Gifts galore mark Peake’s Major debut
Talk about a Major baptism of fire. For Ryan Peake there was a mixture of nerves, excitement … and ultimately a large measure of regret at failing to take advantage of favourable early morning conditions on the opening day at the 153rd Open Championship. Report by Spencer Robinson, Asian Tour contributor, at Royal Portrush.
Teeing-off at 7.19 am (local time) in the fifth flight out at Royal Portrush Golf Club, the Australian stuttered to an error-strewn six-over-par 77. He said he felt like Santa Claus.
“I was like Father Christmas out there. I was just handing out presents to the golf course. I just kept throwing them (shots) away. It was very frustrating,” said the left-hander, who secured his maiden Major championship ticket courtesy of winning the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport in March.
While he may have given away a few gifts, Peake could at least be thankful for walking off with a number of mementos from his much-vaunted playing partner Phil Mickelson, namely a golf ball and glove, both signed by his fellow lefty, who thrilled the galleries with a one-under 70.
Peake [main picture with Mickelson] said: “His caddie gave away golf balls as we were walking off and I yelled out: ‘What about me?’ He had a laugh, thought I was being sarcastic. He said: ‘Are you serious’, and I said: ‘I’m deadly serious’.
Ryan Peake looks on from the rough on the second hole during day one of The 153rd Open. Picture by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.
“He (Mickelson) was a hero to me growing up. My own boy is out here this week and he loves him as well.”
Asked if the former Open champion had proffered any advice during the course of the round, Peake responded: “No, he wasn’t offering me help. I would have known I was in a bad place if he’d come over and started offering me help.
“But we chatted. He’s very friendly. We had a lot of normal chit-chat, talked about family. We talked about different things. Nothing in particular.”
Although he’ll treasure his Mickelson exchanges and keepsakes, Peake will also look back in anguish on what he knows was a missed opportunity.
“It looks like I’ve copped the best side of the draw, and I haven’t taken advantage of that at all. I’m very disappointed with the round. Not what I wanted. So, I’m pretty flat. I was pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up,” was Peake’s brutally honest assessment of a scorecard that was scattered with no fewer than eight bogeys.
One of only two birdies came at the par-three 16th, among the more difficult holes on the course. Not that he took much comfort from that.
He said: “I’m sure if I was two-under going there, that hole looks a little bit more daunting. But when you’re seven-over, not much worse can happen. So it was easy to get up there and pull the trigger.
“It’s a course where you need to get off to good start … because as soon as you start trying to chase birdies, you can’t chase them. Everything is hard. You’ve got to play good golf. If you hit good golf shots, you get rewarded. If you hit poor ones, you get crucified for them. That’s what happened today.
Peake and his caddie walk on the first hole. Picture by Andrew Redington/Getty Images.
“Obviously I was nervous. I wouldn’t say nervous because I was playing next to Phil. It’s just, I guess, your first Major and things like that. But I’ve just got to get better at that.”
Despite his downbeat mood, Peake, seventh in the current Asian Tour Order of Merit standings, acknowledged that all is not yet lost.
He said: “I’ve still got tomorrow and I’ll try and do something to make this cut. I’m definitely not counting myself out of it.
“But the whole experience, that’s something that I’ll look on further down the track. I’m here to compete. I’m in a competitive mode.”
For followers of Asian golf, arguably the most intriguing opening-round pairing at the 153rd Open Championship will be provided by Game 26. Report by Spencer Robinson, Asian Tour contributor, at Royal Portrush.
At 11.15 am tomorrow local time (Thursday), Asian Tour stars Sadom Kaewkanjana [main picture at Royal Portrush] and Sampson Zheng will launch their Royal Portrush campaigns alongside Japan’s Riki Kawamoto.
Adding further Asian flavour to the grouping will be the presence of Vu Nguyen as the designated referee. General Secretary of the Vietnam Golf Association, Vu represents the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation on The R&A’s Rules of Golf Committee.
While China’s Zheng is making his Open Championship debut, for Thai Sadom this will be his second taste of the action at the eldest of the four annual men’s Majors.
With Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO Cho Minn Thant and Chief Operating Officer David Rollo among those watching from the sidelines at this stunning venue, Sadom and Zheng are intent on elevating themselves into the global golfing spotlight.
Sadom Kaewkanjana is playing in The Open by virtue of winning the Kolon Korea Open – an Open Qualifying Series event. Picture by Chung Sung-Jun/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.
They’re also aware that strong performances here would further raise the profile of their ‘home’ circuit in the eyes of the golfing world.
While Zheng, who is celebrating his 24th birthday today, is relishing his first sampling of a Major championship, 27-year-old Sadom is calling on the experience he gained at St Andrews in 2022.
On that occasion, he produced a superb closing 65 to climb into a tie for 11th, the best finish by a Thai at The Open.
“I’m proud of my performance at St Andrews and I hope to do better and have a top-10 finish this week. Portrush is a longer course (than St Andrews), the rough is thicker and the greens are tricky,” said Sadom, before heading out for his final practice round.
“I’m feeling more confident with my game than I was last year,” added Sadom, who has made light of complications caused by his luggage being waylaid en route to Northern Ireland from Bangkok.
“I had to go out shopping for new clothes, but they’ve now located my suitcase at Heathrow and it should be arriving here today,” he said.
Asian Tour Rookie of the Year in 2019, Sadom rose to a high of 75th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in 2022 after victory in the SMBC Singapore Open.
A quiet period followed, but the Thai has regained form this year, qualifying for Royal Portrush courtesy of winning May’s Kolon Korea Open, part of The Open Qualifying Series.
Third in the current Asian Tour Order of Merit standings and 262nd in the OWGR, Sadom says a good week here would be the ideal catalyst for a late-season surge. “Winning the Order of Merit is one of my targets,” added Sadom, who is looking forward to accompanying Zheng in round one.
Sadom’s victory in Korea was his third success on the Asian Tour. Picture by Chung Sung-Jun/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.
“I’ve played with Sampson a couple of times. He’s a good player and I’m pleased to be playing with him here. I feel relaxed playing with other Asian golfers,” said Sadom, who is being supported at Portrush by his girlfriend and members of his family.
Zheng can also count on plenty of family backing as he seeks to make a big impression.
A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Zheng finished runner-up in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne in late 2023, narrowly missing out on the reward of starting spots in last year’s Open and Masters Tournament.
Belatedly, his Major moment has now arrived – and he’s chomping at the bit.
“Whenever I play events, it’s about giving myself the best chance to win. This week is no different, even though it’s my first Major,” said Zheng, who turned professional mid-way through 2024 and made an immediate impact on the Asian Tour, finishing joint fourth in the International Series England and tied second in the Mandiri Indonesia Open.
Never short on self-belief, Zheng secured his starting place at Royal Portrush on the first day of July, firing rounds of 68 and 69 to take the second of five available places in Final Qualifying at West Lancashire.
Now, he’s setting his sights on bigger prizes. “I don’t want to sound arrogant, and I don’t want to say I can win, but I’m doing everything I can to get myself up there on the leaderboard.”
Wednesday this week is a big day for Sampson Zheng. He turns 24. However, the talented Japan-based Chinese star is hoping Sunday is even more special. Story by Joy Chakravarty, Asian Tour contributor, in Portrush.
Zheng, currently ranked 26th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and a regular contender since turning pro at the start of last year, is making his major championship debut at the 153rd Open – which starts Thursday at the stunning Royal Portrush Golf Club.
He secured his place among the world’s finest by finishing second in the Final Qualifying event at West Lancashire with rounds of 68 and 69, two weeks ago.
“I am very excited. This is what I have dreamed of doing all my life. This is what I look forward to, and this is why I play golf,” said Zheng, one of seven Asian Tour members competing this week.
“Whenever I play events, it’s always about preparation and just giving myself the best chance to win. This week is no different, even though it’s my first major. I don’t want to sound arrogant, and I don’t want to say I can win, but I’m doing everything I can to get myself up there on the leaderboard. And whatever happens, I am not too worried about the result, but just the process.”
As part of his preparation, Zheng arrived early at Portrush and has a few practice rounds under his belt already. More importantly, he has also experienced the wind switch on the golf course, playing the HS Colt-redesigned gem in two very different conditions.
“After the International Series Morocco, I came here on Wednesday and probably played the course three times now. The rough is very penalising. Some areas of the course are very slopey, and even if you hit the fairway, you could end up with a rough ball, maybe in the fescue. Wind is obviously going to play a really big factor. But the course is designed in a way that if you position yourself right, there will be plenty of opportunities,” said Zheng, who finished tied 10th in Morocco at the start of the month.
“Depending on the pin or the wind, it’s going to change very dramatically. Easy holes could turn into very tough holes, and vice versa.
“Luckily, I have now played the course in different winds, which is very good practice. For example, take the par-five seventh. The first time I played it, it was driver, hybrid and a wedge to reach the green. Yesterday, I was actually able to reach it in two.”
The current season hasn’t been spectacular so far for Zheng, and Morocco was his best finish. That came about after switching to a new model of putter, which has helped him hole a few more.
“I had been struggling with my putting recently. A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Scottie Cameron workshop in California and got myself a new mallet putter, which I put straight into my bag before the Open qualifier. Found some magic in the qualifier and kind of carried it into Morocco as well. I’m hoping that keeps on,” said Zheng.
“I’d say I felt pretty comfortable on the course here. Speed control is key on a course like this, where the greens are much slower, and the new putter has been tremendous.”
Zheng came within a whisker of playing the 152nd Open when Australian Jasper Stubbs denied him a win at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in a play-off at the legendary Royal Melbourne Golf Club. A win would have earned him an invitation to the Masters as well.
As disappointing as that result was, it included an unforgettable third-round six-under par 65 when brutal winds and cement-like greens turned the Alister MacKenzie-designed course into a monster.
That preposterous Saturday round Down Under continues to augment Zheng’s immense self-belief. Also, for someone who does not have a lot of links golf experience, he also felt the conditions at Royal Melbourne were fantastic prep.
“I was really, really bummed that week at the AAC, but thankfully, everything worked out. I kind of used that as a fuel and played good after that. That tournament is part of the reason why I got here today as a pro. Things happen for a reason, but it always works out in the end, if you just keep knocking on the door,” said Zheng, whose career best finish on the Asian Tour is a tied second at the 2024 Mandiri Indonesia Open.
“That round is still very special to me. I navigated a very tough course, with high winds, pretty much perfectly. The conditions are pretty similar here in many ways. It will be windy, of course. The greens will not be as fast, but the pins will probably be around the same toughness as well. They really toughen it up for us at the AAC. So, definitely a lot of confidence, thinking back about that day.
“I haven’t played real links courses in this area of the world much, but playing Royal Melbourne was probably very close. The fairways were firm, and the wind was up when we played the AAC. So, I can hopefully bring my learnings from there to The Open.”
And then there is the matter of his birthday. With every member of his family – father, mum, and his younger sister, who is studying at the renowned Berklee School of Music in Boston – with him, it would have been a nice celebration. But these are unusual times.
“My birthday is always around the tournament. It’s very, very cool. I’d watch The Open growing up and think that the nicest birthday present would be to be playing the tournament,” added Zheng, a standout performer for the University of California in his US college days.
“The celebration will be after the event. If it was on a Monday or Tuesday, we would have gone out and have dinner, but Wednesday is cutting it too close. My entire family is going to be here, and just playing this week is going to be fun for me anyway. We will save the celebration for Sunday.”
Pictures: Sampson Zheng during Final Qualifying. Courtesy Getty Images.
Morocco will remain a key destination on the calendar for The International Series, 10 top-tier events on the Asian Tour, following a landmark agreement with the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (MRGF) under the continued patronage of the Royal Family.
A two-year agreement was confirmed on the sidelines of International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat last week, which was won by Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent.
The news underscores Morocco’s rising status as a premier hub for world-class golf the region with a robust ecosystem committed to nurturing talent which includes two Asian Development Tour (ADT) events and further important initiatives that support the growth of the game in the country, from grassroots level upwards.
Rahul Singh [main picture], Head of The International Series, said: “We are very excited to share that we have an agreement with the Royal Moroccan Golf Association, with the patronage of the Royal Family, and can confirm that we will be back here for 2026 and for at least two years. We would like to thank His Majesty the King and his Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rashid.
“All parties understand our commitment to the growth of golf in all our tournament destinations and the wider Asia region, and we want to play an integral part in supporting Morocco’s rise in the regional and global golfing ecosystem as it becomes an important destination and leader for the industry in North Africa and the MENA region.”
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, with Jalil Benazzouz, from the Royal Moroccan Golf Association, pictured at a press briefing.
Recently, Morocco’s growing status was highlighted through the country’s qualification for the prestigious World Amateur Team Championships (WATC), which will be held this October at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
Jalil Bennazouz from the RMGF added: “The International Series exposes our local and regional talent to high-level international competition, and an extension of our current strong partnership offers an exceptional opportunity to further nurture them and empower them to further their undoubted potential.”
The 2025 International Series Morocco this year took on added significance as part of a broader strategic initiative to grow the game in the region. In the two weeks leading up to the event, Morocco hosted two ADT events which gave 40 players from the Arab Golf Federation the opportunity to compete with talent from the wider region for places in the field for the LIV Golf-backed event, the fourth of 10 on the Asian Tour calendar.
“The International Series has always been about creating pathways, generating opportunity, and growing the game,” added Singh. “In partnership with the Asian Tour and aligned with the principles of LIV Golf, we’re proud to bring these goals to life in a real and measurable way. While we offer a clearly defined pathway onto LIV Golf, these opportunities for regional talent are arguably even more significant. ”
The field in Morocco reflected the region’s deepening involvement in the global game, with 13 players from the Arab Golf Federation, including eight from Morocco, highlighting the tournament’s role as a launchpad for talent in the region.
“The tournament feeds directly into our mission to grow the talent, in a mixture of established and developing markets, and ensure that the game of golf continues to expand worldwide,” added Singh.
The International Series offers a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the player who finishes top of the rankings at the end of the season.
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
The tree-lined Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is a place where you need to be accurate off both the tee and into the greens, and it was no surprise to see Scott Vincent holding the International Series Morocco trophy on Sunday afternoon.
The Zimbabwean has been in good form all year and, including Morocco, has now produced seven top-10s in 11 starts worldwide, including four top-fives in his last five events.
The key stats that stood out for Vincent last week were, appropriately, his accuracy off the tee and into the greens, plus avoiding bogies by excelling in scrambling when he did make mistakes.
The 33-year-old co-led the Fairways Hit stats after the third round and ended T7 in this category with 71.67% after dropping off slightly in the final round.
Scott Vincent prevailed thanks to making the most birdies and least bogies.
His approach game into the demanding greens was also very good, and with a 77.78% Greens in Regulation (GIR) he ranked fifth. This also gave Vincent plenty of opportunities for birdies, and he took full advantage and co-led the field with American Peter Uihlein with 20 birdies for the week.
Vincent also managed to keep bogies to a minimum, his six was the fewest of the players making the cut. This was mainly thanks to his excellent Scrambling where he ranked second with 81.25%.
His other stats for the week: Putts per Green 28.25 (T12), Putts per GIR 1.732 (14th) and Driving Distance 290.83 yards (45th).
Runner-up Danthai Boonma from Thailand started the final round eight shots behind the leader, but produced a stunning final round of 66, seven under par, equaling the lowest round of the week posted by Vincent on Friday.
Austen Truslow topped the GIR stats on his way to his best finish on the Asian Tour. He finished sixth.
Like the tournament champion he was also in control of his irons and with a GIR percentage of 80.56% he ranked third in this category. He was also good at converting his chances on the greens and with 18 birdies during the week he placed T8 in that table.
Danthai’s other stats for the week: Putts per Round 30.5 (T41), Putts per GIR 1.741 (17th), Driving Distance 301.38 yards (23rd) and Fairways Hit 60% (T25).
Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series Morocco (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round – M.J. Maguire (USA): 26.75
- Putts per GIR – Nitithorn Thippong (THA): 1.675
- GIR – Austen Truslow (USA): 83.33%
- Fairways Hit – Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND): 76.67%
- Driving Distance – Bobby Bai (CHN): 325.88 yards
- Most Eagles – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Manav Shah (USA), Nitithorn Thippong (THA), Takumi Murakami (JPN): 2
- Most Birdies – Scott Vincent (ZIM), Peter Uihlein (USA): 20
- Fewest Bogies or Worse – Scott Vincent (ZIM): 6
- Scrambling – Miguel Carballo (ARG): 84.21%
- Bounce back – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA): 53.85%
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
Scott Vincent’s popular and brilliant victory in the International Series Morocco at the weekend catapulted him into first place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – having started the week in 18th position.
He also leapt into second on The International Series Rankings, from 45th, confirming what everyone knew already: that the Zimbabwean is back to his best.
He has been trending all year. The week before Morocco he’d finished third in the Japan Players Championship and in May he was fourth in the Kolon Korea Open – one of four top-12 finishes on the Asian Tour this season, prior to Morocco.
However, the 33-year-old from Harare who is now based in the United States, explained on Sunday it was far from plain sailing despite winning by four from Thailand’s Danthai Boonma.
“It’s always tough to know,” said Vincent, who led by one shot over Danthai after 14 holes before pulling away with three birdies in his last four, including a celebratory 20-footer on the last.
Scott Vincent hits his approach to 18 to set up a 20-foot birdie putt that he duly drained.
“Starting with the lead, you know you’re in a good spot, but I try not to look at the leaderboards. That way, I never really know exactly where I stand.
“There had been some great rounds all week — seven under, six under — and I knew the guys in contention were capable of going low. Through nine holes, I was even par and felt like I was getting left behind. I just had to hang in there.
“The last few holes offer some good opportunities, and fortunately, I was able to make a few birdies coming in. That ended up creating a bit of separation. But honestly, even on the final hole, I felt like I needed at least a two-putt, not knowing I had a three-shot lead.”
It was his second win on the Asian Tour, the first coming in the International Series England in June of 2022 – the year he claimed The International Series Rankings to earn a place on the star-studded LIV Golf League.
Vincent says he can’t put his finger on what has triggered his fine form this year.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t know exactly. I feel like I’ve been doing the same things I’ve done for the past couple of years. But I’ve been more consistent with the little things, and over time, that adds up.”
Vincent remarkably hit 17 greens in regulation on Sunday.
He excelled playing for Iron Head GC on LIV in 2022, finishing fourth individually in Singapore and Jeddah. Those performances helped secure his playing rights for the ensuing season and after victory in Morocco he is even more determined to get back on the LIV stage.
“The goal with The International Series is to give yourself a real shot by the end of the year. Winning early helps a lot — it gives you more opportunities to perform well going forward.
“The Series has been great for me. It’s how I ended up on LIV Golf a couple of years ago, so I know what it means. This boosts me up significantly, and we’ll see where it leads. There are still a lot of tournaments left.”
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
South African major winner Charl Schwartzel knows all about bringing pride to the continent of Africa after his memorable Masters triumph in 2011, and the LIV Golf star is hoping that the International Series Morocco can prove to be a breeding ground for yet more future champions from the region.
Schwartzel is the headliner for the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour this week, which takes place at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s Red Course in Rabat. The 40-year-old Stinger GC man will be going in search of his first tournament win since 2022 – when he landed the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London title.
Schwartzel, who tees off at 12:50 local time in the marquee group with defending champion New Zealand’s Ben Campbell and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand, said: “It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone. It is great to play in these International Series events for us (LIV Golf players), and it is even better for the guys playing for the opportunity (to get onto the LIV Golf League at the end of the season).
Charl Schwartzel is attempting to win for the first time since the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational London.
“The whole thing about the Asian Tour and the International Series, and LIV Golf, is that they move around, and so we get to play various parts of the world and expose the game in these destinations. That offers a wonderful opportunity.”
This year’s event provided even more rewards to budding talent from the region, through two Asian Development Tour events in Marrakech that offered competition and a qualification route for golfers from the region and across Asia. Schwartzel added: “I think that is an amazing opportunity for local players from Morocco.
“These tournaments offer a way to qualify to get into bigger events like this, which could potentially be life-changing. The experience is something that money cannot buy – the experience built up will serve the local players very well.”
Local hero Ayoub Lguirati is one of the leading lights for golf in North Africa. He is one of eight Moroccan players in the field this week, eager to test themselves against some of the best in the world.
Schwartzel says the International Series Morocco will be an experience money can’t buy for local players.
The Moroccan will be hoping to replicate or improve on the form that brought a T28 in the first edition of the tournament in 2022, followed a week later by a T37 at the International Series Egypt which only told half the story – he was T9 at the halfway stage in Cairo.
Lguirati, who tees off at 8am local time in a group with Jaco Ahlers of South Africa and Thailand’s David Boriboonsub, believes the development of golf in Morocco is on the right track. He said: “The game is growing and it is very welcome. The new generation is motivated, and the FRMG programmes are a tremendous help, down to the clear vision of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid.
“He has a vision to develop champions and elevate Morocco on the international stage, and with more support and world-class international tournaments like this, we can deliver and keep rising to the challenge.”
Lguirati has seen a wealth of talent emerge from Morocco in recent times, and he is confident the next generation can go on to even bigger and better things. His advice?
“Stay disciplined and work hard every day. Nothing comes easy, but with hard work, everything is possible.”
Pictures by Steven Bardens/Asian Tour.
The third International Series Morocco starts tomorrow, returning to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam – the event’s regular home.
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell is back to defend the title he won last year, following a sudden-death play-off with American John Catlin, as is Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand, winner of the inaugural event in 2022.
It will be the one and only stop by the Asian Tour on the African continent this season and promises to be another magical week in Morocco’s capital city Rabat. The Asian Development Tour has just spent two weeks in Marrakech, for the first time, so the momentum has been building ahead of this exciting week.
The International Series Morocco is the eighth stop of the season on the Asian Tour.
Tournament Information
- Tournament name: International Series Morocco
- Date: 3-6 July, 2025
- Venue: Red Course, Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
- Par/Yards: 73 / 7,596 yards
- Purse: US$2 million (First place US$360,000)
- Defending champion: Ben Campbell (NZL)
- Asian Tour leg: Eighth
- International Series leg: Fourth
- Edition of tournament: Third
- Total number of players: 156
- Format: Strokeplay over four rounds of 18 holes with cut made after 36 holes. The leading 65 professionals plus ties make it through to the weekend.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything
View towards the 11th green on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
Field Breakdown
- Former winners: Ben Campbell (NZL), 2024, Jazz Janewattananond (THA), 2022
- Winners from this year:
- Julien Sale (FRA) – Smart Infinity Philippine Open
- Ollie Schniederjans (USA) – International Series India presented by DLF
- Ryan Peake (AUS) – New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport
- Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) – Kolon Korea Open
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (USA), 2024, Andy Ogletree (USA), 2023 Sihwan Kim (USA), 2022, Jazz Janewattananond (THA), 2019
- Nationalities: 31
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: John Catlin (USA) #154
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) #2
- Highest ranked player on the 2025 International Series Rankings: Ollie Schniederjans (USA) # T2
- Number of amateurs: four
- Number of Moroccan players: eight
Ryan Peake is one of four winners from this season competing.
Tournament Notes
- Defending champion Ben Campbell of New Zealand will be making his second Asian Tour start of 2025 after mainly playing on the LIV Golf League as part of the Range Goats GC team. His best result on LIV Golf is a third-place finish in Singapore and he’s currently 33rd in the standings. He has two International Series victories on his resume, having won the Hong Kong Open in 2023 and Morocco last year. Campbell finished second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and third in The International Series Rankings in 2024.
- American John Catlin, who lost this tournament in a play-off to Campbell last year, has posted one top-10 in three starts in the 2025 season, placing seventh at the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport in early March. The 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion had a spectacular season last year, posting wins in Macau and Saudi Arabia, three runners-up and eight top 10s on the way to setting the all-time Money List record with US$1,456,800.
- Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana won the most recent Asian Tour event, the Kolon Korean Open in late May, and also recorded a T2 in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, the first tournament of 2025. He’s currently second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit behind Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz.
- Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe has had good results on the Asian Tour this season, with a T4 in the Kolon Korea Open and top 10s in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and International Series India Presented by DLF. In two starts on the Japan Golf Tour in 2025 he has posted a T5 at the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open and a T9 at the Maezawa Cup.
- Peter Uihlein from the U.S. won two International Series events in 2024, in England and Qatar, and was narrowly pipped by Joaquin Niemann to top the International Series Rankings at the end of the year. In two Asian Tour starts this year he has a T10 in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn as his best result. Playing the LIV Golf League on the Range Goats GC squad, Uihlein’s highest finish this season has been a T6 at the Hong Kong event.
- 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel from South Africa and Americans Caleb Surratt and Andy Ogletree – the 2023 International Series Rankings champion – are competing, as well as Mito Pereira from Chile.
- Filipino cousins Carl Jano Corpus and Aidric Chan are set to enjoy the biggest week of their fledgling careers, thanks to success at the two Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournaments played in Marrakech over the past few weeks. Chan won the first and Corpus the next to top a cumulative money list for the events, which earned the top two a place in this week’s tournament. Chan currently tops the ADT Order of Merit.
- Morocco’s Ayoub Lguirati who grabbed the headlines in the 2022 edition with an impressive display, that ultimately brought a T28 finish, returns to Rabat this week.
- Royal Golf Dar Es Salam was designed by Robert Trent Jones and is just 15 minutes from the centre of Rabat. Its grounds cover some 440 hectares and offers 45 holes spread over three courses: the Red, Blue and Green, a nine-hole layout.
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
Filipino cousins Carl Jano Corpus and Aidric Chan are set to enjoy the biggest week of their fledgling careers at the International Series Morocco, thanks to success at the two Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournaments played in Marrakech.
The Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech tournaments, played over the past two weeks and jointly sanctioned with the Arab Golf Federation (AGF) as part of a three-year commitment, offered the top two players on a combined money list a place in the 156-man field for the Morocco showpiece at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.
Last week, 21-year-old Chan [main picture] carded a solid seven-under par 65 final round to edge out India’s Karandeep Kochhar by a shot to win the first one at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah Golf Club.
And at the weekend it was his 23-year-old cousin Corpus who claimed victory at Al Maaden Golf Resorts – in only his fifth start on the ADT and sixth as a professional.
Carl Jano Corpus won the second Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech event in just his fifth ADT start.
He edged Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech by one shot after a bogey-free, seven-under final round of 65 on the Kyle Phillips-designed golf course.
Corpus, who also tied ninth at Samanah, topped the aggregate money list for the two back-to-back ADT events, with Chan in second place.
Corpus said: “I am a champion. That is something that is not going to be taken away from me, something that I have until the rest of my life. I am excited about the opportunity to play in an International Series event.
“It is all about getting the opportunity to play in bigger events, so I can showcase my talent, the support I get back home and the hard work that I put in to get here.”
Chan, who also won the Lexus Challenge in Vietnam on the ADT in March, currently leads the ADT Order of Merit, with Corpus in fourth place.
The International Series Morocco starts on Thursday and boasts a stellar field that includes 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel from South Africa and defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand.
Both are part of a strong LIV Golf League contingent here in Morocco that also features American stars Peter Uihlein, Caleb Surratt and Andy Ogletree – the 2023 International Series Rankings champion – as well as Mito Pereira from Chile.
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell produced a stunning finish to win the US$2 million International Series Morocco last year when he made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th to beat John Catlin in the first play-off hole. Story from the 2024 Yearbook.
At the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, it looked like a done deal for American Catlin, winner of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the PIF Saudi Open earlier in the year, when he reached the par-four 17th hole on Sunday with a lead of three shots.
However, Campbell, who closed with a two-under-par 71, made a sensational eagle on the par-four 17th and a birdie on 18 in regulation play to tie Catlin (72) on 15-under-par, before making the all-important birdie in the first extra hole.
“That was a great finish,” said the 33-year-old from Queenstown, winner of the Hong Kong Open in 2023. “I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike [his caddie], I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient. I told him if I can find a birdie eagle, you never know what can happen. So, I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the play-off, it’s always good.”
Victory in Morocco was Ben Campbell’s second success on the Asian Tour. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
American Caleb Surratt (71) and Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra (73) tied for third at 12-under par, three behind the top duo. Chacarra was the only one left in the hunt alongside Campbell and Catlin, but two bogeys coming in – on the 13th and 16th holes – threw a spanner in his works.
Catlin led wire-to-wire for 70 holes, opening up with a 64 on the par-73 course and following up with rounds of 71 and 68 before a seventh Asian Tour title was denied.
His only hiccup was a bogey-bogey start to his final round, but with Campbell also matching those numbers having started the day one behind, the leaderboard did not change. The Californian did not make any bogeys after that, but a par-par finish meant Campbell caught up with him in the end.
“You just have to tip the cap. I mean the guy goes two, four, four to finish. He probably made 130 feet of putts to win on the last three holes. All you can do is shake his hand and say well done,” said the 33-year-old Catlin.
“I played great. You know, I never, never gave in. I just kept battling. Kept chipping away. That birdie on the 15th gave me a decent little cushion there. I’m very pleased with the way I played.”
Before his bogeys on the first two holes on Sunday, Campbell had gone a remarkable 105 holes –five rounds and 15 holes – without a bogey on the Asian Tour, including his previous outing at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where he was bogey-free for his last two rounds.
Surratt, who played the 2024 LIV Golf season as part of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team and was the youngest player in League at 20, was playing in his first International Series event of the season and was delighted with his tied third place finish.
Before his bogeys on the first two holes on Sunday, Campbell had gone a remarkable 105 holes –five rounds and 15 holes – without a bogey. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The young American star started with a modest 72 to be tied 42nd, but improved with rounds of 69, 68 and 71 and earned his first Official World Golf Ranking points of the year.
Surratt said: “I didn’t know it was going to be as good as this at my first International Series event, so it was definitely way more than I expected. It was a really good week and definitely gave me something good to build off of going into LIV Golf Andalucia.”
Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli and the consistent Travis Smyth of Australia were tied fifth at 11-under.
An interesting sidelight of the tournament was the performance of Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, who finished tied 13th, but that included playing his opening round with rental clubs and a two-shot penalty incurred for arriving late for his tee time after a mad dash to Casablanca airport to find out if his clubs arrived.
Vincent’s par four on the first was turned into a six, but he fought back to finish with a 68 to be two behind Catlin and Kiwi Kazuma Kobori on Thursday.
“I misjudged the timing coming back (on Thursday). We made one wrong turn and that put me a few minutes behind,” said the 2022 International Series Rankings champion.
“My clubs had arrived at about 9.30 that morning, so I was there waiting for them. I could see with my Apple tags that they were in the airport, but I just couldn’t get to them in time. It was hard letting them go knowing that I was within 20 metres of them somewhere. But yeah, I had to leave them in order to try and make the tee time and maybe left a little too late.”
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