Uihlein on threshold of second International Series victory
Peter Uihlein’s recent victory on The International Series has clearly had a profound impact on the American as he took control of the International Series Thailand today – opening up a three-shot lead at Thai Country Club, in Bangkok.
He fired a third-round three-under-par 67 for a three-round aggregate of 17-under, in the sixth stop on The International Series this year – 10 Asian Tour sanctioned events that provide a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
Sitting in second place are Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (63), a star on this year’s Asian Development Tour (ADT), Rayhan Thomas (64) from India, Swede Charlie Lindh (65), Max Lee Chieh-po (67) from Chinese-Taipei and Australian Maverick Antcliff (69).
American John Catlin showed why he is the number one ranked player on both the Asian Tour and The International Series by shooting the lowest round of the week, a 61. He is another stroke back with Filipino Miguel Tabuena (65) and David Boriboonsub (67) from Thailand.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Uihlein’s round didn’t match his spectacular opening rounds of 64 and 62 but he was content with a performance that puts him in the driver’s seat with one round to go.
“Overall, it was fine,” said Uihlein, who led by one from Antcliff at the start of the day, “you know, it was a good enough day where I felt like it could’ve been really, really good. But, yeah, we’ll see.”
The American is presently third on The International Series Rankings and with five events to go, including this week, he needs a win tomorrow to help close the gap on runaway rankings leader Catlin.
A prodigious hitter of the golf ball he is laying siege to Thai Country Club – which is not the longest course and has wide fairways. Other factors are also helping him overpower the layout.
He explained: “Yeah, I mean, I think we’re taking off like four or five yards just based on heat, right? So, we’re taking off some distance, and then every ball basically is a flyer out of the rough, so if we’re in the rough we’re just kind of catching fliers. And it’s hot, so we’re taking off probably 20-25 yards just in the rough alone. So, yeah, even from the fairway and the tee we’re taking off distance just because it’s really, really hot.”
Ahmad Baig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Baig has emerged as the surprise package after recording one of the finest rounds of his career, which, remarkably, started with three birdies in-a-row and ended in the same manner.
He has been enjoying a breakthrough year on the ADT with two victories and is currently in second place on that Merit list.
Said the 26-year-old about playing on the Asian Tour: “It feels totally different especially because on the Asian Tour there are so many big names playing. So yeah, it’s a very good experience for me.”
Tomorrow Baig, who has a reputation for firepower off the tee, will attempt to become only the second player from his country to win on the Asian Tour. Taimur Hussain was the first, winning the 1998 Myanmar Open.
Thomas is also catching the eye, having only played a handful of events since turning professional this year
“I graduated at the end of May, so I just turned pro, kind of at the start of June,” said Thomas, who went to Oklahoma State.
Rayhan Thomas. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
In August we won on his debut on the Professional Golf Tour of India, winning the Coimbatore Open, and just earlier than that he tied for eighth in the International Series Morocco.
He added: “I’ve gained confidence every week, which is good. I’ve been able to step up at the right times, and so it’s been trending the right way, and hopefully I can keep it going.”
Catlin made an eagle and seven birdies to give himself another chance of a third win this year. He’s also lost in two play-offs, including at last week’s Back Mountain Championship to countryman Michael Maguire.
He felt he had a sniff of a 59 today – to add to the one he made at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March, which was an Asian Tour first.
“There were a couple that shaved the edge,” he said.
“There was a moment there when I thought about the 59 again. It was just a special day, and it puts me in a position where I can maybe try and get after it again tomorrow.”
Pakistani golfers haven’t exactly made a name for themselves on the international circuit, but that could soon be changing. Story by By Joy Chakravarty – at the International Series Thailand.
The last – and only – champion on the Asian Tour from the country was the legendary Taimur Hussain way back in the 1998 Myanmar Open.
Ahmad Baig, a 26-year-old from Lahore, is turning heads and forcing everyone to take notice.
Already a two-time champion on the Asian Development Tour this year, Baig smashed a spectacular seven-under-par 63 on the Moving Day of the US$2 million International Series Thailand. Baig is tied second at 14-under par going into what promises to be a massive Sunday for the man from Lahore.
Baig bookended his bogey-free round with three birdies and added another in the middle. It was imperious ball-striking as he found 13 out of 14 fairways and hit 17 greens in regulation.
Ahmad Baig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
On Friday, he had finished eagle-birdie and carried that form into Saturday.
“I really hit the ball well and also made a few putts. Once that happens, you do end up with a nice score,” said Baig, who is currently second in the ADT Order of Merit and almost guaranteed a full card on the Asian Tour for 2025.
What’s even more impressive is his speed. He is strongly built, and he is fast and furious.
Baig’s ball speed is 182 miles per hour, and his swing speed is 124mph. Just to get an idea of how good those numbers are, the average ball speed on the PGA Tour is approximately 171mph and the swing speed is 116mph.
“I always had the speed. I could hit the ball long even in my amateur days. But what has changed is that I have put on weight and muscle, and I am usually hitting it straight,” he added.
Veteran caddie Rene Smorenberg, who was on Sihwan Kim’s bag and had a ringside view of Baig’s round, was seriously impressed.
“Woah…that was some round, and that boy is some talent. Hits it a long way and did not miss anything today. I’d say he is one of the best talents I have seen on the Asian Tour in a while,” said Smorenberg.
Baig is also backing his ball-striking with some magical short game. On Saturday, he brought the grandstand on the 18th to raptures by almost holing out his second shot from 159 yards. And for those interested in knowing what he hit from there, it was just a mere three-quarter flick of a pitching wedge.
Right now, Baig’s only dream is to get an Asian Tour card at the end of the season. If he can replicate his form on Sunday here at Thai Country Club, that might happen a lot sooner. He is just three shots behind the big-hitting American Peter Uihlein, and a win fast-tracks a membership for him.
“I have always dreamed of playing against these big names. Because of my two wins on the ADT, I feel a lot more comfortable on the big stage. This year has taught me that if I play to my potential, I can compete against most players,” said Baig, who learned his golf while watching YouTube videos of Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Rory McIlroy.
Baig still doesn’t have a coach, but in the last year and a half, he has secured a few sponsorship support in Pakistan that has helped him focus solely on his golf.
“I had only one coach – Sujjan Singh in Dubai. I was sent there for a month by a Pakistani businessman a few years ago, and Sujjan helped my game a lot. But then COVID happened, and I have been without a coach again,” said Baig.
“But I have a few sponsors now, including Aguila Golf, which has been a key to my playing well. They take care of my expenses. Now that I do not have to think about money, I can focus solely on my golf.”
Baig will be part of the leaders group on Sunday, paired with his good friend Rayhan Thomas, the Dubai-based Indian with whom he played on many MENA Tour events, and leader Uihlein.
It has been a tough 18 months for Jed Morgan, the Australian who was relegated from the LIV Golf League at the end of the 2023 season.
But the 24-year-old has shown glimpses of his undoubted promise on the Asian Tour this season, and he sits well placed for a tilt at the International Series Thailand title going into the weekend at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok.
The 2020 amateur champion of Australia burst onto the scene as the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship winner in January 2022, on only his fourth start as a professional. He won that by a record 11 shots, helping to secure the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit for the 2021-22 season.
The Queenslander is in the mix after following up his first-round 63 with a two-under 68 to finish in a group on T9 at nine under, five off leader Peter Uihlein and in touching distance of Aussie compatriot Maverick Antcliff a shot further back.
Morgan was happy with his lot going into the weekend, saying: “(In the first round) I hit it a lot better, I hit a lot of good shots, and I also holed a few more putts. But in the end, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t too much different.
“Sometimes scoring is difficult – golf is difficult – and I guess I have proven that over the past couple of years. I am hoping I can just turn it around pretty quickly and try to focus on the good things that can come out of it.”
Jed Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
When asked if his game was close to returning to the kind of form that landed the title in 2022, Morgan’s answer was telling.
“No, I’m a better golfer now. You know, it is funny how it works. Results wise, obviously, there’s a few good results that year. But I am definitely 100% a better golfer now than I was then.”
Morgan managed a 13th-placed finish in the LIV Golf Jeddah Invitational in 2022 and he also finished 17th at LIV Golf Singapore the following season. Impressive golf in patches, but not enough to stay out of the drop zone, and he lost his spot on Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC at the end of the 2023 season.
In the LIV Golf Promotions event, where he had a chance to reclaim his place at the end of last season, he comfortably made it into the final 20 for a 36-hole shootout for three golden tickets with a six-under second round in Abu Dhabi.
He couldn’t go under par in the final two rounds and missed out on a quick return to the bright lights and the big-name roster including compatriot Smith, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and the rest.
He said: “Unfortunately, it is kind of a similar story, you know. The first day I played some good golf and it felt great. I felt things that I hadn’t felt for a long time. And then the next day, it just didn’t materialise. And that’s sport, it is your job at a high level.”
Jed Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos Asian Tour.
Morgan’s form seems to be improving on the Asian Tour. This week, his scoring is reflecting the form that yielded a season-high T14 at the New Zealand Open, as well as a T27 at International Series Oman and a T34 in Macau.
This year’s LIV Golf Promotions event has just been confirmed for December, giving the top 32 eligible players on The International Series a chance to play for a coveted spot on the LIV Golf League next season. Is that a realistic aim for Morgan?
At 81 on the rankings, he needs a win to guarantee a place, or to jump around 50 places via a run of good form in the remaining events of the season.
He said: “Hopefully I can get into that. I just need to try my best you know? It is funny, you can get so far ahead of yourself and you can drag the past with you a lot as well.
“I want to achieve a lot of ‘presence’ in what I do. As cliched as it sounds, it is just one day at a time.”
American ace Peter Uihlein enters the weekend of International Series Thailand holding the halfway lead, attempting to add to his breakthrough victory at International Series England in August.
A day after he said he feels he has an outside chance of claiming The International Series Rankings if he wins this week, Uihlein pulled out all the stops, shooting an eight-under-par 62 to lead on 14-under by one from Australian Maverick Antcliff.
Antcliff carded a 64 and is one ahead of Christian Banke from the United States, who also returned a 62, here at Thai Country Club in Bangkok – in a US$2 million event that is helping to bring the season to a thrilling climax on the Asian Tour and The International Series.
Uihlein’s firepower off the tee was once again a huge advantage as he made nine birdies and a solitary bogey.
Maverick Antcliff. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “Sometimes boring golf can be fun, I guess. So, yeah, I’ve driven it nice the last two days, so have had a lot of wedges and irons from the fairways, greens are soft and receptive. So, I’ve played nice.”
He is very aware that he will need to continue to go low at the weekend if he is to stay on top.
“You probably can’t go even, even, I can tell you that,” joked the American, whose win in England was his first on the Asian Tour.
“So, you are going to have to keep going low, and it all just depends what the wind does. We kind of played with a totally different wind today than we did yesterday, so it’s kind of fun to see the course with a different direction. But it kind of felt like it maybe made it a little bit easier, so we’ll see what the wind does, and how it plays tomorrow.”
The 35-year-old is third on The International Series Rankings, 362.78 points behind the leader, his countryman John Catlin with five events remaining including this week. On the Asian Tour Order of Merit he is in seventh place, several thousand points back from Catlin – a gap that he knows he can’t close.
Christian Banke. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Antcliff started today in a share of the lead with compatriot Jed Morgan and Sweden’s Charlie Lindh but left them trailing in his wake with four birdies on the front nine before adding two more on the homeward stretch. He is bogey-free for two days.
The 31-year-old from Brisbane was quick to point out that on a course with few defences, it is mainly about performing well with the putter.
“The course is not overly long and you’re going to have a lot of opportunities,” said the Australian, who mentioned his name is Maverick, “Coz dad liked Top Gun”.
“Obviously the course is limited to only two par fives, but if you can just hit good putts, you should probably have a low score.”
It has been a solid season for him so far and he’s well placed on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 27th place, although he missed the cut at last week’s Black Mountain Championship and will no doubt be looking to make amends for that this weekend.
Antcliff made it through the Asian Tour Qualifying School this year, which he also did in 2018.
Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Banke, who also made it through Qualifying School back in January, has also yet to drop a shot and is grateful for having a very special caddie.
He explained: “I actually have a college teammate that’s caddying for me, Puwit Anupansuebsai, and honestly, I have him read the putts, and I just hit it. So, yeah it was good, we worked well together, and everything was dropping today.”
The duo were teammates at San Diego State and Banke adds: “He’s awesome. I mean, he drives me around, he translates for me, he orders the right food. It’s great to have him.”
Puwit also still plays the Asian Development Tour and the All Thailand Golf Tour.
Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po fired a 65 and is in fourth with countryman Chan Shih-chang, in with a 66, three behind the leader along with two of Thailand’s young sharpshooters David Boriboonsub and Sadom Kaewkanjana and Mexican Santiago De la Fuente, who carded matching 65s,
Catlin, after a 70 yesterday, bounced back with a 66 today to ensure he is here for the weekend to help to continue to build on his lead on both the Asian Tour and The International Series rankings.
He said: “It matters what you’re doing right now. And I’m playing fine. Maybe struggling to adapt a little bit to the greens – they are a little different (to last week). The speed and grain has fooled me on a couple of putts, but it’s quite soft and a bit slower.”
Following an intense conclusion to the LIV Golf season that celebrated Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm earning the 2024 Individual Champion title in Chicago and saw captain Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC capture the 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship in Dallas, the league has unveiled details on the second edition of LIV Golf Promotions – presenting exciting pathways for elite players from across the globe to earn their place in the League and The International Series for 2025.
The tournament will be staged December 12-14 at Riyadh Golf Club, with four rounds of stroke-play over three days, including 36 holes on the final day where the top finisher will earn a spot in the LIV Golf League next season. The top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemption into all 2025 events on The International Series, sanctioned by the Asian Tour. LIV Golf Promotions also offers a prize purse of US$1.5 million.
“Those who have competed in the LIV Golf League consistently share similar feedback: the energy, camaraderie, and global competition have created a once-in-a-lifetime experience for players to pursue their dreams at the highest level,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman. “LIV Golf Promotions delivers another pathway for up-and-coming players and top competitors across the globe to experience a life-changing season with LIV, and we’re eager to see who steps up this year in Riyadh.”
Highlighting the global aspect of the LIV Golf League, leading players from all over the world will be eligible to participate. A full breakdown of eligibility criteria, including qualifiers for round one and round two, is below.
Kieran Vincent booked his place on this year’s LIV Golf League after surviving a play-off at last year’s LIV Golf Promotions.. Picture by Paul Lakatos /Asian Tour.
LIV Golf Promotions will consist of four rounds of 18-hole stroke play. Starting Thursday, December 12, those who finish in the top 20 and ties from round one will advance to Friday’s round two, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players following round two will advance to the final day of competition, with scores reset once more for an intense full-day, 36-hole shootout. At Saturday’s conclusion, the winner will earn US$200,000 and a highly coveted and lucrative spot in the LIV Golf League for 2025.
LIV Golf Promotions will add to the full-season player field for the 2025 LIV Golf League, with the top qualifier from Riyadh Golf Club and the winner of The International Series Rankings guaranteed to compete in the League with the opportunity to be signed by a team. American John Catlin, who played as a reserve in six LIV Golf events this past season, currently leads the standings, having recorded one International Series win in Macau, and two runner-up finishes.
“John’s success in a number of LIV Golf events as a reserve this season is proof of the quality of play that we see each week on The International Series,” said Head of The International Series Rahul Singh. “As we crown a 2024 International Series champion later this fall and look to the highly anticipated LIV Golf Promotions, one deserving player will have the chance to punch their life-changing ticket to the LIV Golf League.”
In addition to welcoming players from around the world, relegated players, and those without a team commitment for 2025 who finished in the Open Zone (25th-48th) in the 2024 LIV Golf League standings also have the opportunity to regain their playing rights for 2025. However, only the top finisher in LIV Golf Promotions is guaranteed a spot in the League for 2025 – allowing teams greater flexibility during free agency to enhance their rosters this offseason.
Finland’s Kalle Samooja won LIV Golf Promotions last year [main picture] while Asian Tour members Kieran Vincent from Zimbabwe and Jinichiro Kozuma from Japan secured their places after prevailing in a sudden-death play-off.
The tournament will be available globally live and on-demand on LIV Golf Plus, the LIV Golf YouTube channel and broadcast partners around the world, with live coverage on Thursday and Friday from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 12:30 – 5:00 p.m. (all times local). For more information, visit LIVGolf.com/promotions.
Jinichiro Kozuma was the other Asian Tour player to survive the play-off at LIV Golf Promotions last year. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
LIV Golf Promotions 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Category A: Qualifiers for Round 1
1. Members of the 2023 Walker Cup and 2024 Palmer Cup Teams
2. Winner and runner-up of the following last played amateur events:
- a. US Amateur Championship
b. The Amateur Championship
c. Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
d. Latin America Amateur Championship
e. European Amateur Championship
f. African Amateur Championship
g. NCAA Championship (Individual)
h. Eisenhower Trophy (Individual)
3. Leading 15 available players from within the top 40 World Amateur Golf Rankings as of November 19, 2024 (excluding players exempt into round 2)
4. Leading 25 available players from within the top 40 on the final 2024 International Series Rankings (excluding those exempt into round two)
5. Leading 5 available players from inside the top 10 from each of the following professional Tours as of November 19, 2024:
- a. Japan Golf Tour
b. KPGA Korean Tour
c. Sunshine Tour
d. PGA Tour of Australasia
6. Leading 30 available players from within the top 300 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 19, 2024 (excluding those who are exempt into Round 2)
7. Invitations as determined by LIV Golf League
Category B: Exemptions into Round 2
The following players are exempt from Round 1 and are automatically eligible to participate in Round 2:
1. Leading 2 available players from within the top 15 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings as of November 19, 2024
2. Players ranked 2 to 8 on the final 2024 International Series Rankings
3. Top 3 Players from each of the following professional Tours as of November 19, 2024:
- a. Japan Golf Tour
b. KPGA Korean Tour
c. Sunshine Tour
d. PGA Tour of Australasia
4. Leading 5 available players from within the top 30 of the Final 2024 DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour Order of Merits/Rankings.
5. Winners of The International Series and Asian Tour sanctioned tournaments in the 2024 calendar year.
6. Winners of Japan Golf Tour, Korean PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia sanctioned tournaments in the 2024 calendar year.
7. Winners of PGA Tour and DP World Tour sanctioned tournaments in the 2023 and 2024 calendar years.
8. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup participants from 2019 – 2024.
9. Winners of Major Championships from 2019 – 2024.
10. Leading 15 available players from within the top 150 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 19, 2024.
11. Players relegated or without a contract for the following season from the final 2024 LIV Golf Individual Standings.
12. Invitations as determined by LIV Golf League.
Charlie Lindh from Sweden plus Australians Jed Morgan and Maverick Antcliff impressed at the International Series Thailand today shooting blazing seven-under-par 63s to take the first-round lead at Thai Country Club, in Bangkok.
They lead from Americans Peter Uihlein and Paul Peterson, Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Lee Chieh-po, China’s Sampson Zheng, and Richard T. Lee from Canada, who fired 64s.
Lindh is a graduate from this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School – he earned the sixth card – and has gradually been finding his feet in the region this year, as highlighted by today’s strong round of seven birdies and no dropped shots.
Said the 27-year-old, who started on the back nine: “It felt easy. We had a good plan coming in today, and I had a great start, right away, and I had a good feeling, and just kept going. Steve [his caddie] made a couple of great calls on our back nine, which is the front, which held the score together.”
Jed Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He is currently 45th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having made seven cuts out of the 12 events he has started. He tied for 10th in the Yeangder TPC last month for his best finish of the season so far and enjoyed the biggest pay day of his career a month earlier at the International Series England, were he was joint 13th. He won US$28,350 there.
The good run of form comes despite an injury concern.
“I’ve been having some issue with my wrists,” said the Swede, who qualified for The Open this year, the first time he has played in a Major, but missed the cut.
“I haven’t practiced the way I want to but it’s getting better and better, and I do get a lot of help from the physio – which I appreciate very much. And so everything’s been getting better.”
Like Lindh, Morgan is also playing his first full season on the Asian Tour – off the back of a number of invites last year thanks to an outstanding 2022 that saw him win the Australian PGA Championship and the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
He stormed through with four birdies in a row from the 13th.
Maverick Antcliff. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“Very happy with the way I putted obviously,” said Morgan.
“And also very pleased with my approach shots. The back nine especially felt nice – it was good to see a few putts in a row go in.
“Not sure I would say it [today] was a return to form because I have felt good about my game for a while now. I have been happy with my game, but I just haven’t been producing any results.”
After his round Uihlein, winner of the International Series England in August, said he still has one eye on winning The International Series Rankings.
He is currently seventh on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and third on The International Series Rankings. His countryman John Catlin is the runaway leader on both rankings, particularly after finishing second at last week’s Black Mountain Championship – where he was beaten by compatriot Michael Maguire in a sudden-death play-off.
“The Asian Tour [Order of Merit] is probably not gettable with John [Catlin] ahead,” said Uihlein, who plays for RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think he’s pulled ahead pretty far away on The International Series one as well, but I feel like I could still be like …. I’d have to win this week, really, because John played great last week.”
He’s over 2,000 points behind Catlin on the Asian Tour Merit list, but 362.78 back on The International Series Rankings.
The 35-year-old was delighted with his round, made up of six birdies and zero bogeys, even though he wasn’t confident with his irons.
“A miracle!” said the American, who tied for 44th in last week’s Black Mountain Championship – also part of The International Series.
“I didn’t know what to do half the time I was in the fairway. So yeah, it was good off the tee. It was fantastic. Holed the putts when I hit it close and, you know, that’s what you got to do.
“It’s just, I like, visually, it’s a pretty looking course. Reminds me a bit of Florida.”
Maguire, still on a high after his win on Sunday fired a 67, as did defending champion Wade Ormsby from Australia, while Catlin has work to do following a 70.
This week’s US$2 million event is part of an exciting climax to the season on the Asian Tour. It’s the 16th event of the year with five events remaining, and the sixth of 10 stops on The International Series – 10 upper-tier multi-million dollar tournaments that are part of the Tour that will see its rankings winner secure a place on the LIV Golf League.
LIV Golf League star Peter Uihlein is hoping that the recent experience of securing a big tournament victory in England can count in his favour as he prepares for International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club in Bangkok this week.
The big-hitting American, who currently plays for RangeGoats GC in the LIV Golf League, dominated the field at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey, cruising to a commanding seven-shot victory in the fourth event of the series. This win, along with a solid sixth-place finish in Oman earlier in the season, has propelled Uihlein to third place in The International Series Rankings.
Although disappointed with a T44 last week at the Black Mountain Championship in Hua Hin, the fifth event of the series, he is hoping to get back to winning ways in Thailand.
Reflecting on the confidence he gained in England he said: “It is always nice to win. I felt like I was playing good going into it without, really, the results to show it. So, it was nice to have the results and it is nice anytime you win anywhere around the world, right?
“So, I felt pretty good, and after that I played pretty solid on the LIV Golf League. Nothing really spectacular, but pretty solid to finish off the year.”
(L-R) Peter Uihlein, Wade Ormsby, Scott Vincent and David Boriboonsub pictured during the press conference ahead of the International Series Thailand. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
It is a second consecutive weekend in Thailand for Uihlein, and another destination in a year that has seen plenty of airmiles. He said: “I love travel, and I love playing and The International Series is great for both of that.
“Oman, Morocco, Thailand, England and then Indonesia, Hong Kong, Qatar, – it is a pretty global schedule, it’s awesome and great for the game.”
Wade Ormsby won this event last year when the tournament was held at Black Mountain Golf Club, the venue for last weekend’s tournament. He’s hoping that performance can also bring confidence.
He said: “It is a great feeling to defend the title at any tournament, we had a good year there last year, albeit a different golf course. This is my first time here at Thai Country Club and it is a great golf course, in great shape, even with the good amount of rain that we have had.”
Ormsby has been traveling with the LIV Golf League this season as an alternate, and the evergreen Australian is hoping that the experience of rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest players in the world counts for something this week.
“It is absolutely fantastic being around the guys out there,” he said. “You are always learning this game, especially around the calibre of guys that you’re mixed with out there, whether just on the range, practicing or whatever.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It is contagious being around them, yeah, absolutely I will try and bring that back out here.”
Vincent, The International Series Rankings champion in 2022, has enjoyed two consecutive full seasons on the LIV Golf League, but could not escape the relegation zone this season.
The Zimbabwean is pleased to be back on duty on The International Series, which offers a viable route back to the big time if he wins the rankings race this season.
He said: “I think it has changed and helped my life. It is something that I’m always going to reflect on and I am very grateful for that opportunity that I’ve had. I am excited to come out here and compete, and to use whatever I have learned and hopefully continue to improve as a player in person. It has been awesome for me, and I think everyone here would agree on that.”
Local hope David Boriboonsub is hoping that a Thai player can take it to the next level here this week.
Seven Thai players finished in the top 20 last week, with youngster Boriboonsub himself finishing T14 after rounds of 65, 69, 67 and 70.
He said: “It is a huge opportunity for the Thai players and for me. I think this week, I played this course quite a lot, so I know which holes to go for and which holes to play safe or be aggressive on.
“The International Series is a huge opportunity for the Thai players. Right now, the Thai golfers are playing really well. I haven’t actually played all that well, except for the last few weeks.”
Justin Thomas, Jordan Speith and Xander Schauffele need little introduction in the world of golf – bona fide superstars with a wealth of Major titles and PGA Tour wins between them.
The name Michael Maguire, up until last weekend and his play-off victory at the Black Mountain Championship on The International Series in Thailand, might not have gained the same global recognition.
Yet all four are part of the same generation of players who regularly competed against each other in collegiate tournament golf in the U.S. before their careers took very different paths.
Maguire’s stunning play-off win over rankings leader John Catlin at Black Mountain Golf Club last week may have come as a surprise to many.
To Maguire it was the culmination of a long journey that had started off in that illustrious company, took in stints on the PGA Latinoamerica Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, and is currently playing out on the Asian Tour.
Michael Maguire. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
“I did four years at the University of North Florida, where I was four time All American, and had three college tournament wins, so I had a lot of success,” he said. “I was seeing guys like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, turning pro immediately, and winning on the PGA Tour.
“And I thought, okay, I am not that far behind these guys. And I was confident that I was going to be there, out there, you know, with those guys. It did not work out.
“Looking back nine years later, it was not where I expected to be and where I wanted to be when I was coming out of college. But I was young and immature. And I look at those guys, how much more mature they were than I was. I did not have the discipline, or the work ethic that I do now.”
The 32-year-old, who turned pro in 2015, secured one PGA Tour Latinoamerica tournament win, the Shell Open back in 2020 at Doral, Florida, and was up to double figures for top-10 finishes as he honed his game and learned how to grind it out and get in contention.
He then played a season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, before issues with putting and confidence resulted in a lost card. He then missed out on a spot at Q School by a single shot.
Maguire was alerted to the Asian Tour, and potential pathway onto the lucrative LIV Golf League, through the work of another university alumnus, Scott Vincent. The 2022 International Series Rankings champion spent two years with Iron Heads GC thanks to his rankings win.
Michael Maguire. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He explained: “We played together in college on a couple of tournaments. I saw what he did and how he got on the LIV Golf League, and it was very interesting. I thought it might be a good path for me to try and take.
“I loved the travel around Latin America, seeing the different countries, so I had the travel bug already so it was very easy for me to think, ‘let’s go to Asia and do this’.”
Up until last weekend, Maguire’s best finish since graduating from Asian Tour Q School was a T4 at International Series Vietnam last year.
To Maguire, who shot from 77 to 5 in The International Series Rankings and is fourth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, he is tracking exactly where he should be – a champion battling it out with rankings leader Catlin, International Series Morocco champion Ben Campbell and others for that lucrative spot on the LIV Golf League.
Maguire, who is up to US$440,930 in earnings this season after his bumper US$360,000 pay day last week, said: “I think now that I have won, I have expectations, and I think I have to try to at least do the best I can to catch John. He is pretty high up, still ahead in the rankings. I need to chase the wins.
“I was expecting to be peaking around International Series Qatar [the penultimate week of the season]. I know the course is long and it is windy, so I was eyeballing that one, and thinking I can do really well there.”
So, what’s the secret? The special sauce that Maguire has found seemingly out of nowhere? This season he’s certainly been trending upwards, with a T25 at International Series England, a T16 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open, a T7 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and the play-off win in Thailand last weekend.
Turns out it is a simple formula: determination plus hard work.
He said: “I basically put my foot down and said, okay if I really want to get to the elite level, I have got to really work hard, put in more hours. And that is basically what I did. I just put in more effort, got more focused.”
Sihwan Kim’s last two years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. From the highs of his 2022 International Series Thailand victory and competing against some of the biggest names in the sport, to the lows of relegation from the star-studded LIV Golf League and a loss of confidence.
Kim was outstanding in 2022 winning that inaugural event on The International Series at Black Mountain. He also claimed another victory at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge, clinched the Asian Tour Order of Merit and recorded a fifth-placed finish on LIV Golf in Bangkok.
Last season was a very different situation however, and he suffered a real loss of confidence. In 12 starts on the LIV Golf League, he only managed one finish above 40th spot – when he placed 33rd at LIV Golf Bedminster, and only carded a one-under-par total in the entire campaign, a two-under total at Tulsa.
There are encouraging signs that his game is trending upward again. A sensational
nine-under-par round of 63 on the final day of the Black Mountain Championship last Sunday took him up to a T9 finish.
Kyoungjun Moon, middle, and Sihwan Kim, right, pictured walking during an official practice at the International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
His performance at the Black Mountain Golf Club was more like the Sihwan Kim of old, giving him a big confidence boost ahead of this week’s International Series Thailand, which starts tomorrow at Thai Country Club.
As a former champion, Kim is hoping to rediscover that winning touch and ignite a run of form which could move him closer to a return to LIV Golf, the dream scenario which is offered to the champion of The International Series Rankings.
Kim, who moved up to 38th in The International Series Rankings said: “I’m just trying to play my game. I was struggling last year, and low on confidence. I have seen some improvement this year but I still haven’t had many big finishes, and when I do make the cut I can’t seem to make that breakthrough.
“So, yeah, been trying to grind on that, and hopefully in the future I’ll get another one. I just need to keep on playing and then try to find a swing that works at my age because I am getting that little bit older and you feel like you’re doing the same, but it’s not producing the same results. So, yeah, I’m trying to find something that works.”
Kim first played the LIV Golf League in 2022 and guaranteed his spot in the 2023 season after finishing in the top 24. Since relegation at the end of last season, he has been battling to rediscover that form and win his way back onto the league – after finishing in the drop zone at no.50 in the standings at the end of the season.
Sihwan Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A former U.S. Junior Championship winner at just 15, Kim was a member of the Iron Heads GC team alongside Kevin Na, Danny Lee, and 2023 International Series Rankings champion Scott Vincent.
Week in week out, he was competing with some of the biggest names in world golf, gaining invaluable experience.
Kim said: “Yeah, it was great. I mean, without LIV, I’d probably never play with guys like DJ (Dustin Johnston) and Brooks (Brooks Koepka) and Phil Mickelson and players like that.
“Just to get that experience with those guys you know, you look at it a little differently, and then see what you can work on to improve your game.
“Last year, I played with Phil Mickelson quite a bit, because he didn’t play that well, and then I was in the bottom of the pack as well and, you know just his attitude towards the game, he is just an incredible guy and got to play with Brooks and DJ as well and those guys are just on a different level.”
Reflecting on his 2022 victory on The International Series and the opportunities it opened up, Kim said: “It was definitely life changing [his win at International Series Thailand]. Obviously, what happened after that I played on LIV Golf for two years, and just the amount of money I made out of that it changed my life and International Series Thailand was my first win, as a professional.
“For us to have The International Series all throughout the year, having 10 of them this year yeah it helps us a lot.”
There was one other confidence-building personal high that the American was proud to confirm: “It’s been a busy year, I got married and I have been playing a lot so yeah it’s great!”
Seven Thai golfers finished in the top-20 of the Black Mountain Championship last weekend in Hua Hin, and a similar strong challenge is anticipated this week at International Series Thailand – the second of two back-to-back International Series events to be staged in the country.
Suteepat Prateeptienchai was the best of the home contingent, finishing in T4 on 20 under, just three behind surprise winner Michael Maguire from the United States, who was tied with rankings leader and compatriot John Catlin in regulation, and won on the second play-off hole.
Suteepat, who is 18 on The International Series Rankings and fifth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, continues to be in great form after winning the Yeangder TPC in Chinese Taipei last month.
He is confident he can continue his recent hot streak, providing he can maintain his consistency with the flat stick here at Thai Country Club.
Sadom Kaewkanjana. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
He said: “I played well, I missed two to three close putts, but I am satisfied with my performance for the four days – I set a target of four to five putts per day. Finishing 20-under is excellent for me going into International Series Thailand.
“I have played Thai Country Club before, but not often. I heard there is long rough, and I need to work hard in preparation, to get a feel for the rough, the greens and the weather. I have to plan my game and pick up a lot of birdies again because the cut is likely to be high again.
“It is a great opportunity for Thai golfers as we don’t have to travel, and we know the conditions. Playing in such strong fields also helps us to develop our skills.”
Sadom Kaewkanjana, the highest placed Thai in the rankings at no.12, returned a T9 last week alongside Suradit Yongcharoenchai while David Boriboonsub and Gunn Charoenkul finished T14, the latter shooting a sublime 10-under 62 on day four.
Sadom, who finished T4 at International Series England, is aiming to maintain his good form in the season’s 10 elevated events. He believes the Thai Country Club course will offer a very different challenge to the one posed at Black Mountain Golf Club.
Suradit Yongchaornechai. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
He said: “I played the Thai Country Club course last month and it was in perfect condition, but my game plan needs to change because it is more flat than Black Mountain. The green reading and putting game will be totally different.
“Going into the week, I am happy with my performance overall. I had a target to score four under daily, so to get around in 18 under was beyond my expectations, If I can maintain my standard and keep the form, I will play well this week.”
Suradit has flown under the radar so far this season and is currently sitting just outside the top 50 after his T9. He is hoping for a similar top-10 finish as he aims to climb the rankings.
He said: “I did not play well at the beginning of the season, but I have been getting better. I expected to finish in the top 15 and I made it comfortably, so I hope to keep my form for this week. If I can finish like that again I will be very happy.
“I have not played at Thai Country Club for around four years now, but I think the course layout will fit my game and hopefully we can have a good Thai performance again.”
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