Zheng on Open debut: This is what I have dreamed about
Wednesday this week is a big day for Sampson Zheng. He turns 24. However, the talented Japan-based Chinese star is hoping Sunday is even more special. Story by Joy Chakravarty, Asian Tour contributor, in Portrush.
Zheng, currently ranked 26th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and a regular contender since turning pro at the start of last year, is making his major championship debut at the 153rd Open – which starts Thursday at the stunning Royal Portrush Golf Club.
He secured his place among the world’s finest by finishing second in the Final Qualifying event at West Lancashire with rounds of 68 and 69, two weeks ago.
“I am very excited. This is what I have dreamed of doing all my life. This is what I look forward to, and this is why I play golf,” said Zheng, one of seven Asian Tour members competing this week.
“Whenever I play events, it’s always about preparation and just giving myself the best chance to win. This week is no different, even though it’s my first major. I don’t want to sound arrogant, and I don’t want to say I can win, but I’m doing everything I can to get myself up there on the leaderboard. And whatever happens, I am not too worried about the result, but just the process.”
As part of his preparation, Zheng arrived early at Portrush and has a few practice rounds under his belt already. More importantly, he has also experienced the wind switch on the golf course, playing the HS Colt-redesigned gem in two very different conditions.
“After the International Series Morocco, I came here on Wednesday and probably played the course three times now. The rough is very penalising. Some areas of the course are very slopey, and even if you hit the fairway, you could end up with a rough ball, maybe in the fescue. Wind is obviously going to play a really big factor. But the course is designed in a way that if you position yourself right, there will be plenty of opportunities,” said Zheng, who finished tied 10th in Morocco at the start of the month.
“Depending on the pin or the wind, it’s going to change very dramatically. Easy holes could turn into very tough holes, and vice versa.
“Luckily, I have now played the course in different winds, which is very good practice. For example, take the par-five seventh. The first time I played it, it was driver, hybrid and a wedge to reach the green. Yesterday, I was actually able to reach it in two.”
The current season hasn’t been spectacular so far for Zheng, and Morocco was his best finish. That came about after switching to a new model of putter, which has helped him hole a few more.
“I had been struggling with my putting recently. A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Scottie Cameron workshop in California and got myself a new mallet putter, which I put straight into my bag before the Open qualifier. Found some magic in the qualifier and kind of carried it into Morocco as well. I’m hoping that keeps on,” said Zheng.
“I’d say I felt pretty comfortable on the course here. Speed control is key on a course like this, where the greens are much slower, and the new putter has been tremendous.”
Zheng came within a whisker of playing the 152nd Open when Australian Jasper Stubbs denied him a win at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in a play-off at the legendary Royal Melbourne Golf Club. A win would have earned him an invitation to the Masters as well.
As disappointing as that result was, it included an unforgettable third-round six-under par 65 when brutal winds and cement-like greens turned the Alister MacKenzie-designed course into a monster.
That preposterous Saturday round Down Under continues to augment Zheng’s immense self-belief. Also, for someone who does not have a lot of links golf experience, he also felt the conditions at Royal Melbourne were fantastic prep.
“I was really, really bummed that week at the AAC, but thankfully, everything worked out. I kind of used that as a fuel and played good after that. That tournament is part of the reason why I got here today as a pro. Things happen for a reason, but it always works out in the end, if you just keep knocking on the door,” said Zheng, whose career best finish on the Asian Tour is a tied second at the 2024 Mandiri Indonesia Open.
“That round is still very special to me. I navigated a very tough course, with high winds, pretty much perfectly. The conditions are pretty similar here in many ways. It will be windy, of course. The greens will not be as fast, but the pins will probably be around the same toughness as well. They really toughen it up for us at the AAC. So, definitely a lot of confidence, thinking back about that day.
“I haven’t played real links courses in this area of the world much, but playing Royal Melbourne was probably very close. The fairways were firm, and the wind was up when we played the AAC. So, I can hopefully bring my learnings from there to The Open.”
And then there is the matter of his birthday. With every member of his family – father, mum, and his younger sister, who is studying at the renowned Berklee School of Music in Boston – with him, it would have been a nice celebration. But these are unusual times.
“My birthday is always around the tournament. It’s very, very cool. I’d watch The Open growing up and think that the nicest birthday present would be to be playing the tournament,” added Zheng, a standout performer for the University of California in his US college days.
“The celebration will be after the event. If it was on a Monday or Tuesday, we would have gone out and have dinner, but Wednesday is cutting it too close. My entire family is going to be here, and just playing this week is going to be fun for me anyway. We will save the celebration for Sunday.”
Pictures: Sampson Zheng during Final Qualifying. Courtesy Getty Images.
Morocco will remain a key destination on the calendar for The International Series, 10 top-tier events on the Asian Tour, following a landmark agreement with the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (MRGF) under the continued patronage of the Royal Family.
A two-year agreement was confirmed on the sidelines of International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat last week, which was won by Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent.
The news underscores Morocco’s rising status as a premier hub for world-class golf the region with a robust ecosystem committed to nurturing talent which includes two Asian Development Tour (ADT) events and further important initiatives that support the growth of the game in the country, from grassroots level upwards.
Rahul Singh [main picture], Head of The International Series, said: “We are very excited to share that we have an agreement with the Royal Moroccan Golf Association, with the patronage of the Royal Family, and can confirm that we will be back here for 2026 and for at least two years. We would like to thank His Majesty the King and his Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rashid.
“All parties understand our commitment to the growth of golf in all our tournament destinations and the wider Asia region, and we want to play an integral part in supporting Morocco’s rise in the regional and global golfing ecosystem as it becomes an important destination and leader for the industry in North Africa and the MENA region.”
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, with Jalil Benazzouz, from the Royal Moroccan Golf Association, pictured at a press briefing.
Recently, Morocco’s growing status was highlighted through the country’s qualification for the prestigious World Amateur Team Championships (WATC), which will be held this October at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
Jalil Bennazouz from the RMGF added: “The International Series exposes our local and regional talent to high-level international competition, and an extension of our current strong partnership offers an exceptional opportunity to further nurture them and empower them to further their undoubted potential.”
The 2025 International Series Morocco this year took on added significance as part of a broader strategic initiative to grow the game in the region. In the two weeks leading up to the event, Morocco hosted two ADT events which gave 40 players from the Arab Golf Federation the opportunity to compete with talent from the wider region for places in the field for the LIV Golf-backed event, the fourth of 10 on the Asian Tour calendar.
“The International Series has always been about creating pathways, generating opportunity, and growing the game,” added Singh. “In partnership with the Asian Tour and aligned with the principles of LIV Golf, we’re proud to bring these goals to life in a real and measurable way. While we offer a clearly defined pathway onto LIV Golf, these opportunities for regional talent are arguably even more significant. ”
The field in Morocco reflected the region’s deepening involvement in the global game, with 13 players from the Arab Golf Federation, including eight from Morocco, highlighting the tournament’s role as a launchpad for talent in the region.
“The tournament feeds directly into our mission to grow the talent, in a mixture of established and developing markets, and ensure that the game of golf continues to expand worldwide,” added Singh.
The International Series offers a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the player who finishes top of the rankings at the end of the season.
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
The tree-lined Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is a place where you need to be accurate off both the tee and into the greens, and it was no surprise to see Scott Vincent holding the International Series Morocco trophy on Sunday afternoon.
The Zimbabwean has been in good form all year and, including Morocco, has now produced seven top-10s in 11 starts worldwide, including four top-fives in his last five events.
The key stats that stood out for Vincent last week were, appropriately, his accuracy off the tee and into the greens, plus avoiding bogies by excelling in scrambling when he did make mistakes.
The 33-year-old co-led the Fairways Hit stats after the third round and ended T7 in this category with 71.67% after dropping off slightly in the final round.
Scott Vincent prevailed thanks to making the most birdies and least bogies.
His approach game into the demanding greens was also very good, and with a 77.78% Greens in Regulation (GIR) he ranked fifth. This also gave Vincent plenty of opportunities for birdies, and he took full advantage and co-led the field with American Peter Uihlein with 20 birdies for the week.
Vincent also managed to keep bogies to a minimum, his six was the fewest of the players making the cut. This was mainly thanks to his excellent Scrambling where he ranked second with 81.25%.
His other stats for the week: Putts per Green 28.25 (T12), Putts per GIR 1.732 (14th) and Driving Distance 290.83 yards (45th).
Runner-up Danthai Boonma from Thailand started the final round eight shots behind the leader, but produced a stunning final round of 66, seven under par, equaling the lowest round of the week posted by Vincent on Friday.
Austen Truslow topped the GIR stats on his way to his best finish on the Asian Tour. He finished sixth.
Like the tournament champion he was also in control of his irons and with a GIR percentage of 80.56% he ranked third in this category. He was also good at converting his chances on the greens and with 18 birdies during the week he placed T8 in that table.
Danthai’s other stats for the week: Putts per Round 30.5 (T41), Putts per GIR 1.741 (17th), Driving Distance 301.38 yards (23rd) and Fairways Hit 60% (T25).
Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series Morocco (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round – M.J. Maguire (USA): 26.75
- Putts per GIR – Nitithorn Thippong (THA): 1.675
- GIR – Austen Truslow (USA): 83.33%
- Fairways Hit – Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND): 76.67%
- Driving Distance – Bobby Bai (CHN): 325.88 yards
- Most Eagles – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Manav Shah (USA), Nitithorn Thippong (THA), Takumi Murakami (JPN): 2
- Most Birdies – Scott Vincent (ZIM), Peter Uihlein (USA): 20
- Fewest Bogies or Worse – Scott Vincent (ZIM): 6
- Scrambling – Miguel Carballo (ARG): 84.21%
- Bounce back – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA): 53.85%
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
Scott Vincent’s popular and brilliant victory in the International Series Morocco at the weekend catapulted him into first place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – having started the week in 18th position.
He also leapt into second on The International Series Rankings, from 45th, confirming what everyone knew already: that the Zimbabwean is back to his best.
He has been trending all year. The week before Morocco he’d finished third in the Japan Players Championship and in May he was fourth in the Kolon Korea Open – one of four top-12 finishes on the Asian Tour this season, prior to Morocco.
However, the 33-year-old from Harare who is now based in the United States, explained on Sunday it was far from plain sailing despite winning by four from Thailand’s Danthai Boonma.
“It’s always tough to know,” said Vincent, who led by one shot over Danthai after 14 holes before pulling away with three birdies in his last four, including a celebratory 20-footer on the last.
Scott Vincent hits his approach to 18 to set up a 20-foot birdie putt that he duly drained.
“Starting with the lead, you know you’re in a good spot, but I try not to look at the leaderboards. That way, I never really know exactly where I stand.
“There had been some great rounds all week — seven under, six under — and I knew the guys in contention were capable of going low. Through nine holes, I was even par and felt like I was getting left behind. I just had to hang in there.
“The last few holes offer some good opportunities, and fortunately, I was able to make a few birdies coming in. That ended up creating a bit of separation. But honestly, even on the final hole, I felt like I needed at least a two-putt, not knowing I had a three-shot lead.”
It was his second win on the Asian Tour, the first coming in the International Series England in June of 2022 – the year he claimed The International Series Rankings to earn a place on the star-studded LIV Golf League.
Vincent says he can’t put his finger on what has triggered his fine form this year.
He said: “Honestly, I don’t know exactly. I feel like I’ve been doing the same things I’ve done for the past couple of years. But I’ve been more consistent with the little things, and over time, that adds up.”
Vincent remarkably hit 17 greens in regulation on Sunday.
He excelled playing for Iron Head GC on LIV in 2022, finishing fourth individually in Singapore and Jeddah. Those performances helped secure his playing rights for the ensuing season and after victory in Morocco he is even more determined to get back on the LIV stage.
“The goal with The International Series is to give yourself a real shot by the end of the year. Winning early helps a lot — it gives you more opportunities to perform well going forward.
“The Series has been great for me. It’s how I ended up on LIV Golf a couple of years ago, so I know what it means. This boosts me up significantly, and we’ll see where it leads. There are still a lot of tournaments left.”
Pictures by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
July 6: Scott Vincent never gave his rivals any opportunity as he cruised to a composed four-shot win in the US$2 million International Series Morocco.
At the par-73 Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course on Sunday, the Zimbabwean put together a masterclass in ball striking with 17 greens in regulation, and his only mistakes were two three-putt bogeys in a round of three-under par 70. That took his four-day tally to 14-under 278, four better than Thailand’s fast-charging Danthai Boonma (66).
American Peter Uihlein (71) again faced closing trouble on the Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course and dropped to a tie for third place after three birdies on the front nine had brought him to within a shot of leader Vincent. New Zealand’s Denzel Ieremia (69) and Australian Maverick Antcliff (72) joined him on nine-under par.
Austen Truslow, the 6-feet-5-inch-tall American who had several top-fives playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, finished with three birdies in a row to take solo sixth place, his best finish on the Asian Tour.
Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
It was Vincent’s second win on the Asian Tour, both in International Series events, and comes exactly three years and one month after his last victory in the 2022 International Series England. It takes him to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and to No.2 in The International Series Rankings behind Australian Lucas Herbert.
On Sunday, Vincent started with a three-putt bogey, but that never threw him out of gear. What was more important was that when leading by one shot over Danthai after 14 holes, the 33-year-old closed with three birdies in his last four holes, including a 20-footer on the 18th for a grandstand finish.
After losing his card on LIV Golf last year, Vincent is enjoying a brilliant run of form in 2025 with his childhood friend Kyle Basson on his bag. This is his eighth top-12 finish this season in 11 worldwide starts.
“It’s hard to put in words, but what an amazing week, what an amazing day. This is incredible, so amazing to be here and so thankful,” said Vincent.
“It was a challenge, for sure, because I didn’t know where I was standing, and it just felt like I was missing all those opportunities.
“But what can you do? You just have to get on to the next hole and try and do your best from there. And then I look up on the last and it’s a three-shot lead. And I was like, ‘wow, it all paid off!’”
Danthai Boonma of Thailand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Vincent also becomes the sixth multiple International Series winner after Uihlein, Mexico’s Carlo Ortiz, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, American Andy Ogletree and Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut.
Vincent said the key to doing well on a tree-lined course like Royal Dar Es Salam was to accept that mistakes will be made.
“You can’t really try to avoid bogeys – they happen. But I had a clear game plan and just focused on executing it. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t, but it’s about hitting the best shot in front of you each time,” added Vincent.
“This week, the strategy, the way I played, and even some bounces just went my way. It’s special. This kind of week only happens occasionally. And to do it alongside my close friend and caddie, Kyle, makes it really cool.”
Danthai finished nearly two hours before the final group came in, and his magnificent round of 66 set the marker in the clubhouse. That included an eagle from 12 feet on the drivable par-4 17th hole, where he smashed a brilliant drive.
“I had no thoughts in my mind. I mean, I just played shot-by-shot. I hit it really good. I hit it on the fairway and then hit it on the green, and then just made a putt. I started with a birdie on the second hole, the par-three, which is a bit hard, and it was just momentum after that,” said the Thai.
Peter Uihlein of the USA. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Uihlein was left to rue his performance on the closing holes over the last three rounds, after making four straight birdies from the 15th hole onwards in Thursday’s opening round.
“It felt okay, but those last five holes the whole week kind of kicked my teeth in. I mean, I made 20 birdies this week and only shot nine-under. So, all in all, pretty solid but we just got to clean up some of the sloppy bogeys,” Uihlein said.
The next International Series tournament on the Asian Tour is the Indonesian Masters at Royal Jakarta Golf Club from 2-5 October.
July 5: Scott Vincent was rewarded for showing the patience befitting a saint, making a late birdie on the 17th hole that edged him ahead by one shot at the end of the third round in the US$2 million International Series Morocco.
At the par-73 Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course on Saturday, the Zimbabwean started the penultimate round leading by two shots, and despite a solid day of ball striking, his putter refused to cooperate. Vincent made only two birdies in a bogey-free round of two-under par 71 and stayed ahead of the fast-charging Thai Settee Prakongvech (67), who closed with a disappointing bogey.
China’s Bobby Bai matched Settee’s 67 and took possession of third place on the leaderboard at nine-under par total. The Aussie duo of Jack Buchanan (68) and Maverick Antcliff (72), American Austen Truslow (69) and Thai Suteepat Prateeptienchai (71) were in a tie for fourth place at eight-under.
Two-time International Series champion, American Peter Uihlein (72) made a bogey on the last hole to slip and join China’s Yanwei Liu (71) in tied eighth place.
Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Vincent’s was one of only two bogey-free rounds of the day, a clear indicator that the course was playing difficult, but the 33-year-old Denver, Colorado resident was rarely in trouble. He made a birdie on the par-five fifth hole and had several looks at birdies but failed to make any apart from the chip to two feet on the drivable par-four 17th hole.
On the par-four 16th, his birdie putt from 10 feet made a hard 360-degree horseshoe, and on the par-five 18th, he left it short by inches, again from 10 feet.
“It was great, a little challenging for me out there. I didn’t feel like I drove it particularly well, which just made it a little harder. All in all, it was nice, solid and steady, and always nice to play bogey-free, said the man whose last international win was almost three years and one month ago in the 2022 International Series England.
“The start was really the key. I made a couple of really good putts for par on two and three, and I think that really helped.”
Settee Prakongvech of Thailand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Unlike Vincent, Settee holed several long putts in his round, which featured eight birdies and two bogeys. Two of the long putts came late in the day to save pars and the only mistake with the putter was the missed eight-footer for bogey on the 18th hole.
“I felt like I played really good golf. Everything was good today, especially my putting. I had some bad shots, but I could come back with a par save. On some of the difficult holes, I made difficult saves with some long putts,” said the 30-year-old from Chonburi, who finished runner-up last week in the Asian Development Tour event at the Al Maaden Golf Resort in Marrakech.
“I think I got used to the weather, but that week (in Marrakech) was hot. With the long flight from Thailand, I think coming one or two tournaments before has definitely helped me. And playing well last week, I gained confidence for this week.”
After making seven birdies in his 67, Bai managed to stay ahead of the pack in tied fourth place with a superb par when a bogey looked like a good result.
Bobby Bai of China. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
“I felt like I played well today. Iron play was good and got the putter going a little bit on the front nine. Off the tee, I had a little bit of trouble but got a couple of lucky breaks,” said Bai, who spent a couple of years on the Korn Ferry Tour after turning pro in 2019.
“On the 18th, I just pulled my tee shot to the left in the trees and had to lay up to the fairway. That was like 227 yards to the pin, and the wind was down, right-to-left, so I felt like if I could get a seven-iron and draw it and catch the front, it would be pretty good. Hit a good shot to about six feet. It just had a lot of break on it. Par was very good on that hole.”
The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
July 4: Scott Vincent is enjoying a solid 2025 – finishing inside the top-12 in seven of his 10 worldwide starts. Playing on African soil and on a golf course that has grass imported from his home country Zimbabwe could just be the tonic that secures his first win of the season as he took a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the US$2 million International Series Morocco.
Vincent shot a brilliant seven-under par 66 on Friday at the par-73 Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course, the best round of the tournament so far, to reach a two-day total of nine-under 137.
Despite a disappointing three-putt bogey on his final hole (the ninth of the golf course), Vincent had done enough good work to jump to the top of the leaderboard, two shots clear of Australian Maverick Antcliff (70).
American Peter Uihlein (72), a two-time International Series champion last year, threatened to overtake Vincent in the evening. However, after reaching nine-under through 14 holes, he made three bogeys in his last four holes to drop down to a tie for third place at six-under par, where he was joined by the Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (67).
Maverick Antcliff of Australia. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Defending champion Ben Campbell made a determined move with a 68 and was tied at 141 alongside John Lyras (71) of Australia, Charlie Lindh (69) of Sweden, Ekpharit Wu (70) of Thailand and Yanwei Liu (70) of China.
The cut fell at one-over par 147.
Vincent started from the 10th tee, and the 33-year-old made a brace of birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, then another on the 17th and 18th, and another on the second and third to get to six-under at that point.
“It actually feels a lot like the golf courses I grew up playing on in Zimbabwe, so there’s a bit of a home vibe going on. The grass is the same. Someone just told me today that they imported all the grass from Zimbabwe here, so that’s kind of cool. There’s definitely something about being on African soil that just feels great,” said Vincent.
“It was awesome. A lot of things went really well, so very happy about that. But tons of golf left.”
Talking about his form this year, he added: “It’s just the ups and downs of golf. I think we kind of find some form, lose some form, and it’s just part of what we do. I feel like I’m doing a lot of the same things that I’ve been doing for quite a few years, and maybe just tightening up on a few little things. But overall, it feels like it’s the same, and I feel like I’m the same, and just doing the same things.”
Antcliff, a three-time winner on PGA Tour China, is yet to win on the Asian Tour. The Brisbane resident put himself in a great position going into the weekend.
“It was pretty solid. I was out of position first couple of holes, made a couple of nice par putts, and then was really solid after that,” said the 32-year-old, whose best finish on the Asian Tour is a tied fourth place in the 2024 International Series Oman.
“My birdie on the third hole was the one that stood out. Hit a nice drive, just kicked into the left rough from where I got a bit of a flyer and got a little lucky. But it was still a nice shot from where I was and a nice birdie to make on a very difficult hole.”
Ben Campbell of New Zealand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Campbell surged into contention with a bogey-free round that took his two-day tally to five-under 141.
The New Zealander made the most of the calm morning conditions and said: “I hit the ball really well. I didn’t really hole anything on the greens, unfortunately. Felt like it was a day that could have been a lot, lot better, so that was a little bit frustrating.”
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong scored the first hole-in-one of the tournament and credited his caddie Sebastian for the second competitive ace of his career.
Nicknamed ‘Fever’, Nitithorn raised the heat with a perfect five-iron shot that went straight in on the 206-yard second hole. It helped him close with a two-under 71.
“It was playing 203 yards, and there was no wind out there. I was going to grab my four-iron because it goes about 204 yards. I just wanted to land it on the green. And then, I just figured out with Sebastian that being short was better and hit the five-iron. It just landed like four or five yards before the pin and got a big bounce and went straight in,” said Nitithorn.
The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
July 4: It’s the only Asian Tour event this year that is being played in his continent, and Zimbabwean Scottie Vincent is making sure he has plenty of say in how the US$2 million International Series Morocco leaderboard shapes up during the weekend.
Vincent closed with a disappointing three-putt bogey on his final hole on Friday at the par-73 Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam course, but he had done enough good work before that to shoot a seven-under par 66 and jump to the top of the leaderboard at nine-under 137.
Australian Maverick Antcliff was two shots behind Vincent at seven-under after a round of 70, as defending champion Ben Campbell made a determined move with a 68 and was tied at 141 total alongside John Lyras (71) of Australia and Charlie Lindh (69) of Sweden.
Vincent started from the 10th tee, and continued his fine run of form that has seen him finish inside the top-12 in seven of his 10 worldwide starts this year.
Maverick Antcliff of Australia. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
The 33-year-old made a brace of birdies on the 11th and 12th holes, then another on the 17th and 18th, and another on the second and third to get to 6-under at that point.
“It actually feels a lot like the golf courses I grew up playing on in Zimbabwe, so there’s a bit of a home vibe going on. The grass is the same. Someone just told me today that they imported all the grass from Zimbabwe here, so that’s kind of cool. There’s definitely something about being on African soil that just feels great,” said Vincent.
“It was awesome. A lot of things went really well, so very happy about that. But tons of golf left.”
Talking about his form this year, he added: “It’s just the ups and downs of golf. I think we kind of find some form, lose some form, and it’s just part of what we do. I feel like I’m doing a lot of the same things that I’ve been doing for quite a few years, and maybe just tightening up on a few little things. But overall, it feels like it’s the same, and I feel like I’m the same, and just doing the same things.”
Antcliff, a three-time winner on PGA Tour China, is yet to win on the Asian Tour. The Brisbane resident put himself in great position going into the weekend.
“It was pretty solid. I was out of position first couple of holes, made a couple of nice par putts, and then was really solid after that,” said the 32-year-old, whose best finish on the Asian Tour is a tied fourth place in the 2024 International Series Oman.
“My birdie on the third hole was the one that stood out. Hit a nice drive, just kicked into the left rough and got a bit of a flyer and got a little lucky. But it was still a nice shot from where I was and a nice birdie to make on a very difficult hole.”
Nitithorn Thippong of Thailand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Campbell surged into contention with a bogey-free round that took his two-day tally to five-under 141.
The New Zealander made the most of the calm morning conditions and said: “I hit the ball really well. I didn’t really hole anything on the greens, unfortunately. Felt like it was a day that could have been a lot, lot better, so that was a little bit frustrating.”
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong scored the first hole-in-one of the tournament and credited his caddie Sebastian for the second competitive ace of his career.
Nicknamed ‘Fever’, Thippong raised the heat with a perfect five-iron shot that went straight in on the 206-yard second hole. It helped him close with a two-under 71.
“It was playing 203 yards, and there was no wind out there. I was going to grab my four-iron because it goes about 204 yards. I just wanted to land it on the green. And then, I just figured out with Sebastian that being short was better and hit the five-iron. It just landed like four or five yards before the pin and got a big bounce and went straight in,” said Thippong.
The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
July 3: John Catlin, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, wasn’t having the best of seasons this year after a fantastic 2024 but roared back into form on a golf course he loves. The American started the US$2 million International Series Morocco with a five-under par 68 and a tie for the lead in the opening round Thursday.
Catlin, who was denied here at the par-73 Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam course last year by New Zealand’s Ben Campbell’s stunning eagle-birdie finish and lost in a playoff, was six-under through his opening nine – the back nine of the golf course. However, two bogeys and a birdie on his way back dropped him to a share of the lead with two-time International Series champion, Peter Uihlein.
As the wind picked up slightly in the evening and the greens became trickier, the marker set by Catlin and Uihlein, who were in the third and fourth groups, respectively, to tee off from the 10th tee in the morning, held until the end of the day.
Australian Maverick Antcliff, only one of four bogey-free rounds during the day, threatened from the afternoon groups. With four birdies, he joined Korea’s Hongtaek Kim, winner of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last year, and Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut in a tie for third place on 69.
Peter Uihlein of the USA. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
China’s Sampson Zheng, who reached Morocco only on Wednesday after successfully qualifying for the Open Championship on Tuesday, was another player who navigated the Robert Trent Jones Junior-designed course without dropping a shot. He was in a group of eight players tied in sixth place at 70.
Catlin has just one top-10 finish this year, but he seems to have rediscovered the touch that helped him win in Macau and Saudi Arabia last year, apart from posting three runners-up finishes.
The 34-year-old from Sacramento started with a birdie on the 10th hole and added five more as he made the turn in six-under. On his back nine, Catlin made a three-putt bogey following a tricky first putt before dropping another shot on the par-five fifth hole. A birdie on the par-five eighth completed his score.
“Yeah, it was very solid. Wish I could have played the third hole a bit better. I had an 18-footer with a two-and-a-half-foot break and rolled it seven feet past. Not much you can do there from seven feet. Outside of that, I played pretty much flawless golf. Very happy with the start, but three more rounds to go. Let’s see,” said Catlin.
Asked if he had some unfinished business in the tournament after the heartbreak of last year, Catlin added: “No. It’s a new year.
“I love the golf course. I think that was part of my attitude last year. I think it really suits my game. You have to put in play off the tees. You have to be very precise with your irons. You’re going to miss some greens, so short game is going to be important. I feel like it really favours my game.”
Maverick Antcliff of Australia. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Uihlein used his length to great advantage once again, and that was most evident coming in with birdies on the par-five fifth and eighth holes. Starting from the 10th, Uihlein overcame a string of disappointing early holes with four straight birdies from the 15th to the 18th holes and made the turn at three-under.
“It was a bit of a mixed bag with the start. It was really ugly, and I scrambled quite a bit, made some nice pars. And then I kind of got going, made a bunch of birdies in a row. And then, I was kind of cruising, had a lot of looks, but did not make any before finishing with a couple of birdies,” said Uihlein, winner of the International Series titles in Qatar and England last year.
“The driver is really the big thing for me. Just with those trees, I’m trying to get as close to the greens and keep it between the trees. With the greens being as soft as they are, it’s pretty gettable.”
Antcliff, who is trying to win for the first time on the Asian Tour, made two birdies on either side of the golf course.
“It’s a great golf course. I came here for the first time last year. The wind got up a little bit towards the end and it was a little bit bouncier than in the practice round days, but that is expected once the tournament starts,” said the 32 year old from Brisbane.
“I just tried to stay patient out there. Hit some good shots and didn’t take advantage of them, and hit some good shots and took advantage of them. I got out of position a couple of times and made some nice up and down. There was a lot of good from all parts of my games. So, happy with the day.”
Suwannarut was bogey-free for his round, in which he holed a brilliant long bunker shot on the par-three 2nd hole. Like Catlin, Kim also fell prey to the tricky third hole, his only bogey of the day.
The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
July 3: John Catlin continued his love affair with the Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam course, starting the US$2 million International Series Morocco with a five-under par 68 and a tie for lead at the halfway stage of the opening round on Thursday.
American Catlin, who was denied here last year by New Zealand’s Ben Campbell’s stunning eagle-birdie finish and lost in a playoff, was six-under through his opening nine – the back nine of the golf course. However, two bogeys on his way back dropped him to a share of the lead with another multiple International Series champion, American Peter Uihlein.
Korea’s Hongtaek Kim, winner of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last year, and Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut were tied third on 69, while Australia’s Kevin Yuan and Thai Chanat Sakulpolphaisan were a further shot behind on a calm Thursday morning.
Catlin, the reigning Asian Tour No.1, has just one top-10 finish this year, but he seems to have rediscovered the touch that helped him win in Macau and Saudi Arabia last year and post three runners-up finishes.
Peter Uihlein of the USA. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
The 34-year-old from Sacramento started with a birdie on the 10th hole and added five more as he made the turn in six-under. On his back nine, Catlin made a three-putt bogey following a tricky first putt before dropping another shot on the par-five fifth hole. A closing birdie on the par-five eighth completed his score.
“Yeah, it was very solid. Wish I could have played the third hole a bit better. I had an 18-footer with a two-and-a-half-foot break and rolled it seven feet past. Not much you can do there from seven feet. Outside of that, I played pretty much flawless golf. So very, very happy with the start. Three more rounds to go,” said Catlin.
Asked if he had some unfinished business in the tournament after the heartbreak of last year, Catlin added: “No. It’s a new year.
“I love the golf course. I think that was part of my attitude last year. I think it really suits my game. You have to put it in play off the tees. You have to be very precise with your irons. You’re going to miss some greens, so short game is going to be important. I feel like it really favours my game.”
Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour
Uihlein used his length to great advantage once again, and that was most evident coming in with birdies on the par-five fifth and eighth holes. After starting from the 10th, Uihlein finally overcame a string of disappointing early holes with four straight birdies from the 15th to the 18th holes to make the turn at three-under.
“It was a bit of a mixed bag with the start. It was really ugly, and I scrambled quite a bit, made some nice pars. And then I kind of got going, made a bunch of birdies in a row, and then was kind of cruising, had a lot of looks, but did not make any before finishing with a couple of birdies,” said Uihlein, winner of the International Series Qatar and England last year.
“The driver in really the big thing for me. Just with those trees, I’m trying to kind of get as close to the greens and keep it between the trees. And with the greens being as soft as they are, it’s pretty gettable.”
Suwannarut was bogey-free for his round, in which he holed a brilliant long bunker shot on the par-three second hole. Like Catlin, Kim also fell prey to the tricky third hole, his only bogey of the day.
The International Series Morocco is the fourth of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, which form a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
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