Puig prevails at Australian PGA Championship to match Seve
David Puig has recorded his third victory in the professional game – adding the Australian PGA Championship to his two Asian Tour titles.
On Sunday, the LIV Golf star fired a bogey-free five-under-par 66 to secure his first DP World Tour title.
China’s Ding Wenyi also shot a 66 to finish second, two behind, with Australian Marc Leishman and New Zealand’s Nick Voke, like Puig an Asian Tour member, tied for third one shot further back.
Puig becomes the first Spanish winner of the event since Seve Ballesteros in 1981.
David Puig. Picture by Chris Hyde/Getty Images.
“It feels amazing,” said Puig. “I’ve really had a lot of close calls in a few events throughout this year and last year and I wasn’t able to pull it through.
“I was pretty nervous, especially thinking about the past a little bit, what I could have done a little better. But I kept my composure really well.”
The 23-year-old first tasted victory in 2023 at the International Series Singapore, before claiming the Malaysian Open the following year. He also lost in a sudden-death play-off at last year’s International Series Macau presented by Wynn against American John Catlin.
Puig plays for Fireballs GC on LIV Golf and finished 10th on the League’s individual rankings this year.
Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai made a brilliant birdie on the par-four 18th to win the inaugural Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat today – breathing a huge sigh of relieve after recording his maiden victory on the Asian Tour.
A powerful nine iron to 10 feet, from where he duly converted for a three to close with a three-under-par 69 and a tournament total of 18-under, saw him win by one from Korean Wooyoung Cho, who returned a 65.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (72) and Panuphol Pittarayat (69), both paired with Poosit on another Shotgun Start day, fellow Thai Ekpharit Wu (67) and Indian Sachin Baisoya (62) tied for third another two shots backs
The US$500,000 event was held at Kensville Golf Resort, just outside of Ahmedabad city, and was joint-sanctioned with the newly-launched Indian Golf Premier League.
Poosit and Jazz, chasing his eighth win on the Asian Tour, started day locked in a share of the lead but the former edged it after brave performance.
Poosit Supupramai.
He started the event, the penultimate tournament of the year on the Asian Tour, 81st on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, hoping to move closer to finishing in the top 65 to keep his card.
The 32-year-old went far and beyond that moving into 29th position on the list while the win has handed him a one-year exemption on the Tour.
“Amazing, I can’t believe it,” said Poosit, whose previous best result on the Asian Tour was joint third at last year’s SJM Macao Open.
“I was struggling on the front nine, I was not playing well. It was all about mindset – that got me through.”
He made the turn in one-over, after two bogies and one birdie, and trailed the front runner Jazz. But he was able to turn things around on the back nine. He made three birdies in a row from the 12th, before another on 18.
On the 18th he was one ahead of Jazz, who made bogey. Cho, who finished on the ninth hole, birdied his last two holes to close the gap.
Added Poosit: “I came here to try and improve my ranking on the Merit list. It was on my mind, not winning. But to secure my card this week with the win, it’s beyond my dreams.
“Before the last two tournaments I changed the loft and lie on my putter. It made such a big difference – I started holing putts.”
Jazz Janewattananond.
He clearly likes playing in this part of the world, as his victory on the Asian Development Tour in 2017 came at the Defence Raya Golf Championship in Pakistan, which is not far from Ahmedabad.
Cho led at the halfway mark, slipped out of the running yesterday but rebounded well today – for his best finish on the Asian Tour.
“My feeling yesterday was very, very bad for me, because I didn’t have good timing with my swing,” he said.
“Today I tried just to focus on my swing, and that’s why I could shoot 65. I thought I would have a chance if I just played minus five today, but I saw the scoreboard on my last hole, and I thought, I can do this, I can get the win.
“I didn’t think Poosit would make a birdie on the last hole, so I just tried to make birdie on my last hole. But I saw that he made the birdie, so it’s okay.”
Jazz was bitterly disappointed to finish poorly having led for much of the day but continues to take heart from improved performances.
Of his final round, he said: “Just scruffy, just haven’t played the way I played the first three days. Didn’t hit it close enough, and the putts didn’t want to go in, so nothing was going in until the 16th where I holed a putt. Literally nothing. It was like, first of all I holed putt, and then three putted right away. And then from then on, it just been a grind. Just try to make pars and then, you know, just not hitting good enough consistently to win yet.”
There is a one week gap now before the Asian Tour heads to the Middle East for the Saudi Open presented by PIF. The US$1million event is the season-ending event and will be played at Dirab Golf & Country Club, just outside the capital Riyadh. American John Catlin, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, is the defending champion.
Pictures by Jaydeep Singh Jadeja/Asian Tour.
Poosit Supupramai [main picture] produced a stunning finish to take a share of the third-round lead at the Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat today – making a hole in one on the 16th and chipping in for a birdie on the last.
He and fellow Thai, Jazz Janewattananond, comfortably adapted to the rarity of a Shotgun Start, to lead the field on 15-under, here at Kensville Golf Resort, near Ahmedabad.
Poosit shot a six-under-par 66 while Jazz went one better with a 65.
Both players were bogey free and lead by three from their countryman Panuphol Pittarayat (70), Heemin Chang (71) from Korea, and Indian amateur Ishaan Chawhan (68).
It’s the penultimate event of the season on the Asian Tour with many of the contenders looking to cement their status on the Tour next year by finishing in the top 65 on the Order of Merit.
Jazz Janewattananond.
Poosit is in 81st place and in desperate need of two good final events, or a victory this week which brings with it a full one-year exemption.
He said: “Oh, it was a fantastic round for me, because I got a hole in one on number 16 and chip in on the number 18, my last hole.”
He was in the second pairing that started on the first. He made birdies on six and seven, and another on 12 before his sensational finish.
On the par-three 16th he made an ace using a seven iron.
“I played as well as the first two rounds, but today I got lucky on many shots, especially the hole in one and the chip in. Yeah, I’m very happy today,” said the 31-year-old.
“I didn’t see my ball go in on 16. I heard the sound and somebody was cheering, so I got my range finder and then I didn’t see a ball on the green.”
He is chasing his first win on the Asian Tour, having recorded his best at the SJM Macao Open last year where he was third.
Poosit Supupramai and Panuphol Pittarayat.
Jazz said yesterday he is playing this week to get his game sharp for the LIV Golf Promotions event in the United States in January, where two will make it through to the LIV Golf League.
His game in clearly close to where he wants it to be.
“It was good, bogey free is always nice,” said the Thai.
“I actually made some good birdies as well out there, I’m very happy with where my game is heading at.
“There’s a couple that I left on the golf course. I didn’t take all the opportunities on the par fives and stuff like that. I definitely took some. The par fours, I don’t think I can play the par fours better than this, but the par fives I can definitely do a bit better.”
At 14th on the Merit list, and the highest ranked player in the field, he is one of the few here not worrying about his playing status for next year. A victory would be his eighth on the Asian Tour but first since winning the International Series Morocco in 2022.
England’s Steve Lewton (69) and Carlos Pigem (71) from Spain are tied for sixth, four off the pace. They are also looking to secure their cards, although the former is 59th and the latter 162.
Korean Wooyoung Cho, the overnight leader, fell back with a 74 and is in group that are a further shot back.
Heemin Chang.
The US$500,000 event is being joint-sanctioned with the Indian Golf Premier League – which was launched a few months ago and is introducing new elements like Shotgun Starts.
Pictures by Jaydeep Singh Jadeja/Asian Tour.
Wooyoung Cho came to India this week to try and finish the season on a high, after a poor year. He is proceeding to do just that after taking the halfway lead in the US$500,000 Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat.
The Korean carded a fine six-under-par 66 today at Kensville Golf Resort to lead on 12-under by a shot from compatriot Heemin Chang.
Chang, the first-round leader after a 64, shot a 69 – in the penultimate event of the season on the Asian Tour, where tensions are high. Many of those in contention are trying ensure they keep their Asian Tour cards by staying in top 65 on the Order of Merit. Only one event remains after this week, the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
Spain’s Carlos Pigem (65) and Panuphol Pittayarat (66) are a stroke further back. Panuphol sensationally eagled his last hole to surge closer to the top.
Cho, in just his second year as a professional and one of his country’s most highly rated players, is in 56th place on the Merit list. He is secure but a win this week would truly cement his place on Tour next year.
Heemin Chang.
“I am just trying to be confident with my game, my swing, and my putting,” said the Korean, who has won twice on the Korean PGA Tour.
“It was a very good day for me, so I will try to keep going with 66s. I think my wedge shots, were very, very good. I could make birdies because my wedge game was so good.”
He did make a lot of birdies, seven in total, and dropped just one shot.
Chang needs to win this week if he is to keep his card as he is in a distant 127th place on the Merit list, having played just five events this campaign.
He was bogey free today, making three birdies to stay very much in the hunt.
Said the Korean: “When I was warming up on the range my driver wasn’t very good, so I thought it wouldn’t be easy today. But I think I finished well today because my putting was working was good.
“I didn’t know things would go well this week, but since it’s going so well, I want to get the highest rank possible to gain as much experience as possible.”
Carlos Pigem.
Pigem, a winner on the Asian Tour back in 2016 at Yeangder TPC, carded the joint lowest round the day. He is another struggling in 162nd position on the Merit list and also in need of a win this weekend.
“I think in Taiwan two weeks ago, I played better than the score, especially the second day and the fourth round, and I think that helped give me a little bit more confidence,” said the Spaniard.
“I know this course is a little bit tricky. You have to hit it really straight. But I missed where I could miss, and I hit really good shots when I had to. And I’m really happy for the weekend. I’m not gonna change. I think we are gonna follow the same path. Maybe you can try to hit par fives in two on the weekend, and try to be a little bit more aggressive if you need it.”
Mexican Santiago De la Fuente (67) and Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (69) share fifth, three behind Cho.
De la Fuenta is 62nd on the Merit list while Poosit is in 81st place.
Said Poosit: “I’m not thinking about securing the card, I just try my best. If I play like today on the weekend, hopefully I can secure my card for next year.”
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour and gradually returning to form came in with a 70 and is tied for seventh four off top spot.
The morning session saw two players make a hole in one.
Englishman Harold William aced the par-three 11th enroute to a 65. He is five under. Soon after Harendra Gupta holed his tee shot on the par-three fifth. The Indian golfer is also five under. William used a pitching wedge while Gupta a six iron.
This week’s event is being joint-sanctioned with the Indian Golf Premier League. The circuit was launched recently with the aim of increasing the profile of the game in India. It aims to add a new dimension to the game, with this weekend’s final two rounds commencing with a Shotgun start.
Poosit Supupramai’s bid to keep his Asian Tour card with just two events remaining, including this week’s Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat, stayed on course today when he took the clubhouse lead on day two.
He shot a three-under-par 69 for a two-round total of nine-under at Kensville Golf Resort, just outside of Ahmedabad.
The Thai golfer’s compatriot Jazz Janewattananond, the highest ranked player in the field and most decorated, is in second place, one back, following a 70.
Filipino Justin Quiban returned a 66 and is tied with Jazz, as is Ekpharit Wu from Thailand, after a 69, and Indian amateur Ishaan Chawhan, who also shot a 69 – after the completion of the morning session.
First-round lead Heemin Chang from Korea, who opened with a 64 yesterday, is in the afternoon flights.
Poosit is in 81st position on the Merit list, chasing a top 65 finish on the final list that will keep his playing privileges next year. The season-ending Saudi Open presented by PIF will be played the week after next, and ultimately decide his schedule in 2026.
Jazz Janewattananond.
He said: “I’m not thinking about securing the card, I just try my best. If I play like today on the weekend, hopefully I can secure my card for next year.”
He started on the back nine today, making three birdies and a bogey before a calmer second nine saw him make eight pars in a row before a closing birdie.
“I played the same as I did yesterday,” said, “but today I think the conditions were tougher, because we can’t take preferred lies so when on the fairways, it’s hard to make good contact.”
He finished in a tie for sixth at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open three weeks ago for his best finish of the season. That result came shortly after some adjustments to his short stick.
“Before Singapore I saw my coach Pompetch to see what to do about my putting, so I changed the loft on my putter. So now it’s better and I’m more confident with my putting.”
Jazz, paying in the group behind Poosit, continues to show signs he is returning to the kind of form that has seen him win seven-times on the Asian Tour.
He is 14th on the Merit list after a string of encouraging results this season, including tying for fourth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in September and finishing equal sixth in the Link Hong Kong Open the following month.
“It could have been a lot lower, I had a lot of lip outs today,” said the 2019 Order of Merit champion.
“But you know, you gotta appreciate some good golf. I’m hitting it a lot better than what I did middle of this year, so it’s good to see the game improving. And that’s why I’m here, trying to implement the good golf and try to get used to it, and maybe learn something about myself.”
While he doesn’t have the pressure of having to worry about keeping his playing status, he is working on getting his game ready for the LIV Golf Promotions event in January – where two places are up for grabs in the LIV Golf League.
He added: “It would be great [to win], it would be a bonus for sure. I’m just trying to get myself to the level that I think I can get my card in the LIV Promotions event, that’s the most important one. So, these are preparations for me, the Saudi Open and this week, and even the week before. Just trying to peak at the right time.”
The morning also saw two players make a hole in one.
Englishman Harold William aced the par-three 11th enroute to a 65. He is five under. Soon after Harendra Gupta holed his tee shot on the par-three fifth. The Indian golfer is also five under. William used a pitching wedge while Gupta a six iron.
Korean Heemin Chang took the lead on day one of the Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat today at Kensville Golf Resort, near Ahmedabad – remarkably, playing the course for the first time.
He shot an eight-under-par 64 having arrived late last night and unable to play a practice round. Despite that he leads from Pukhraj Singh Gill from India, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Poosit Supupramai, and Korean Wooyoung Cho, who shot 66s.
Ajeetesh Sandhu and Udayan Mane from India, plus Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Filipino Sean Ramos are in a large group tied for sixth, after 67s.
Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu, the rookie who won the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open recently, is also in that group.
This week’s inaugural US$500,000 event is being joint-sanctioned with the newly-launch Indian Golf Premier League Tour. It’s the sixth stop on the Indian Tour but the penultimate tournament of the season on the Asian Tour. It means players are jostling for final positions on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, in order to confirm their playing status for next year.
“It’s a good result, as it’s my first time here,” said Chang, who is 127th on the Merit list.
“The greens were slower than I expected but I adapted well, and my course management was good.”
He tied for sixth in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open earlier this month, giving him the belief for a strong finish to the year.
Jazz Janewattananond.
The Korean was in the third group out this morning and after a relatively quiet front nine that saw him turn in two under with birdies on five and six he caught fire on the second half. He made three birdies in a row from 10, dropped his only shot of the day on 14, before making eagle on 15 and closing birdies on 16 and 18.
He added: “My game has been good lately. It is my first time in India, I came for the experience, I came to win.”
A win would most definitely secure his playing rights for next year in the space of one tournament. It’s the goal of everyone here this week.
Gill has the benefit of arriving here soon after his maiden victory in the pro game. He claimed the IGPL Invitational 2025 Jamshedpur two weeks ago. It was just the fourth leg of the tour, and he won it by the comfortable margin of nine shots. He now sits in second place on the rankings.
He said: “Great first day. I know this course fairly well. We have quite a few tournaments here. It’s been a good track. They’ve had Challenge Tour events in the past, and a lot of main PGTI events. So yes, I think that definitely helped. Yeah, solid off the tee. Great on the green.
“I was very excited for this week, because Asian Tour is back in India after quite some time, and to have it at Kensville is pretty damn good.”
Cho, part of the Korean team that won gold at the Asian Games in 2023, is another player looking for a strong finish to ensure a top-65 finish on the Merit list, which ensures you keep your card for next year.
He’s one of Korea’s most exciting young golfers, with great things expected of him. However, he is currently in 56th on the rankings, after an unexpectedly poor year dogged by putting woes.
Pukhraj Singh Gill.
“I have had big problems with my putting. Sometimes even four putts, a lot of three putts,” he explained
Like Chang he tied for sixth in Taifong thanks to vastly better form on the short grass.
“I changed to a new putter that week and I am still using it. I am much more hopeful now of playing better,” he added.
Chan is in 75th on the Merit and is desperate to need of two good final tournaments, with the season-ending Saudi Open presented by PIF to be held the week after next.
He is a five-time winner on the Asian Tour, the most recent being in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, and is unaccustomed to losing his card.
“I had a shoulder injury most of the year. It’s been a big problem. I have been doing physio, gone to hospital. It’s about 80 to 85% ok now,” he commented.
“I am just trying to keep calm. This course is very good, very different. Really important to find the fairway from the tee, then you are fine. Hopefully this week I can get a top five. Don’t think too much, yeah. Just enjoy. Focus on my tempo and then focus every shot.”
Pictures by Jaydeep Singh Jadeja/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour returns to India this week for the inaugural Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat– an exciting new event on the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Tour, which was launched earlier this year.
The tournament is being held at Kensville Golf Resort, Ahmedabad, allowing for a popular return to a country that has a strong affinity with the Asian Tour.
Boasting prizemoney of US$500,000, it will be jointly-sanctioned with the IGPL Tour – a new and innovative circuit boasting 11 events that will act as forerunner for next year’s Indian Golf Premier League, the country’s first-ever franchise-based golf league.
The introduction of a brand-new event in a country that has been so important to the Asian Tour is a welcome addition. It is the penultimate event of the season on the Asian Tour.
Kensville Golf Resort is an idyllic 900-acre golf resort located 40 kms from Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.
It boasts an 18-hole championship-standard course designed by one of India’s greatest golfers Jeev Milkha Singh.
Ekpharit Wu.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Bharath Classic 2025 Gujarat
- Date: 27th – 30th November 2025
- Venue: Kensville Golf Resort, Ahmedabad, India
- Par/Yards: 73/7,210 yards
- Purse: US$500,000
- Asian Tour leg: 20th
- Edition of tournament: First
- Total number of players: 120
- 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
Steve Lewton.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Jazz Janewattananond (2019)
- Nationalities: 17
- Top contenders: Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Yuvraj Sandhu (IND), James Piot (USA), Ekpharit Wu (THA), Wooyoung Cho (KOR)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Jazz Janewattananond (THA) #474
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Jazz Janewattananond (THA) #14
- Number of amateurs in the field: 5
- Number of Indian players in the field: 60
James Piot.
Tournament Notes
- Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond has had a solid season and ranks 14th on the Order of Merit after a T2 at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May and three other top-10s, the latest one a T6 at the Moutai Singapore Open three weeks ago. Jazz won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2019 after winning four events that season. During his career he has won seven titles on the Asian Tour, the most recent one at the International Series Morocco in 2022.
- Yuvraj Sandhu from India has won five times this season on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), his latest victory coming just last week at the Indian Oil Servo Masters. He leads that Order of Merit after those wins and a total of 11 top 10’s this season.
- American James Piot is a former U.S. Amateur champion having won the 2021 edition at Oakmont Country Club. After turning pro, he played on the LIV Golf League in 2022 and 2023 with a T6 at the 2022 Bangkok event as his best finish. Piot was tied for the lead at the recent Moutai Singapore Open after 54 holes, but a ball stuck in a tree during the final round derailed his chances for his first Asian Tour title. Piot has also been playing on the PGA Tour Americas this year with a third-place and T4 as his best showings.
- Ekpharit Wu from Thailand won the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open two weeks ago for his first Asian Tour title, and he’s had three other top-20’s in his rookie Asian Tour season. Prior to securing his card at Q-School last December Wu posted two victories on the All Thailand Golf Tour in 2024.
- Korean Wooyoung Cho has posted two top-10’s on the Asian Tour this year, the first placing fifth at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in his home country, and the second a T6 at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open two weeks ago. As an amateur he was part of the gold medal-winning South Korean team at the 2022 Asian Games (held in 2023), playing alongside professional golfers like Siwoo Kim and Sungjae Im. His has two wins on the Korean PGA Tour, the first one in 2023 while still an amateur, and the second in 2024 after turning pro.
Pictures by Jaydeep/Asian Tour.
Spain’s Josele Ballester [main picture] won the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers against the strongest field of the year, with a complete game and impressive stats across the categories showing power, accuracy and touch.
With a final round of six-under-par 65 he would beat overnight leaders Caleb Surratt from the Unites States and South African Dean Burmester by three and five shots respectively in the end.
Being one of the longest players in the field, and in interviews during the week praising his own driving, he was able to come into the Riyadh Golf Club greens with a lot of short clubs and able to stop the ball near the pins on the firm putting greens.
Said the 22-year-old: “I just found a way on how to use my driver. I hit it really far. When I’m hitting it good off the tee, many good things happen. Over the last three months, I went from being an okay driver of the ball to a really good one.”
Caleb Surratt.
“I feel like every day the greens have been getting a little firmer. The ball is rolling good, and I think that kind of plays to my advantage. I have the ability to stop the ball on the greens pretty easily. For me, the firmer they get, the better.”
Averaging 327.67 yards off the tee on the measuring holes he ranked seventh in the Driving Distance stat category, and he used this power to his advantage making 18 birdies on the par fours and three each on the par threes and par fives during the week. His 24 total Birdies placed him second only to runner-up Surratt who led this category with 25.
He also excelled in Scrambling minimising dropped shots, ranking T2 with Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand with 83.33%, behind Australian Lucas Herbert with 88.24%.
Ballester’s other statistics: Putts per GIR 1.65 (7th), Putts per Round 28.25 (T11), GIR 83.33 (11th) and Fairways 57,14% (T48th).
A runner-up for the second year in a row, Surratt was clearly the best putter in the field and topped both putting categories for the week with 26.75 Putts per Green and a 1,547 Putts per GIR average.
His skills on the greens produced a category leading 25 birdies during the tournament, offset by six bogies which perhaps came from a Scrambling percentage of 68.42% (24th), which was quite a bit lower than the winner’s.
Surratt was ranked highly in Fairways Hit with 76.79% (4th), but his GIR percentage of 73,61% (T43) left a bit to be desired.
Statistics Categories leaders at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round – Caleb Surratt (USA): 26.75
- Putts per GIR – Caleb Surratt (USA): 1.547
- GIR – Charles Howell III (USA): 90.28%
- Fairways Hit – Charles Howell III (USA): 83.93%
- Driving Distance – Micah Shin (USA): 337 yards
- Most Eagles – Richard T. Lee, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG), Charles Howell III (USA), Paul Casey (ENG), Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Faisal Salhab (KSA), Nick Voke (NZL): 1
- Most Birdies – Caleb Surratt (USA): 25
- Fewest Bogies or Worse – Josele Ballester (ESP): 2
- Scrambling: Lucas Herbert (AUS): 88.24%
- Bounce back – Sampson Zheng (CHN): 50%
Pictured by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent sealed The International Series Rankings title and a return to the LIV Golf League at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, and he will be joined by Yosuke Asaji from Japan after Filipino Miguel Tabuena fell just short on the final day in Riyadh.
Vincent, winner of the inaugural Rankings title in 2022, had led the race going into the final event of the season on 325.59 points, 40.29 ahead of Asaji, who won last time out at the Moutai Singapore Open to move to 285.30.
And despite a rough day at Riyadh Golf Club – Vincent carded a four-over 75 – his return to the big league was never in danger as his nearest challengers failed to earn the required finishes needed for a late Rankings charge.
Despite the ultimate lack of a challenge, the 33-year-old admitted he was affected by nerves with so much at stake going into the final day.
He said: “I woke up at about 4:30, which was two hours before I was hoping to. Then you start playing all the different scenarios in your head, which was not what I was hoping for. I wanted to come out here and just play freely and give it my best, but yeah, I was nervous.
Scott Vincent.
“Obviously not knowing and not trying to look at leaderboards, you don’t know how much of a cushion you have. You don’t want to be the guy who is ahead and loses, all those things.
“Once I got moving and got into my routine, putting and range work, I definitely settled down. I just didn’t play great today, but obviously my performance over the season was enough.”
As Rankings leader, Vincent tried to keep away from the permutations and calculations needed to establish who would finish where, but admitted it was difficult to do.
He said: “No, I tried to stay completely away. I kind of knew that, unless someone probably finished in the top five or so or two people did that, I was probably okay. I don’t typically look at leaderboards, but today I was looking a little bit. I didn’t see anyone there.”
For Vincent, the result means a return to LIV Golf after a year out. The two-time Asian Tour winner was the first person to take the pathway to LIV Golf from The International Series when he secured a place in the Iron Heads GC team after finishing top of the Rankings race in thee years ago.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, hands Yosuke Asaji a gold coin for making it through to the LIV Golf League.
After losing his place at the end of the 2024 season, he doubled down on his efforts on The International Series in 2025 and finished top of the Rankings for the second time thanks to his International Series Morocco win in July and a runner-up finish to Wade Ormsby at the Jakarta International Championship last month.
Speaking about that pathway offered by The International Series, the elevated Asian Tour events, he said: “Obviously I’m very thankful. It is great that this has worked out for me.”
About his return to LIV Golf, he added: “Obviously I kind of know what I am going to, and I am looking forward to that. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
A missed cut from Asaji on Thursday had left the door open for Tabuena, who was just 53.02 adrift. But the International Series Philippines champion fell agonisingly short of the T6 position needed as a two-under 69 left him one shot adrift.
Unlike Vincent, Asaji claimed he felt no nerves as he watched the drama unfold. He said: “I was not nervous at all. I just wanted to see what was happening today. It all depended on other players’ results today, and I just wanted to see what was happening.”
Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji.
Reflecting on the moment he saw Tabuena had come up short, he added: “I was so happy with my wife and my caddie, we were together. We can get in the LIV event. I was so happy.”
Asaji pinpointed the moment he dared to dream about that lucrative LIV Golf spot, saying: “Winning the Moutai Singapore Open was very, very valuable for me because after winning the Singapore Open, I noticed that I am No.2 in The International Series Rankings, and I thought, ‘oh, I have a pathway to LIV Golf, I have a chance to do this’.“
Going into tournament week, a number of challengers were in with a slim chance thanks to the high number of Rankings points available in the US$5 million tournament – the richest event of the year.
American Ollie Schniederjans, winner of the season-opening International Series India presented by DLF, could not muster the top-two finish required, ultimately settling for a 71 that left him T60 and seventh in the table.
However, the former amateur world No.1 has the consolation of a bye into the second round of the LIV Golf Promotions event in Florida at the start of next season, where another two LIV Golf golden tickets will be available.
Australian Ormsby also has the same opportunity. Needing a top-two finish, the 45-year-old missed the cut. At No.8 in the Rankings, he will regroup with two tournaments Down Under before entering the second-round stage of the four-round tournament at the Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida from 8-11 January.
Miguel Tabuena.
Danthai, runner up behind Vincent in Morocco, went into the final round T7 and five off the lead while Kho, the 2023 World City Championship winner in his native Hong Kong, sat T18 and two shots further back.
In the end, both finished T27 on 10 under with Kho level par for his final round and Danthai two shots over. Danthai will join Tabuena, Schniederjans and Ormsby in the second round of the Promotions event as one of 10 leading players from the top 20 of the final Rankings table. Kho will enter the first round as one of 25 leading players inside the top 40.
Pictures by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Josele Ballester announced himself on the world stage today by winning the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, in just his 10th start in the professional game.
An accomplished final round six-under-par 65 saw the Spaniard record a fine three-shot victory over last year’s joint runner-up Caleb Surratt from the United States, who shot a 69 – here at Riyadh Golf Club.
South African Dean Burmester, who beat Ballester in extra-time at LIV Golf Chicago in August, returned a 71 to claim third, while England’s Richard Bland fired a 68 to settle for fourth.
American Anthony Kim recorded far and away his best result since returning to the game after a 12-year break. He signed off with a 70 to tie for fifth.
In what was the final event of the season on The International Series, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent wrapped up The International Series Rankings.
It’s the second time he has won the Rankings, having claimed the inaugural edition in 2022, and means he will make a popular return to the LIV Golf League next year.
Josele Ballester.
He will be joined on the franchise by Japan’s Yosuke Asaji who held on to second place despite missing the cut this week. Filipino Miguel Tabuena came agonisingly close to dislodging Asaji after finishing in a tie for 11th, following a 69 – just 25.25 behind points the Japanese golfer, in third place.
Ballester, the winner of the US Amateur last year who joined Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC team mid-way through this season, started the day one behind third-round leaders Surratt and Burmester.
However, by the turn he was one ahead of both players, whom he was paired with, following three birdies and no dropped shots.
He continued in the same vein on the next nine making three more birdies, the final one on the 16th, to cruise home unchallenged in just his second event on the Asian Tour and The International Series.
“First of all, thank you so much. I’m super happy,” said Ballester, aged 22.
“It’s been everything, right? Like at the end of the day, being a young boy dreaming about this moment, winning your first professional career. This is why I worked so hard every day. It’s been really cool, to finally get this done. It’s going to make me keep working even harder to accomplish all the things I have.
Caleb Surratt.
“But right now I’m really happy and thankful for all the people that have been there supporting me.
“It’s been great these past few months. It’s been a lot of learning. When I joined LIV, I was not playing great, and it was a learning process. I had to become better. It’s been really cool to see that in this brief time I’ve gotten so much better and that I can compete at the highest level with the best players in the world.”
Surratt was also chasing his first win. It is the third time he has finished runner-up on The International Series – including losing to Joaquin Niemann from Chile in a play-off last year.
“Yeah, it’s hard,” said the 21-year-old, who played for Legion XIII on LIV Golf.
“I finished runner-up at this event last year. So, it’s tough. I feel like I’m overdue on my first win. I definitely had that in my mind today. Just getting off to a bad start really hurt me. Josele was beating me by four shots today through three holes. He’s an amazing player, props to him. I’m sure we’ll have many, many good battles.”
He got off to a poor start, dropping shots on the first two holes, but fought back with three birdies on the front side. Two birdies and a dropped shot on the second half saw him just fall short once more.
Vincent started the day just five shots off the lead, comfortably ahead on the rankings. He shot a 75 today, to finish eight under to tie for 42nd place, not quite what he had hoped for but still good enough for him to top the rankings with 335.11 points. Asaji finished second on 285.3 points.
“I think it’s still settling in,” said Vincent, winner of this year’s International Series Morocco.
“Right now, all I want to do is go see my family. Yeah, we’ll head towards them tonight and can’t wait to see them.
Scott Vincent.
“I woke up at about 4:30, which was two hours before I was hoping to. Then you start playing all the different scenarios in your head, which was not what I was hoping for.
“Yeah, I kind of just — I wanted to come out here and just play freely and give it my best, but yeah, I was nervous. Obviously not knowing and not trying to look at leaderboards, you don’t know how much of a cushion you have. You don’t want to be the guy who’s ahead and loses, all those things.”
Tabuena needed a top-six finish to catch Asaji and got off to the perfect start by going out in three under to sit in the top four. However, he made bogey on the 12th, and although he recovered with a birdie on the 15th, a bogey on the next ended any hopes of him being the first golfer from the Philippines to play on the LIV Golf League.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa has kept the lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, after tying for 65th. Vincent is second and Tabuena third, with two events remaining.
The Asian Tour heads to India next week for the Bharath Classic at Kensville Golf Resort in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The inaugural tournament will be played from November 27 to 20 and will be joint sanctioned with the newly formed Indian Golf Premier League.
Pictures by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
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