GS Caltex Maekyung Open: Chonlatit snatches lead with stunning 62
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam upstaged the big guns of Korean golf today to take the halfway lead in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after shooting the lowest round of the week so far and one of the best of the season.
His brilliant bogey-free nine-under-par 62, which featured eagles on two of the par fours and was agonisingly one short of the 23-year-old course record, put him on nine-under and gave him a one-shot lead over Koreans Kyungnam Kang, the first-round leader, and Hongtaek Kim.
Kang carded a 69 and Kim a 65, while their compatriot Yubin Jang, a member of Korea’s gold medal winning Asian Games team last year, is another stroke back following a 69.
Chonlatit lost a sudden-death play-off against Australian Wade Ormsby at the International Series Thailand early on last season – a result which many thought would launch his career. Further success did not materialise but his talent re-surfaced once more today with the finest round of his career that featured two eagles and five birdies, including two in the last three.
Kyungnam Kang.
He also missed a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-five ninth, which was his 18th as he began on 10, to narrowly miss matching Chinese-Taipei’s Chung Chun-Hsing course record, set way back in 2001.
“I didn’t see the ball go in on either hole for eagle as they were uphill,” said 25-year-old, who finished late in the day to edge ahead of Kang and Kim, who were out in the morning session.
“I thought they were going to be the right distance and close, but not that they would go in.
“It’s my first time playing this course. I don’t know the trouble left and right, so I just played my game. I didn’t think too much. I just tried to hit the fairways and keep the ball short of the pins for uphill putts. That’s my game plan for the weekend too, keep it short and not past the pin.”
His first eagle came on the 13th before he made another two on the first.
Kang admitted that the GS Caltex Maekyung Open is the title he wants to win the most.
The 41-year-old is an 11-time winner in Korea but he has yet to win one of the country’s big three events: the Korean Open, the Shinhan Donghae Open and this week’s event.
Hongtaek Kim.
“The goal is always to win. I want to win the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Championship the most though,” said Kang, who was bogey-free yesterday, but made two bogeys today and four birdies.
“I have played safe for two consecutive days. It is more important to avoid bogeys than make birdies. If you persevere, you get a chance.
“I’m over 40 years old, but I have the confidence to win.”
The Korean has been battling a back injury by doing plenty of exercise including regular bike riding.
He said: “I rode my bike for 40 minutes again yesterday. I have discovered that my body performs better when I am tired. If I had realised this earlier, I would have won 20 tournaments!”
Kang, who last won in Korea three years ago, said he is not used to playing so well early in the season and is normally a late starter so feels he might have a chance to finish the year ranked first in Korea.
Yubin Jang.
Kim has made his name on the golf simulator circuit in Korea winning 12 times on the GTour – his nickname is ‘King of the Screen’ – but he is enjoying being in contention playing the real thing.
“It feels good to be tied for the lead at the moment. I’ll prepare well for the weekend round,” said the 30-year-old, who won on the Korean PGA Tour back in 2017.
“I was in a hurry yesterday because the play went well.”
He participates in simulator competitions when there are no Korean PGA Tour events being played.
“Namseoul’s green speed is faster than simulator golf’s ‘very fast’ mode. You can’t come here after playing at ‘very fast’,” he joked.
Defending champion Chanmin Jung from Korea missed the cut after rounds of 72 and 73 to finish three over. The cut was made at one over.
His playing partner John Catlin also finished on the same total, adding a disappointing 74 to his first-round 71. The American had been attempting to become the first player in the history of the Asian Tour to win three in a row, having triumphed in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
Kyungnam Kang, one of Korea’s most experienced campaigners, laid down a marker on the opening day of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open today shooting an imperious bogey-free six-under-par 65 to take the lead here at one of the country’s venerable old venues Namseoul Country Club, south Seoul.
The 41-year-old, an 11-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour, made six birdies – including four in a row from the 12th – and has one-shot lead over his compatriots Jang Yubin and Woohyun Kim, Canadian Richard T. Lee and Miguel Carballo from Argentina.
Kang has been a professional for 20 years but has never won on the Asian Tour.
He’s made the perfect start to try and add that feather to his cap and record his first victory since 2021.
Jang Yubin. Picture courtesy GS Caltex Maekyung Open organiser.
He said: “I’ve played a lot in Namseoul. It’s a difficult course every time I play it, but I made a lot of birdies today, so I gained a lot of confidence.
“It’s a good performance considering I have a bad back. I withdrew from the first event on the Korean PGA Tour season last month because of it. It was even hurting when I was breathing. It is still not great.”
Despite the injury the Korean says he is fully focused on winning as many times as possible in the twilight of his career.
“I hope to win 15 or more games until I retire. Sanghyun Park has 12 wins, I have 11 wins. Sanghyun is an excellent player and I want to catch him,” added Kang, who says he does Pilates for one or two hours every day and: “I ride my bike for 50 minutes whether it’s early evening or early morning. I’m just trying to take care of myself.”
Jang’s excitement at competing in this week’s event for the first time since turning professional was behind his fine start.
Miguel Carballo. Picture courtesy GS Caltex Maekyung Open organiser.
He finished tied eighth last year at a venue he has played many times as a member of the Korean amateur team and his familiarity with the course was evident as he moved into contention making six birdies and one bogey.
The 21-year-old is one of Korea’s hottest properties having been part of the Korean team that won gold at last October’s Hangzhou Asian Games – the event that marked his last appearance as an amateur.
At the start of this year Jang targeted the three events he wanted to win the most and the GS Catltex Maekyung Open was one of them.
“I have taken a step forward,” said Jang.
“When I played in professional tournaments before as an amateur, I was very nervous, so I didn’t play well. Now I’m not nervous.
“I gained so much experience participating here before as an amateur. That experience has helped me, and I feel like I have improved since last year.”
In the Hong Kong Open, soon after the Asian Games and in his first event overseas as a professional, he shot a stunning closing round seven-under-par 63 to finish solo fifth.
Richard T. Lee. Picture courtesy GS Caltex Maekyung Open organiser.
And in the early season events on the Korean PGA Tour he has also been in the running: finishing fourth, joint sixth and tied 24th.
Carballo is the surprise package at the end of day one, but perhaps he shouldn’t be bearing in mind he shot 66 on the opening day last year to sit in third place. He eventually tied for 35th.
The veteran golfer has done well in an event traditionally dominated by Korean golfers. The most recent overseas player to win was Mark Calcavecchia from the United States in 2004.
“I like the golf course,” said the 45-year-old.
“I hit the fairways and I hit the greens, and the putting was working. This year the first couple of tournaments I played well, but the putter wasn’t working. The scoring wasn’t coming but the last two tournaments I played very good, the putter is not very good but it’s working.”
John Catlin from the United States, chasing a record-setting third consecutive win on the Asian Tour, appeared to be in complete control at three-under with three to play, without a bogey on his card, but proceeded to bogey the final three holes for a 71.
His playing partners Koreans Guntaek Koh, currently ranked first on the Korean PGA Tour, and Chanmin Jung, the defending champion, fired rounds of 70 and 72 respectively.
Korean Bio Kim, a two-time winner here, opened with a 75 and has much to do to become the first player to win this event three times.
- Tournament: GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship
- Date: May 2-5, 2024
- Leg: Sixth event of 2024 season
- Edition: 43rd (Asian Tour 1999-2003, 2005-2009, 2018-2019, 2023)
- Venue: Namseoul Country Club, Seongnam, Seoul, South Korea
- Course designer: Seiichi Inoue (JPN)
- Year Opened: 1971
- Course Record: 61, Chung Chun-Hsing (TPE) GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship 2001
- Purse: KRW1,300,000,000
- Par/Yards: 71 / 7,083
- Field: 144
- Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds to the leading 65 professionals and ties
- Social Media Hashtags: #MaekyungOpen #whereitsAT
Chanmin Jung celebrates on the 18th last year. Picture supplied by GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.
FIELD BREAKDOWN
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (USA) 2022, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 2019
- Nationalities: 16
- Past winners of tournament in the field: Chanmin Jung (KOR), Bio Kim (KOR), Inhoi Hur (KOR), Taehee Lee (KOR), Sanghyun Park (KOR), Sanghee Lee (KOR), Kyongjun Moon (KOR), Innchoon Hwang (KOR), Jongduck Kim (KOR)
- Defending champion: Chanmin Jung (KOR) -16 (won by 6 strokes over weather shortened 54 holes in 2023)
- Highest ranked player in field on OWGR: John Catlin (USA) 155
- Highest ranked player on 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit: John Catlin (USA) #1
- No. of amateurs: 8
- No. of Korean players in the field: 87
Bio Kim won for the second time in 2022. Picture supplied by GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.
TOURNAMENT KEY NOTES + STORYLINES
- Order of Merit leader John Catlin is coming off back-to-back wins at the Saudi Open presented by PIF and International Series Macau presented by Wynn. He will be returning to Namseoul Country Club for the first time since 2018 when he finished eighth. Catlin, who is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour and a three-time winner on the DP World Tour, will be looking to extend his lead on the Order of Merit with his eight closest OOM pursuers not playing in Korea. He is attempting to become the first player in the history of the Asian Tour to win three events in a row.
- Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub is making his first appearance in this tournament and will look to continue his good form of the past six months. The 20-year-old should feel confident after a final round 63 at the Saudi Open presented by PIF two weeks ago where he finished tied 17th, despite a five over par 76 in the third round. He has a tied third place finish in the IRS Prima Malaysian Open, which earned him a ticket to the Open Championship, and a ninth place in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn as his best finishes of the season and sits in 10th place on the Order of Merit. At the end of 2023 Denwit posted three straight victories.
- Local favourite Bio Kim won the 2022 and 2012 editions of the tournament and has a very impressive record at Namseoul overall, with a tied sixth in 2023 and five other top-five finishes in the previous 15 times he’s played in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. Kim has tied 13th in the IRS Prima Malaysian Open as his best Asian Tour result this season and has recently posted two top 10s on the Korean Tour.
- Korea’s Sanghyun Park is also a two-time winner of the tournament, with both of his victories coming in playoffs in 2016 and 2018. Park has posted 12 wins on the Korean Tour and two on the Japan Tour during his career. He recently finished runner up at the DB Insurance Promy Open, the first event on the 2024 Korean Tour schedule.
- Taehee Lee of Korea won the tournament in back-to-back years in 2019-2020 and is a four-time winner in Korea during his career. Not off to the best start on his 2024 Asian Tour campaign, he will be looking at the return to Namseoul as a chance to rekindle his form. Recently posted a tied 10th finish at the KPGA Founders Cup, the second event of the Korean Tour season, and a tied 11th last week at the Woori Financial Group Championship.
- Korean players have won the last 19 editions of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, going all the way back to 2004 when American Mark Calcavecchia, the winner of the 1989 Open Championship, captured the event.
- Established in 1982, the tournament has mostly been staged at the Namseoul, but it has also been held at three different venues. The other venues that have been used are Lakeside Country Club in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2006, Gwanak Country Club in 1984 and Elysian Gangchon Country Club in 2020.
- In 2005, Korean Sangho Choi won the tournament and set an Asian Tour record as the oldest winner on the Asian Tour at 50 years and 145 days.
- Five players have won the tournament twice, Bio Kim, Sanghyun Park, Taehee Lee, Kyungtae Kim and Namsin Park. No player has won the title three times.
COURSE YARDAGES
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out |
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 36 |
| Yards | 409 | 484 | 189 | 537 | 421 | 223 | 418 | 422 | 524 | 3,627 |
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
| Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 71 |
| Yards | 423 | 209 | 386 | 394 | 504 | 341 | 535 | 231 | 433 | 3,456 | 7,083 |
American John Catlin will attempt to write his name into the history books once again this week, this time at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open where he will try and become the first player to win three tournaments in a row on the Asian Tour.
Two weeks ago, at the Saudi Open presented by PIF, he became the 13th player to win back-to-back titles – having preceded that with success at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
Victory in Macau was helped by an outrageous 11-under-par 59 in the third-round, the Tour’s first ever sub-60, and his remarkable period of form has seen him reach the summit of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and second position on the International Series Rankings.
History is undeniably against the 33-year-old here at Namseoul Country Club in Seonghan, just south of Seoul, as the last non-Korean to win the event, which this week celebrates it 43rd edition, was former Open champion Mark Calcavecchia from the Unites States a distant 20 years ago.
John Catlin pictured with the Saudi Open presented by PIF trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
However, if there is one player you would put in position to achieve the elusive hat-trick it would be the unflappable and supremely confident Californian.
“I am excited,” said Catlin, who has managed to win three times in a season before, back in 2018.
“Any time you have a chance to break any kind of a record, that’s always something to really look forward to.
“But I play because I enjoy the game. Sometimes you can get away from that. I think when you go out there and have fun and let the work that you do show up, I think that is when you play your best.”
Namseoul is a notoriously difficult golf course as it is tight and hilly but that suits Catlin as he is accurate from the tee while he also has something else he can draw on.
He explains: “I like this course. I have only played here once. It was six years ago, and I had my first top-10 on the Asian Tour here. You have to keep it in play, it’s tight, there’s a lot of slope, so you have to make sure you put the ball in the right places.”
He finished eighth in 2016 in just his second year on the Asian Tour, when he was in the process of finding his feet in the professional game, but a star was born two years later when he won three times and was voted the Players’ Player of the Year.
Catlin after winning the International Series Macau presented by Wynn. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
In 2020 he turned his attention to Europe and was victorious on three occasions there before losing his way last year and opting to return to Asia.
He quickly got his spark back and made it through this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School before tying for third in the season-opening Malaysian Open.
“There’s no real secret to this at the moment, just hard work, and you know, just trying to enjoy the process a bit more,” said Catlin, who bases himself in Hua Hin, Thailand, when competing in the region.
“I am always tinkering, trying to do this a little better, that a little better – that never really changes, that never really goes away. Some things have clicked, my mind is working a little better, because of that you build a bit more confidence, those things spiral on top of each other.
“One thing I think I am good at is staying in the present. You are teeing it up to win. I would not be here if I didn’t think I had a chance to win but you don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself as well. You don’t want to plan these things out. No, you are there prepared, and ready to compete. And you know, I like to win.”
Asian Games gold medallists Jang Yu-bin and Cho Woo-young will reach another important milestone in their blossoming careers this week when they play in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open – one of their country’s premier tournaments – for the first time as professionals.
Both players tied for eighth as amateurs here last year at Namseoul Country Club – in an event that has traditionally been a testing ground for the nation’s leading amateurs as it is organised by the Korean Golf Association – in part helping to earn their places in the four-man Korean team that competed in the Hangzhou Asian Games in October.
They combined with PGA Tour stars Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae to win the team gold medal, for the first time since 2010, and turned professional immediately afterwards.
The duo have not disappointed in the play for pay game, with this week being another important part of their progression.
Jang Yu-bin.
Said Jang: “At the beginning of this year, we selected three competitions that we really wanted to win, and one of them was the GS Caltex, because it is a place with special memories of being an amateur and a national team player.”
In the Hong Kong Open, soon after the Asian Games and in his first event overseas as a professional, he shot a stunning closing round seven-under-par 63 to finish solo fifth.
And in the early season events on the Korean Tour he has also been in the running: finishing fourth, joint sixth and tied 24th.
The transition to the paid ranks has not been a difficult one, which he feels is the result of the experience and pressure involved in the build up to the Asian Games.
“We played in a lot of professional events, as part of the amateur team, getting ready for the Asian Games. So I think I am ready for this next stage of my career, and I am going to enjoy life as a professional,” said Jang, who also won on the Korean Tour as amateur early last season.
“Since winning the Asian Games I think I have many fans. There have been many requests for autographs and photos at tournaments. I am very grateful and surprised. “
Cho Woo-young.
Cho has finished in top-15 in the opening three Korean Tour event so far this season and is revelling the opportunity to compete this week.
“I have been improving since the start of the season,” said Cho, also a winner as an amateur on the Korean Tour last year.
“I have practiced and trained at Namseoul so much as amateur, so I think it’s a tournament that I want more than any other tournament.
“I turned around with a gold medal on my neck in October last year, and I’m already in my seventh month as a professional. I’m enjoying life on tour so much, with so much passionate support.”
Like Jubin, Cho says the experience of being on the same team as Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae, who have a combined six victories on the PGA Tour, is something that he will never forget.
He said: “The Asian Games awards ceremony was amazing, but I think what I remember the most is just chatting with Sung-jae and Si-woo and Yubin in the same room, as we shared accommodation. My older brothers told me a lot about the PGA Tour. I received a lot of advice. It is a happy and precious memory.”
The GS Caltex Maekyung Open starts Thursday and is the sixth event of the season on the Asian Tour. Total prizemoney is KRW1,300,000,000 (approximately US$939,000).
The Asian Tour always loves a tale of the unexpected – especially when it involves a potential star of the future. Report from the 2023 Asian Tour Yearbook.
That was certainly the case when the Tour made its first trip of the season to Korea, when strapping Korean golfer Chanmin Jung completed a shock wire-to-wire victory.
He shot a final round five-under-par 66 for a tournament total of 16 under par and a commanding six-shot victory at Namseoul Country Club, in Seoul.
Korea’s Minhyuk Song, an amateur, and Junghwan Lee tied for second following rounds of 64 and 70 respectively, in an event reduced to 54 holes after Saturday’s third round was cancelled because of poor weather and a waterlogged course.
Chanmin Jung with the trophy following the final round of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship. Picture supplied by GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.
Their compatriots Jaekyeong Lee (66) and Eunshin Park (67) tied for fourth, one shot back, while defending champion Bio Kim, also from Korea, finished in a tie for sixth, an additional stroke behind, following a 70.
Until that week, Jung was best known as one of the biggest hitters in Korea – he topped the driving distance stats on the Korean PGA Tour in 2022 – and had only finished in the top-10 twice in domestic events since turning professional three years earlier.
All that changed when the player nicknamed the “Korean Hulk”, due his big frame and big-hitting game, recorded and an inspired and unexpected victory in front of the huge crowds that are always a feature of the tournament.
He led after the opening day with a 63 and had a two-shot advantage after his second round 68. With Saturday’s play washed out that was the lead he started with on Sunday for the third and final round.
A brilliant front nine of five-under-par 31, with an eagle – the result of holing his bunker shot on the par-five fourth – and three birdies, put him six ahead at the turn, before he stylishly closed out with nine straight pars on the second half.
“I won a big tournament wire to wire, so I feel good,” said the 23-year-old, who won US$222,222.
Junghwan Lee tied for second. Picture supplied by GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.
“I sensed the victory with an eagle on the fourth hole. After that, I felt at ease. I used my driver on nine holes today, I used it often because I was confident.
“My putting has changed a lot, I had a lot of worries before, but it’s solved, the anxiety is gone.”
Said Song, also the low amateur the year before: “I played very well today; both my putting and shots were so good that I quickly forgot any disappointment after I made a mistake.
“As an amateur I’m thrilled to finish in second place. Last year I was tied for the lead after two rounds, but it’s great to finish second in the final round.”
Junghwan Lee was equally content with his week, and conscious that the runaway winner was just too good.
He said: “I missed getting the trophy, but Chanmin Jung played very good golf! Personally, I’m satisfied. I consistently made birdies this week. My game is very good now, I wonder if my shots have ever been this good after I spent the winter training in Thailand.”
Huge crowding once again watched the action in 2023. Picture supplied by GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.
On Saturday, Chokchai Boonprasert, Tournament Director, Asian Tour, explained why the tournament had to be reduced to three rounds.
He said: “Because we have had rain since last night, the bunkers and the fairways are full of water, so after discussing the situation with the Korean Golf Association we decided the course is unplayable. We will start round three on Sunday and we will complete the tournament in 54 holes.”
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Andy Ogletree will arrive at this week’s LIV Golf Singapore brimming with confidence following a breakthrough performance on the LIV Golf League at the weekend.
The American finished in joint third place individually at LIV Golf Adelaide yesterday for his best performance by far on the multi-million-dollar franchise – that also helped his HyFlyers GC side secure third place in the team competition.
Ogletree’s team-mate Brendan Steele from the United States won the individual title on 18-under, with Ogletree finishing two shots back, after playing some of the best golf of his career, shooting rounds of 65-70-65, at the Grange Golf Club.
Andy Ogletree of HyFlyers GC (Left) congratulates winner Brendan Steele during LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club on April 28, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. Picture by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images.
The all-Australian team of Ripper GC, featuring Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert, claimed the team event in a play-off.
The Adelaide event, which once again saw huge crowds flock to watch the action, was making its second appearance on the LIV Golf schedule, as will be the case with LIV Golf Singapore.
Former US Amateur champion Ogletree is playing on the LIV Golf League this season thanks to topping last year’s International Series Rankings, helped by wins in International Series events in Qatar and England.
He will be joined at Sentosa Golf Club, venue for LIV Golf Singapore, by fellow Asian Tour regulars Scott and Kieran Vincent from Zimbabwe.
Scott Vincent, who won the 2022 International Series Rankings, will be looking for another good week in Singapore having claimed fourth place last season, which included a brilliant 62 on day two.
LIV Golf Singapore begins on Friday and will feature all the stars from the LIV Golf League, including defending champion Talor Gooch from the United States, and Spaniard Sergio Garcia, whom he beat in a play-off last year, as well as Major Champions Smith, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, and Louis Oosthuizen.
LIV Golf Adelaide team winners’ Ripper GC (L to R) Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones. Picture by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images.
Sentosa Golf Club welcomes LIV Golf Singapore at an important time as the famous venue is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Sentosa is the home of the Asian Tour, with its main office located on Singapore’s idyllic holiday island.
John Catlin put in a dominating performance at the Saudi Open presented by PIF, coasting to a seven-shot victory after holding the outright lead at the end of each round since day one.
Starting the fourth round with an eight-shot advantage over Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and a nine-shot lead over the quartet of David Puig of Spain, China’s Li Haotong and Australians Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby, Catlin’s lead was never threatened, and he birdied his last two holes to celebrate his sixth success on the Asian Tour and 10th overall as a professional.
The American came close to keeping a clean card for the whole tournament – which would have been a first on the Asian Tour – making his sole bogey of the week on the 14th hole in the final round, which was three less than anyone else in the field. This was thanks to a sublime week on and around the greens, where he ranked second in Putts per Round with 26.5, or 1.47 per hole, and third in Putts per Greens in Regulation with 1.625.
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The 33-year-old Californian also ranked first for the week in scrambling, managing to get the ball up and down 93.75% of the time when not hitting the green in regulation.
Catlin also had a good week with his all-round game, ranking tied sixth in Greens in Regulation (GIR) with 77.78% and seventh in Driving Accuracy with 60.71%.
The combination of all these stats made it impossible for anyone to catch him at Riyadh Golf Club.
Runner-up Ormsby had a fantastic week on the greens and topped the rankings in both Putts per Round and Putts per GIR with 25.75 and 1.59 respectively, however his GIR percentage of 68.06%, ranking 46th in this category, probably made catching the leader too much of an uphill battle.
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Puig had another solid week finishing fifth, and he again proved his class by ranking second in Putts per GIR with 1.61 and tied sixth in GIR with 77.78%.
Together with Catlin, he topped the list of total birdies made for the week with 25, however, whereas Catlin was near perfect, the 22-year-old Spaniard had too many slip ups and made eight bogies, one double and one triple.
Catlin’s victory saw him replace Puig at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Statistics leaders at the Saudi Open presented by PIF (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round: Wade Ormsby (AUS) 25.70
- Putts per GIR: Wade Ormsby (AUS) 1.59
- GIR: Robin Williams (RSA) 88.89%
- Fairways Hit: Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 80.36%
- Driving Distance: Eugenio Chacarra (ESP) 338.50 yards
- Eagles: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA), Kristoffer Broberg (SWE), Tatsunori Shogenji (JPN), Aaron Wilkin (AUS), Nitithorn Thippong (THA) 2
- Total Birdies: John Catlin (USA), David Puig (ESP) 25
- Fewest Bogies: John Catlin 1
- Scrambling: John Catlin (USA) 93.75%
John Catlin completed a rampant wire-to-wire victory in the US$1million Saudi Open presented by PIF today, for the first back-to-back win on the Asian Tour in five years.
Playing some of the hottest golf in the game at the moment, he shot a final-round five-under-par 66 to finish on 24-under and win by seven shots from Australian Wade Ormsby.
Ormsby registered his best performance since winning the International Series Thailand in March of last year by carding a 64 here at Riyadh Golf Club.
American Peter Uihlein finished strongly shooting a 63 to share third place, nine behind the champion, with Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand, who returned a 67.
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin, who won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn last month, also nearly made history on the Asian Tour. He came agonisingly close to becoming the first player to complete 72 holes bogey-free, but he missed a seven-foot par putt on 14, much to the disappointment of everyone looking on.
Last month he did actually write his name into the Asian Tour history books by becoming the first player to shoot a 59, in the third round in Macau.
The victory here, which earned him a cheque for US$180,000, saw him overtake Spaniard David Puig at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Puig closed with a 67 to finish in sole possession of fifth, 10 back from Catlin.
Catlin becomes the first player to win successive events on the Asian Tour since Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond in 2019, when he claimed the Indonesian Masters and Thailand Masters.
“I am tired, but very, very happy,” said the 32-year-old, after his sixth victory on the Asian Tour.
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I’ve never gone back-to-back like that. It is pretty special to finish back-to-back events holding the hardware. Yeah, it was just a special week and I feel very lucky to be the champion.”
The American started the day with an eight-shot lead and not surprisingly was never challenged.
He explained: “I just kept telling myself just stay right here in the present. You know, the brain always wants to think about what might happen, or what could happen, and you just keep hitting the shot in front of you. And I just kept doing that, just kept telling myself over and over again, just keep staying in the present, keep staying in the present, keep executing this golf shot. I was able to do it.”
Three of Catlin’s first wins on the Asian Tour came in his breakthrough year in 2018. However, he finished sixth on the Order of Merit, something which is now clearly within range.
“It will definitely be on my mind. It would be a nice feather to add to the cap. There have been a lot of great Order of Merit champions, and I would be honored to be able to be among them for sure,” he added.
Ormsby was thrilled to be back among the leaders again.
“John had a big lead, it was difficult, you just want to go out and play as well as you can,” he said.
“I played great, probably one little blemish on number five. There were a couple of potential tiny openings there, but he closed the door straight away. I am really happy with the way I played. First week after 10 years with a new caddie, Mike, so it’s nice to get off on the right foot.
“I am really happy to be playing well again. I hit a lot of good shots out there today. Next week is going to be amazing at LIV Adelaide, that’s where I am from, it’s a golf course I grew up around, so I am looking forward to that.”
Defending champion Denwit Boriboonsub from Thailand fired a fine 63 to secure joint 17th position.
His compatriot and amateur star Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, playing in his final Asian Tour event before heading off to start his first year at Stanford University signed off with a 71 to tie for 33rd.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour has a week off now before heading to the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in Korea. The tournament, won last year by Korean Chanmin Jung, will be played at Namseoul Country Club from May 2-5.
John Catlin put himself one round away from securing an emphatic wire-to-wire victory in the Saudi Open presented by PIF today after firing a course-record nine-under-par 62 to lead the US$1million event on 19-under.
The American, one ahead after round one and two, now has a whopping eight-shot lead at Riyadh Golf Club, when for the third successive day he was bogey-free.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is in distant second place following a 67, while a shot further back are Australians Wade Ormsby (68) and Scott Hend (70), David Puig (69) from Spain, and China’s Li Haotong (70).
Catlin has enjoyed some incredible periods of form during his career, but this current purple patch is one of his best.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He is attempting to win back-to-back Asian Tour titles having claimed the International Series Macau presented by Wynn five weeks ago – where he shot the Asian Tour’s first ever 59 in the third round.
The 32-year-old was in a class of his own today, making three birdies on the front nine to move three ahead at the turn before he pulled further ahead with three birdies in a row from the 10th, and three birdies in the last four, including on 17 and 18.
Said Catlin: “My game has felt in good shape, yesterday I hung in there when I didn’t have my best and was able to shoot a decent round. Today it was just one of those days where the putter just gets hot and it’s almost like you can’t miss, so I just kept going and kept trying to make as many as I could. I mean, there’s so many good players out here and there’s plenty of birdies to be made tomorrow.”
Having successfully negotiated the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January he has been in inspired form this season in the region, finishing joint third in the season-opening Malaysian Open, before winning in Macau and impressing again this week.
“Nothing changes [tomorrow],” he added.
“The job is not finished, I gotta keep putting the pedal to the metal. David [Puig] has shown he can shoot some really low numbers. There’s a lot of other guys that are very, very capable. So yeah, I’ve got to keep going, nothing’s finished until it’s done.”
David Puig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
His current hot streak is similar to 2020 when against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic he won his first DP World Tour event at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, also wire-to-wire, and then three weeks later won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Kiradech’s return to form continued once again today.
The Thai star lost in a play-off at the Porsche Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour last month and will have a crack at the title tomorrow, although it will require an almighty collapse by Catlin, which is highly unlikely.
“It was a good score at the end of the day, but I started really slow you know, two over par the first seven holes,” said the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, who later became the first Thai to earn a PGA Tour card.
“My first birdies came on nine, then 10, 11 and I eagled 12. That changed the game around. I tried to look at the leaderboard and I was quite far behind, so I tried to push myself up a bit. Missed couple putts, was a little too firm trying to get more birdies, but at the end of the day four under par round on really firm greens, I accept that.”
The 34-year-old is chasing his first Asian Tour victory in five years and despite encouraging signs he feels his game still needs significant improvement.
He added: “[My game] not as good I’m used to before, but at least 30 or 40% more than before for sure. I will say my game is like 70-80% right now. Ball striking is getting there, a lot of good iron play this week. The last few months feel good with the golf swing, working with a local pro back home, Kwanchai Tannin who is a former Asian Tour player. I got some feeling back, we got really similar golf swing with a lot of wrists, a lot of feel.”
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat and Ittipat Buranayarat fired rounds of 66 and 69 and are next best placed, 10 behind Catlin.
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