Moutai Singapore Open: Celebrated event braced for exciting return
Singapore’s national open will once again take centre stage as the Moutai Singapore Open returns to The Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) this week. Recognised as one of Asia’s most historic championships, the tournament will bring together a world-class field and serve as an important platform for both international stars and Singapore’s leading golfers to shine on home soil.
Fans can anticipate an exciting week of golf, with several of the LIV Golf League’s top players set to compete, having secured their places for next season by finishing inside the tour’s “Lock Zone” (top 24). Among them are Talor Gooch, the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion, who finished in sixth position in the final individual player standings, and Thomas Pieters, a six-time European Tour winner.
They will be joined by Crushers GC teammates Paul Casey and Charles Howell III, who have both delivered consistent performances throughout the season, contributing to Crushers GC’s three team victories and second-place finish in the league’s team standings.
Beyond the LIV Golf contingent, spectators will witness some of the Asian Tour’s most in-form players in action. Scott Vincent, who currently leads The International Rankings, will aim to secure a second International Series title this season after his success in Morocco. Japan’s Kazuki Higa, the current leader on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, will seek to extend his impressive 2025 campaign, highlighted by victories at the Yeangder TPC and the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open, along with four additional top-10 finishes.
Singapore Island Country Club.
Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, winner of the International Series Philippines two weeks ago, is also here. He is second on the Rankings and third on the merit list.
Adding to the excitement is the participation of Luke Kwon, one of the most recognisable digital golf personalities worldwide, with a social media and YouTube following exceeding 600,000.
Flying the flag for Singapore will be Mardan Mamat, the nation’s most accomplished professional golfer. A trailblazer for the sport locally, he became Singapore’s first Asian Tour winner at the Indian Open in 2004, the first to triumph in a co-sanctioned event with the European Tour, at the 2006 Singapore Masters, and the first to qualify for The Open in 1997. He will be joined by a talented group of local professionals and emerging amateurs, competing proudly in front of local supporters.
Alongside the world-class golf on offer, spectators can enjoy a welcoming tournament atmosphere at the Fan Village, where light bites and drinks will be available throughout the week. Fans can also visit the SPARMS photo booth and retail area to buy sun-protection sleeves, while a large outdoor LED screen with seating allows fans to relax and comfortably watch the live broadcast between the action on the course.
The Moutai Singapore Open will be open to the public free of charge. Fans can register for free tickets through Eventbrite.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
The International Series campaign has taken on added significance this season, with LIV Golf announcing today the top two eligible players on The International Series Rankings will receive places on the LIV Golf League roster next year.
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent [main picture] and Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, currently sit first and second respectively on the Rankings, with two events remaining: this week’s Moutai Singapore Open and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in three weeks.
“This is an extremely positive development for our members and firmly cements our partnership with LIV Golf. The extra spot is a phenomenal opportunity for our members to rise to one of the pinnacle platforms in our game and there is no doubt that the top two positions will be fiercely contested over the next two events,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.
Vincent and Andy Ogletree from the United States both progressed to LIV Golf through The International Series Rankings in 2022 and 2023 respectively, while Kieran Vincent, Scott’s younger brother, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma and Kalle Samooja from Finland all earned a place through the LIV Golf Promotions event in 2023. Lee Chieh-po from Chinese-Taipei made it through by winning the promotions event last year.
2024 LIV Golf Promotions winner, Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, added: “We offer a proven, open pathway onto the LIV Golf League and with this season’s route offering not one but two opportunities to progress, there is a real life-changing opportunity for the players to grasp.
“The International Series is committed to presenting the players with opportunity, be it the pathway to LIV Golf or the chance to face up against world-class players. We also provide local elite talent in each of our destinations with the opportunity to compete against proven champions. Recent results – where Asian Tour players have triumphed, is clear evidence of the wealth of talent in the region that is enhanced by the opportunities of The International Series.”
The announcement comes in a season which has seen the Series grow in stature, with two tournaments also offering a direct pathway to Major Championships.
International Series Macau presented by Wynn provided three places at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July, while last week’s Link Hong Kong Open offered the champion, Tom McKibbin, a place in the field for the Masters Tournament and the Open Championship next year.
Tom McKibbin’s first-ever start on the Asian Tour will be remembered for a long time after he won the US$2million Link Hong Kong Open today – at the prestigious Hong Kong Golf Club.
A final-round seven-under-par 63 saw the Northern Irishman complete a stunning start-to-finish victory in the celebrated tournament, with a four-round aggregate of 27-under 253.
American Peter Uihlein was his nearest challenger. Uihlein closed with a 68 to finish seven behind, while Tomoyo Ikemura (65) from Japan, South African Louis Oosthuizen (67) and America’s MJ Maguire (70) tied for third, a shot further back in the seventh of nine events on The International Series, the set of LIV Golf-backed tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar.
McKibbin’s performance saw him break the tournament’s 72-hole low scoring total and match its biggest margin of victory, while it also earned him a place in The Open and Masters Tournament next year.
Tom McKibbin.
“Yeah, it was obviously amazing,” said the 22-year-old after his second victory as a professional.
“I played some of the best golf I have probably ever played. So, yeah, to have that sort of golf and to shoot those scores around here is pretty special.”
The LIV Golf star, who plays for Jon Ram’s Legion XIII team, had a one-shot lead over Maguire at the start of the day and after holding off the chasing pack on the front nine – going out in three under with birdies on one, three and eight – he pulled away on the second half with birdies on 10, 11, 13, 14, and 16.
A bogey on the last was only his third of the week.
He added: “It means a lot. I mean, with a tournament with so much history behind it, and you know, great players that have won this tournament, to have the scoring record is pretty special, and something that will definitely live with me forever.”
The previous lowest 72 total was 22-under – held by José María Olazábal (2002), Ian Poulter (2010), and Patrick Reed (2024) – while both Bernhard Langer and Bill Brask won by seven in 1991 and 1984 respectively.
Peter Uihlein.
It was a timely victory by the young Northern Irishman as this year marked the first time that Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A have invited the winner to their Majors.
It will mark his debut in the Masters Tournament and third appearance in The Open.
“Very excited to go back and play my third Open, it will be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time ever, it will be even more special. You know, I think sort of historic tournaments like this deserve those spots, and yeah, it’s great to sort of take advantage of those.”
A calamitous quadruple bogey eight on the par-four 14th put fellow LIV Golf star Uihlein out of the running, but he did well to finish runner-up.
He said: “It was a bit of a mixed bag today – had a tough quad out there. Actually, I had both a quadruple and a triple bogey this week. So, to still finish second despite that, I’ll take it.
“I love the course, love the event, and I love coming here, for LIV. It is honestly one of my favourite stops of the year. I will definitely keep coming back as long as I am playing.”
As for McKibbin, he said: “Unreal. He played unbelievably well. There is really nothing more to say – shooting seven-under on a Sunday is incredible. I think he missed just one green, and even then he made par. He was so efficient and composed. Super impressive. That was awesome to watch.”
MJ Maguire.
The Asian Tour and The International Series head to the Moutai Singapore Open next week.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin [main picture] added a five-under-par 65 to his opening round 60 for a two-shot lead in the Link Hong Kong Open today.
The LIV Golf star leads on 15-under here at Hong Kong Golf Club from second-placed American Peter Uihlein plus Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jazz Janewattananond.
Uihlein shot a 63, which included a triple bogey on his penultimate hole, Kiradech carded a 65 and Jazz a 66.
American Charles Howell III, in with a 62, and Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa and Thomas Pieters from Belgium, who both shot 66s, are a shot further back.
McKibbin, who plays for Legion XIII on LIV Golf, captained by Spaniard Jon Rahm, was bogey free again today and looks like he will be hard to beat this weekend.
“Very, very solid day,” said the 22-year-old, whose 60 yesterday set a new course record.
Peter Uihlein.
“Game played very, very similar to yesterday. Just didn’t hole us as many putts. But yeah, very happy to keep the bogeys off the card.”
He has won once before on the European Tour, two years ago, and is chasing his first title on the Asian Tour and The International Series.
He added: “Hopefully, very similar stuff [over the weekend] would be nice. Think I’ve sort of took the approach going into this week just to sort of play very aggressive and sort of just whatever the outcome is, come the end of the week, it is what it is. And I think maybe I’ll just keep doing that. And, you know, I’ve had a quite nice year. So why not just go for it?”
He made two birdies on the front and three, in a row, on the second half.
Uihlein, chasing his third title on The International Series following two wins last year, made nine birdies today before disaster on the par-four ninth, his 17th as he started on 11.
“I blocked it,” he said about the ninth, which he followed with a birdie. “Then chipped it through the fairway. Fatted it. Fatted it. Next one I wasn’t gonna fat it right?”
Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
He’d cruised through his first nine in six-under, with four consecutive birdies from 12, and was running away with it before his unexpected finish.
Despite threatening to break McKibbin’s course record he added: “I hit it awful. Absolutely. Hit it terrible. Oh, it was awful. I didn’t hit a fairway until 18, and then I was in the middle of a divot, and then my next fairway I hit was on four and just had a clod of mud. I drove it awful. So, no, there was no thoughts of anything like that [course record], it was survival.”
He won The International Series events first in England and then in Qatar last year, for his first successes on the Asian Tour. He claimed the first by seven and the next by five and will doubt be amongst it again this weekend.
“Yesterday, hit it great,” he added. “I think today was just – I mean it’s not even 12 o clock, right? So, it’s still early in the morning, right? It’s just one of those things. I just didn’t hit it very good today, but hit it great yesterday. You know, I’m sure I’ll be a couple back or so going on the weekend, so we’ll see.”
Kiradech, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion in 2013, made an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys.
“It was a solid day overall,” said Kiradech, who is looking for his first win on the Asian Tour in seven years.
Jazz Janewattananond.
“Even though it didn’t start well, similar to the first round. I opened with a bogey after a bad drive but bounced back quickly with birdies on the second and third holes, which got me back into the game.
“My driving wasn’t as sharp as yesterday, but I managed my game well, focused on hitting as many greens as possible, and my putting felt great. I had good speed and good reads all day. Finishing five-under puts me just a couple of shots behind, so I’ll keep doing what’s worked in the first two rounds.”
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
American Peter Uihlein added a second-round seven-under-par 63 to his opening 64 to take a one-shot lead mid-way through Friday at the Link Hong Kong Open today – but it could have been so much better.
He has the clubhouse lead on 13-under here at the Hong Kong Golf Club, despite a triple-bogey seven on the ninth – his penultimate hole as he started on 11.
Tucked in behind him in second are the formidable duo of Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa and Thomas Pieters, who both shot 66s.
Australian Scott Hend and Micah Shin from the United States are two back in a tie for third, following 65s.
Half the field are still on the course, including Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, who carded a course record 60 yesterday.
Peter Uihlein.
Uihlein, chasing his third title on The International Series following two wins last year, made nine birdies today before disaster struck on the par-four ninth. A birdie on 10 helped with the damage.
“I blocked it,” he said of the seven. “Then chipped it through the fairway. Fatted it. Fatted it. Next one I wasn’t gonna fat it right?”
He’d cruised through his first nine in six-under, with four consecutive birdies from 12, and was running away with it before his unexpected finish.
Despite threatening to break McKibbin’s course record, he added: “I hit it awful. Absolutely. Hit it terrible. Oh, it was awful. I didn’t hit a fairway until 18, and then I was in the middle of a divot, and then my next fairway I hit was on four and just had a clod of mud. I drove it awful. So, no, there was no thoughts of anything like that [course record], it was survival.”
He won The International Series events in England and then in Qatar las year, for his first successes on the Asian Tour. He secured the first by seven and the next by five and will doubt be in the thick of the action again this weekend.
“Yesterday, hit it great,” he added. “I think today was just – I mean it’s not even 12 o clock, right? So, it’s still early in the morning, right? It’s just one of those things. I just didn’t hit it very good today, but hit it great yesterday. You know, I’m sure I’ll be a couple back or so going on the weekend, so we’ll see.”
Pictures courtesy Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Just one week after Filipino sports fans celebrated a sensational victory for one of their own on home soil, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho is hoping to create the same kind of atmosphere – and a similar successful title challenge – at the Link Hong Kong Open, which starts tomorrow.
Miguel Tabuena’s emphatic three-shot victory at International Series Philippines was played out in front of a partisan crowd at the Sta. Elena Golf Club. A 69 and three consecutive seven-under 65s set up a result that was good enough to see off a star-studded field including former world No.1 Dustin Johnson, plus fellow major champions Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.
A week later, and a strong field has gathered forthe Link Hong Kong Open, with major stars including Reed, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell joined by a host of LIV Golf stars and the cream of the Asian Tour.
Local hero Kho posted a T6 in the tournament last season, returning impressive rounds of 67-65-66-66 around the Hong Kong Golf Club Composite Course as Reed emerged victorious thanks largely to an incredible third round of 59.
Kho may not have been successful on that occasion. However, the Asian Games gold medal winner has tasted success at the course before. In 2023, he secured a historic triumph at the rain-shortened World City Championship, becoming the first ever Hong Kong winner on the Asian Tour.
Taichi Kho.
When asked about the inspiration of playing in front of a home crowd at Fanling, he said: “The home crowd definitely gives me a lot of motivation and inspiration to be my best self out there. I will play with a lot of pride and passion out there. And I definitely feel like it’s definitely to my advantage to have that home crowd. I feel very supported out there and I am very grateful for that.”
Tabuena’s knowledge of the Sta. Elena track was evident in the way he attacked the par fives over the weekend – with five eagles overall helping to secure an emotional victory.
Kho will hope for a similar home advantage to power boost his own game which has shown some encouraging signs this season.
On The International Series, his 2025 best results have been a T6 at International Series Macau presented by Wynn, and a T20 last time out at International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus. At the end of last season, he also finished runner-up in the LIV Golf Promotions event.
Elsewhere this year he has also managed a runner-up spot in the Mandiri Indonesia Open and two T4s – at the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open and the Kolon Korea Open.
When asked about adding course knowledge into the mix, the 24-year-old said: “I think in terms of preparation, I feel like I know the course pretty well now, so I guess the notes year on year are pretty similar. I just enjoy playing this course, so I went out for just over nine holes today, and I am looking forward to the pro am. So yes, I am really looking forward to getting a lot of welcome this week.”
As always, Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event is sure to draw large crowds, and Kho will be a focal point for many. But in this year’s edition of the tournament, there is everything to play for.
The champion will earn a place in the field on next year’s 154th Open Championship and the Masters, as well as vital International Series Rankings points with a place on the LIV Golf League at stake next year.
Taichi Kho.
Kho said: “Obviously it is a really special tournament, at my home club as well. As a kid it was always a dream to play in the Hong Kong Open. I remember watching so many players as a 10-year-old at Fanling. So to be able to actually plan it now is a dream come true. And hopefully I get inspired by just playing these events and trying to do well here. And hopefully I can inspire the next generation of golfers in Hong Kong to do the same.”
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
American Patrick Reed will attempt to become the first player in 12 years to successfully defend the Link Hong Kong Open this week and says he is close to replicating is record breaking form from a year ago.
He begins his defense on Thursday at the Hong Kong Golf Club – where he carded an astonishing 59 on day three – and is well placed after a top-20 finish in last week’s International Series Philippines.
Victory in LIV Golf Dallas in June – his first individual title on the league – finishing second in the International Series Macau, and third placed finishes in the Masters and the BMW PGA Championship also point to a player who may once again thrill the Hong Kong galleries.
“Game feels pretty good, it doesn’t really feel much different [from last year],” said the LIV Golf League star.
“I feel like the difference now compared with those events earlier this year is I was making putts. And it seems like these past couple of events, it’s been a bunch of putts I’ve just kind of lipped out and burned edges.
“And when you win golf tournaments and you finish up really high, instead of lipping out they seem to lip in. So no, the golf game feels like it’s in a pretty good spot. Just need to kind of just reset.
“I feel confident where the game is. Just need to go out and execute. And really just kind of pull those vibes from last time I was in Hong Kong.”
He won by three shots from defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand last year for maiden title on the Asian Tour and The International Series.
When asked what is the key to playing Hong Kong Golf Club he explained: “The biggest thing for me is not to get ahead of myself. It’s pretty easy to kind of sit there and kind of look at the leaderboard, see the guys going low. You have little pockets throughout that golf course that you can really attack and get going.
“And really, that place is for me. It’s just kind of go out there and just kind of allow it to come to me and allow it to happen. Because I kind of know what to do around that place. The biggest thing is just kind of going out there and executing, rather than trying to press and push on.”
The last player to win this week’s event back-to-back was Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez in 2013 – which took his haul of Hong Kong Open titles to four, the joint most.
Reed has been paired with England’s Paul Casey and Filipino Miguel Tabuena, last week’s winner, in the first two rounds.
How does last year’s win compare with his other 11 victories in the pro game?
“I mean, it was awesome, has to definitely be up there. I mean, just because obviously the first time ever shooting in the 50s, and then having to back it up on Sunday, and still gotta go out there and win the golf tournament.
“Really kind of going out there and attacking those first seven holes, kind of getting a huge lead, and just kind of be able to kind of enjoy it. I feel like that was first time I won where I actually got to be able to just kind of sit back and enjoy the round of golf, especially that back nine. Because normally it’s always a sprint to the finish, and I think I got up to seven up at one point. So, you know, I kind of was able to kind of coast and just kind of enjoy it.”
Pictures from today’s press conference courtesy Graham Uden.
Former world No.1 Dustin Johnson is one of the biggest draws in world golf, and the two-time major champion is hoping that his presence in the field at International Series Philippines helps grow the game further in the sports-crazy nation and across the region.
Johnson, the 2016 US Open winner and 2020 Masters champion, tees it up at 11:40 at the Sta. Elena Golf Club in a marquee group sure to attract a large following, along with 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and local hero Miguel Tabuena.
It is Johnson’s first appearance on The International Series this season, and the 4Aces GC captain on LIV Golf is delighted to be part of a product that is committed to growing the game across the globe.
He said: “I think growing the game is very important. Obviously, LIV has done a great job leading that effort, and The International Series continues to expand golf’s reach by playing all over the world. The Asian Tour, bringing golf to parts of the world that I have never been to, and that a lot of golfers have never been to.
“I think this is great for the game. The game of golf is growing a lot, and playing in places like this really helps.”
It’s a rare season when Johnson doesn’t capture a victory.
Since his rookie year on the PGA Tour in 2008 — when he has his first win at the Turning Stone Resort Championship — he has recorded at least one win almost every year. However, this marks the first season since 2014 that the 41-year-old has gone without a title, with his best finish being third place at LIV Golf Indianapolis, the final event of the regular season.
And although he had not managed a look around the Sta. Elena course, the former US Ryder Cup player was confident he could deal with whatever came his way.
He said: “This will actually be my first look at the course – I am heading out this afternoon (for the afternoon pro-am).
“It is a golf course. I have played enough courses by now. I have got a good caddie, so hopefully he will go out and scout the course, tell me where to hit it. Then as long as my game is in good form, I’ll be able to hit it very tough.”
4Aces GC team-mate Patrick Reed, sitting alongside Johnson and local hero Miguel Tabuena at the marquee player press conference, has seen enough of the course to know it offers a test.
Reed tees off alongside compatriot John Catlin, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, and Stinger GC player Dean Burmester at 11:30 in the group before Johnson.“I saw the golf course on Monday,” said Reed.
“I played nine and then nine yesterday. Yeah, the golf course is a major golf course. You have got to work the ball both ways, and as long as you are driving it relatively long and straight, the golf course is accessible.
“But if you are off with the tee shots, it could be a long week. So the golf course looks good. I heard they had some really bad weather – a typhoon (last) Sunday – and I feel like the golf course has held up really nicely.”
Reed has the par fives in his sights as he plots a second victory of the season following on from his LIV Golf Dallas triumph back in June. A win in the Philippines would be the perfect build-up to the defence of his Link Hong Kong Open title next week.
He said: “I feel like every hole can turn, but really it seems like these par fives – you have to kind of attack them. If you hit a quality tee shot, it is not a guarantee after that point.
“You look at 10, there’s trouble near the green; same for 16. Hit too far left, and you bring the hazard into play. Miss to the right, and it is wet and nasty trying to get it up and down.
“To me, the par fives are key – you have to take care of them by being smart, but also trying to get as many birdies as possible.
“The par threes on the front are beasts compared to the back. For me, the big thing is driving it straight and being smart on the par fives.”
The ‘Bryan Bros’ are one of the biggest and best known brands in online golf content, and the American brothers are eager to use their channel to shine the spotlight on The International Series and the Asian Tour this week as they compete in an elite-level field at International Series Philippines.
The duo, who have over 690,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 350,000 Instagram followers, are teeing it up at Sta. Elena Golf Club as invites to the sixth of nine International Series events on the Asian Tour calendar that offer a pathway onto LIV Golf for the Rankings champion.
They join an incredible field that features former world No.1 Dustin Johnson along with fellow major champions and LIV Golf stars Patrick Reed, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
George, the older brother and a three-time All American collegiate golfer, explained the plan for the week at a special pre-tournament media meet on site. He said: “We’ll be documenting the whole experience: the travel, adjusting to jet lag, learning the course, and competing on the Asian Tour. We’re here with our small team – two video guys, our manager Joe, and the two of us – and we want to showcase the beauty of Filipino golf and culture.
George Bryan.
“Beyond competing, we’re excited to connect with fans here. When we announced we’d be playing, we got so many messages from Filipino followers. Even if just a few of them come out to watch, that’s a win for us. We want to tell the story of golf in the Philippines and show how special this place is.”
The brothers also played the BMW International Open on the DP World Tour this season via sponsor invites, and they are delighted to broaden their horizons once again.
George said: “Our dad always encouraged us not to stay in our comfort zone. Traveling, adapting to time zones, and learning to play on different courses – that’s how you really grow. It makes your game stronger for when you reach the biggest stages.”
Wesley, who made the cut in Germany, added: “The pathways are broader now. Before, it was mainly to the DP World Tour (that the Asian Tour players looked to go). But with LIV Golf as another avenue, The International Series adds a whole new level. It’s giving players more opportunities to make a living doing what they love, while also improving the global competitiveness of the sport.”
Younger brother Wesley, a former PGA Tour champion who broke into the top 50 of the OWGR at one stage in his career, is no stranger to elite-level competition. He admitted that he is looking forward to taking on the ‘intimidating’ Sta. Elena course.
He said: “We’ve spent the last couple of days doing what we usually do – filming YouTube videos and planning content. So I haven’t studied the course in depth yet. But it’s intimidating in places – there are spots where you just can’t miss. I’ve heard some guys say it’s one of the wider courses they’ve played recently, so I’m not sure my game’s built for the Asian Tour (laughs). I’m really excited to be here this week.
Wesley Bryan.
“I still get nervous. My tee shot nerves are real – especially knowing the fairway is about 95 yards wide (laughs). But once you get going, you settle in.”
George added: “As soon as I stepped on the course, I fell in love with it. It’s got that old-school feel that really fits my eye. You’ve got to be creative – everything’s right in front of you. The greens are great, the clubhouse is beautiful, the food’s fantastic, and the people have been incredibly warm and welcoming. Honestly, it’s been an amazing experience so far.
“We grew up following the Asian Tour – it was featured in Golfweek (magazine) back in the day. So it’s pretty surreal to now be playing in an Asian Tour event. Our dad always told us, ‘You should travel the world and play golf,’ and 20 years later, here we are, doing just that.”
The brothers, self-confessed ‘golf sickos’, are looking at the bigger picture as they prepare to share content and compete with some of the best players in the world. Wesley said: “From the content side, we just want to create fun, family-friendly videos that our audience will enjoy – showing what it’s like to travel halfway around the world and compete in a professional event. From day one, our goal has been to share that love and grow the game. If we can inspire kids to pick up a club and play with their parents, that’s everything.
Wesley added: “Most of our viewers are families watching together at home, not just individuals on phones. We want to make golf content that brings generations together — like it did for us with our dad. Tours like LIV, the Asian Tour, and DP World Tour are helping globalize the game, and we’re proud to play a small part in telling that story.”
Reflecting on the role they currently play in growing the game, George continued: “I love traditional broadcasts, but there’s definitely room to evolve. YouTube golf has shown that fans want more personality, storytelling, and a closer look at the players. It’s about finding the right balance between tradition and creativity – that’s where the game can really grow.”
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
The International Series Philippines makes a spectacular debut in Manila with the strongest field ever assembled for a tournament in the archipelago.
It is being played at Sta Elena Golf Club, formerly a sugar estate and one of the country’s finest golf properties. It has been recognised in the 100 Best Golf Courses Outside the United States by Golf Digest Magazine.
Fully operational since 1995, it boasts three nine-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones: the Banahaw, Makiling, and Sierra Madre, named after the mountains that provide the stunning backdrop. The tournament will be played over the Makiling and Sierra Madre courses.
The event aims to lay the foundation for long-term growth of the game in the popular nation.
Dustin Johnson will not be the only DJ attending as the event will also offer dynamic entertainment, from a headline concert and exclusive hospitality to atmospheric live music, gourmet dining and immersive fan activities.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: International Series Philippines
- Date: 23rd – 26th October 2025
- Venue: Sta Elena Golf Club, Santa Rosa
- Par/Yards: 72 / 7,303 yards
- Purse: US$2million (First place US360,000)
- Asian Tour leg: 15th
- International Series leg: Sixth
- Edition of tournament: First
- Total number of players: 144
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 pros plus ties.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise # InternationalSeries #ThisIsEverything
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019)
- Nationalities: 26
- Top contenders: Patrick Reed (USA), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Kazuki Higa (JPN), Wade Ormsby (AUS), Dustin Johnson (USA), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Dean Burmester (RSA), Dominic Foos (GER), Wei-hsuan Wang (TPE), Marc Leishman (AUS), Miguel Tabuena (PHI)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Patrick Reed (USA) #46
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #1
- Highest ranked player in 2025 International Series Rankings: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #1
- Number of amateurs: 1
- Number of Filipino players in the field: 11
Tournament Notes
- American Patrick Reed has been in fine form this season in world-wide events, with a win at LIV Golf Dallas, a third-place finish in the Masters, and a T3 in the BMW PGA Championship, along with a runner-up the International Series Macau presented by Wynn. On the DP World Tour he also recorded two other top-10’s while on LIV he posted five other top 10’s, finishing seventh in the individual standings. The 2018 Masters champion is the highest ranked player on the OWGR this week at number 46.
- Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe tops both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings after a win at the International Series Morocco in July, a runner-up at the Jakarta International Championship three weeks ago and a T2 at the Shinhan Donghae Open in September. He has also posted other strong finishes such as a T4 in the Kolon Korea Open, a T8 at the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF earlier this season. In addition to his good results on the Asian Tour this season he has also posted three top-fives on the Japan Tour, the most recent at the Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament in late August.
- Japan’s Kazuki Higa won the Yeangder TPC and Shinhan Donghae Open in back-to-back weeks in September and is currently second on the Order of Merit after those wins and strong start to his 2025 campaign, going T8, T5 and T2 in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, International Series India Presented by DLF and New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports respectively. On the Japan Tour he has recorded six top 10’s this season, including wins at the Shinhan Donghae Open and at the ISPS HANDA Explosion in the Summer in mid-August.
- Australian Wade Ormsby is the most recent International Series winner after capturing the Jakarta International Championship three weeks ago, and now sits in third place in The International Series Rankings, after a slow start to his season.
- Dustin Johnson of the U.S. is a two-time Major champion, having won the 2020 Masters and 2016 U.S. Open. He was ranked number one in the world from February in 2017 and he held that position for 64 straight weeks, the 5th longest run as number one. He returned to the number one spot in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 and has been at number one for a total of over 130 weeks. Currently playing on the LIV Golf League as captain of the 4Aces, and won one tournament each there in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Johnson has claimed 24 PGA Tour events during his career and been part of five Ryder Cup teams and three Presidents Cup squads.
- South African Louis Oosthuizen famously won The Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2010 by seven shots over Lee Westwood. During his career he has collected 11 top 10’s in Majors, including two runners-up and four T2’s. He now plays on the LIV Golf League where he captains the Stinger GC squad. Prior to joining LIV he posted 11 wins on the DP World Tour, including three that were co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
- Fellow South African and Stinger GC team mate Dean Burmester has been having a good season on the LIV Golf League with a win in Chicago, a runner-up in Chicago and a T4 in Riyadh to finish fifth in the individual standings.
- Germany’s Dominic Foos won his first Asian Tour title at the SJM Macao Open last week for his second professional win, it was the first since the 2015 GANT Open on the HotelPlanner Tour. Earlier in the season he also posted a T10 at the International Series Macao presented by Wynn.
- Wang Wei-hsuan from Chinese Taipei has been very much in form the second half of this season, and narrowly lost out in the play-off against Foos for his first Asian Tour title at the SJM Macao Open last week. He also recently finished third and T2 in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder TPC in his home country last month. On his local tour at home has recorded three wins and a runner-up to lead the TPGA Order of Merit by a wide margin.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
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