Strongman Soero rolls back the years at Black Mountain Championship
Former touring professional turned CrossFit Games athlete Pierre-Henri Soero muscled into a share of the lead today at the US$2 million Black Mountain Championship at Black Mountain Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The American carded an eight-under-par 64 along with Thailand’s CharngTai Sudsom, Liu Yanwei from China and Australian Todd Sinnott.
Soero played on the Asian Tour back in 2011 and fully justified his invite to The International Series event this week by making an eagle, seven birdies, and just one bogey.
The 41-year-old said: “I used to do this for a living, that was my job, playing 25 events a year but I was able to be successful at something else.
“It’s all mental, I am in a good head space here. I am here on vacation with my wife. It’s all a bonus. If I play well, I play well, if not it’s still a vacation.”
Liu Yanwei. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
Now based in Florida, he is a personal trainer and has competed in the CrossFit Games on six occasions.
That solitary bogey of his came on the last, the ninth hole as he began on 10, meaning he just missed out on the outright lead.
“It was a good bogey actually, I was in the rough, a lot can happen, so I am okay with that,” he added.
“Golf is about muscle memory, I used to grind six hours a day practicing, so it’s still there.”
CharngTai and Liu clearly inspired one another today as, paired in the same group, they both pounded the course in synergy making eight birdies apiece.
They are both battling to keep their Asian Tour cards this year, with CharngTai languishing in 85th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and Liu 109th – so their opening salvos will give them great hope as the season enters its final stages.
CharngTai Sudsom.
CharngTai, a graduate from last year’s Asian Development Tour, said: “Today, my drive was quite good, and my putting was quite sharp, kept it simple. I probably only missed one fairway.
“Feel like I have only just started to find some form today. Just hope this continues.”
CharngTai and Liu mirrored each other on the back nine, making birdies on 12 and 13, plus the final three holes.
“I think our group is 20-under for three of us combined,” said Liu, who made it through this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School.
“So, yeah, normally, this is the stuff you want to see. I think for all of us we fed off good shots, and then I don’t think any of us made a bogey today. So, I think that’s pretty positive, yeah, so hopefully, our group can keep it up.”
Mexico’s Santiago De la Fuente, who recently turned professional and won this year’s Latin America Amateur Championship, Thailand’s David Boriboonsub, Poosit Supupramai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai , Nitithorn Thippong, and Nopparat Panichphol, plus Indonesian Jonathan Wijono, Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Chanmin Jung from Korea, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Kevin Yuan from Australia all returned 65s.
American John Catlin, the leader of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, shot a 69 and is tied for 58th.
The Asian Tour will welcome the Philippine Open back onto its schedule next year in the best way possible by positioning the historic event as the season-opening tournament.
The Philippine Open, the region’s oldest national Open and one of the longest running events in professional golf, will be played at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club [main picture] from January 23-26.
It will be the first time the event will have been played in six years, while it was last played on the Asian Tour in 2015 – when the country’s number one golfer Miguel Tabuena claimed the title.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “The return of the Philippine Open is an outstanding development for golf in the region and we thank our friends at the National Golf Association of the Philippines and Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club for clearing the way for its return.
Miguel Tabuena is a two-time winner of the Philippine Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
“The Asian Tour has a long-standing relationship with the tournament and the golf community in the Philippines as a whole, and we have been looking forward to the day when we could welcome it back.
“It is a tournament that brings with it history, excitement and an extremely important responsibility as the flagship event for one of region’s golfing strongholds.
“We will announce details of our full schedule in due course, but we could not ask for a more appropriate event to start the season than the National Open of the Philippines.”
The Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters course will host the tournament, which has been played at Manila Southwoods on four occasions before: in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1999.
Said Miguel Tabuena: “As a professional golfer, your national open is a tournament that always holds a little more weight than the others. It just feels different to win on home soil, and I’m so blessed to have been able to win our Philippine Open twice. We travel all over, playing in different stops on the Asian Tour but it’s been a hope of mine to, at some point, enjoy a home stop again. So, this is awesome news! Thank you to everyone that helped make this happen. There’s a lot of Philippine golf to be seen!”
The Asian Tour’s key partners in staging the event – the National Golf Association of the Philippines and the Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club – welcomed the return of the Philippine Open and pledged to do the best they can to make it a resounding success.
“The Philippine Open is back and we’re really happy and excited to have it again,” said Al Panlilio, Chairman of the National Golf Association of the Philippines. “We want to host it the best way we can by attracting the best players and increasing the prize money.”
Frankie Minoza is also a double champion of the event. Picture by Khalid Redza /Asian Tour /Getty Images.
For his part, Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club chairman Robert John Sobrepeña said they are extremely pleased that the Philippine Open will tee-off the Asian Tour’s 2025 season.
He said: “We’re very happy that we’re hosting it again. We will be the first leg of the Asian Tour and we will work closely with the Asian Tour on every aspect that will make the return of the Philippine Open a big success.”
The Philippine Open was first played in 1913 and was won a record 12 times by Filipino Larry Montes – the first in 1929 and the last in 1954.
A wealth of famous names from the Asian Tour have raised the trophy, they include Tabuena (2015 and 2018) Steve Lewton (2017), Mardan Mamat (2012), Berry Henson (2011), Angelo Que (2008), Frankie Minoza (1998 and 2007), Felix Casas (2001), Gerald Rosales (2000) and Anthony Kang (1999).
The International Series is widely viewed by players around the globe as a pathway to the big time and a place on the LIV Golf League. However, one well-known former Ryder Cup star is viewing it as an important step on his road to recovery following years in the wilderness.
Rewind to 2016 and Chris Wood was flying high. The Englishman had initially hit the headlines in 2008 by winning the silver medal as highest amateur in The Open at Royal Birkdale, where he was equal fifth, and he followed that with a joint third finish the following year at Turnberry.
Wood then claimed four big wins: the Thailand Open in 2012, Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in 2013, Lyoness Open in 2015 and BMW PGA Championship in 2016, on his way to securing a place in Team Europe for the 2016 Ryder Cup.
Fast forward again to 2024, and the 36-year-old has been invited to play in the Black Mountain Championship in Hua Hin, which tees-off today, and International Series Thailand at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok, next week.
Chris Wood during the singles matches for the 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National in 2016. Picture by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America via Getty Images.
While remaining cautious, there is real optimism for Wood as he views these elevated Asian Tour events as important dates on his long road back from the crippling anxiety that has blighted his game for years.
Wood said: “I was diagnosed with chronic anxiety and burnout. I’ve been through a really rubbish time over the last few years where my golf has really impacted me mentally.
“I’ve actually been like that since 2019 but it took maybe four years before I did anything about it. It took literally bottoming out to stop, and I didn’t play at all last year. I took a whole year off, and this year has been about trying to get a card in my hand again.”
Wood’s target at the start of the year was to play six to eight events, and after a run on the Challenge Tour and one DP World event in Qatar, he’s now looking at the Thailand double-header as an important step in highlighting his recovery.
He said: “I’m very open minded, the important thing is getting a card back in my hand. I use the word exposure, and these events are upper level, obviously a very high standard. The fields are great, The International Series tournaments themselves are great, the players have spoken very highly of them.”
Wood with the silver medal at The Open in 2008 alongside the champion Padraig Harrington. Picture by David Cannon/Getty Images.
In fact, it was a round with none other than The International Series Rankings leader John Catlin that inspired Wood to consider approaching the organisers of the elite, LIV Golf League promoted events which are sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
He explained: “I’ve played a couple of times with John earlier in the year, and we’ve talked about it. He’s obviously done really well. I played with him in Abu Dhabi in April, along with my friend (English golfer) Lee Slattery.
“He had just shot his 59 (at International Series Macau presented by Wynn) and it was a really good three ball. Me and Slats were both saying how impressed we were with John’s game.”
One of the things that has attracted Wood is the atmosphere on the Asian Tour, which was also recommended by another English pro, Ollie Fisher.
Wood explained: “We are sharing a house this week, and Ollie said to me that one of the big things he’s noticed is how friendly everyone is here. It’s how it should be and how it was (pre-Covid) really, and one of the things he spoke highly about.”
Wood revealed he received a lot of support from the DP World Tour medical staff and its helpline on his road to recovery, and although it is early days, he is hoping to overcome his issues and once more be a force in the world of golf.
Wood said: “It’s still very, very hard, but I’m still doing it because I want to, and because I feel like I’ve got so much more to offer. I know the quality of shots I’ve got and I can hit, so that’s why I’m still in it.
“Ten years ago if you had said to me, you will be in this position mentally, I was so unaware of what those words meant, and it takes going through something like this, or someone very close to you going through it, before you can appreciate what those struggles are actually like.”
“It’s hard because I still believe I’ve even got a Ryder Cup in me, I truly believe that, and I wouldn’t still be putting myself in positions where I feel anxious and exposed unless I felt like it’s going to be worth it.
Wood tees-off today at 12.05pm with Thailand’s Poom Saksansin and Jared Du Toit from Canada.
Hi everyone! I guess it’s been a while since the last diary after International Series England. The first tournament after England was the Mandiri Indonesia Open, and I didn’t play well. It was a tough golf course and my game wasn’t there, so we’ll skip discussing Indonesia and focus on Korea instead.
The Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea was more interesting for me to say the very least. Okay, so on the first day I played really well, I shot four under without a bogey. In the second round the first nine holes looked okay, but on the back nine, it was a bit of a different story…
It all started on the par-five 13th hole. I hit my tee shot four yards right off the edge of the right side of the fairway, so it should have been a safe ball. However, the fore caddie couldn’t find it, so I had to go and play my tee shot again. I hit it left, and when I had hit my fourth shot the fore caddie told me they found the first ball. At that time I was like three under, so I was right on the cut line and it was kind of an important par five. When I saw where they found the ball, it was like, probably 205 yards to the pin, which is a six-iron for me, which would have been perfect but obviously I could not play the ball now.
My ball was further forward than we thought. The fore caddy told me they had originally thought my ball was plugged and that they didn’t see it bounce, so I thought we would just look around the landing spot. So, we didn’t find it the first time, when in fact it was that much further up. So, yeah, things got messed up on the 13th, and I made a double, I’m still mad at about it.
David Boriboonsub. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Then things got worse on 15… I hit my three-wood right and couldn’t find my ball. I needed to make a bogey to at least have a chance to make the cut, but missed the bogey putt and then it just went a little fast from there. I five putted it for a nine. The video kind of went viral; I think it’s like a million views now, and I looked at the comments, they were mostly negative.
So, after Korea, I changed my mentality and went for the first stage of DP World Q-School at Donnington Grove Golf Club in England. We first did some London sightseeing tours just trying to get away from the golf, and then went for Q-School and made it past the first stage.
In the last round I was one over after 10 holes and looked like missing the cut, but I made five birdies and one bogey in the last eight holes to qualify by one. In the last four holes I needed three birdies at least to make the cut, and I did made those three birdies. It wasn’t easy, but yeah that felt good.
At the next Asian Tour event, the Yeangder TPC the following week, I mean, I was tired. I just came back from England on Monday and arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday. I was just tired, so it didn’t work out at all.
And then back to the UK again for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews Scotland. The tournament is played as a Pro-Am over three courses, The Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links, and I had a great experience. My partner was a businessman, who owns the Queens Park Rangers Football Club. So, yeah, we had a good time with him, went to his party – a curry party. The scoring wasn’t what I was hoping for, and I didn’t play well. Shot one under but the cut line was nine under, tough cut to make.
But I found something that just clicked in Scotland, and I started hitting my driver really well. So, my driver last week at the SJM Macao Open week was good, my driver and iron game. I think I averaged like nine fairways and 15 greens for four days at Macau Golf and Country Club. But yeah, I feel way better with my driver after Scotland.
David Boriboonsub. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
I’m happy with my play in Macau in finishing tied ninth, it was a good week ending in the top 10 again despite being jet lagged. I didn’t arrive in Macau until Tuesday night, Wednesday I didn’t have a practice round, just went to the range, then just played on the first day. Yeah, I would say it was a good week, but I just need to hole more putts. I think if I holed more putts in the first two days, or first three days, I think my score would have been deeper than it was.
But the bad thing about last week was that my phone was stolen on Thursday night. I dropped it in the taxi, and I tried to find the taxi, but he was gone. I called my phone and someone picked it up, and they said, “if you want your phone back, you have to give me money”. So I decided, yeah ok, I’m gonna give him money. Then he said, nah, he’s not returning it. So yeah, it was a bad week in that sense. Macau is such a great place, but I guess there are bad eggs everywhere.
Now we have the Black Mountain Championship this week, and the International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club the week after. I didn’t play well at the first two International Series events at Black Mountain in 2022 and 2023; I missed the cut by one for two years in a row. So hopefully I will have some progress this time around. For Thai Country Club, I’ve played there a lot, and I think I know the course well. That may be the week that we’re looking for.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam has history at the stunning Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, but he’s not expecting that to count in his favour as he prepares for this week’s Black Mountain Championship, the fifth tournament on The International Series schedule.
Last year at the same venue, Chonlatit lost out to Wade Ormsby in a thrilling play-off, after a missed birdie attempt from eight feet gave the Australian the International Series Thailand title.
However, he’s playing down any expectations on his return to the iconic course as he takes on a strong field that includes The International Series Rankings leader John Catlin, the International Series Macau presented by Wynn champion, and nearest challenger Ben Campbell, the International Series Morocco winner.
The Thai, affectionately known as ‘Nine’ by his peers, is widely considered to be one of the best prospects to emerge from the country recently, after breaking through from the Asian Development Tour with a standout 2022 season.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam reacts on the 18th green after losing a play-off against Wade Ormsby at last year’s International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
During that campaign, Nine recorded one win at the Gunung Geulis Invitational, and also earned three second-placed and two third-place positions.
He said: “I think the course will suit me well since the fairway is hard, and the greens are fast. Recently I feel I have played better, during the past few weeks, but my putting game still needs to be improved.
“I will put all my effort to win, but my putting games is not perfect at the moment. So for just now, I will just aim to make the cut and then see what position I am in, and I can plan my game.”
Chonlatit sits outside the top 100 of The International Series Rankings but knows that he could ignite his push for that place on the LIV Golf League with a decent display either in Hua Hin this week or at International Series Thailand which takes place at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok next weekend.
He’ll be facing stiff opposition, however. As well as Catlin and Campbell, the field also includes International Series England champion and RangeGoats GC star Peter Uihlein plus recent Asian Tour champions Rattanon Wannasrichan, Jbe Kruger, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Steve Lewton.
His Asian Tour results have been hit and miss this season, with the highlight being another agonising play-off defeat: this time to local hero Hongtaek Kim in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after leading by a shot with three still to play.
Chonlatit in action at this year’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open, where he also lost in extra time. Photo courtesy of Korean Golf Association/Asian Tour.
Despite twice ending up on the losing side of a play-off, he played down any concerns of mental scarring, as he said: “Actually, when the play-off started, I only thought that I need to play my best.
“I wished I could win but deep down inside I knew it was not my time yet. I don’t want to put myself under pressure. I need to accept the outcome.”
The Black Mountain Championship, the fifth of 10 events on The International Series, takes place from 17-20 October at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, with International Series Thailand following from 23-27 October at Thai Country Club in Bangkok. The Rankings leader at the end of the 10 events will earn an automatic place on the LIV Golf League roster for the 2025 season.
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan started the week in Macao with a nine under-par-61 and after that nobody was able to catch him, winning wire-to-wire by two shots over countryman Gunn Charoenkul.
The 29-year-old kept mistakes to a bare minimum at Macau Golf & Country Club, making only four bogeys for the week. The only player with less was his closest challenger Gunn – who topped that category with just three
Rattanon also seemed to be in total control on the greens last week, averaging only 25.75 Putts per Round to lead that category by half a stroke over fellow Thai Prom Meesawat with 26.25. Rattanon also ranked second in Putts per Greens in Regulation (GIR) with 1.56.
Gunn was also rolling his ball well on the greens, ranking fourth in Putts per Round and joint ninth in Putts per GIR with 26.75 and 1.65 respectively. He was also very impressive off the tee in Macau, ranking joint first alongside Korean Seungtaek Lee and Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei with 73.08% of Fairways Hit in Regulation.
Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
The top two players Rattanon and Gunn were both close to the top spot in most birdies made for the week with 22 for the tournament champion and 21 for the runner up. Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Poosit Supupramai, and Chapchai Nirat finished first with 23.
On the Asian Tour Order of Merit side of things Rattanon made a big jump leaping from 37th to sixth, while Gunn boosted his ranking from 36th to 17th.
Seungtaek Lee, who finished tied for 13th in the tournament, had the most impressive driving performance of the week, ranking first in Driving Distance with 341.63 yards, and joint first in Driving Accuracy with 73.08%. A very rare combination. He also led the field in Putts per GIR with 1.54, but unfortunately for Lee he also made seven bogies and two doubles, which kept him from finishing higher up on the leaderboard in the end.
Seungtaek Lee. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Statistics categories leaders at the SJM Macao Open (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round: Rattanon Wannasirichan (THA) 25.75
- Putts per Greens in Regulation: Seungtaek Lee (KOR) 1.54
- Greens in Regulation: David Boriboonsub (THA) 86.11%
- Fairways Hit: Seungtaek Lee (KOR), Gunn Charoenkul (THA), Hung-chien Yao (TPE) 73.08%
- Driving Distance: Seungtaek Lee (KOR) 341.63 Yards
- Most Eagles: Matthew Cheung (HKG), Zhang Jin (CHN), Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 2
- Most Birdies: Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Poosit Supupramai (THA), Chapchai Nirat (THA) 23
- Fewest Bogies or Worse: Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 3
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Black Mountain Championship
- Date: October 17-20, 2024
- Venue: Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand
- Par/Yards: Par 72 / 7,344 Yards
- Purse: US$2 million (First place US$360,000)
- Asian Tour leg: 15th event of 2024 season
- The International Series leg: Fifth
- Edition of tournament: First
- Total number of players: 150
- Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds to the leading 65 pros plus ties
- Social Media Hashtags: #TimeToRise #BMChamps #InternationalSeries
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019)
- Nationalities: 30
- Top contenders: John Catlin (USA), Ben Campbell (NZL), Peter Uihlein (USA), Paul Peterson (USA), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: John Catlin (USA) #124
- Highest ranked player on 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit: John Catlin #1
- Highest ranked player on 2024 International Series Rankings: John Catlin #1
- of amateurs: 3
- of Thai players in the field: 39
Peter Uihlein. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Tournament Notes
- Hua Hin-based American John Catlin is having a fantastic season and 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 two runners-up in the International Series Morocco and the Yeangder TPC. A tied third finish in the season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open secured him a spot in the 152nd Open Championship where he finished tied 16th for his best result in a major. In last week’s SJM Macau Open Catlin was again in great form, finishing T4 and extending his Order of Merit lead. 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$1,084,225 in earnings in nine Asian Tour starts so far this season, while his LIV Golf League total was US$1,629,367 in his 2024 campaign.
- New Zealander Ben Campbell is a two-time winner on The International Series after capturing this summer’s International Series Morocco in a play-off against John Catlin, and the 2023 Hong Kong Open. Currently second on The International Series Rankings, he would have a chance to overtake Catlin in those rankings with a win or solo second. 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.
- Peter Uihlein from the U.S. won International Series England in his last Asian Tour outing and is sitting in third place in The International Series Rankings. Just like Campbell, he would also have a chance to pass Catlin with a victory or solo second. In addition to his win in England in August, he also has a T3 at the Saudi Open presented by PIF and a sixth-place finish at International Series Oman earlier in the season. Uihlein also plays in the LIV Golf League where he had a T2 at the LIV Golf Las Vegas as his best result this year.
- Left-handed American Paul Peterson is making his first Asian Tour start of the season after wrapping up his PGA Tour card for next year by finishing 17th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list, mainly due to winning the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation late in the season. Peterson’s lone Asian Tour title came at the 2018 Leopalace21 Myanmar Open, and he also has a win on the DP World Tour at the 2016 D+D REAL Czech Masters.
- Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan is entering this week full of confidence after winning the SJM Macao Open wire-to-wire last week, two shots ahead of countryman Gunn Charoenkul. He had also posted a T4 finish the week before at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, in what was then his best result of the season after a slow start. With the win in Macau, he jumped to sixth on the Order of Merit from 37th the previous week. Rattanon has posted a good result on the Black Mountain layout in the past, finishing T5 at the 2022 International Series Thailand.
- Black Mountain Golf Club has hosted seven Asian Tour events in the past: International Series Thailand (2022, 2023) True Thailand Classic (2015, 2016), Royal Trophy (2011) and Black Mountain Masters (2009, 2010)
- Several of this week’s players have their Asian Tour base at Black Mountain Golf Club, including Jazz Janewattananond, Berry Henson and Björn Hellgren.
- Danish prodigy Jakob Skov Olesen winner of The Amateur Championship this year is also competing.
- Former Ryder Cup player Chris Wood from England is also playing this week. He won the Thailand Open in 2012. He was in the Europe team that lost to the U.S. in Hazeltine in 2016. In 2008, he memorably won the silver medal for finishing T5 as an amateur in The Open Championship, and he also produced a T3 finish the following year at Turnberry.
Danish prodigy Jakob Skov Olesen has already signalled his undoubted talent to the world of golf by winning The Amateur Championship and making the weekend cut at The Open Championship in Royal Troon this year.
The 25-year-old [main picture after winning The Amateur Championship] is now hoping to take the next step on his fledgling career in Thailand at the Black Mountain Championship, one of 10 elevated tournaments on the LIV Golf-promoted The International Series.
The Asian Tour-sanctioned events form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League roster via the end-of-season Rankings.
Olesen, a former University of Arkansas student, is currently keeping his options open with Q School on a number of tours in the near future.
Jacob Skov Olesen. Picture by Octavio Passos/Getty Images.
However, he knows enough about the pathway forged by players such as Andy Ogletree, the US star who claimed a coveted place on the LIV Golf League after winning The International Series Rankings race in 2023, to consider the Asian Tour as a prospect.
He said: “I am exempted into The International Series next year because of winning The Amateur Championship, so that’s a real opportunity for me, and I’m very open-minded.
“I’m also playing the DP World Q School, and the PGA Tour Q School as well, it is obviously really nice to have those options and opportunities next year.
“There’s a lot of things I don’t know where I’m at and what my schedule can look like, but it’s always good to have options.”
Olesen, who has also contested the Arnold Palmer Cup, the annual team competition for college and university golfers, believes the next crop of golfing talent are seriously weighing up the prospect of a tilt at The International Series.
So far, Ogletree and 2022 champion Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe have taken the route onto LIV Golf.
Rising stars such as Rayhan Thomas, Leo Oyo and Jonas Baumgartner have clearly taken note.
The trio of Oklahoma State players all featured at International Series Morocco, joining Peter Uihlein and Eugenio Chacarra, both former alumni turned LIV Golf League stars who now play regularly on The International Series.
Olesen said: “Definitely there are a lot of people that are looking this way, especially with The International Series now, with bigger prize pools. And yes, this (event) seems to be run extremely well.
“That is what filters down. If you know that the tournaments are run well, with good courses and destinations, people will want to play.
“When you see this, and you hear from other guys that have done it, then it becomes an option. And I definitely think you’re going to see a lot more guys from America and Europe coming over here to play.”
Olesen will tee it up in a field including other promising youngsters such as Mexico’s Santiago De La Fuente, the Latin America Amateur champion, and Sampson Zheng, the talented Chinese youngster who finished runner up in the 2023 edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
After turning pro midway through 2024, Sampson has impressed on the Asian Tour with a T4 finish at International Series England and a T2 in the Mandiri Indonesia Open.
The Black Mountain Championship takes place from 17 to 20 October at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Gunn Charoenkul underlined his undoubted talent with a second-place finish in the SJM Macao Open last week, and the Thai player hopes an improvement with the driver can help him land an elusive maiden victory – and bragging rights – at the Black Mountain Championship this week at Black Mountain Golf Club.
Gunn has now finished runner-up on four separate occasions on the Asian Tour after finishing two shots adrift of Rattanon Wannasrichan at the weekend.
One of seven Thai players to finish in the top-10 at the weekend, Gunn is eager to win – simply so he can silence his roommate on tour after Suteepat Prateeptienchai raised the stakes with victory at the Yeangder TPC in Chinese Taipei last month, making it two wins on the Asian Tour for the 31-year-old.
Gunn said: “My game is getting better and better. My tee shot was not so good last week but I still have a few days to adjust my swing. If I can’t make it better, I will have to live with it like I did last week.
Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
“To finish second last week makes me feel more confident. But is not equivalent to what my roommate, Suteepat Prateeptienchai bragged about his two wins. That is really igniting the fire in me.
“I have finished runner-up four times, and I admit that it’s not my time yet. I was close to it last week and if I can control my driver, I think I still have an outside chance to win this week.”
One of those four second placed finishes also came in an International Series event, in Qatar last year.
The 32-year-old does have winning experience with multiple victories on the PGA Tour China and the All Thailand Golf Tour.
And he now has two chances to go one better in his home country in the next two weeks, with the players also gearing up for International Series Thailand, which takes place the following week at Thai Country Club in Bangkok.
Last weekend’s champion Rattanon is hoping he can continue his good form for the double header in Thailand – as long as he can control his temper.
The 29-year-old, who had his girlfriend Manuschaya ‘Minnie’ Zeemakorn, a Thai LPGA Tour player, on the bag at the weekend, said: “I’m so glad that The International Series selected Thailand to host two events in a row. It offers great opportunity for Thai players to win.
“After the win I have gained more confidence to play this week, but I won’t set my hopes too high because I don’t want to put myself under pressure.
“I have worked very hard and found that if I can control my temper I can have my smooth game and success, otherwise I wouldn’t win last week. I will keep my confidence and good memories from last week to play in Hua Hin.”
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan swept to a brilliant wire-to-wire victory in the US$1 million SJM Macao Open today for his first victory on the Asian Tour in seven years.
On a beautiful sunny day at Macau Golf & Country Club, the 29-year-old confidently completed arguably the finest week of his career by firing a four-under-par 66 to finish the tournament on 20 under.
Players from Thailand made it a clean sweep of the top three positions, with Gunn Charoenkul finishing second, two shots back following a 67, and Poosit Supupramai third, another two strokes behind, after a 64.
Current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader John Catlin from the United States returned a 65 to share fourth with Filipino Miguel Tabuena, who eagled the par-five 18th for a 63 – the perfect way to celebrate his 30th birthday today. They finished on 15 under.
Rattanon Wannasrichan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Rattanon had a one-shot lead over Gunn at the start of the day and it never looked like he would surrender the lead. His nickname is ‘Fluke’ but it was all skill today as he pulled away from the pack. He had a four-shot lead over playing partner Gunn at turn, which moved to five after he birdied 10, and by the time they reached 18 the cushion was three.
Rattanon reached the green in two to ensure there would be no dramatic collapse and he could afford the luxury of a three putt, after missing a six-footer for birdie. Gunn made birdie there to close the gap.
Rattanon has won once before on the Asian Tour, at the Thailand Open in 2017, and is also a winner on the Asian Development Tour, claiming the 2015 Taifong Open.
“I’m so happy,” said Rattanon.
“I didn’t think I could win again, because I had a very tough year in 2019. I played really badly that year, but I told myself to not give up, that’s why I could improve my game and win again.”
Rattanon with his girlfriend Minnie. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
He felt finishing fourth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week did wonders for his confidence while he also clearly benefitted from having his girlfriend Manuschaya ‘Minnie’ Zeemakorn, a Thai LPGA Tour player, caddy for him.
He added: “She’s helped me a lot about life and golf. In life we stay together, we eat together, and we enjoy that life. That’s why it’s made it fun for me to play golf.”
He earned a cheque for US$180,000 now heads into a busy and lucrative three-week run of tournaments full of confidence, particularly as the next two events are in Thailand: next week’s Black Mountain Championship, followed immediately after by the International Series Thailand.
For Gunn it was another near miss, and he has now finished second on four occasions on the Asian Tour.
“This is great. It’s another second place, not a win but I am fine with it,” said the 32-year-old.
“I found a lot more confidence this week especially after missing the cut the last two weeks. Just tried to keep things simple and I holed some great putts.
“With those three par fives on the back nine I thought I might have a chance of catching Rattanon but it wasn’t to be. I leave with a lot more confidence though.”
Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert closed with a 67 to finish solo sixth, six off top spot, one of seven Thais to finish in the top-10.
Defending champion Min Woo Lee from Australia signed off with a 66 to tie for ninth.
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