in the International Series Morocco.
He added: “I’ve gained confidence every week, which is good. I’ve been able to step up at the right times, and so it’s been trending the right way, and hopefully I can keep it going.”
Catlin made an eagle and seven birdies to give himself another chance of a third win this year. He’s also lost in two play-offs, including at last week’s Back Mountain Championship to countryman Michael Maguire.
He felt he had a sniff of a 59 today – to add to the one he made at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March, which was an Asian Tour first.
“There were a couple that shaved the edge,” he said.
“There was a moment there when I thought about the 59 again. It was just a special day, and it puts me in a position where I can maybe try and get after it again tomorrow.”
Pakistani golfers haven’t exactly made a name for themselves on the international circuit, but that could soon be changing. Story by By Joy Chakravarty – at the International Series Thailand.
The last – and only – champion on the Asian Tour from the country was the legendary Taimur Hussain way back in the 1998 Myanmar Open.
Ahmad Baig, a 26-year-old from Lahore, is turning heads and forcing everyone to take notice.
Already a two-time champion on the Asian Development Tour this year, Baig smashed a spectacular seven-under-par 63 on the Moving Day of the US$2 million International Series Thailand. Baig is tied second at 14-under par going into what promises to be a massive Sunday for the man from Lahore.
Baig bookended his bogey-free round with three birdies and added another in the middle. It was imperious ball-striking as he found 13 out of 14 fairways and hit 17 greens in regulation.
Ahmad Baig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
On Friday, he had finished eagle-birdie and carried that form into Saturday.
“I really hit the ball well and also made a few putts. Once that happens, you do end up with a nice score,” said Baig, who is currently second in the ADT Order of Merit and almost guaranteed a full card on the Asian Tour for 2025.
What’s even more impressive is his speed. He is strongly built, and he is fast and furious.
Baig’s ball speed is 182 miles per hour, and his swing speed is 124mph. Just to get an idea of how good those numbers are, the average ball speed on the PGA Tour is approximately 171mph and the swing speed is 116mph.
“I always had the speed. I could hit the ball long even in my amateur days. But what has changed is that I have put on weight and muscle, and I am usually hitting it straight,” he added.
Veteran caddie Rene Smorenberg, who was on Sihwan Kim’s bag and had a ringside view of Baig’s round, was seriously impressed.
“Woah…that was some round, and that boy is some talent. Hits it a long way and did not miss anything today. I’d say he is one of the best talents I have seen on the Asian Tour in a while,” said Smorenberg.
Baig is also backing his ball-striking with some magical short game. On Saturday, he brought the grandstand on the 18th to raptures by almost holing out his second shot from 159 yards. And for those interested in knowing what he hit from there, it was just a mere three-quarter flick of a pitching wedge.
Right now, Baig’s only dream is to get an Asian Tour card at the end of the season. If he can replicate his form on Sunday here at Thai Country Club, that might happen a lot sooner. He is just three shots behind the big-hitting American Peter Uihlein, and a win fast-tracks a membership for him.
“I have always dreamed of playing against these big names. Because of my two wins on the ADT, I feel a lot more comfortable on the big stage. This year has taught me that if I play to my potential, I can compete against most players,” said Baig, who learned his golf while watching YouTube videos of Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Rory McIlroy.
Baig still doesn’t have a coach, but in the last year and a half, he has secured a few sponsorship support in Pakistan that has helped him focus solely on his golf.
“I had only one coach – Sujjan Singh in Dubai. I was sent there for a month by a Pakistani businessman a few years ago, and Sujjan helped my game a lot. But then COVID happened, and I have been without a coach again,” said Baig.
“But I have a few sponsors now, including Aguila Golf, which has been a key to my playing well. They take care of my expenses. Now that I do not have to think about money, I can focus solely on my golf.”
Baig will be part of the leaders group on Sunday, paired with his good friend Rayhan Thomas, the Dubai-based Indian with whom he played on many MENA Tour events, and leader Uihlein.
It has been a tough 18 months for Jed Morgan, the Australian who was relegated from the LIV Golf League at the end of the 2023 season.
But the 24-year-old has shown glimpses of his undoubted promise on the Asian Tour this season, and he sits well placed for a tilt at the International Series Thailand title going into the weekend at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok.
The 2020 amateur champion of Australia burst onto the scene as the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship winner in January 2022, on only his fourth start as a professional. He won that by a record 11 shots, helping to secure the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit for the 2021-22 season.
The Queenslander is in the mix after following up his first-round 63 with a two-under 68 to finish in a group on T9 at nine under, five off leader Peter Uihlein and in touching distance of Aussie compatriot Maverick Antcliff a shot further back.
Morgan was happy with his lot going into the weekend, saying: “(In the first round) I hit it a lot better, I hit a lot of good shots, and I also holed a few more putts. But in the end, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t too much different.
“Sometimes scoring is difficult – golf is difficult – and I guess I have proven that over the past couple of years. I am hoping I can just turn it around pretty quickly and try to focus on the good things that can come out of it.”
Jed Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
When asked if his game was close to returning to the kind of form that landed the title in 2022, Morgan’s answer was telling.
“No, I’m a better golfer now. You know, it is funny how it works. Results wise, obviously, there’s a few good results that year. But I am definitely 100% a better golfer now than I was then.”
Morgan managed a 13th-placed finish in the LIV Golf Jeddah Invitational in 2022 and he also finished 17th at LIV Golf Singapore the following season. Impressive golf in patches, but not enough to stay out of the drop zone, and he lost his spot on Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC at the end of the 2023 season.
In the LIV Golf Promotions event, where he had a chance to reclaim his place at the end of last season, he comfortably made it into the final 20 for a 36-hole shootout for three golden tickets with a six-under second round in Abu Dhabi.
He couldn’t go under par in the final two rounds and missed out on a quick return to the bright lights and the big-name roster including compatriot Smith, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and the rest.
He said: “Unfortunately, it is kind of a similar story, you know. The first day I played some good golf and it felt great. I felt things that I hadn’t felt for a long time. And then the next day, it just didn’t materialise. And that’s sport, it is your job at a high level.”
Jed Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos Asian Tour.
Morgan’s form seems to be improving on the Asian Tour. This week, his scoring is reflecting the form that yielded a season-high T14 at the New Zealand Open, as well as a T27 at International Series Oman and a T34 in Macau.
This year’s LIV Golf Promotions event has just been confirmed for December, giving the top 32 eligible players on The International Series a chance to play for a coveted spot on the LIV Golf League next season. Is that a realistic aim for Morgan?
At 81 on the rankings, he needs a win to guarantee a place, or to jump around 50 places via a run of good form in the remaining events of the season.
He said: “Hopefully I can get into that. I just need to try my best you know? It is funny, you can get so far ahead of yourself and you can drag the past with you a lot as well.
“I want to achieve a lot of ‘presence’ in what I do. As cliched as it sounds, it is just one day at a time.”
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