Ancer and Catlin to star at International Series India presented by DLF
The 2024 LIV Golf Hong Kong winner, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, and the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, John Catlin from the United States, are among the latest stars to confirm their participation for the International Series India presented by DLF – the US$2 million tournament set to take place at DLF Golf and Country Club later this month.
Ancer and Catlin will join U.S. Open champion and captain of LIV Golf’s Crushers GC, Bryson DeChambeau from the United States, plus India’s Anirban Lahiri, and The International Series Rankings winner Joaquin Niemann from Chile for the highly anticipated tournament taking place from January 30 to February 02 in Gurugram, New Delhi.
It is the second event of the year on the Asian Tour, following a week after the season-opening Philippine Open.
Ancer, a key member of Spaniard Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC in 2024, delivered an impressive season in the LIV Golf League – finishing 12th in the individual standings thanks to his victory in Hong Kong and three additional top-10 finishes. He also claimed the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in 2023 – that year’s season-opening event on the Asian Tour.
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin enjoyed an outstanding 2024 campaign, claiming back-to-back Asian Tour victories at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March, where he carded an historic 59, the first on the Asian Tour, edging out Fireballs GC’s David Puig from Spain in a thrilling play-off, and at the Saudi Open presented by PIF in April.
In addition to his wins, the American delivered strong performances with two play-off defeats on The International Series. He narrowly missed out at the International Series Morocco to Ben Campbell, who just joined LIV Golf with RangeGoats GC, and at the Black Mountain Championship in Thailand to compatriot M.J. Maguire.
He also enjoyed a successful season as alternate on the LIV Golf League, with a tied seventh his season-high in six appearances for three different teams, Crushers GC, Smash GC and Legion XIII.
International Series India presented by DLF marks the debut of the LIV Golf-backed series on the subcontinent. It is the first of 10 International Series events on this season’s Asian Tour, featuring stops in destinations such as Macau, Morocco, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia, with additional locations to be announced soon.
The series provides a global pathway for players to qualify for the LIV Golf League, with the season-ending rankings champion securing a guaranteed spot on the roster for the following season.
Anirban Lahiri. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Additionally, The International Series Rankings offer players a second opportunity to earn their place in the LIV Golf League through the innovative LIV Golf Promotions event.
For more information on The International Series, visit: www.internationalseries.com
The International Series will break new ground this year with the International Series Philippines – marking the first time the pioneering series has visited the proud golfing nation.
The inaugural tournament will boast prizemoney of US$2million and will take place from October 23-26, at a venue to be announced.
Big-name players from the LIV Golf League and the best of the Asian Tour are expected for what is the seventh event to be confirmed on The International Series – the multi-million dollar platform of tournaments integrated into the Asian Tour schedule that provide a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
The event will be the 16th stop on the Asian Tour and welcomes BingoPlus, the popular digital entertainment brand, as a sponsor.
Philippine number one Miguel Tabuena will be hoping to make a big impression in the event. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “Bringing The International Series to the Philippines is a genuine statement of intent, underscoring the country’s importance in the growing global golf ecosystem, and our continued promise to bring golf to new markets.
“As the second new destination to be confirmed for the 2025 campaign, the announcement highlights the blend of new and established markets that are eager to host The International Series and our unique brand of elite level sport featuring LIV Golf stars and hot prospects on the Asian Tour.
“It highlights the interest in the growing strength of our brand as more territories look to secure involvement and tap into our large, sports-savvy audience.”
It is the second Asian Tour tournament to take place in the country this season with the Philippine Open getting the full 2025 schedule underway soon on the Masters Course at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club from January 23-26.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “We are delighted to return to the Philippines for the second time in 2025. It is an important market to us as we continue to elevate our offering across the region, and it is a destination we know the players enjoy, so we welcome the addition to our 2025 schedule.”
Another new tournament, the International Series India presented by DLF, will open The International Series season (January 30 – February 2), with a return to the Greater Bay Area for the second edition of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn next up (March 20-23).
The International Series makes returns to International Series Morocco (July 3-6), BNI Indonesian Masters (August 28-31), Link Hong Kong Open (October 30 – November 2) and PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers (date TBC).
Amid strong interest from a diverse range of potential partner destinations, anticipation is building over the three remaining tournaments still to be unveiled, with dates confirmed for May 8-11, September 4-7 and October 2-5.
This year’s Asian Tour currently boasts a total of 22 events offering prize money of over US$30 million – with more tournaments to be added.
For more information on The International Series, please visit: www.internationalseries.com
Main picture: The International Series Rankings trophy.
Dear fans, players, and partners of the Asian Tour,
As the curtain comes down on 2024, I look back on the season with a great sense of satisfaction.
In a year that has taken us through Asia to the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and back, we were able to complete 21 events on the Asian Tour along with 12 on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
We handled sandstorms, thunderstorms, typhoons, thick fog, strong winds, and extreme heat. There were also countless weather delays, as well as last minute shotgun starts to complete events. It was very challenging to say the least, but as a collective we took it all in our stride and I would like to thank all of you for playing your part in the 20th season on the Asian Tour.
Of course, it was a frenetic second half of the year that came down to an incredibly entertaining and enthralling conclusion.
Special congratulations go to John Catlin for winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and The Kyi Hla Han Award for Player of the Year; Itthipat Buranantanyarat for clinching the ADT OOM with an emphatic victory at the Aramco Invitational; and Max Lee for his breakthrough year, highlighted by his stoic performance at the LIV Golf Promotions event to grab a LIV Golf League spot for 2025.
LIV Golf Promotions winner Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf.
The competition was intense throughout the year with Ben Campbell and Richard T. Lee making late charges plus Peter Uihlein and Suteepat Prateeptienchai claiming multiple titles, along with some fine results by MJ Maguire.
On the ADT we also saw some standout performances from Ahmad Baig and Rahil Gangjee, and a host of exciting new talent who gained promotion to the Asian Tour.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new members who qualified for the 2025 Asian Tour season at the recently completed Qualifying School in Hua Hin. It is always nice to see new faces work their way onto the Tour as well as some familiar ones making a return.
Big shout outs must also go to Stefano Mazzoli, who graduated from the school’s class of 2024, and won this season’s Rookie of the Year Award; the Black Mountain Championship, for being voted Tournament of the Year; the Link Hong Kong Open, winner of The International Series Tournament of the Year; and Al Mouj Golf, venue for the International Series Oman, for retaining the Player’s Course of the Year accolade.
Our Tour is becoming more recognisable and our wealth of nationalities, personalities and destinations is unlike any other Tour in the world. It is important for our Tour to continue to capitalise on the momentum from the last two seasons and showcase our immense depth of talent and diversity to new audiences.
Rookie of the Year Stefano Mazzoli. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
2024 saw the launch of the Tour’s “Time to Rise” campaign where we have made good progress across the website, app, social media and events. Many of our members embraced the opportunity to cross promote with their own social media channels. It is incredibly important that we continue to work hand in hand with our fans, players, sponsors and promoters in order to expand our community outreach and develop initiatives to increase our audience.
There is no doubt that 2024 was our season of transition and 2025 will be our year of growth. In addition to focusing on continued digital development, the main focus will be the generation of new business and the expansion of our commercial side.
The 2025 season will soon be upon us with a return to the Philippines for the Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods, then the following week the International Series India presented by DLF will make its debut on the Asian Tour at a venue that has the reputation of being one of the toughest tests of golf in the region. One of our favourite events– the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports and the second edition of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn round out the early months of the new year.
We are working on confirmations for several events in Q2 before we move into a packed second half of the year from August through to December as usual. We will see some rotation in The International Series venues this year with more of an Asian focus which leads us to the Middle East for what has become the traditional culmination of the season. We are projected to see growth in the number of events from this year on both the Asian Tour and ADT with some exciting new partnerships in the works – especially for the ADT.
Wishing everyone all the best for the holidays and a Happy New Year, and we look forward to starting our Asian Tour and ADT seasons in Manila and Selangor.
Cho
The International Series Rankings champion Joaquin Niemann is the latest big name to be confirmed for the International Series India presented by DLF – the US$2 million tournament taking place at DLF Golf and Country Club next month.
The Chilean star, who captains Torque GC on the LIV Golf League, will join reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau from the United States and Indian ace Anirban Lahiri for the inaugural event, which will be staged from January 30 – February 2 on the iconic course in Gurugram.
Niemann won the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers earlier this month to claim the rankings title in what was the last event of the season. He triumphed in a thrilling play-off at Riyadh Golf Club, edging out Australian Cam Smith and American Caleb Surratt,
It completed a stellar season for the 26 year old as he was also runner-up in the LIV Golf League individual standings, having claimed two of the first three tournaments of the season.
Joaquin Niemann. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The International Series India presented by DLF is the first tournament of 2025 on The International Series – 10 events on the Asian Tour that offer the world a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
The Asian Tour membership have cast their vote, and some incredibly worthy winners have been rewarded for contributing to an outstanding 2024.
John Catlin’s unparalleled season has seen him win The Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year on the Asian Tour – after final counting of votes was completed this week.
In addition, the Black Mountain Championship has been confirmed as The Tournament of the Year; the Link Hong Kong Open as The International Series Tournament of the Year; and Al Mouj Golf, venue for the International Series Oman, the Players’ Choice Course of the Year.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The Asian Tour congratulates this year’s award winners, who have been chosen by our members – the ultimate mark of respect.
Black Mountain Championship. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
“John Catlin’s astonishing performances and the remarkable professionalism shown by everyone involved with the Black Mountain Championship, the Link Hong Kong Open and Al Mouj Golf made 2024 another exceptional season.
“We thank all of you, as we do all our tournaments, partners, and venues, and we wish you continued success for 2025.”
It is the second time that Catlin has won the award, after first being honoured in 2018, and it means he joins an elite group of players who have received the award multiple times. Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee is a three-time winner, while his compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh have both received it twice.
This latest accolade is the icing on the cake for the American. He enjoyed arguably the finest season of his career, winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) title for the first time, and in doing so beat Singh’s 16-year-old single season earnings record. His total earnings of US$1,456,800 took him US$4,098.31 past the Indian’s 2008 winning.
Link Hong Kong Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin won back-to-back titles earlier in the season, at the Saudi Open presented by PIF followed by the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where he defeated Spaniard David Puig in a play-off. A 59 on day three in Macau also saw him become the first player on the Asian Tour to break 60.
The 34-year-old also lost in two play-offs, at International Series Morocco and the Black Mountain Championship, finished second in the Yeangder TPC, third in the Malaysian Open, and tied for fourth in the SJM Macao Open.
It is the second year that the award has been named after the late and great Kyi Hla Han – the Asian Tour’s former OOM champion who later became the regional circuit’s Executive Chairman.
Catlin, who has played on the Asian Tour since 2015, finished sixth on the Merit list in 2018 but was named Player’s Player of the Year thanks to three victories.
He lost in a sudden-death play-off against countryman MJ Maguire at the Black Mountain Championship – in a brilliant finish that no doubt helped the event being named tournament of the year. Played at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, the US$2million event was also part of The International Series and made a huge impact on the season.
The same level of contribution applied to the Link Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club – where American Patrick Reed charged to victory, helped by a third-round 59 – and the stunning golf course at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, where Mexican Carlos Ortiz won the first event of the year on The International Series. Impressively, Al Mouj Golf was also voted best course last year along with the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Al Mouj Golf. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Huge crowds were once again a feature in Hong Kong, where the club was celebrating its 135th anniversary.
Thirty-five thrilled and relieved players secured their Asian Tour cards for next year after the five-round Final Stage of the Asian Tour School came to a conclusion today.
Japan’s Takumi Murakami took top spot and along with the other graduates soon faces the exciting prospect of competing on a 2025 schedule of significant scale, which at the moment boasts a total of 22 events offering prize money of over US$30 million – with more tournaments to be added.
Murakami, the leader at the start of the day, fired a one-under-par 70 to finish on 20-under and beat Korean Kyungnam Kang by one.
Kang shot a 69, while his compatriot Doyeob Mun claimed third, another shot back following a 68. Australian Jack Thompson (68) tied for fourth with China’s Bai Zhengkai (67).
Kyungnam Kang and Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s absolutely the best feeling,” said 25-year-old Murakami.
“I was very nervous. Unlike yesterday I couldn’t get my putter to work very well, so it was a pretty tough day. I’m very happy I managed to win now.”
With limited appearances on the Japan Tour and its feeder circuit he has now hit the jackpot with a season that will bring many opportunities.
He added: “Well, I’ve always wanted to compete against athletes from around the world, so I’m really looking forward to finally being on that stage next year.”
After birdieing the first three holes he was in complete control, but the birdies dried up and he dropped shots on 12 and 14 to give Kang a glimmer of hope.
Despite making birdie on 15 to draw one closer Kang just fell short but was also thrilled to earn the second card.
Doyeob Mun. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Said the 11-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour: “I am 41, it means so much to do this at my age. I have had a great year by not practicing so much, just focusing on fine tuning technique. Also, the Korean Tour is doing so well. I wanted the younger players to enjoy that and by me deciding to play overseas more that gives them more opportunities. It’s an exciting time for me. My goal is to win an event next year.”
For Thompson it was also a phenomenal result. He won the school at this venue two years ago and only just missed out on keeping his card on the Asian Tour Order of Merit this year by a few places.
“To get back is great. I would have liked to have finished today off a bit better, but at the end of the day I got my card back,” he said.
“Everything’s just been really good. I’ve sort of ended the year playing decently, and I had eight days off just to relax before here because I just played so much. But I mean, it never really disappears like that, so yeah, I’m happy with that.”
In a dramatic finish to secure the 35th card, Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom birdied his final two holes to fire a brave 65 to finish on 10 under and hence avoid an 11-man sudden-death play-off for the final place. He’d started on 10 and made a 15-footer on eight and a six-footer on nine to complete one of the most important rounds of his career.
China’s Wu Ashun, a four-time winner in Europe, was one of the players on nine under to miss out. Tragically he bogeyed his last three holes to end a season of great disappointment as he also failed to keep his card on the DP World Tour by the narrowest of margins. He finished 115th on the Order of Merit, just nine points behind Ross Fisher from England who made it through in 114th place.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour’s new season starts with the Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, from January 23-26, and is followed the week after by the International Series India presented by DLF – where American superstar Bryson DeChambeau confirmed just yesterday he will play.
LIV Golf star and defending US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau will tee it up at International Series India presented by DLF from 30 January to 02 February .
The Crushers GC captain will be joined by his team-mate Anirban Lahiri from India for the first of 10 elevated events on the 2025 Asian Tour calendar, with more marquee names to be unveiled for the US$2 million tournament taking place at DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram.
The 31-year-old won the US Open at Pinehurst in June, adding to the same title he won at Winged Foot in 2020. His appearance will mark the first time a defending major champion has competed in an official tour event on the Indian subcontinent.
With two wins on the LIV Golf League and seven PGA Tour titles, as well as his two Majors, DeChambeau is one of the most dynamic figures in modern-day sport, well known all over the world thanks to his unorthodox approach to the game.
Bryson DeChambeau and Anirban Lahiri. Picture by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images.
From gaining weight for increased driving distance, to designing his own clubs, he is famed for the analytical approach and unique vision that has brought marginal gains and reaped rewards over the years.
With an online following of 1.6 million on YouTube and 2.1 million on Instagram, the American is also blazing a trail in content creation, introducing a new and important online audience to the sport.
India will mark the third time he has played on the Asian Tour, as he competed in two PIF Saudi International, in 2022 and 2023.
International Series India presented by DLF is the first tournament on the LIV Golf-backed series to be played on the subcontinent. It is the first of 10 events that will be held in a broad range of markets including Macau, Morocco, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, with other destinations soon to be announced.
The series offers players from all over the world a pathway onto the LIV Golf League, with the end-of-season rankings champion guaranteed a place on the roster for the following season. The International Series Rankings also offers players a second chance to claim a place on the LIV Golf League, through the innovative LIV Golf Promotions event.
After four days of pressure-packed golf, 73 players have made it through to tomorrow’s final round of the Asian Tour Qualifying School – where the ultimate prize lies await: 35 Tour Cards for 2025.
Players from North Asia have a stranglehold on the leaderboard, with Japan’s Takumi Murakami in front by two from Korean Kyungnam Kang.
Murakami carded a six-under-par 65 to move to 19-under here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, while Kang, the leader by three at the start of the day, shot a 70.
Japan’s Yosuke Asaji (67) and Taiki Yoshida (69) plus Korean Doyeob Mun (67) are joint third, four behind the leader.
Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Australian Jack Thompson (69), the winner here two years ago, is one shot further back along with countryman Lawry Flynn 68. They all played the C and D nines today but move back to playing A and B tomorrow.
Murakami is 25 years old and has played the main tour and challenge tour in Japan the past few seasons.
He started on 10 today and was in trouble after making the turn in one-over-par but found some inspiration on the second half making an eagle and five birdies – four of those in a row – for a 28.
‘Well, my putting was really good,” he said.
“The first half didn’t flow very well but the second half was amazing. On the first hole of the back nine I got a birdie, and the flow of my putting kept getting better and better, and in the end, I got a big score.”
He failed to earn a card in his only other attempt at Qualifying School in 2020 but is making up for that this week.
Kyungnam Kang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “I don’t know what it is, but I’m interested in overseas tours and it’s amazing. I also like watching overseas tours. I’ve always wanted to try something like this because I think it would be a good learning experience.”
After an impressive week, Kang, also the joint first-round leader, wasn’t quite on point today but the experienced veteran, with 11 wins in Korea to his name, will be one of the favourites tomorrow.
He said: “Today my putting wasn’t very good, but also, I played the CD course today and I think the AB course suits my game better. The final round is on AB, so I will try as hard as I can tomorrow.
“I’m 17 under at the moment, and I want to be more than 20 under for my total. In practice I’ve shot much lower scores on the AB course, so my target is more than 20 under total and I want to try to win.”
Yosuke Asaji. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The cut was made at four under. Singapore’s Koh Deng Shan was one of those to make it through at the last minute by birdieing his final hole for a 67.
Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, son of Ryder Cup star Jose-Maria Canizares, agonisingly missed by one after a bogey on the last.
Kyungnam Kang’s 20 years of experience in the professional game are starting to show in the punishing Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
The 41-year-old Korean drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole soon after an eagle on 15, on the A and B course, at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, to open up a three-shot lead after the third round.
He fired a six-under-par 65 to sit at 16-under with two rounds remaining in the school – which after Saturday’s final round will see the top 35 earn Tour cards for 2025.
American Christopher Hickman (65) plus Japan’s Takumi Murakami (66) and Taiki Yoshida (67) are tied for second, with India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and second-round leader Australian Jack Thompson (70) a shot further back.
Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
They will play the more difficult C and D nines tomorrow, when the top 70 and ties will make the second and final cut of the week.
Kang is a serial winner in Korea, with 11 domestic titles – the most recent coming in 2021 – and has opted to play on home soil for most of his career.
However, the lure of the Asian Tour and its blossoming International Series has brought him to the Tour’s school for only the second time in his career.
He said: “International Series can get you onto LIV Golf – I feel now is my best chance.”
With three top 15s in the Asian Tour events played in Korea this season, including equal third in the Kolon Korea Open, and an eighth-place finish on the money list in Korea, you can understand why he has made the trip south.
In fact, the last time he played an Asian Tour event outside of Korea was the Malaysian Open in 2020.
Taiki Yoshida. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thompson, winner of the school two years ago on the same course and a firm favourite to make it through this week, said: “Not as good today, just one under, but in good shape.”
Lying in a tie for seventh five off top spot are Australia’s Lawry Flynn (65), Yosuke Asaji (67) from Japan, and Korean Doyeob Mun (70).
Australian Jordan Zunic helped his chances of making it through the week with a card in hand by acing the par-three 14th using a five iron. He’s six under in a tie for 30th following a 67.
Notable players with work to do tomorrow in order be around for Saturday are Scotland’s Marc Warren, American Berry Henson, England’s Sam Broadhurst – son of former Ryder Cup star Paul Broadhurst – Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, son of another Ryder Cup hero, Jose-Maria Canizares, and American Jason Knutzon, who are all two under and in a tie for 76th.
For the final round on Saturday the A and B nines will be used; the easier track but with the pressure reaching its peak.
Jack Thompson added a second-round five-under-par 66 to his opening 65 to take the lead in the Final Stage of the 2025 Asian Tour Qualifying School today, here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand.
The Australian won this event two years ago at the same venue, finishing 22 under for five rounds, and looks like being the man to beat once more.
He played on the C and D layout today, considered to be slightly harder, and made seven birdies and two bogies to lead the pressure-packed event on 11-under by one from Koreans Kyungnam Kang and Doyeob Mun.
Joint first-round leader Kang returned 69 and Mun 67, on the same C and D layout.
India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu, who shared the lead with Kang, Manav Shah from the United States and Japan’s Taiki Yoshida are another shot back. Sandhu fired 71, while Shah and Yoshida 67s – also on C and D. They all play the A and B nines tomorrow.
“Just did everything solid, carried it on from yesterday,” said Thompson, back at school having finished 69th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – just four placed short of retaining his playing privileges.
Kyungnam Kang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“You know, it [the course] is a little bit wider, but I think in parts, you still need to take driver up there, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Just playing free, I guess, if that makes sense. Just, you know, whatever the outcome is, just be happy with that. I think it’s showing the first two days. So, obviously I like the course and the putter, yeah, it’s feeling pretty good.”
In the two decades he has been a professional, Kang, aged 41, has only played in the Asian Tour Qualifying School once before, back in 2011. He tied for fifth then and would dearly like a similar result this week.
“The profile of the Asian Tour and The International Series is so big now. I felt it was important for me to try and play in those events, as I am getting a bit older,” said Kang – an 11-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour.
Sandhu is one of the name players here this week having played on the Asian Tour for over a decade, with one win to his name at the 2017 Yeangder TPC.
He is here at Qualifying School having finished 82nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit but buoyed by a win on the Professional Golf Tour of India last week, at the Vishwa Samudra Open.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It was a little bit tougher today, I thought,” said Sandhu, who began on 10, birdied three in a row from 13, dropped shots on 16 and 18, and parred every hole on his second half.
“I think the CD course anyway is a little bit tougher, the flags were quite tight I thought. Obviously, I also didn’t make so many putts and I didn’t play as well as yesterday, but it wasn’t too bad overall.”
A persistent back injury has hampered his form over the past few seasons.
“It’s absolutely fine now but it kind of played up again this year, and I played through that.”
Shah, from California, took the 21st card at this year’s school but is back here having finished 128th on the merit list.
He explained: “My rookie year on the Asian Tour has not been good. I have had to make a lot of adjustments coming from the USA. There’s a lot of travel, a lot of different golf courses. I think I learned what I needed to learn. Hopefully, I can keep doing what I am doing and get back here next year.
“I turned pro 2015, played all over Latin America, Canada, Korn Ferry last two years. Just decided to come to Asia, it’s been great, have a lot of family over here. I love the culture.”
Manav Shah. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Australian Will Florimo carded 64 and is one back with Takumi Murakami from Japan, who carded 65, and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman, in with 66.
A cut was made today, at two over, with the top 140 and ties making it through to the next two rounds. The top 70 and ties on day four make it into the final round on Saturday, where the leading 35 will earn cards for next year.
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