Gaganjeet Bhullar, the most successful Indian golfer on the Asian Tour with 11 titles, goes in search of his first victory of the season this week at the International Series England still on a high after his debut appearance in the Olympics last week.

The Indian did not challenge for a medal – he finished in a tie for 45^th – but fulfilled a life-long dream to compete in the tournament, which meant so much for his family.

“It gives me the tag of Olympian for the rest of my life,” he said. “I think that is the most incredible thing.”

“I am from a family of sports people. My father was an international athlete, my mother was a hockey player, and my uncle also represented India in two Olympics and three Asian Games, with a gold medal, so this was something that I was really looking forward to. I just missed out on the last two Olympics, finishing third on the Indian rankings.

Gaganjeet Bhullar pictured playing in the Olympics last week. Picture by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

“So, playing in the Olympics was something very close to my heart. And a very special moment, a very emotional moment. My parents, my family were with me last week.”

He shot rounds of 75 69 71 70 for finish one over, which was 20 shots behind American Scottie Scheffler, who won the gold medal.

He added: “It was a great event, and I have never seen so many people at a golf event cheering for all 60 guys with 50 to 55,000 people every day. That was something special, even the organisers said they never expected so many people on the golf course.

“I wish I could have played a little better. I struggled on Thursday but other than that I thought I played well.”

The 36-year-old last won on the Asian Tour at the end of last year at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, an International Series event, while he also claimed the Chandigarh Open in April on India’s domestic tour – where he has tasted victory 14 times.

This year he has yet to hit top gear but feels he is not far away from playing his best.

“I am playing pretty good,” he explained. “I thought I played well the first part of the year, but the scores didn’t show that. Overall, I am riding high on confidence. It’s just a matter of a few things clicking here and there. One or two rounds needed, just to get the confidence going but I am already confident.”

This will be the first time he has played Foxhills, the venue for this week’s event.

Bhullar is looking for his first Asian Tour win of the season. Pictured by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He added: “I have played a few courses in the area. It is a beautiful course, and an old school course. It makes you think off the tee; you can’t hit too many drivers. I think four or five drivers for me off the tee. I’ll use two iron, four iron off the tee, mix and match. And your short game has to be spot on. It’s nice to play this kind of course. I wished we played more often.”

The Indian star, who played on the Asian Tour for nearly tow decades, has been paired in the opening two rounds with Australian Travis Smyth and Thailand’s David Boriboonsub for the first two days.

Evergreen Asian Tour player Steve Lewton is hoping to draw inspiration from in-form compatriot Richard Bland as he goes for glory in his home tournament, the International Series England at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey.

The 41-year-old will be teeing off on home soil, a rare occasion for the Englishman who first started playing on the Asian Tour after earning his card through Q-School back in 2012.

With the event being the fourth of 10 that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League at the end of the season, Lewton has extra incentive to shine.

Bland, a member of Cleeks GC on the LIV Golf League, is also in the field. Ten years Lewton’s senior, Bland is a shining example of a player improving with age, after claiming back-to-back senior major titles this season.

Steve Lewton pictured during a practice round on Tuesday. Pictured by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

On top of that, Bland is also in a good position to secure his place in the lock zone, the top 24 on the LIV Golf League, with just two tournaments left this season.

Lewton admits he is inspired by his compatriot, saying: “Looking at Blandy, and how he’s played makes me think maybe I have got 10 really good years left as I’ve started playing better in my late 30s and early 40s. Blandy has 10 years on me, so hopefully I can continue on that upward trend and do something similar.”

Lewton may have a number of years on many of his rivals, but age and experience has given him a different perspective on the course.

A standout amateur who finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy in the 2006 European Amateur Championship at Biella Golf Club in Italy, said: “Ten years ago I would have probably said it was a disadvantage. But as I have played better later in my career, I would probably say age is an advantage to me.

“I have a lot more experience playing in different places, and maybe the best way of describing it is that I am playing because it is fun, almost trying not to ‘care’ too much.”

Lewton’s last win was back in 2014 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. He has not been short of good form in recent years however, with a fourth-placed finish at International Series Oman and a T5 at the Volvo China Open last season, and a T5 in the International Series Thailand in 2022, the first ever event on the series.

He is confident that there is more success around the corner, especially in the second half of the season where the series will conclude with six events in eight weeks. Lewton said “My goals this year are to win again. I feel like I have been close the last couple of years and I feel like my game has really been trending in the right direction.

Lewton has been playing some of the best golf of his career in his 40s. Pictured by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“So I am really looking forward to this back end of the season where we can get a good run of events going and try and take some form into them. My ultimate goal this year is to give myself the best opportunity to get to LIV.

“That is my ambition at the moment so I’m doing everything, turning every stone to try and get the best form and play to my full potential. I would suggest that a lot of players on the Asian Tour would dream of getting to LIV.”

Lewton’s last stand-out display was a T4 in the star-studded PIF Saudi International, where he pushed all the way in a field that included superstars including Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Phil Mickelson, Xander Schauffele and eventual champion Harold Varner III who is also in the field playing the iconic Longcross course at Foxhills.

Going into another big week against a field that includes Bland, Varner and other LIV Golf talent as well as rankings leader John Catlin and nearest challenger Ben Campbell, the winner last time out in Morocco, Lewton is confident he can raise his game and rise to the challenge.

“I think the biggest part of playing in a field like that is that generally you play better when you play with better players – you up your game. You concentrate on what makes you play better.

“The injection of the LIV Golf League players on The International Series makes our field better and that’s only a good thing as it helps the Asian Tour players to play better.”

Ben Campbell roared into The International Series Rankings race in emphatic style with an incredible play-off victory in Morocco last Sunday, and the New Zealander is hoping that quality time with some of the biggest names in world golf will help him claim the title and a place on the 2025 LIV Golf League roster.

The New Zealander is in Spain as an alternate for LIV Golf Andalucia this week, and the 32-year-old’s confidence will be sky high if he is required as a stand-in, after seeing off Rankings leader John Catlin from the United States in a thrilling sudden-death play-off on Sunday to claim the International Series Morocco trophy at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s testing Red Course.

The tournament in Morocco was the third of 10 International Series events on the Asian Tour offering a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the Rankings champion, and additional opportunities for others placed high enough on The International Series Rankings to get in to the LIV Golf Promotions event.

Victory lifted Campbell up to second in the standings behind Catlin, with both players leapfrogging Oman champion Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz. With seven events left, there is plenty at stake as the Asian Tour’s best chase top spot and that lucrative place on the LIV Golf League.

Victory in Morocco was Ben Campbell’s second on The International Series. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Last season, Campbell also snatched victory from 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith from Australia and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the last at the 2023 Hong Kong Open, a win on The International Series that led to his invite to travel with the LIV Golf League.

This season he has travelled for all nine events as an alternate in between competing on the Asian Tour, gaining invaluable experience along the way.

So far, Campbell has filled in for Ripper GC captain Smith on the final two rounds in Miami, shooting 71-73, and replaced Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm from Spain in the final round in Houston, producing an impressive five-under final round of 67.

He said: “Hopefully next year I can get a full card out here, through either The International Series or the LIV Golf Promotions event.

“I think the good thing (about being an alternate) is it gives you motivation to get out here, once you have experienced it. I am trying to get my game into the best possible place for those events on The International Series. It is an amazing opportunity for the Asian Tour.”

Ben Campbell caught John Catlin with an eagle birdie finish in Morocco and then triumphed with a birdie in the play-off. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Campbell gained some incredible on-course experience at the weekend in Rabat. With 70 holes already played, and three shots back, he produced a sensational eagle-birdie finish on 17 and 18.

That effort drew him level with Asian Tour Order of Merit front-runner Catlin, the leader for all three rounds and a back-to-back champion at International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF earlier this season.

A play-off birdie with just his fourth putt in the last five holes played was enough to claim the spoils against Catlin, who had recently earned a place as a LIV Golf League stand-in for Charles Howell III on the Crushers GC team thanks to his incredible form in 2024.

Away from the white heat of the competition, he has enjoyed the learning process on LIV. He explained: “It is quite an interesting process to be here and to learn the set-up of some of the players. I have taken a couple of invaluable takeaways from it.

“Golf is a funny game, just seeing some of the best players in the world and what they are doing and how they are training, playing with them on practice rounds can give you little things that you can take and put into your own game.”

Campbell admits the big names have surprised him in many ways off the course. He said: “The one thing that surprised me is just how hard these guys are working. You can go to the gym at 6:30 in the morning and there are already three of four guys in there.

“When you go to dinner, you could end up at a dinner with five or six of the guys you have looked up to your whole life.

“They are telling stories, and you learn from them. You can learn more sitting at a dinner than you would watching on a range or putting green. That has been really valuable, and even hanging out with the caddies, you can ask questions, and learn a bit.”

Campbell is next in action at International Series England, the fourth event on the Series and the ninth event on the Asian Tour which takes place from 8-11 August on the Longcross Course at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey. Information and tickets are available at www.internationalseries.com.

Denwit Boriboonsub’s preparations for next week’s Open Championship, where he will be making his first appearance in a Major, have been high on his list of priorities of late – including in June when he played three rounds at Royal Troon. It was another busy month, when he also secured a new sponsor. Denwit was speaking to Asian Tour contributor and former Tour player Olle Nordberg.

Hi again everyone!

Since the last diary I’ve been quite busy with tournaments and preparing for the biggest tournament in my life so far, my first Major, the Open Championship at Royal Troon next week! So, let’s start from there.

I decided to try to go over for an early practice session to Scotland in June, so we contacted the course and asked if it would be possible. I was very happy and grateful that they agreed to my request, so many thanks to Royal Troon and my manager Tom Su to help set this up!

I also was lucky enough to hire Colin Montgomerie’s old caddie Colin Cotter to help guide me around the course, since it was my first time playing a true links course with very different conditions to what I’m used to. He just led the way and helped me get to grips with links golf – explaining where to lay up or where to play aggressive.

But at The Open it’s gonna be my regular caddie Guy on the bag, of course he wants to caddy. It’s his first Major too, it’s gonna be exciting.

Denwit Boriboonsub has been a professional since 2020. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

I managed to play three rounds at Troon, and I found out that playing this course is very difficult with the wind; it was blowing like around 35 to 50 kilometers per hour. And, yeah, of course it’s links golf, so it’s very difficult. Also, the weather was cold, it was like below 10 degrees and the wind was absolutely howling.

It was my first time playing a true links course, and I totally like it. I think with that style of game you gotta be patient out there and stay focused, because the wind will just blow the ball everywhere. You have just gotta be patient and stay focused. Royal Troon being a links course that’s quite tight and narrow, it’s going to be a bit difficult for me.

I am in Scotland this week again, for five or six practice rounds, having spent a few days in London!

Anyway, after the early practice at Troon I went to play in the Kolon Korea Open, but things didn’t really go well. I didn’t hit my driver well and I didn’t have much time for rest because I came back from Scotland and landed on Sunday, and on Tuesday I went to Korea. I was a bit jet-lagged from the big time change from the UK, and I didn’t prepare for that course so well. I missed the cut. It’s the first time that I played Woo Jeong Hills and I think it might be my last time there as well.

On more bit of exciting news is that I got a new sponsor after Korea. My team have been trying to find some new sponsors, and after talking to Betagro, two or three weeks ago, they got the deal done! Betagro is Thailand’s leading comprehensive food business operator, and they sponsor some of the best Thai golfers like Thongchai Jaidee on PGA Tour Champions and Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn on the LPGA – to support Thai pros around the world. Hoping for more sponsors too!

Last week was International Series Morocco and it was my first time in Morocco, it was amazing. It was my first time in Africa, and I loved the weather there, plus the food was amazing too! Rabat was a really nice city; I can’t really describe it. It looks very historic, and our hotel, the Hotel Fairmont La Marina, was looking over the beach and the old town. It just looks like an ancient city.

I played two practice rounds at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Red Course: on Monday a full 18 holes and Tuesday just with a wedge and putter, while taking notes around the greens.

On that course you just got a hit straight. And yeah, it was also all about putting I think, because the greens were a bit slopey and not that fast. If I had driven the ball like I did in Malaysia at the start of the year it would have been easier, but unfortunately I drove it more like in Korea so it was difficult.

It was a tough week playing there: I couldn’t hit my driver, couldn’t putt, my long irons were not good. It just says everything. I was happy to make the cut, but yeah, I’m not really happy with the result.

Other than that, I didn’t do much in Morocco, just watched a lot of the Euros football, cheering for the Dutch!

So full steam ahead now for next week’s Open; wish me luck and follow me on IG for my updates from Troon!

Bank Mandiri, one of Indonesia’s premier financial institutions, will title sponsor the Indonesia Open for the third successive season in 2024 – once again demonstrating their unwavering commitment to the development of the game locally and internationally.

The tournament, which is one of the region’s most-treasured National Opens, will also be returning to Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, for the first time in a decade.

It will be played from August 29 – September 1, and boast prizemoney of US$500,000, with the winner earning US$90,000.

Darmawan Junaidi, President Director of Bank Mandiri, said: “Bank Mandiri feel privileged to partner with the Indonesia Open. The tournament is not only important for the domestic game, but it has enormous regional appeal and is therefore an outstanding sporting property for Bank Mandiri to be associated with.

“Our sponsorship is also tied in with our initiative to help the development of the game in Indonesia, and our desire to see the country’s leading professionals make their mark internationally. This requires a long-term and consistent approach, which is why we are lending our support to the tournament as title sponsor for the third consecutive season.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, speaking at today’s press conference.

The tournament, won last year by Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, will be the 10^th event of the season on the Asian Tour.

Japto Soerjosoemarno, Persatuan Golf Indonesia (the Indonesia Golf Association) Chairman, said: “We are truly grateful to Bank Mandiri for their loyal support of our National Open. We have enjoyed two excellent years working with them and their unprecedented three-year title sponsorship of our event is testament to their wish to help grow the game in Indonesia.

“We are also extremely appreciative to Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course for hosting the tournament for the first time in 10 years. We are excited to be heading back to one of Indonesia’s finest golf clubs that boasts a world-class golf course.”

The course is known locally as “The Spirit of the Sea” as it lies close to the coastline of the Java Sea, in North Jakarta and was designed by legendary golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Budiarsa Sastrawinata, President Director of Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, said: “It is an honour for Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course to be hosting the country’s National Open again. Our PIK course is a true championship test that is perfect for a tournament of this stature. The club will be working 24/7 to make sure we are able to stage one of the finest editions of the tournament.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, added: “In recent seasons the Mandiri Indonesia Open has added tremendous strength to our mid-season schedule; we are grateful to Bank Mandiri for helping to facilitate this and for their steadfast three-year title sponsorship of the event. We also thank the Indonesia Golf Association and indeed Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course for their considerable efforts in enabling the staging of the Indonesia Open.”

Nitithorn Thippong was victorious last year.

When Nitithorn triumphed last year, his name was added to a trophy that includes many household names including Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who won the title when last played at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course in 2014.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar is the only player to win on three occasions (2013, 2016, 2022), the first of those coming at this year’s venue.

Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant has been victorious twice (2005, 2011); while other notable names are his compatriot Thongchai Jaidee (2009), Craig Parry (1997) from Australia, Kiwi Frank Nobilo (1994) and the late, great American Payne Stewart (1981).

Kasiadi is the only Indonesian golfer to have lifted the trophy, his triumph coming in 1989. Indonesia’s Rory Hie came close in 2011 when he tied for second, one behind Thaworn, when the event was also held at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course.

New Zealand’s Ben Campbell proved at the International Series Morocco, played on the formidable Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, why you should never give up when in contention on a Sunday afternoon.

Standing on the easily reachable par-four 17^th tee, three strokes behind playing-partner John Catlin from the United States, he pulled off a stunning eagle, birdie finish – something that Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond did to win in 2022 – to match Catlin in regulation play, when the American could only manage two closing pars.

A stunning 20-foot birdie putt from just off the 18^th green then sealed the deal on the first play-off hole in the New Zealander’s favor, as he won his second International Series title after having pulled off a similar come-from-behind win against 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith from Australia in last year’s Hong Kong Open.

The victory has moved him to number two in The International Series Rankings, which Catlin leads by some margin. However, there are still seven more International Series events to be played this season before the winner of the Rankings is decided. The top ranked player earns that life-changing place on next year’s LIV Golf League.

Ben Campbell holes out for the win. He finished third in Putts per Round for the week. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Looking at the statistics for last week, not surprisingly, Campbell’s best categories came in putting and short game.

He was a clear winner in Scrambling, with a super impressive average of 91.30%, followed by Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma at 80%, quite some distance behind.

Remarkably, he was 100% in Sand Saves, making eight out of eight – which included three out of three in the last round. He was joint top of that category.

He finished third in Putts per Round, with an average of 27, and 10^th in Putts per Green in Regulation, with 83.

He had solid statistics in other key categories such as Greens in Regulation (GIR), averaging 68.06% to finish tied 36th; Driving Distance, with a median of 299 yards for equal 26th; and Fairways in Regulation, with his 65% placing him in a share of 15th of the players making the cut.

However, the one category that really stood out, and a direct consequence of constantly getting up-and-down, was Fewest Bogies – which he topped with three. Teeing off in round four, the man from Queenstown had not made a bogey in 105 holes, not since his third hole in the second round of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, his last Asian Tour event.

Campbell was 100% in Sand Saves making three in the final round. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He was just a nine-hole stretch away from tying Korean LPGA star Jinyoung Ko’s incredible run of 114 holes in 2019 for the professional world record. And he was also close to American Tiger Woods clean sheet of 110 holes in his banner season of 2000, when he won three Majors and 10 events in total.

Bogies on the opening two holes and another on 12, quickly put paid to any records being matched or broken but it was still a brilliant performance by a golfer clearly entering the prime of his career.

Catlin barely put a foot out of place in the first three rounds, leading from the first round until teeing off in the last but like Campbell he also began the last round with two straight bogeys. However, an even par 73 final round while in the lead is not a bad outing under the conditions, and the current International Series Ranking leader should be commended for another fantastic performance for the week.

While Catlin’s stats were slightly better than Campbell’s pretty much across the board – Fairways in Regulation 66.67%, GIR 72.22%, Putts in GIR 1.67, Driving Distance 301.8 yards – making six bogies versus Campbells three proved to be the deciding factor in an exciting and extremely close fought battle.

Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series Morocco (of players making the cut):

• Average Putts per Round – Charlie Lindh (SWE), Phachara Khongwatmai (THA): 26.5
• Putts per GIR – Charlie Lindh (SWE): 1.64
• Greens in Regulation – Taichi Kho (HKG): 86.11%
• Fairways in Regulation – Junghwan Lee (KOR): 78.33%
• Driving Distance – Eugenio Chacarra (ESP): 331.60 yards
• Most Eagles – Yurav Premlall (RSA): 3
• Most Birdies – Jeunghun Wang (KOR): 22
• Fewest Bogies – Ben Campbell (NZL): 3
• Scrambling – Ben Campbell (NZL): 91.30%