Red-hot Puig closes in on maiden title at International Series Singapore
David Puig impressively remained on course to win his first title as a professional when he carded a third-round six-under-par 66 for a gaping nine-shot lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).
The Spaniard dominated The International Series event for the third successive day, reaching 20 under, with Korean Jaewoong Eom leading the chasing pack after shooting a 69.
Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned a 68, and Australian Jack Thompson a 69, to sit in a tie for third, one shot back – on another incredibly hot and humid day on TMCC’s magnificent Tampines Course.
Puig’s 64 on day one gave him a three-shot lead, and after a 66 yesterday he moved six in front before more big drives, precision iron play and a hot putter today saw him extend the gap.
SINGAPORE: Jaewoong Eom of Korea pictured during Round Three of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Saturday October 7, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The 21-year-old, who also plays on the LIV Golf League, attacked the front nine with three birdies and an eagle to take a firm grip of the event before eight successive pars on the back was fittingly capped off with a birdie on the par-five 18th.
Said the richly talented golfer: “Yeah played very good again, hit a lot of fairways and greens and made some putts on the front nine. I think I missed some on the back but overall played very good, very steady and pretty happy.”
His 54-hole score is the lowest of the season on the Asian Tour, while he also has the biggest three-round lead of the year.
Despite his exceptional performance he did admit he still has concerns.
“You know, I always get frustrated. It doesn’t matter if I’m leading like this week or if I’m playing pretty bad, I always get frustrated because I always want to make the best score I can,” he said.
“But again, I know I was hitting good putts, they dropped in the front nine and they didn’t on the back, so I think it was pretty average overall. But again, very happy with the way I’m playing, and it was good to finish with a birdie on 18.”
Puig is expected to see it through tomorrow and banish the memories of recent missed opportunities, when he dropped shots at crucial stages.
He led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and this year he shared the lead at the half-way mark of the International Series England in August, eventually finishing fourth. The following week he had a three-shot lead after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship but ended in a tie for 14th. And last month he was the first-round leader in the Shinhan Donghae Open, before coming home in equal 11th place.
He also hasn’t missed the cut in his nine starts on the Asian Tour, since turning professional just over a year ago.
Little is known of Eom, although he excelled in the New Zealand Open this year, finishing in a tie for second and will at the very least look to repeat that tomorrow.
“I couldn’t make as many putts as I did yesterday,” he said.
“I gave myself a lot of opportunities but couldn’t make most of them. That’s the key difference compared to yesterday. I managed to save pars on two holes after hitting wayward drives. Nice to stay bogey-free for two rounds.
Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand pictured during Round Three of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Saturday October 7, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Puig played very well and he is too far ahead. It will be tough to catch him tomorrow. But I learned a lot from watching how he played today. I will just play my game tomorrow and try to finish the best I can.”
While his English is limited, he does surprisingly speak Mandarin fluently having lived in Qingdao, China, for a couple of years when he was a teenager and went to high school and college there.
American Andy Ogletree – leader of both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits – came in with 68, while Koreans Seungtaek Lee and Yongjun Bae plus Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho carded 69s and are in a tie for fifth but a whopping 11 shots behind the runaway leader Puig.
Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand fired a 73 and is one under, in a tie for 55th.
Singapore’s next generation of golfing talent were given an insight into the skills needed to make it to the top of the game, at a special masterclass delivered by Graeme McDowell, one of the LIV Golf League superstars playing at International Series Singapore this week.
The 2010 US Open champion spent time with 15 talented youngsters on the Singapore Golf Association’s SGA Futures programme, delivering tips on technique and attitude at the Tanah Merah Country Club’s driving range on Friday, day two of the US$2million event which is one of 10 marquee events on the Asian Tour season.
McDowell, who triumphed at Pebble Beach in 2010 to become the first European in 40 years to win the US Open, said: “It is fun, but of course it’s important for us as pro golfers to take this stuff seriously.
“We always talk about coming to Asia and parts of the world where golf is obviously still a developing sport. It’s great to see the next generation out here playing the game and looking to improve,” added McDowell who plays on the Cleeks GC in the LIV Golf League.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland conducts a golf clinic for Singapore Golf Association children at the driving range at the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Despite having star billing, the 44-year-old Northern Irishman struggled for form in the International Series Singapore, and ultimately missed the cut after carding scores of 74 and 75 on the challenging Tampines Course at TMCC.
He said: “You are always hoping that you are inspiring the next generation – not inspiring this week with a 74 and 75 from me! It’s probably one of the most educated bunch of young kids that I have ever done a clinic for but it’s great for me to think through the mechanics and some of the things I forget a little bit as well.
“It’s cool, a lot of fun getting to spend some time with them. We always talk about growing the game but sometimes we don’t do enough to help and grow the game but it’s a nice opportunity to do this today.
“My little boy and my little girl are seven and nine years old, and they’re on a very similar program to this one. It’s great.”
David Puig took a stranglehold of the US$2 million International Series Singapore today after carding a second-round six-under-par 66 today to take the lead on 14-under.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has a commanding six-stroke lead over Korean Jaewoong Eom, who returned a 67 – in the seventh International Series event of the season.
Australian Jack Thompson, this year’s Qualifying School winner, shot a 68 and is a further shot behind, while Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (67) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (69s) are in group of nine players tied for fourth, another stroke back.
Puig has been knocking on the door of a first Asian Tour victory since turning professional just over a year ago and looks like having his best chance this week.
He started the day with a three-shot lead after a sublime 64 yesterday and boarded the birdie train again today making light work of the formidable Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Jaewoong Eom of Korea pictured during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He started on 10 with a bogey but bounced back with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 and swept through the second half with four more birdies, including on the last, and one dropped shot.
“Two awesome days. Played very good,” said Puig, pronounced ‘P-w-ee-g’.
“I think I even played better today than I did yesterday. You know, it was pretty hot at the end, and I had a couple bad shots on holes seven and eight to finish, but overall, very happy.”
This is not the first time he has been out in front on the Asian Tour: he led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and he had a three-shot margin after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship in August but ended in a tie for fourth.
About those performances he said: “It’s experience you know, and kind of learning from the past. I mean, I think I already learned a lot in this last month, on seven for example, or eighth, I hit a couple bad shots and instead of trying to be a hero and try to even make birdie or par, where sometimes you make like six or seven, I played steady and had two fives. I knew I was going to get two fives, but you know, I think I’m ready.”
He has also been competing full-time on the LIV Golf League playing for Torque GC – the dominant team this season, having won four times. His best finish individually came in Chicago in August when he was fourth and next week he heads to LIV Golf Jeddah.
L-R – Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Taichi Kho of Hong Kong pictured together on the 18th green during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
His six-shot advantage is still some way short of the Asian Tour’s record after two rounds. England’s Lee Westwood holds that as he had an 11-stroke lead at the 2011 Thailand Golf Championship.
Eom, who shone in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year when he finished in a tie for second, made five birdies and was one of the few players to go bogey free.
“I think everything was good today, from tee shots to iron-play to putting,” said the Korean, who as well as being a fine golfer, also speaks Mandarin fluently.
“Everything was good, and I am pleased with the way I played. This is actually my first time in Singapore. The golf course looks great and the greens are in good conditions. It was really hot out there. That’s the toughest part. I’m not used to playing in this heat. We never get this in Korea.”
Kho is clearly still on a high after claiming the gold medal at the Asian Games last week in China and shot up the leaderboard making six birdies before dropping his only shot of the day on the last.
He said: “I felt like I had some issues with strategy and bit of focus yesterday, but I was able to clean that up really nicely, so I was able to attack the golf course like I thought I could. And overall, a really good day.”
The 22-year-old made history in March by becoming the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event after he recorded a hugely popular and significant victory at the inaugural World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.
“I think I have a mixture of confidence and a little bit of fatigue, but I feel like it almost works to my advantage because I’m just out here playing golf,” said Kho, who finished 27 under at the Asian Games.
“And that’s all it really feels like, there’s no added pressure or anything like that. So, yeah, overall, I’m just trying to play golf and just try to get a little bit better this week. But other than that, there’s a lot of confidence from my ability to go low from the previous week, and hopefully that can help me this week and in the future as well.”
Bernd Wiesberger of Austria pictured during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
One shot further back are a group of players that includes American Andy Ogletree (71), the runaway leader on both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits (OOM), and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (70), last year’s International Series OOM champion, which earned him a place on this year’s LIV Golf League.
October is known worldwide as the month of Breast Cancer Awareness, and The International Series is joining the fight against the disease, with a US$25,000 contribution to the Singapore Cancer Society, made at the International Series Singapore.
Singapore Cancer Society Commissioner & CEO Albert Ching received the cheque from Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, and Cho Minn Thant, the CEO & Commissioner of the Asian Tour ahead of the tournament at Tanah Merah Country Club.
The Singapore Cancer Society has also laid on a special awareness activation, running from 11am to 4pm from Friday to Sunday, where a limited number of free Faecal Immunochemical Test kits (FIT kits), a vital preliminary test for colorectal cancer, will be distributed to Singaporean spectators aged 50 and above while stocks last.
Special educational games and brochures will also be available at the stand which is located at the Tanah Merah Country Club spectator pick up and drop off spot.
Richard Bland wearing a breast cancer awareness ribbon. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The activation will also feature complimentary health tests – including blood pressure, BMI and cholesterol – conducted by medical professionals in partnership with the Hope Ambulance, for spectators from 11am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday only.
To raise further awareness about the disease and to show support for those affected by Breast Cancer, players donned pink ribbons, provided by the Singapore Cancer Society, on their caps or clothing during day one of the tournament.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “We have an ongoing commitment to the communities that host our International Series events, and it is vital that we use our platform to support these societies.
“In this instance, we are raising awareness about cancer to encourage positive change in health and wellbeing in Singapore, the home and heartland of the Asian Tour.”
Albert Ching, CEO of Singapore Cancer Society, added: “Cancer is the leading cause of death in Singapore and that is why the Singapore Cancer Society must step up to support society here by minimising cancer and maximising lives.
“Support like this from The International Series is crucial – in terms of supporting the cancer community and also in helping our work as we reach out to the wider community and general public at large to educate them about cancer awareness so they can also play their part in this important fight to minimise the disease.”
The International Series Singapore, one of the Asian Tour’s series of marquee events, runs from 5-8 October.
Organisers of the widely acclaimed Yeangder TPC – impressively won by Thailand’s Poom Saksansin two weeks ago – have announced that the prize money for next year’s tournament will be increased to US$1million, which elevates it to the joint-richest golf event in the country.
This marks the third successive time the purse has been increased. The tournament returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2022, having been played solely as an event on the domestic circuit for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a prize purse of US$700,000 which was a significant rise from the previous purse of US$500,000 in 2019. This season it was upped again to US$750,000.
“Our thanks go to the Yeangder Group and its Chairman Emmet Hsu for once again elevating the prize money for what is one of the Asian Tour’s key tournaments. Not only have we seen an elevation in the purse in recent years, but we’ve also seen a considerable effort made towards improving playing conditions at the host venue. The conditions this year were the best we have ever seen.” said Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and CEO.
“This means the Yeangder TPC will continue to play a decisive role in determining our Merit champion and final overall finishing places on the list.
Poom Saksansin of Thailand pictured with the winner’s trophy during Round Four, Sunday September 24, 2023 at the Yeangder TPC, Linkou International Golf and Country Club. The US$ 750.000 Asian Tour event is staged from September 21-24, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Chinese Taipei has long been one of the Asian Tour’s biggest supporters, through events like the Yeangder TPC and its many great players – past, present and future.”
Poom was triumphant over Australian Travis Smyth, the defending champion, by three shots this year at Linkou International Golf and Country Club, the tournament’s permanent home since its launch in 2010.
He closed with a brilliant six-under-par 66 to finish on 24-under for his first Asian Tour title in five years and earned a cheque for US$135,000.
The inaugural Yeangder TPC was won by Thai great Thaworn Wiratchant. He triumphed again in 2013 and remains the only player to date to have his name etched on the trophy twice.
The event boasts an impressive list of international winners with the victories of Thai Prom Meesawat (2014) and Spaniard Carlos Pigem (2016) were notable for the fact that they were achieved after play-offs, while Lu Wei-chih (2011) is the only local player to have savoured success in the event when it has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar’s four-stroke success in 2012 remains the largest winning margin in the event’s history.
Also on the Yeangder TPC roll of honour are South African Shaun Norris (2015), Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu (2017), American John Catlin (2018) and Korean Yikeun Chang (2019).
Main photo: (L-R) Bryant Hsu, Vice President of Yeangder Group and his father Emmet Hsu, Chairman of Yeangder Group.
David Puig, consistently on point since joining the Asian Tour last year with six top-15 finishes in just nine starts, once again shot a low-number today to take the opening-round lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore.
The Arizona-based Spaniard shot a scorching bogey-free eight-under-par 64, on the intimidating Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club on a hot and humid day.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Thais Rattanon Wannasrichan and Itthipat Buranatanyarat returned 67s – in the seventh International Series event this season.
Puig is due a win on the Asian Tour having consistently been in the running since turning professional in September last year, including in his last three appearances: he tied for fourth in the International Series England, ended equal 14th in the St Andrew Bay Championship, and came home in a tie for 11th in last month’s Shinhan Donghae Open, on each occasion threatening to win.
And he made the perfect start today with three birdies on the front side, and five on the back, including three in the last four.
Chang Wei-lun of Chinese Taipei pictured during Round One of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Thursday October 5, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Tough course, tough conditions,” said the 21-year-old, who plays for Torque GC – the dominant team on the LIV Golf League this season having won four times.
“It is true that some holes were a little shorter today, but still a tough course, firm greens. I hit it very good, and I think the front nine I played very good. I putted three times for eagle, and shot three under with 17 putts, I missed one green. On the back nine I played solid as well, I hit good shots, and made more putts, so yes very happy.
“I have been hitting it pretty good off the tee this year and this is a long course and there are some holes where you need to be accurate and precise but there are others where they kind of open and with my distance I have a little bit of an advantage to that.”
In his very first event on the Asian Tour last year, the International Series Morocco he came home in third having been the overnight leader, and that set the tone for a consistent run of high-quality golf.
He added: “I have played good these past couple of months. I have had a lot of good rounds and couldn’t get it done in all of these tournaments, but you know I keep learning. I know I am a good player and that’s why I am here and why I play on LIV, I know that, and also the scores tell that. I practice hard and I think I am doing all the things right, with my team as well.”
Chang is in-form at the moment – he tied for fifth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week – despite carrying an injury.
“I injured my right ankle last week,” said Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, at the Charming Yeangder event.
“I am not limping, but I felt uncomfortable through the round today. I hurt my ankle during the third-round last week, and I just played through it on the final day.
“Didn’t think much of it and I played well to get a top-five finish on Sunday. That gave me a lot of confidence coming to this week. I brought the injury into this week but it’s my third time playing here now so I am familiar with the course. Just play shot by shot. My ankle’s injured and I can’t do much about it. So just play the best I can.”
He began on hole 10 and turned in two under thanks to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.
He added: “Those back-to-back birdies there got me going. The course is in great condition, as always. There is nothing I can nitpick about the course.”
He dropped a shot on the second, but rallied with gains on three, five, eight and nine.
SINGAPORE: Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand pictured during Round One of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Thursday October 5, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and International Series OOM leader Andy Ogletree from the United States came in with a 68, along with Japan’s Tomoharu Otsuki, Koreans Bio Kim, Meenwhee Kim and Taehee Lee, New Zealander Ben Campbell, and Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai.
Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand returned a 71, as did former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho – winner of the individual gold medal at the Asian Games last week.
Jaco Ahlers, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, fired a 72, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell signed for a 74.
Singapore amateur Ryan Ang finished the day as the leading local player after carding a 70. Ang was the joint leading Singaporean in last week’s Asian Games, along with James Leow, in a tie for 12th. Leow shot even par today.
Injured but in-form Chang Wei-lun carded a five-under-par 67 for the clubhouse lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore today, at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).
Japan’s Tomoharu Otsuki, Koreans Bio Kim and Taehee Lee, New Zealander Ben Campbell, and Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned 68s, after the morning session was completed.
Chang got the better of TMCC’s challenging Tampines Course and overcame the heat and humidity with a strong display that saw him nail six birdies, including on his last two holes, and drop just one shot – in an event that is part of The International Series.
SINGAPORE: Chang Wei-lun of Chinese Taipei pictured during Round One of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Thursday October 5, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Chinese-Taipei golfer tied for fifth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week for one of his best finishes on the Asian Tour, despite an injured limb.
“I injured my right ankle last week,” said Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, at the Charming Yeangder event.
“I am not limping, but I felt uncomfortable through the round today. I hurt my ankle during the third-round last week, and I just played through it on the final day.
“Didn’t think much of it and I played well to get a top-five finish on Sunday. That gave me a lot of confidence coming to this week. I brought the injury into this week but it’s my third time playing here now so I am familiar with the course. Just play shot by shot. My ankle’s injured and I can’t do much about it. So just play the best I can.”
He began on hole 10 and turned in two under thanks to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.
He added: “Those back-to-back birdies there got me going. The course is in great condition, as always. There is nothing I can nitpick about the course.”
He dropped a shot on the second, but rallied with gains on three, five, before his impressive finish.
Tomoharu Otsuki of Japan pictured during Round One of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Thursday October 5, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Otsuki, who won the Panasonic Open Golf Championship on the Japan Golf Tour two weeks ago, said: “Hit it close to the pin on the second nine, and I was able to make some birdies, so I got off to a good start. The putter was working well.
“The greens are very undulating, making it difficult if your approach is on the wrong side of the hole. There was no wind today, but this course will become difficult when the wind blows, so we’ll see how it goes for the weekend.”
If Graeme McDowell is in need of inspiration ahead of this week’s US$2million International Series Singapore, then that will surely come from one of the events he made his name in, the Ryder Cup – which came to such a thrilling conclusion in Rome last Sunday.
The Northern Irishman helped Europe win three out of the four Ryder Cups he played in – he was also unbeaten in the singles matches, and vice-captain in 2018 and 2021 – and on the eve of this week’s tournament, which is being played on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club and is part of The International Series, he was in buoyant mood after Europe regained the biennial competition.
“Great victory and congrats to Luke and the whole team,” said McDowell, who holed the winning putt for Europe in 2010 – arguably his greatest year, as he also joined golf’s elite, when he became only the second European to win the U.S. Open in 85 years.
“They played phenomenal, that looked like a lot of fun. I missed a couple of hours of the early sessions, just during the time zones I was in. I really enjoyed it, it was the first time I have watched the Ryder Cup on TV, in a very, very long time. It is one of my favorite events that I have competed in. It is pretty special, a lot of great memories, a lot of friendships forged.
Graeme McDowell pictured during the Pro-Am event on Wednesday. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I was disappointed not to be there; it was great to cheer the boys on from afar.”
McDowell has been enjoying life playing on the LIV Golf League this and last year but on occasion has also competed on The International Series – the 10-tournament set of elevated events on the Asian Tour, which sees its Order of Merit winner earn a place on LIV Golf’s multi-million dollar circuit.
“As a LIV player I am happy where I am, I think it is a great product, but 14 events is not enough for me so I need more playing opportunities, and I think The International Series serves a lot of purposes,” he added.
“As LIV starts to stabilise its season it gives The International Series the ability to build their schedule around perhaps the LIV schedule and attract more of the best players in the world, which only continues to elevate the Asian Tour.
“I kind of I grew up in this part of the world. I have spent a lot of time here. I have always enjoyed travelling. It grounds you as a player.”
The 44-year-old’s last victory came in the 2020 Saudi International, and he is clearly hungry to get back to winning ways.
Said McDowell: “I am hitting it really well. I feel like my game is trending in the right direction, the last few months. It has been difficult getting any momentum for me on the LIV Golf League. I feel like it is a very competitive Tour, you just can’t afford to have a slow nine holes. I feel like I have struggled to build on my momentum and confidence.
“I am actually playing six in the next seven weeks: here, Jeddah, Miami, China, Hong Kong and Indonesia. I am actually excited to see if I can get a little bit of a head of steam up and to see if I can win some tournaments.”
McDowell later at the press conference. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He has been paired in the first two rounds with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz and South Africa’s Jaco Ahlers, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Kieran Vincent competes in the US$2 million International Series Singapore this week – the event that marked his debut appearance on the Asian Tour last year – saying of the past 12 months: “I can’t dream of anything more”.
The Zimbabwean, brother of Scott Vincent who is now plying his trade with great success on the LIV Golf League and also competing this week, claimed the International Series Vietnam in April for a first win in the play-for-pay ranks, but that has been balanced by his fair share of disappointments.
“It has been a very up and down ride. I have had so many highs – so cool to be able to say now that I am an Asian Tour member, as well as have a win under my belt,” said the 25-year-old from Harare, who played college golf at Liberty University in the US.
“Not only that but I think I have grown as a person as well. I think I have been able to look at the last 12 months and see how much I have grown as a person on the course as well as off the course.
Kieran Vincent, Taichi Kho, defending champion Nitithorn Thippong and Jaco Ahlers pose with the winner’s trophy at the Jewel Changi on Tuesday October 3, 2023, ahead of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course). The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think it has been pretty huge. I am blessed to be out here in Singapore again, and I am excited for the week.”
Low points include failing to progress to the weekend in the events played in Chinese-Taipei over the past two weeks, but Vincent is using that to his advantage.
He said: “I think a lot of people will look and say back-to-back missed cuts is not the best, but I have learned so much and it challenged me. I was able to get a sixth-place finish in Korea recently which was a huge momentum shift. So, a lot of confidence has come over the last few weeks, although it may not look like it. I have just been making small mistakes which have cost me a little bit.”
Vincent tied for 22nd in Singapore last year, when like this week the event was played on the Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club, and on that occasion his older brother said: “He is a great player, I have no doubt he will do something really special with his golf, and whether it is here or whether it is down the road it is going to be really good to see him playing well because he is very capable and we’ll just see how he does coming in.”
Prophetic words by the older brother, as Kieran quickly showed his potential by recording top-10 finishes in International Series events in Morocco and Egypt last year.
And he made it a unique brotherly double on the Asian Tour, when he claimed the International Series Vietnam – just 10 months after Scott won the International Series England.
Kieran holed a decisive 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to beat Anirban Lahiri from India and Australian Kevin Yuan by one stroke.
Has the pressure of that win been a help or a hinderance?
“You want to do well every time you tee if up and Vietnam just gave me that opportunity to show that ‘hey you got this, you can do this’ – but yes I did put way too much pressure on myself,” he said.
“This week is about going out there and having some fun again as a year ago I had barely any status anywhere. So to find myself here with full status for the next couple of years, I can’t dream of anything more.”
Kieran and Scott Vincent at last year’s event. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
His fellow African Jaco Ahlers is also here this week, on the back of his win in last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters – a first on the Asian Tour.
“It has been a bit of whirlwind,” said the South African.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. Got on a plane on Sunday night, came here and walked the course yesterday, my wife arrived last night and is on the bag this week. It will probably sink in this week.”
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