Australian Wade Ormsby defeated Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off today to win the Jakarta International Championship – following one of the closest finishes seen on the Asian Tour this season.

He triumphed after making a routine par on the par-four 18^th, where Vincent found water with his second shot.

Ormsby trailed the frontrunner and playing partner Vincent all day, with a stacked leaderboard meaning the tournament could have been won by a whole host of players.

A crucial eight-footer for par on the 18^th by Ormsby in regulation play forced the event into overtime. Vincent had left the door open when he made a bogey on 16 and missed a six-foot birdie putt on 17.

Both Ormsby and Vincent shot one-under-par 69s to finished tied on 12-under.

Vincent’s brother Kieran (67), and Doyeob Mun (67) from Korea tied for third along with Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert (68), Poom Saksansin (69) and Sadom Kaewkanjana (69), missing the play-off by one shot.

Wade Ormsby is congratulated by Scott Vincent.

Kieran Vincent came agonisingly close to making the play-off but also found water on 18 and made a bogey.

It’s Ormsby’s fifth victory on the Asian Tour and second on The International Series. His last win came at the International Series Thailand in 2023.

The victory also made up for being penalised one shot after his round yesterday when he was judged to have accidentally moved his ball when he addressed it on the fourth. He’s also been enduring a poor season with his best being tied 21^st at the International Series India.

“It was a bit of a grind,” said Ormsby, who hung in there by making nine straight pars on the back nine.

“Probably didn’t have my best stuff out there today, but I was just hanging in there. Feel bad for Scotty, you know, he kind of let a couple slip at the end there. But I hit a couple of great shots in that play-off hole, so that makes me feel better about the whole thing.”

On yesterday’s penalty shot, he said: “It was disappointing, you know, it is what it is. Decided to take a shot and, yeah. Anyway, I did reset last night, and I felt fine about it. I was happy to be in the last group, so that didn’t change. So no, I just had to go out there and put it to the back of my head and use it as a bit of a drive to get the job done today.

“It’s a special one for me this one. Haven’t been playing my best golf, had a few months off and worked hard the last week. I flew up and saw my coach, Grant Field, so a massive thank you to him. Flew up there, did the hard yards, and we had a day of grinding to try and get me back on track. And even though I didn’t play my best golf this week, I putted great early on in the tournament. And yeah, thanks to all my family obviously, lost my dad two years ago, so this one is for him.”

Wade Ormsby and his caddie celebrate the win.

Ormsby moves into fifth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and third on The International Series Rankings. Vincent regained the lead over Japan’s Kazuki Higa on the Merit list – who finished in a tie for 33^rd this week. He also goes top of The International Series Rankings, leapfrogging Lucas Herbert from Australia.

Vincent was attempting to become the first player to win back-to-back events on The International Series having won the International Series Morocco in July.

It means he has now finished runner-up in his last two Asian Tour events as he was joint second in the Shinhan Donghae Open last month.

He said: “I don’t see it as disappointing at all. Wade played great golf, he hung in there and is a well-deserved champion. I had my chances to win, but I don’t think it’s ever fully in my control. I was struggling just to make the cut on day two, and to then have a chance to win on Sunday, I can’t ask for much more than that.”

The Asian Tour has a week off now before the SJM Macao Open and a run of eight successive events to close out the season.

Pictured by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Scott Vincent has finished first and joint second in his last two events on the Asian Tour and is in the hunt once again after taking a share of the third-round lead in the Jakarta International Championship today.

The Zimbabwean, whose impressive season has seen him move into second place on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, shot a brilliant bogey-free eight-under-par 62.

He leads on 11-under with India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Australian Wade Ormsby at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course.

Bhullar returned a 69 while Ormsby at 67.

Ormsby looked set to finish the day with a one-shot lead but after finishing his round officials informed him he would receive a one-shot penalty because his ball moved when he addressed it on the fourth.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (64) and Poom Saksansin (66) are next best placed one shot back.

Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Overnight leader Pavit Tangkamolprasert (72) from Thailand, Italian Stefano Mazzoli (66) and England’s Steve Lewton (71) are tied for sixth another stroke behind.

This week’s US$2million event is part of The International Series – a set of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

Winning The International Rankings brings with it a place on the LIV Golf League. Vincent did just that in 2022, during the inaugural season on The International Series, and after another fine round today is edging closer to a return to the multi-million dollar franchise.

“It was amazing, what a blessing,” said Vincent, who registered eight birdies today – including three in a row from the first, and another hat-trick from the 12^th.

“Man, you know, when you have a picture of what you’re trying to do, today I was able to execute that more times than I have the whole week. So, it’s always fun when you can kind of see the picture and pull it off. And yeah, just was able to do that a few more times today.”

The 33-year-old won the International Series Morocco in July and was runner-up at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea last month.

Asked what is behind his fine form, he said: “Oh man, good question, I don’t know. You know, we’ve spoken about this a bit, and it’s like, what? What is it, what are you doing? And it’s like, I’m just running my process, you know, I’m just trying to do the things that I think that are going to help. And it’s like, that’s what I did last year, and it was not a great year. But this year, for some reason, it seems to be clicking a little bit. And that’s all I draw it down to, it’s like such a gift, and I’m just grateful for how it’s been going so far.”

Bhullar will attempt to win his sixth Asian Tour event in Indonesia tomorrow, and his 12^th title in total.

A double-bogey six on the ninth knocked him off top spot but he got back into contention with back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13 and a bogey-free back nine.

Wade Ormsby.

The cream of the Asian Tour rose to the top today to set up a thrilling final round tomorrow.

Sadom, winner of the Kolon Korea Open in May, is one of those who will fancy his chances tomorrow.

“I feel I played pretty solid,” he said.

“I played in the morning, the second group, so it was lucky to play without wind. On the last four or five holes it was very windy, so I think it was going to be tough.

“My game is getting better than the first half of the year. I’m trying to practice harder and do everything harder, and it’s getting better. So I think my feeling is very good this week too.”

Kazuki Higa, looking to become the first player in the history of the Asian Tour to win three tournaments in a row following back-to-back wins in September, shot a 67 to give himself a chance on Sunday. He’s four off the lead.

Pictures courtesy of Graham Uden/Asian Tour

Pavit Tangkamolprasert served up another birdie feast at the Jakarta International Championship today, making four birdies in a row enroute to taking the halfway lead – a day after making six on the trot.

A second-round five-under-par 65 to add to his opening 64 – and an incredible 13 birdies over two days – saw him reach 11-under for the US$2million event, being played at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, in North Jakarta.

He has a one-shot advantage over India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Steve Lewton from England.
Bhullar, the Indonesia connoisseur with five victories in the country, also shot a 65 while Lewton, winner of the Mandiri Indonesia Open last year at this week’s venue, fired a 64.

Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool unleashed a 62 and is one stroke further back, in the 13th event of the season on the Asian Tour and the fifth stop on The International Series.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Pavit birdied four on the trot from the fourth after making six successive birdies from his eighth in round one. He did not drop a shot on the front half today and made the turn in four under. The second half was less spectacular, as he traded three birdies with two bogeys.

It’s all a far cry from three weeks ago when he retired after the second round of the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea with a bad back.

Explained the 36-year-old: “Yeah, it happened in Shinhan after the second round. I hurt my back. I made the cut but decided to pull out, because I wanted to save my back. I could not even address my ball, so I went back to Thailand, saw my physio, and got some mobility.”

He returned to play in the following week’s Yeangder TPC and then the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, tying for 20th in the first but then missing the cut.

“It got better in Yeangder and Mercuries and then this week it’s like almost 100% okay. Today was just like yesterday, you know, when I rolled in the first putt, it felt good, and then it just continued.”

Pavit last won on the Asian Tour in 2019 at the Sabah Masters, although he did win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last year at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open. With eight titles on the ADT he has won more times than anyone else on the Asian Tour’s feeder circuit.

Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Bhullar was equally prolific firing off seven birdies and dropping two shots.

He’s tracking yet again for a title on Indonesian soil. A brilliant performance in 2023 saw him win the BNI Indonesian Masters, his most recent victory.

He also won the Indonesia Open at this week’s course in 2013.

The 11-time Asian Tour winner said: “It feels good to be back. I first played this golf course in 2008, again in 2009, and then won here in 2013. Coming back brings a lot of positive memories. Walking down the stairs and seeing my picture as one of the past champions is motivating – it really reminds me of the success I’ve had here.

“Indonesia has been very kind to me. That always stays in the back of your mind when you’re playing in this part of the world. The goal is to stay positive and try to build on what I did over the last 36 holes.”

Lewton won last year’s Indonesia Open in a sudden-death play-off after a four-day total of 16-under and is clearly enjoying being back here.

He said: “So far, I’d probably say I’ve played slightly better this year than when I started last year. It’s a course that suits my eye, and I like playing golf in Indonesia, don’t know why, not even sure.”

Steve Lewton.

Australia’s Wade Ormsby shot a 68 and is in solo fifth place, three behind the leader.

Japan’s Kazuki Higa, the leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit following back-to-back wins in September, carded a 69 and is four under.

Pictures courtesy Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Three-time PGA Tour champion Anthony Kim is facing a high-stakes end of the season as he bids to resurrect his LIV Golf League career. However, he insists there is no pressure as he chases The International Series Rankings title that would seal his return to the big time at the first time of asking.

The former US Ryder Cup star has been plying his trade alongside some of the biggest names in world golf for the past two years after LIV Golf offered him a wild card slot and a lifeline following years in the wilderness. In a stellar field featuring top talent such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann, Kim could not escape the drop zone and he lost his wild card status at the end of the campaign.

Now the LIV Golf season has finished, The International Series offers Kim and other relegated players a golden return ticket to the big time, as the end-of-season Rankings champion will get an automatic berth on the 2026 LIV Golf roster.

With five tournaments left this season, starting this week with the Jakarta International Championship, the 40-year-old is one of the biggest names to be searching for those vital rankings points that can spark a climb up the standings going into the home straight.

L-R: Kevin Akbar, Scott Vincent, Ollie Schniederjans, Anthony Kim, pictured on Wednesday, at a press conference ahead of the Jakarta International Championship. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Kim said: “My goal is to play well over the next five or six weeks, and just let things play out. Right now, I’m focused on the events in front of me, know if you play well, you’ll have an opportunity. I’m not too worried about what’s ahead – just taking it one week at a time.

“My game has been very streaky. I’ve had some stretches where I feel like a world class player, and I’ve had some stretches where I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. But that comes with not playing golf for 12 years.

“I’m at a point now where I feel more comfortable being out there, and I think great results are in front of me. As long as I can stay healthy, I believe that I’ll have a lot of chances to win in the future.”

When asked if he felt any pressure, at an event that kicks off an important five-tournament stretch on The International Series, the 40-year-old responded: “Pressure is making rent when you’re an immigrant to a new country like my mom had. You know, I took a lot of things for granted when I was younger.

“In my 20s and playing professional golf, I had a lot of access to different things, but at 40, I realised all of us sitting up here, we’re blessed to be sitting here and getting to travel the world, play golf in front of a bunch of people, in amazing places such as here in Jakarta.

“And you know, we have to appreciate that and have gratitude for the opportunity we have in front of us. We start tomorrow; we are all at level par with the chance to change our lives every week. So you know, this is not pressure. This is a blessing.”

Kim is attempting to take a route already travelled by Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent and American Andy Ogletree. Vincent, the former International Series England champion, enjoyed two years of success on the Iron Heads GC team after topping the rankings in 2022 while Ogletree, a three-time champion on the series, secured a high-profile move onto Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC team after winning the 2023 race.

Anthony Kim speaking at Wednesday’s press conference. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Talking about the opportunity that The International Series provides to players from the Asian Tour, and talent from around the world including the likes of American Ogletree, the 2019 US amateur champion, Kim said: “It’s great. Golf is growing overall, and giving Asian Tour players the chance to compete for bigger purses in bigger events is important.

“Hopefully, some of them get the chance to prove themselves on a bigger stage. Golf keeps evolving, and players seem to be getting better at a younger age. I’ve played with some of those guys, and they’re playing some really good golf.”

He shot a one-under-par 69 on the opening day in Jakarta on Thursday to make a solid start to his campaign on The International Series – 10 upper-tier events on the Asian Tour.

Suteepat Prateeptienchai issued an early warning at the Jakarta International Championship today after taking the first-round clubhouse lead with a seven-under-par 63.

In August he carded a 64 on the last day to win the Mandiri Indonesia Open and was once again in blistering form back on Indonesian soil today, making eight birdies and one bogey.

Australian Wade Ormsby, Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Roberto Lebrija from Mexico are tied for second following 64s, at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course.

Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert moved to six under after 16 holes before the day drew to a close. Poor weather in the morning stopped play for an hour and 20 minutes, the end result meaning 45 players will need to finish their first round early tomorrow morning.

To make things even more challenging for the chasing pack, Suteepat admitted that everything was perfect today.

‘Played really well today. Everything is perfect,” said the 32-year-old.

“I made a lot of putts. Not too long, longest was about seven yards.”

Roberto Lebrija.

Having arrived here off the back of two excellent weeks in Chinese-Taipei – he finished joint seventh in the Yeangder TPC and then equal fourth at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, last week – Suteepat admits that his confidence is sky high.

“After my win in August, I am much more confident. It was a big win for me, I feel more relaxed. I am just sticking to my plan. There’s no tiredness.”

He says his caddie also has great faith in him on this week’s layout.

“My caddie says I can lead here as the course suite me. The fairways are not too tight, but the greens are quite firm and if your ball is not in the fairway you cannot control the spin.”

A joint sixth place result here in Indonesia’s Open last year also points to another strong showing over the next three days.

His victory in Indonesia was his fourth on the Asian Tour but first outside of Chinese-Taipei – where he won in 2023, and twice last year.

Ormsby looked set to finish the day sharing the lead but dropped a shot on his last hole, which was the ninth as he started his round on the back nine. He found the lake with his second and did well to make five.

He said: “It’s nice to be playing somewhat decent and to get off to a strong start today. I had a little blemish at the end, but I managed to get up and down from about 45 yards, which made things feel a lot better than they were looking.”

He had been bogey free up until that point, registering seven birdies.

“It was nice to put a good score together again,” he added. “I’ve had a bit of time off, last week off, and the two weeks before that I didn’t play great. I saw my coach recently, and while the swing still doesn’t feel exactly where I want it, I managed to hole some putts, which makes the scorecard look a lot better.”

Wade Ormsby.

Lebrija is one of the surprise early pace-setters.

The Mexican made it through the 2025 Qualifying School, taking the 12^th card, but has been struggling for much of the season.

However, his fortunes have started to change since August – much of it here in Indonesia.

He had two top-15 finishes on the Asian Development Tour, both in Indonesia, tied for 12^th in the Mandiri Indonesia Open and was equal 34^th in the Yeangder TPC in Taiwan.

This morning’s suspension occurred when he was on the 10^th and worked in his favour.

“Yeah, actually kind of good luck,” he explained

“I had to go to the bathroom, and right when they stopped, I was able to go. So that kind of helped. And then I was able to actually hit some shots to warm up right before going back. And just kept doing my thing. Didn’t really change anything. And just kept on pushing. Fortunately, made a couple putts.”

Filipino Miguel Tabuena is in a group of players tied following 65s.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Fresh from his victory at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters at the weekend, Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan tees-off in the Jakarta International Championship today at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course brimming with confidence and eager to chase down what he describes as his “biggest goal of the season” – a win on The International Series.

Nicknamed ‘Fluke’, the 30-year-old has shown there is nothing lucky about his talent. He is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour, having also won last year’s SJM Macao Open, wire-to-wire, and the Thailand Open in 2017.

Last week in Taiwan, Rattanon reaffirmed his place among Asia’s top talents and capped off a strong stretch of form this season, which also saw him finish runner-up at the Yeangder TPC and T7 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open.

Now, with momentum on his side, Rattanon says Jakarta provides the perfect stage to chase his next milestone: victory on The International Series – 10 upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

“This year, my biggest goal has been to win on The International Series,” Rattanon shared. “Getting the trophy in Taiwan last week gave me a lot of confidence, and I hope I can carry that into Jakarta. Of course, The International Series events are bigger – the prize fund, the strength of the field, and the pathway to LIV Golf. Winning one would prove to myself that I am ready for the bigger leagues, and that is what I am working towards.”

Rattanon Wannasrichan and his peers celebrate on the 18th last Sunday. Picture by Graham Uden Asian Tour.

While his season has included undoubted highs, Rattanon has also faced setbacks, notably missing out on valuable points at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn after being forced to withdraw through a back injury.

But he insists those moments have only fueled his determination.

“Missing Macau was tough because I was looking forward to it and really wanted those points,” he said. “But setbacks are part of the game. Last week’s win reminded me that if I stay patient and keep working, good things will happen. Now, it is about staying consistent and giving myself more chances.”

This week, Rattanon says his focus is on playing freely, enjoying the game, and building on the improvements he saw in Taiwan.

“I want to enjoy myself this week and not put too much pressure on the result,” he explained. “My putting and distance control were really solid in Taiwan, and I want to keep that momentum going. If I play my game and stay relaxed, I believe I can be in the mix on Sunday.”

Kazuki Higa’s rise to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit – thanks to back-to-back wins in September – is the result of a new level of commitment that he describes as practicing “like I brush my teeth every day”.

Everyone saw how good the Japanese star is in 2022 when he won the Japan Golf Tour money list – thanks to four victories, including the Shinhan Donghae Open, an event jointly-sanctioned with Asian Tour.

However, still not content with his game, in particular how far he drove the ball, the following year he hit the reset button and ramped things up.

“From 2023, we decided that the distance of my driver shots should be increased,” he said.

“We increased the frequency of weight training and aerobic exercise.”

He also did not sign a driver contract so he can use a club that suits him best and he’s worked on how much he draws and fades shots – all with the aim of gaining yards.

It’s all worked. His average distance with the driver was 284.41 yards until last year, but he is now flying it 297.91 yards.

Kazuki Higa. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Standing only a 158-centimetres tall he is now punching well above his body weight.

And so here we are the Jakarta International Championship this week at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course with Higa version 2.0 – with a new body, equipment and shape to his shots.

He won the Shinhan Donghae Open again at the beginning of September, and the following week the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei. He is the first back-to-back winner on the Asian Tour since American John Catlin claimed titles in Macau and Saudi Arabia early last year.

On current form – and along with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, who is in second place on the Merit list – he is the man to catch this year.

His phenomenal success now is the result of a determination from very early on to overcome any short comings.

“When I was in high school, I even heard from my doctor saying that ‘I won’t be tall anymore’,” he said.

“I made it a habit to practice every single day, out of 365 days of the year. I’ve made a lot of effort to overcome my short stature. I made it a habit to practice golf like I brush my teeth every day. I’m trying harder to give hope to more people.

“I swing confidently even when the pressure is high. That’s because I’m confident in my swing and shot.”

He is also known for being an expert frontrunner, with most of 13 victories achieved from the front.

Two of those wins also came on the Asian Development Tour: at the BTI Open in Bangladesh in 2018, and the UMC Championship in Malaysia the following year.

Kazuki Higa pictured with his caddie. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

As well as being as a serial winner, he also has a penchant to travel and win overseas.

No player has won three times in one season on the Asian Tour since Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond in 2019. The Thai star triumphed four times that season enroute to claiming the Merit title.

Higa has a chance to do so this week and also become the first player in the history of the Asian Tour to win three in a row.

Thanks to no shortage of drive and determination, and after wins in Korea and Chinese-Taipei, he may well etch his name into the history books in Indonesia this weekend.

The inaugural Jakarta International Championship is an exciting new event that will add drama and excitement to the Asian Tour and The International Series, as their seasons draw to a thrilling conclusion.

It is of special significance, as Indonesia’s capital city has been a regular stop on the Asian Tour for decades.

The tournament is Indonesia’s most lucrative golf tournament and will enhance the nation’s reputation for being a strong supporter of professional golf in the region.

The Government of Jakarta has lent its support to the tournament, which will mark the Asian Tour’s second visit of the season to Indonesia.  The government is confident the collaboration will help promote Jakarta as a global city while providing an incredible opportunity for local players to compete at the highest level.

Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Tournament Information

• Tournament: Jakarta International Championship
• Date: 2nd – 5th October 2025
• Venue: Damai Indah Golf (PIK Course), Jakarta, Indonesia
• Par/Yards: 70 7,124 yards
• Purse: US$2,000,000 (winner US$360,000)
• Asian Tour leg: 13^th
• International Series leg: Fifth
• Edition of tournament: First
• Total number of players: 150
• Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 pros plus ties.
• Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise #InternationalSeries #ThisIsEverything

Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Field Breakdown

• Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Scott Hend (2016)
• Nationalities: 30
• Top contenders: Kazuki Higa (JPN), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Ollie Sniederjans (USA), Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN), Travis Smyth (AUS)
• Highest ranked player on OWGR: Kazuki Higa (JPN) #126
• Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Kazuki Higa (JPN) #1
• Highest ranked player on 2025 International Series Rankings: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #2
• Number of amateurs: 2
• Number of Indonesian players in the field: 11

Tournament Notes

• Japan’s Kazuki Higa took over the Asian Tour Order of Merit lead after winning the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago, it was the second title in two weeks having captured the Shinhan Donghae Open the week before in Korea. He also started his 2025 Asian Tour campaign very strong, going T8, T5 and T2 in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, International Series India Presented by DLF and New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports respectively. On the Japan Tour he has recorded six top 10’s this season, including wins at the Shinhan Donghae Open and at the ISPS HANDA Explosion in the Summer in mid-August.
• Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe is second on both the Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, much thanks to a win at the International Series Morocco in July and a T2 at the Shinhan Donghae Open three weeks ago. He has also posted other strong finishes such as a T4 in the Kolon Korea Open, a T8 at the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF this season. In addition to his good results on the Asian Tour this season he has also posted three top-fives on the Japan Tour, the most recent at the Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament in late August.
• Last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters winner Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand has now risen to fourth on the Order of Merit, after also having finished T2 at the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago and T7 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open in late August. The three-time Asian Tour champion was T13 on this course when the Mandiri Indonesia Open was held here in 2024.
• Richard T. Lee from Canada had a fantastic season in 2024 finishing third on the Order of Merit, after a win at the BNI Indonesian Masters and five other top-fives. So far this season he has a T2 at the recent tri-sanctioned Shinhan Donghae Open as his best result, followed by a fifth at the International Series Macau and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF. His impressive current cut streak on the Asian Tour now stands at 23, going all the way back to the International Series Singapore in October of 2023. On the 2025 Korean PGA Tour Lee has been in top form, winning the Woori Financial Group Championship and posting runners-up at three events: last week’s Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance K.J. Choi Invitational, and at the Dong-A Membership Exchange Group Open and SK Telecom Open earlier this summer. He also had a fourth at the Hana Bank Invitational and is currently in second place on that tour’s Genesis Points Ranking list.
• Thailand’s Sadom Kawkanjana currently sits in fifth place on the Order of Merit, much thanks to his win at the Kolon Korea Open in late May and a T2 in the season opening Smart Infinity Philippine Open. Sadom has mainly been playing on the Korean PGA Tour since his win there, posting two straight top 10s in tournaments there the last two weeks.
• American Ollie Sniederjans won the International Series India by four shots over countryman Bryson DeChambeau in February but has only played in one Asian Tour event since, the International Series Morocco where he missed the cut. Currently in third place in the International Series Rankings. He will be looking to this event as a chance to boost his ranking on this list for a chance to gain access to the LIV Golf League, where he has been travelling as a reserve this season. A former PGA Tour player that was also for a time number one in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, a position he held for 41 consecutive weeks.
• Jinichiro Kozuma from Japan has been playing in the LIV Golf League for the past two seasons, and has recorded a T2 at this year’s Dallas event as his best result there. He also had two other top 10s on LIV this year, while in 2024 he posted a T9 in Adelaide as his best finish. Kozuma is a three-time winner on the Japan Tour, having won titles in 2024, 2022 and 2020.
• Australian Travis Smyth has been very solid this season and had posted three consecutive top 10s going into last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters where he finished T18, the best result being a T3 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open. In addition to those high finishes, he also posted T10s in the International Series India presented by DLF and International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
• Wang wei-hsuan from Chinese Taipei is very much in form this season and finished third and T2 in the last two weeks’ events, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder TPC, in his home country. He has also had a great season on the local tour at home, racking up three wins and a runner-up. He leads their merit list.

Opportunity knocks again this week for Gabriel Hansel Hari – Indonesia’s former amateur star, who made the transition to the play for pay game two months ago.

He will tee-off in the Jakarta International Championship at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course on Thursday in just his second tournament on the Asian Tour as a professional.

The 22-year-old is well and truly up for the tournament – to the extent that he has worn himself out practicing over the past week and had to make a trip to his doctor.

He said: “I just practiced for like a week. I think I didn’t have enough rest, and yesterday I felt bad, and I went to the doctor.

“My bones were like aching due to too much practice. I was pretty sore, but now it’s like, it’s better. I am good to go.”

Indonesia expects big things from the boy from East Java, where his dad first taught him to play the game aged seven on a nine-hole course.

He was part of the country’s team that won the Putra Cup two years ago in Malaysia. The tournament, also known as the Southeast Asia Amateur Team Championship, is arguably the region’s most prestigious amateur event and has been a platform for some of Asia’s biggest names.

Indonesia had not won it for 29 years, but he and his team-mates Jonathan Xavier Hartono, Rayhan Abdul Latief, and Randy Arbenata Mohamad Bintan ran away with the title by 13 strokes from Vietnam.

Bintan won the individual title, Latief was runner-up and Hari secured third.

“It was an incredible moment. I had an incredible time in the amateur game, and that was the pinnacle,” said the Indonesian.

“It has certainly been a big change moving into the pro game, definitely more pressure – but I am really enjoying it, it’s been fun.”

The transition has been a successful one. He turned professional in July, and the following month finished second in a local event.

He adds: “The standard on the Asian Tour is very high. The cuts are so slow. I really need to work hard on my game to be successful.”

His goal is to secure his Asian Tour card, something he is trying to do this year by playing on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), where the top-10 on the final Order of Merit earning playing rights on the main tour next year.

Should he not succeed through the ADT, he will head to Qualifying School at the end of the year.

Hari’s time in the amateur game also saw him spend four years at the University of Oregon on a golf scholarship, where he earned a degree in business.

Former PGA Tour player Casey Martin from the United States, also a team-mate of compatriot Tiger Woods at Stanford University, is the head coach there and Hari was able to benefit greatly from his expertise.

“He’s a great coach and taught me how to play the golf courses there. I grew up in Indonesia, the courses are very different – so he helped me learn how to play the courses there.”

He admits he struggled during his time in States, as it was such a big change.

“I wasn’t used to cold weather,” he says. “I did well in some of the qualifiers but when it came to the main events, it was not great. The fields were so strong and there was added pressure playing for the team. My best result was something like 12^th in Washington.”

With over 30 wins on the amateur circuit in Indonesia to his name and a top-10 finish in the Mandiri Indonesia Open two years ago on the Asian Tour, Hari certainly has no such problems playing back in Asia.

He may be feeling the effects of over practicing before this week’s big test, but the aches and pains will quickly disappear as he bids to lead an ever-increasing pool of Indonesian talent from amateur stardom to success in the professional game.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

It was a very difficult scoring week at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, with only six players finishing in red figures at the end of play on Sunday. The notoriously tricky Taiwan Golf & Country Club layout produced a scoring average of 74.837 for the 72 holes. The windy first round was the most difficult at 75.918 and Sunday the easiest, but still playing more than a stroke over par at 73.376.

A week after he finished T2 at the Yeangder TPC it was Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan who finished top of the podium, after having finished T4 and T8 at the two previous editions of the event. Rattanon finished one shot clear of countryman Suradit Youngcharoenchai and two ahead of local favourite, and the 2020 winner of the tournament when it was on the local tour, Wang Wei-hsuan.

After topping the Putts per Greens in Regulation (GIR) stats at Yeangder TPC, Rattanon again had a superb week on the greens at the Mercuries event, and this time led the field in Putts per Round with 26.75, together with fellow Thai Jazz Janewattananond. His Putts per GIR average also stood out and he was fourth in this category with 1.692.

The winner also kept mistakes to a minimum, and even though he made 10 bogies for the week this led the field in Fewest Bogies or Worse category, and was one fewer than his closest pursuer Suradit who posted 10 bogeys and one double, while Wang made 13 bogeys and two doubles.

Wang Wei-hsuan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

The fact that Rattanon led the field in scrambling for the week with 72.73% was vital for him in winning the title, as his GIR and Fairways Hit stats were not highly ranked at 54.17% (T41) and 30.35% (T43) respectively. Rounding out his stats was Driving Distance which came in at 315.8 yards for a solid T13.

Runner-up Suradit had his best Asian Tour result since 2019, when he won this event, and like the winner had a good week on the greens ranking T4 in Putts per Round with 27.75 and 12^th in Putts per GIR with 1.732. He was also near the top of the Scrambling list, getting the ball up and down 67.74% of the time ranking third behind the winner and Australian Scott Hend. His other stats for the week: Fairways Hit 48.21% (T9), Driving Distance 303.6 yards (27^th) and GIR 56.94% (T33).

Chinese Taipei’s Wang was coming off a T2 at the Yeangder TPC, his best Asian Tour result to date, and the solo-third finish should mean that his card is secure for next year. The big hitter once again proved his impressive power off the tee, leading the field in Driving Distance with 345.4 yards after having placed third the previous week with 337.6.

His off-the-tee power helped produce 18 birdies and one eagle for the week, and Wang topped the Birdies category one ahead of local Tsai Shang-kai and Australia’s Ryan Peake. Another list he ranked first in was Bounce Back with 46.67%, this one tied with Korean Jeunghun Wang.

He placed highly in GIR 65.28% (T6) and Putts per GIR 1.702 (T7), and had solid stats in the other categories such as Putts per Round with 29.25 (T20) and Fairways Hit with 41.07% (T21).

Statistics Categories leaders at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters (of players making the cut):

• Putts per Round: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 26.57
• Putts per GIR: Tsai Chang-kai (TPE) 1.556
• GIR: Kevin Yuan (AUS) 72.22%
• Fairways Hit: Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 62.50%
• Driving Distance: Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 345.4 yards
• Most Eagles: Hung Chao-hsin (TPE), Lin Yung-lung (TPE) 2
• Most Birdies: Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 18
• Fewest Bogies or Worse: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 10
• Scrambling: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 72.73%
• Bounce back: Wang, Wei-hsuan (TPE), Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 46.67%