International Series offers important platform for players on Asian Tour and LIV Golf
Asian Tour CEO and commissioner Cho Minn Thant has underlined the importance of the new LIV Golf-partnered International Series, explaining the many benefits of the ‘player-centric’ flagship series of elevated marquee events.
The International Series events are played in strategically selected venues around the world, with stops on the 2022 Asian Tour so far in Thailand, England, Singapore and Korea, with two new North African destinations, in Morocco and Egypt, announced on Sunday.
Speaking on the sidelines of last week’s US $1.5m International Series Korea, where victory went to Taehoon Ok at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club Jeju, he said: “The International Series is beneficial to the Asian Tour for a number of reasons. First, we get eight new tournaments this season and moving forward it will be at least 10 next year.
“These events are very player centric, and all about the player experience. We take care of the player accommodation, F&B, activities and even services such as a barber shop and players recreation area in the locker room. We go the extra mile to take care of the players and from that perspective I hope they are happy with it.
Taehoon Ok of Korea celebrates on the 18th green on Sunday August 21, 2022, during round four of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“From the LIV Golf perspective, our association means we are a platform that LIV Golf can use for players to progress to the LIV Golf Invitationals this year and the LIV Golf League in future, so it acts as a feeder into their series.
“Also, the LIV Golf Invitationals is eight events this year and the LIV Golf League will be 14 next year. Outside of these, professional golfers need to play to fill out their schedule and hopefully the International Series is an option for them to come and play outside the LIV Golf events, to keep sharp and come and play competitively.”
A number of LIV regulars such as Patrick Reed, Chase Keopka, Peter Uihlein, Andy Ogletree, and Turk Pettit have already chosen to take part in International Series events. Asian Tour members Wade Ormsby, Sihwan Kim, Sadom Kaekwanjana, Scott Vincent, Travis Smyth, Viraj Madappa, Kevin Yuan, Justin Harding and Phachara Khongwatmai have likewise experienced LIV’s new 54-hole format through good performances in the series.
Cho played down any concerns that his members might have about potential ineligibility for PGA Tour events through their participation in the series, because of its association with LIV Golf.
“There are some players who are concerned about playing International Series events and becoming ineligible for PGA Tour. That’s not the case – we have clarified this with the PGA Tour that the restriction is not in play.
“The International Series is fully sanctioned by the Asian Tour. It forms part of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and there are several players who have played on the International Series who are playing on the PGA Tour, Korean Joohyung Kim (Recent winner of the Wyndham Championship on PGA Tour) being a prime example.”
The high-profile International Series tournaments are underwritten and promoted by LIV Golf, with commercial sponsorship a major focus moving forward for the team at the Asian Tour. Cho explained: “We are extremely grateful to LIV Golf for their support. Ultimately, the goal is for corporate sponsors to sustain the tournaments themselves and for LIV to revert to being a promoter at these events.
“Each International Series event will have the ‘presenting partner’ position available, and the focus next year will include sponsor activations and engaging more spectators to attend events.”
Cho also explained how the Asian Tour has already supported LIV Golf in their bid to secure world ranking points.
He said: “LIV Golf are applying for world ranking points independently, but the process requires a nomination by one of the full-member Tours.
“As a good partner, it was our responsibility to help LIV Golf submit their bid for world ranking points and that is underway now – the Asian Tour has nominated them, and they are providing technical information that will support their application with the intention of getting world ranking points next year.”
While the landmark partnership is incredibly important to the Asian Tour, pragmatic Cho views it as one of many options for Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour members.
He explained: “Our mandate is to provide a pathway for our members to further their careers. We now provide our members with the opportunity to play LIV Golf events but we also support members like Joohyung Kim who choose the PGA Tour path. We have many members who are dual members of other Tours and play in Japan, Europe or Australia, we don’t have a problem at all.”
“For the longest time the Asian Tour has been a path to Europe, but we are hoping with new tournaments and more sponsors and with bigger prizemoney, our top players will stay and play in Asia rather than having to go to Europe.”
The International Series Korea was the fourth International Series event of the season so far on the Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour’s ground-breaking International Series gathers further momentum with two more tournaments added to the schedule, in two of the most exciting and exotic destinations it has ever visited, Morocco and Egypt.
The Tour will first travel to the International Series Morocco, to be played at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in Rabat, from November 3-6, before going on to the International Series Egypt the following week, at Madinaty Golf Club, in Cairo, from November 10-13.
Both events will boast prize money of US$1.5 million and play a key role in determining the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, as well as the International Series money list winner.
The Asian Tour season is due to be completed in the month of December with several additional events to be announced in due course.
“This has been an unprecedented season and we are delighted to be able to announce exciting news about the Asian Tour’s first visit to North Africa,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, Asian Tour.
“The International Series Morocco and International Series Egypt are two spectacular additions to our schedule that will provide our members with a unique opportunity to compete somewhere new while allowing the Tour to broaden its reach.”
The two destinations have highly contrasting golfing history. Morocco, with its rich golfing pedigree, has been a regular fixture on the global golfing calendar hosting numerous international golfing events over the past two decades. On the other hand, Egypt is a relatively new market for professional golf with the International Series set to be the largest golf event ever staged in the country.
Taehoon Ok of Korea pictured with the winner’s trophy on Sunday at the International Series Korea. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“We are excited to be heading to Morocco, which has illustrious golfing heritage, as well as breaking new ground in Egypt. Outside of golf, these two destinations are undeniably high up on anyone’s travel bucket list with their storied past and spectacular historical sites,” added Cho.
The International Series was launched earlier this year thanks to a new landmark partnership between the Asian Tour and LIV Golf to invigorate the game in Asia and the Middle East.
“LIV Golf’s investment in the Asian Tour through the International Series is already delivering new opportunities for golfers from all over the world. These events are enhancing the player experience, creating pathways for career development and reinforcing golf’s growth on a global scale,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner. “This series of events has received tremendous feedback and it continues to build exciting momentum for our sport’s future.”
This Sunday the Tour saw Taehoon Ok from Korea win the International Series Korea, at Lotte Skyhill Country Club Jeju; which comes a week after Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong was triumphant in the International Series Singapore at Tanah Merah Country Club.
The International Series Thailand kicked off the series in March and was won by American Sihwan Kim at Black Mountain Golf Club. Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent claimed the International Series England in June at Slaley Hall – an event that marked the Tour’s first-ever tournament in the UK.
The additions of two more International Series events means this year’s Asian Tour schedule is on target to offer at least 20 events this season.
Korean Taehoon Ok’s bid to win for the first time in the professional game gathered momentum today when he carded a third-round two-under-par 69 to take the lead in the US$1.5 million International Series Korea.
At 12 under for the Asian Tour event, he leads countrymen Wooyoung Cho, one of the country’s top amateurs, Yoseop Seo and Bio Kim by one shot.
Cho carded a stunning 61, Seo 67 and Kim 70 to set up an enthralling final day at Lotte Skyhill Country Club on Jeju Island.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Pavit Tangkamolprasert are a stroke further back, after rounds of 63 and 67 respectively.
Bio Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
Ok and Kim had started the third day sharing the lead, but it was the former who had the edge for much of the day reaching 14 with two to play and the prospect of a healthy lead.
However, he made bogey on 17 and 18 to give hope to the chasing pack.
“It was a disappointing finish, but I was satisfied with the round,” said Ok.
“Tomorrow’s conditions should be the same so I will take that into account over those two holes. The win is up to the golfing gods tomorrow, but I will do my best.”
Rising star Cho, aged 20, lit up the tournament with the best round of the week made up of four birdies on the front and six on the back, including five birdies in the last six holes.
It’s also the lowest 18-hole score of the season on the Asian Tour, but as preferred lies are being played it could not count officially.
“I didn’t play well the first two days so it’s great to play well today,” said Cho.
Wooyoung Cho. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“My driver is always my best club and today I also managed to get the putter going as well. It’s my best round in a tournament but not my best-ever round, I shot 12 under once in a tournament in Thailand.”
He won the Korean Amateur Championship in 2020, was third in last year’s Asian Pacific Amateur Championship and was ranked the country’s top amateur ahead of the Asian Games, before it was postponed this year in China because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added: “Playing a pro event, is just a different level and I know that I will really have to concentrate tomorrow. Today was good but tomorrow I have to win.”
Bio’s attempt to win for the third time this year in Korea, one of those being in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open on the Asian Tour, remained on course despite not breaking 70 for the first time this week.
He said: “Nothing seemed to go my way today, but I tried to stay patient and capitalise on the chances I had. I did that pretty well but unfortunately on 17 I had a half-plugged lie and got up and down for bogey; I think I managed myself pretty good there.
“I am a couple of shots back, but you never know, it’s golf, keep going to the end. We will see how it goes. Hopefully I can do a little better at everything tomorrow.”
Phachara once again putting himself in contention at the weekend – he was joint second in last week’s International Series Singapore and solo second at the International Series Thailand in March – with a phenomenal eight birdie bogey-free round.
“This year I think my game plan is great, better than last year, and I’ve tried to make my body stronger. Right now I know what I want to do, so my golf is more confident,” said Phachara.
Phachara Khongwatmai. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think the key is from when I was in Japan with Prom Meesawat, we were together one month in Japan and on the courses in Japan you must have a gameplan. He taught me which shots to play, when to be aggressive and when to play safer. I learned a lot from him, he gave me a lot and made me better.”
American Trevor Simsby, winner of the Malaysian Open in 2020 just before the pandemic shut down the Asian Tour for close two years, returned a 68 and is three off the lead.
Canadian golfer Richard T. Lee swapped the greens for the deep blue of the ocean as he enjoyed a rare Jeju Island experience: a dive with the Haenyeo, the famous sea women of Jeju, ahead of his tilt for glory in the International Series Korea.
The ladies, some older than 70, free dive to depths of up to 10 metres for minutes at a time to collect seaweed, shellfish and other seafood, in a tradition that has been part of island life since the 17th century.
Lee, who finished runner-up last week to Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong at the International Series Singapore, joined them, diving deep into the ocean depths and even coming up with his own catch of abalone, a form of marine snail and one of the island’s famed sea urchin delicacies.
He said: “That was amazing. I have tried snorkelling in Thailand a few times but that was a completely unique experience out there with the aunties, the Haenyeo.
“The ladies, some of them 70-years-old, can hold their breath for up to three minutes underwater and it is unbelievable that they can catch those sea urchins and octopus down there. The current is pretty strong. It was a real pleasure to be here with them, a lot of fun.”
Richard T. Lee of Canada pictured diving with local divers at sea on Tuesday August 16, 2022, ahead of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club is the fourth International Series event of the year, following tournaments in Thailand, England and Singapore.
Reflecting on his experience in the Asian Tour’s marquee International Series events so far, Lee added: “It feels like the players are playing better in these events. The purses have gone up, the courses are in mint conditions and the tournaments are run very well – the players seem comfortable in this atmosphere, they are great tournaments to play in.
“To have the opportunity to play with the best in the world, and to play for the bigger money is a great experience for everyone on the Asian Tour.”
Koreans Bio Kim and Taehoon Ok shot blistering second-round scores of eight-under-par 63 and 64 respectively to take the lead at the US$1.5million International Series Korea today.
They moved to 10 under for the Asian Tour event, which is being played at Lotte Skyhill Country Club – on Jeju Island, Korea’s popular holiday destination.
Hanbyeol Kim from Korea fired a 66 and is two shots back, while his compatriot Yoseop Seo returned the same score and is one stroke further adrift.
Bio made nine birdies and dropped just one shot to put himself in the perfect position to win his second Asian Tour event at the weekend, having been triumphant in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, also in Korea, in May.
Taehoon Ok. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Said the 31 year old: “It is really great having my family here, we are having fun here. It’s a family trip which allows me to get away from golf a bit. I think I was thinking too much the past month, it shows I should do that a little more often.”
Starting on the back nine he quickly found his range with birdies on 11, 13, 15 and 16 before making a bogey on 18: that little hiccup only prompted him to pick up the pace and he made birdies on one, two, four, six and seven.
“My tee shot was a lot better and also my iron game, and obviously I made putts and at the end of the day I made nine birdies. I made a mistake on 18, my ninth today, but I played solid,” he added.
Ok is looking to win for the first time as a professional and made eight birdies and a solitary bogey.
“I struggled a bit on the second half but hung in there,” said Ok.
“I really want to win on the Asian Tour and take my game forward and help my dream of getting onto the PGA Tour. I’m not good enough yet. Plan is to make a success in Korea first and really challenge myself.”
He came close to winning the Kolon Korea Open this year and was tied for the lead after the third round but carded a disappointing 75 on the final day and finished joint sixth place.
Hanbyeol Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ok also a tied fifth in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open to suggest a win this year is not far away.
He added: “It was heart breaking what happened at the Korea Open but I gained a lot of experience.”
Korean Taeho Kim (66), India’s Veer Ahlawat (66) American Trevor Simsby (69), South Africans Justin Harding (70) and Ian Snyman (70), and first-round leader Pavit Tangkamolprasert from Thailand (73) are six under for the tournament; while India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, who won the Mandiri Indonesia Open for a record third time this month, returned a 65 and is five behind the leader, along with five other players.
Pavit stole the show on day one with a 63 and although he was 10 shots worse today he was still happy with his round.
“I actually played quite good today,” said the two-time Asian Tour winner.
“It was a little bit windy, and my putt was not that good, I mean I putted good, but they didn’t drop. I did not think about my score yesterday because I did not want to put pressure on myself.”
He was looking good for much of the round, and having started on 10 he made the turn in one under but surprisingly dropped shots on six, seven and eight.
He said: “I just missed the greens and my chipping and putting didn’t save me, couldn’t get up and down.”
Simsby, who has the distinction of being the last player to win on the Asian Tour, at the Malaysian Open, before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped play for nearly two years, has only made it through to the weekend twice this season in seven starts but is well on his way to make amends for that this week.
“It’s been very solid from tee to green. I’ve had a lot of birdie chances so it definitely could have been a little bit lower. I feel like I’m in a good spot, I’m starting to trust my swing and yardages, distance control has been really good. And staying out of the rough,” he said.
Pavit Tangakamolprasert. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s definitely a plotting golf course with a few kind of tougher tee shots. I feel like I’ve been strategizing well, and if I can just get a few more putts to drop I think we’ll be close on the weekend.”
Bhullar, whose win in Indonesia took his tally of Asian Tour titles to 10, finished off his round with a stunning eagle on the par-four nine, having started on the back nine.
“It was a nice round, four birdies and a lovely eagle on the last,” said Bhullar.
“I started off really well actually, yesterday I shot plus one, but I hit the ball really well. I knew that I’ve been hitting the ball well, it’s just a matter of time when the putts started falling.
“Today I started with a birdie and also made birdie on 13 and 18. And the way I finished the last hole, I hit a driver and had about 179 yards with slight downwind and I hit an eight iron and it went in the hole. We saw it but I was not too sure whether it was in the hole or on the other side of the slope. But yeah, that was definitely one of the best swings.”
Brazilian Adilson Da Silva produced a crack shot of his own, making an ace on the 209-yard par three eighth using a five iron. He carded a 70 and is one over.
Gaganjeet Bhullar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The stars of golf’s Asian Tour have touched down in Jeju ahead of this week’s International Series Korea.
And for two of the tournament’s biggest names, the first stop was a visit to sample one of the country’s tastiest dishes, Korean BBQ – guided by local hero golfer, Bio Kim!
Kim treated American Chase Koepka and Travis Smyth of Australia to the full BBQ experience at a restaurant near Lotte SkyHill Country Club, host course of the $1.5million prize-fund event, which starts tomorrow.
The trio tucked into a range of different meats, all under Kim’s expert guidance, falling in love with the kimchi-packed flavour of the South Korean foodie favourite.
JEJU ISLAND-KOREA-L-R – Chase Koepka of the USA, Bio Kim of Korea and Travis Smyth of Australia pictured enjoying a local Korean BBQ on Tuesday August 16, 2022, ahead of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“That was maybe the best thing I have ever eaten,” said Koepka, LIV Golf star and brother of four-time major-winner Brooks. “I could eat this every day this week.”
“Let’s hope we can come back here for a celebratory meal on Sunday,” added the 28-year-old.
The International Series Korea begins at Lotte SkyHill Country Club, Jeju, on Thursday, running through until Sunday.
Korea’s Bio Kim says he has set himself the goal of finishing top of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and the Korean PGA Tour ranking this season – with this week’s International Series Korea playing an important part in his ambitious plans.
And his bid for the unique double will be helped by the fact this week’s event is being played on Jeju Island – Korea’s famous holiday destination, where he has enjoyed success before.
He won the SK Telecom Open on the Korean PGA Tour in June on Jeju Island and although this week’s US$1.5 million event, which tees-off tomorrow, is being played at a different venue, Lotte Skyhill Country Club, he has high hopes for the week.
“It’s going to be a great week on Jeju Island and hopefully, I will have a good result,” said the Korean.
“I have really good memories of being here in Jeju over the past few years. Of course, I won here recently, and this week is great because I am spending a lot of time with my family, which normally we can’t do as we are on the road.”
JEJU ISLAND-KOREA- L-R – Bio Kim of Korea, Nitihorn Thippong of Thailand, and Chase Koepka of the USA pictured on Thursday August 18, 2022, during a press conference ahead of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kim is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career having also won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May, which was his maiden win on the Asian Tour. He is currently in third place on the Asian Tour Merit list and fourth on Korea’s ranking.
He adds: “I do want to win both money lists although before that I really want to improve my GIR [Greens in Regulation] stats, on both Tours. We will see how it goes for the rest of the year. We just have a lot of tournaments ahead. I just have to keep my head down, do my own thing and hope to see some results.”
He has actually finished top of the Korean ranking once before, in 2010, a year after he turned professional. That early success prompted him to head to the PGA Tour qualifying school at the end of 2010 where he hit the headlines by making it through at the tender age of 20. He lost his playing privileges there a year later before deciding to mainly focus on playing in Korea.
The 31 year old says much of his success has been built on a constant desire to continually improve.
He said: “Honestly speaking, I do get nervous and feel the pressure but that’s because I want to play better and better every week and improve myself. I do put a lot of pressure on myself.”
Over the past month he has been working with Korean golf coach Gyutae Kim, who has also coached PGA Tour star and compatriot Sungjae Im.
“I have had some issues with my putting the last month or so. I haven’t been making the putts that I am supposed to, but I am slowly climbing up the mountain. Hoping to see some good results this week,” he said.
“I have been having little pushy misses with my short ones. The clubface is a little open which I have been trying to figure out with my coach Gyutae Kim, here in Korea. We have just been working on my shoulder patterns, it’s been too roundy. Started just after I played Scottish Open. But I am really looking forward to this week and I feel like things are getting a lot better.”
Jeunghun Wang, who grabbed international headlines several seasons ago with three fine victories on the DP World Tour, is back on Tour having just returned from 18-months of National Service and it looks like the break has not affected the progress of one of Korea’s most exciting young golfers.
Wang, 26 years old, competed in the International Series Singapore last week and finished in 22nd position – a credible performance considering it was the first event he had competed in since October 2020 – and lines up in this week’s International Series Korea, being played at Lotte Skyhill Country Club, on Jeju Island.
“It’s really exciting to be playing again, and I think I’m playing okay,” said Wang.
“I’m really enjoying playing right now and I’m looking forward to playing this week in Jeju. I know the course so I think I can play better than last week.”
He shot rounds of 70, 67, 69, and 73 to finish nine under at Tanah Merah Country Club, seven behind the winner, Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong.
“I didn’t have any chance to practice any golf during this time [during National Service]. Actually, I thought I was going to play really bad last week in Singapore, but I’m still playing ok so I feel happy about that, and hopefully I can play well this week.”
Jeunghun Wang. Picture by Tharm Sook Wai/Asian Tour.
It was in May of 2016 that he claimed the Trophee Hassan II, before he won the following week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, an event sanctioned by Asia, Europe and South Africa; and the following year he triumphed in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. At one point he rose as high as 39th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“Actually, until the third-round last week I was really happy about it, but I hit it really bad on Sunday, so I was a bit disappointed,” he said.
This week he has the advantage of having played at Lotte Skyhill before.
He added: “I know the course so I think I can play better in Jeju, than in Singapore, but I haven’t played any tournaments on the course, just practiced.”
National Service is mandatory for Korean men, and while it might take some time to get his A game back, he is still positive about the experience:
“It was a good experience, but it was too long. No freedom, so yeah, that’s the hard thing. Just shooting guns every day, training every day,” he said.
After this week’s event Wang is looking forward to playing in a few Korean events, but a return to the DP World Tour will have to wait until next season.
“No, I can’t play Europe this year, not until next year. I will probably play two more events in Korea and then I’m just gonna practice some more, I just need to practice now,” added Wang.
Jeungjun Wang (right). Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Wang made his first appearance on the Asian Tour at the 2011 ICTSI Philippine Open as a 15-year-old amateur and secured his Tour card at the 2013 Q-School.
Remarkably, he was a sponsor invite to the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco, which he won in a sudden-death playoff against Nacho Elvira of Spain.
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