Koh peaks on the Remarkables shooting 61 to take lead
Korean Guntaek Koh shot the finest round of his career, a course-record equalling 10-under-par 61 on the Remarkables course at Millbrook, to take the halfway lead in the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport today.
His breathtaking performance – made up of an eagle, nine birdies and a solitary bogey – propelled him into a three-shot lead over Australian James Marchesani, who fired a 65, also on Remarkables.
Koh, who is 17-under, was joined by three other Asian Tour members at the top of the leaderboard.
China’s Bai Zhengkai, a graduate from this year’s Qualifying School, carded a 64 on Remarkables to slide into solo third, four behind Koh, while one shot further back are reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, American John Catlin, and South Africa’s Ian Snyman. Catlin returned a 64 on the Coronet course, and Snyman 65 on Remarkables.
Overnight leader Harrison Crowe from Australia carded a 71 and is in joint 12th, six off top spot.
Bai Zhengkai. Picture by Andrew Cornaga/Photosport.
Koh is a proven winner on home soil. His one win on the Asian Tour came in 2023 at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea, where he defeated Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai in a sudden-death play-off, and he’s also a three-time champion on the Korean PGA Tour.
He’s made no secret of his desire to make a name for himself in the international arena and today’s round will help start the process.
Said the 25-year-old: “My iron play was really good, it helped me attack the greens. That’s what got me into this position. I have been working very hard on that part of my game.
“For the next two rounds I will focus on positive thinking. I played very well today. I want to carry this momentum into the weekend.”
He admitted he was too focused to realise he matched the course record.
“It’s very meaningful. I didn’t even know I shot the course record. I didn’t even look at the scores. I am really proud of myself,” he added.
His 61 was built on eight birdies in his first 11 holes. His only dropped shot came on 13 before he birdied 15 and made an eagle two on the last.
John Caitlin. Picture by Michael Thomas/Photosport.
Bai made eight birdies and one bogey for his best opening two rounds in an Asian Tour event. He was second at Qualifying School in 2023 but failed to keep his card and was fourth this year, looking to capitalise on his second opportunity.
“Putting was my weakness before but now I am able to make some putts,” said the Chinese golfer.
“I got the putter going today. Ball striking was pretty good. Made a couple of mistakes on the front. Missed a couple of greens but was able to get up and down. I just enjoy playing out here. The greens are great, a little bit soft so I was able to attack the pins.
“I have been playing all over the world. After college I played two years on Korn Ferry, lost my card, played in Europe, DP and Challenge Tour for a year, lost my card, played on Asian Tour for a year and lost my card. Got through Q School this year and finished fourth so I am happy to be here.”
Snyman was of the form players last year and continues to impress. He tied for sixth last year and is loving being in Queenstown.
Said the South African: “I am staying with a host family. I have for the past two years. The Aitken family and they cook me steak every night and lamb chops and it almost feels a bit like South Africa in a sense, and we share a lot of the same sports, so it makes it feel a little homey. You can say this is my New Zealand family. They make special for me.”
Harrison Crowe rumbled the Remarkables Course at Millbrook Golf Resort today with a brilliant nine-under-par 62 to take the first-round lead in the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
The Australian leads from countryman James Marchesani who returned a 63 while Asian Tour regulars Kevin Yuan from Australia and Korea’s Guntaek Koh are next best with 64s. They all played on the Coronet Course, as did LIV Golf star Lucas Herbert from Australia who also carded a 64.
Crowe [main picture] made nine birdies and an eagle with his only blemish coming on the par-four 13th, where his tee shot flew out of bounds, resulting in a double-bogey.
He won the NSW Open as an amateur in 2022 but is still chasing a first win as a professional.
“I definitely had a lot of things going my way today, and I think to shoot those rounds you have to,” said the 23-year-old from Sydney.
James Marchesani. Picture by Chris Symes/www.photosport.nz.
“I had the putter going, so it was nice to keep the momentum going after that one mistake.”
Herbert, who plays for Ripper GC on LIV, was happy with the new putter in his bag, although he missed from three metres on his final hole.
“I felt like I’d struggled with the putter for a while and I felt like I putted okay today without being amazing, but it wasn’t bad either,” he said.
“I hit a lot of good putts and just couldn’t get as many to go in as I would’ve liked. But look, it’s probably going to be a week of low scoring, so it was good to get off to a hot start and not feel like we’re chasing from a long way back.”
Australian Travis Smyth, Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Bai Zhengkai from China also helped put the Asian Tour on the map, with rounds of 65s on Coronet to tie for sixth.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion John Catlin from the United States fired a 67 and is in a tie for 23rd, along with New Zealand’s Ben Campbell – second on last year’s Merit list, who is based at Millbrook Golf Resort.
Kevin Yuan. Picture by Chris Symes/www.photosport.nz.
Josh Geary and Michael Hendry ended the day as the leading Kiwis. They are tied for ninth following 66s on the Remarkables.
Defending champion Takahiro Hataji from Japan opened his account with a 69.
Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, winner of the ADT Rumanza Open Pakistan last week on the Asian Development Tour, fired a 71 on Remarkables.
New Zealand’s Nick Voke, also coming off a win last weekend in Australia at the Webex Players Series Sydney came in with a 73.
The NZ$2million event is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
It’s the third stop of the season on the Asian Tour.
Nick Voke will try and join an elite group of New Zealanders who have won their National Open, when he competes in the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport this week.
A total of 20 Kiwis have claimed the title, most notably Bob Charles – the famous lefthander and arguably the nation’s greatest player who won the tournament four times – and Michael Campbell.
Voke has had several attempts since turning professional in 2018, the year he finished a career-best seventh.
This year though is perhaps his best opportunity to claim The Brodie Breeze Trophy thanks to a much-needed return to form, which saw him win the Webex Players Series Sydney last weekend on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“It meant so much to win,” said the 30-year-old from Auckland, ahead of this week’s event which starts tomorrow at Millbrook Golf Resort, Queenstown.
Nick Voke. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“It’s been quite the journey, the last six months. You know golf is hard. Professional golf can beat you down. It’s really difficult.”
The victory was his first success since three wins on the China PGA Tour during a standout rookie season. It also came off the back of a fine season on the Asian Tour last year, when he ended 50th on the Merit list – helped by back-to-back joint seventh placed finishes in the Black Mountain Championship and the International Series Thailand.
Voke attended the two events, first as a player, but also as a YouTuber and as an influencer manager, as two of his clients, Luke Kwon and Taco Golf, also competed.
And it is his work in the online golfing world that he feels has helped get his game back on track.
He explained: “I was at the point of thinking about doing other things. I got a bit of a lifeline with Luke Kwon and Taco Golf. I have been playing well for about a year now. The game is in good shape. The issue is I wasn’t optimising the game I had. I was getting in my own way. Bad stuff was happening, and I wasn’t able to handle the moment.
Nick Voke. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
“If you ask me what’s changed. I am playing closer to my potential more often because of a change in my mindset. I kind of attribute that to some of the YouTube stuff. I have never played poorly when I played with the guys.”
In essence, his return to the winners’ circle has been the result of not trying so hard.
“It is crazy. The less pressure you put on playing well, the less wanting to win you have, the less you try to be perfect – the better things are,” he said.
“It’s almost like my chances are better by not trying too much. By not trying to be perfect. Not trying to be someone I am not.”
He tees-off at 12.47am tomorrow on the Remarkables Course with American Berry Henson, plus their amateur partners – as since 2014 the tournament has featured a popular Pro-Am format.
Michael Hendry was the most recent New Zealander to raise the trophy back in 2017, after beating compatriot Ben Campbell and Australian Brad Kennedy in a play-off, and the trending Voke will be looking to make it another week for the country to remember.
“If I play for the next six months like I have for the last six months I am going to be in contention again,” he said.
“By keeping going on the same path I have been on, there’s nothing to say I can’t get a few more trophies.”
Tournament Information
- Tournament: New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport
- Date: February 27 – March 2, 2025
- Venue: Millbrook Golf Resort, Queenstown. Remarkables, Coronet and Composite Courses.
- Par/Yards: Coronet Course Par 71 / 6,936 Yards; Remarkables Course Par 71 / 6,784 Yards; Composite Course (for rounds 3-4) Par 71 / 6,961 Yards
- Purse: NZ$2million
- Defending champion: Takahiro Hataji (JPN)
- Asian Tour leg: Third
- Tournament is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
- Edition of tournament: 104th
- Total number of players: 156
- Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds to the leading 60 pros plus ties.
- The professionals will compete for the New Zealand Open title, and the Brodie Breeze Trophy, while simultaneously a pairing of one professional and one amateur will play a best-ball format for the New Zealand Open Pro-Am Championship. The field will be split across the two courses for the first round of competition with all players alternating to the other course for the second round. After the second round the top 60 plus ties in the main tournament will continue to the final two rounds. For the Pro-Am teams, the top 40 pairings will progress to compete in round three, before a third-round cut will see the top 10 Pro-Am teams progress to the final round.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise #NZOpen
Defending champion Takahiro Hataji arriving for the Past Champions Dinner. Picture by Michael Thomas/Photosport.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Scott Hend (2016)
- Nationalities: 17
- Top contenders: Ben Campbell (NZL), John Catlin (USA), Kevin Yuan (AUS), Kazuki Higa (JPN), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), Danny Lee (NZL), Lucas Herbert (AUS)
- Former champions playing: Takahiro Hataji (2024), Brad Kennedy (2020 and 2011), Brendan Jones (2023) Michael Hendry (2017), Zach Murray (2019), Daniel Nisbet (2018), Matthew Griffin (2016) Jordan Zunic (2015).
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: John Catlin #131
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Kevin Yuan (AUS) #6
- Number of amateurs: 4
- Number of New Zealand players in the field: 25
The iconic 18th at Millbrook Golf Resort.
Tournament Notes
- New Zealander and Queenstown local Ben Campbell enjoyed a successful 2024 when he finished second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and third on The International Series Rankings. He won the International Series Morocco and posted six other top 10s. Since getting a call up to LIV Golf League in early 2025 to join Bubba Watson’s Range Goats GC team, he has posted a T15 and T23 in the first two events in Riyadh and Adelaide. Campbell has come close to winning his National Open before: in 2023 when he finished second to Brendan Jones of Australia, and in 2017 when he was in a play-off with fellow Kiwi Michael Hendry and Australian Brad Kennedy which Hendry won.
- The 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion John Catlin of the U.S. had a spectacular season last year, posting two wins, in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and Saudi Open presented by PIF, three runner-up finishes and eight top 10s in 15 events on the way to setting a new single season earnings record with US$1,456,800. He also recorded his best result in a Major, finishing T16 in the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
- Kevin Yuan from Australia came dangerously close to losing his card in 2024 but has started 2025 strong, finishing fourth at the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and a T8 at the International Series India presented by DLF. He is the highest ranked player on the Order of Merit in the field this week, in sixth.
- Japan’s Kazuki Higa has also started his season with top 10s in the first two events, a T8 in Philippines and a T5 in India, and is the second highest ranked player on the Order of Merit at eighth. Higa won four tournaments in Japan in 2022, including the Asian Tour and Korean Tour tri-sanctioned Shinhan Donghae Open, and won the Japan Tour Money List that year.
- Korean-born New Zealander Danny Lee who plays on Kevin Na’s Iron Heads squad on the LIV Golf League, has one LIV title on his resume after winning the Tucson event in 2023. He also famously won the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic on the DP World Tour while still an amateur, a year after winning the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst. He was the number one ranked amateur in the world from August 2008 until turning pro in April 2009.
- Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa has won 20 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour during his career, the first one coming at the age of 15 years and eight months while still playing as an amateur. Ishikawa had a solid season in Japan in 2024, winning twice at the Japan Players Championship and the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters and finishing seventh on the Money List.
- Lucas Herbert from Australia is part of Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC team on the LIV Golf league and has a T4 at this year’s Riyadh event as his best individual finish. He was also part of Ripper’s two team titles in 2024 when they finished third in the overall team standings. Prior to joining LIV Herbert posted three DP World Tour and one PGA Tour win.
- Five-time Open Championship winner Peter Thomson of Australia won the New Zealand Open a record nine times between 1950-1971, including back-to-back wins in 1950-1951 and a three-peat in the 1959-1961 editions.
- Fellow Australian Kel Nagle, winner of the Open Championship in 1960, won the event seven times between the years 1957-1969, successfully defending his title in 1958 and going three in a row 1967-1969.
Main picture: The Brodie Breeze Trophy.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion John Catlin leads a field stacked with world-class talent at this week’s New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
The tournament has attracted one of the strongest fields in its history, with the American joined by defending champion Takahiro Hataji from Japan, and New Zealand’s Ben Campbell – runner-up on last year’s Merit list.
The NZ$2million (approximately US$1.48million) tournament tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown on Thursday and is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour. The event, which is now in its 104th year, features a popular Pro-Am format.
New Zealand’s Nick Voke, winner of the Webex Players Series Sydney at the weekend, is also in the field, along with Scott Hend from Australia, last year’s runner-up. Hend three-putted the 18th last year to hand victory to Hataji – who made history by becoming the first player from Japan to win the event.
Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Asian Tour stars Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and American MJ Maguire plus Japan’s Takumi Murakami, who won the Qualifying School, have all made the trip, for the third stop of the season on the Asian Tour.
LIV Golf stars Lucas Herbert from Australia and New Zealander Danny Lee, plus Japan legend Ryo Ishikawa are also competing, along with Australian Brad Kennedy, a two-time winner of the event in 2011 and 2020.
Other former winners here are Brendan Jones (2023) from Australia, Kiwi Michael Hendry (2017), plus Australians Zach Murray (2019), Daniel Nisbet (2108), Matthew Griffin (2016) and Jordan Zunic (2015).
Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, winner of the ADT Rumanza Open Pakistan last week on the Asian Development Tour, is also in the field – after a lengthy journey from Punjab, central Pakistan.
Both of Millbrook Resort’s Coronet and Remarkables Courses are being used this week. The final two rounds will be played on a composite course including holes from both courses.
The tournament boasts a field of 156 amateurs and 156 professionals playing alongside one another. The professionals will compete for the New Zealand Open title, and the Brodie Breeze Trophy, while simultaneously a pairing of one professional and one amateur will play a best-ball format for the New Zealand Open Pro-Am Championship.
The field will be split across the two courses for the first round with all players alternating to the other course for the second round.
After the second round the top 60 plus ties in the main tournament will continue to the final two rounds.
For the Pro-Am teams, the top 40 pairings will progress to compete in round three, before a third-round cut will see the top 10 Pro-Am teams progress to the final round.
Last year young Indonesian golfer Jonathan Wijono completed a memorable week, signing for a 68 to finish in a tie for 34th, which helped him and amateur partner Jubilant Harmidy, now an Asian Tour board member, win the Pro-Am.
Major champions Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed are the latest big names confirmed for the International Series Macau presented by Wynn – which will take place at Macau Golf and Country Club, from March 20-23.
Both competed in the inaugural edition of the event last year, when The International Series event made its debut.
Spaniard Garcia is captain of the Fireballs GC team on the LIV Golf League and will be joined by his teammates Mexican Abraham Ancer, the LIV Golf Hong Kong 2024 champion, Spaniard David Puig, who lost in a play-off to American John Catlin in the Macau event last year, and another Spaniard Luis Masaveu, a close-season signing for the team. All four Fireballs GC players have shown good form already this season, securing the team title at the recent LIV Golf Adelaide by an emphatic six strokes last Sunday.
Garcia tied for 21st last year in Macau while Reed finished fourth and even played with Catlin in the third round when he shot his 59 – the first ever sub-60 on the Asian Tour. Later in the year Reed fired a 59 en-route to winning the Link Hong Kong Open – so it will be a popular return to the Greater Bay Area for the 2018 Masters champion.
Patrick Reed after winning last year’s Link Hong Kong Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin and Puig have confirmed they will return to Macau as will Hong Kong native Taichi Kho, the 2023 World City Championship winner.
The latest player news comes off the back of the tournament becoming part of the Open Qualifying Series for the first time. The top three finishers, not exempt, will earn a place at this summer’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “Welcoming a field of this calibre, featuring major champions, LIV Golf stars, and rising talent, takes International Series Macau presented by Wynn to another level.
“The presence of globally recognised players alongside proven winners from The International Series and Asian Tour adds incredible depth to the competition, making this a must-watch event. With so much at stake, including three places in the field for The Open, we’re set for an electrifying week of world-class golf.”
Entry is free for all four days, please visit www.tixr.com to register for tickets.
For more information on The International Series please visit: www.internationalseries.com
DLF Golf and Country Club was a stern test for the world-class field at the International Series India presented by DLF last week. In the end only four players managed to finish the 72 holes in red figures: the winner Ollie Schniederjans (-10), Bryson DeChambeau (-6), Joaquin Niemann (-4) and Abraham Ancer (-4).
The unforgiving par 72 course was set up to maximum difficulty level, with trouble left and right off the tee plus firm and fast greens. This combined with difficult pin positions meant the cut was made at a whopping eight over par.
The 2020 and 2024 U.S. Open champion DeChambeau jokingly called it “diabolic” in a press conference before the tournament started. The average score for the week was 75.084, and the back nine played almost a shot and a half higher than the front at 38.255 verses 36.829. There were 1,073 birdies, 31 eagles and one albatross made during the week, but also 1,357 bogies, 308 doubles and 78 triples or higher.
Bryson Dechambeau. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Former PGA Tour player Schniederjans of the United States won the tournament by playing the difficult back nine much better than any of his closest challengers, posting scores of 35, 33, 33 and 34, for a total of nine under par, while DeChambeau played it in two over par and Niemann and Ancer in three over par. A staggering difference.
The winner excelled on the tricky greens at DLF topping the stats for both Putts per Round and Putts per Greens in Regulation (GIR) with 26.25 and 1.617 respectively. He also led the field with 23 birdies, three more than compatriot Chase Koepka who was second with 20. Schniederjans other statistics were: GIR 65.28% (T21), Driving Distance 285.33 yards (51st) and Fairways Hit 51.79% (T64).
Fellow American DeChambeau did not have his best week on the greens ranking T15 and 37th in Putts per Rounds and Putts per GIR with 29.5 and 1.784 respectively. However, posted good numbers in GIR where he ranked T4 with 70.83%. As demanding as the course was off the tee he would not have been able to use his immense power to his full advantage, but still had an impressive Driving Distance average of 310.88 yards ranking fifth while hitting 67.86% of the fairways for T19.
Chilean Niemann, who led after the second round, would have had a better chance to challenge for the title if not for a disastrous 77 in the third round, where he played the treacherous back nine in six-over-par 42. The reigning International Series Rankings champion was joint top of the fewest number of bogeys or worse table with 10, along with DeChambeau, and had a great week off the tee and into the greens, ranking T4 in GIR with 70.83%, second in Driving Distance with 313.25 yards and T13 in Fairways Hit with 69.64%.
Joaquin Niemann. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Unfortunately, his putting stats left a lot to be desired, ranking T50 in Putts per Round with 31 and 52nd in Putts per GIR with 1.863.
Mexico’s Ancer posted four solid rounds of 72, 71, 71 and 72 and was the only player other than Schniederjans to not shoot a round over par at DLF. He had a good week with his approach game ranking T8 in GIR with 69.44%, but didn’t rank inside the top 10 in any of the other major stat categories. In both Putts per Round and Putts per GIR he ranked T29 with 30 and 1.76 respectively, 20th in Driving Distance with 298.38 yards and T13 in Fairways Hit with 69.64%.
Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series India presented by DLF (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round – Ollie Schniederjans (US): 26.25
- Putts per GIR – Ollie Schniederjans (US): 1.617
- GIR – Maverick Antcliff (AUS), Danthai Boonma: 73.61%
- Fairways Hit – Karandeep Kochhar: 80.36%
- Driving Distance – Scott Hend (AUS): 321.88 yards
- Most Eagles – Manav Shah (USA): 3
- Most Birdies – Ollie Schniederjans (US): 23
- Fewest Bogies or Worse: Kazuki Higa (JPN), Joaquin Niemann (CHI), Bryson DeChambeau (USA), Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 10
- Scrambling: Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 73.33%
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