The Asian Tour’s evolving partnership with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) will take an important step forward this year when two tournaments are held in consecutive weeks at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, El Jadida, Morocco.

The Am Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars 2026 will initiate what will be an exciting stretch of tournaments in the North African nation and will be played from 28-31 May. It will be jointly sanctioned by the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the IGPL.

The following week the US$500,000 Bharath Classic will tee-off from 4-7 June and will be sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the IGPL. Last year during the maiden season of the exciting new Indian franchise the event was played in Ahmedabad, but the event now moves to a new home in Casablanca to optimise player movements.

The International Series Morocco will then conclude an exciting three-week swing at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course) from 11-14 June.

Carl Jano Corpus pictured after winning one of the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events last year.

“This is an exciting development for both the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our members three successive weeks of playing opportunities in Morocco, where golf continues to make such great progress through the leadership of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and Hassan II Golf Trophy Association.

“It is the result of our emerging relationship with the IGPL, whom we know are working hard to help grow the game in India and beyond through new initiatives. We thank IGPL for adding a new event for the ADT as well as the flexibly in rescheduling and relocating the Bharath Classic for us on the Asian Tour.”

The top two players not otherwise exempt who finish in the top 10 at the Am Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars 2026 will earn invites to the Bharath Classic – which was won last year by Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai [main picture].

Said IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy: “The IGPL is proud to confirm the Am Green Bharath Classic and Am Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars tournament will be held this year as part of an exciting swing of events in the North African country. We are very grateful to His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and Association du Tropheé Hassan ll for helping us achieve our goals to create more opportunities for our golfers and grow the sport in the region.”

The ADT tournament will offer prizemoney of the US$160,000 and builds on the Tour’s maiden visit to Morocco last year for two Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech tournaments, won by Aidric Chan and Carl Jano Corpus from the Philippines.

Today’s announcement follows soon after The International Series and the IGPL unveiled a new collaboration that will see India’s top-ranked players from the League gain access to the Series and the LIV Golf Promotions event.

If you were asked to pick a player who you feel is best equipped to tackle The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, then you would need look no further than Sadom Kaewkanjana [main picture].

Cool, calm, and composed, he is the keeper of a structurally perfect golf swing – all the essentials needed to take on one of the region’s most-revered courses.

He showed that in 2022 when he coasted to a three-shot victory at the famous venue in the Singapore Open. It was an imperious performance that cemented his place as one of the Asia’s hottest young players.

Next week he returns to scene of that impressive triumph for the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times. It’s the first time the tournament has been back to Sentosa Golf Club since then, and Sadom will start as one of the favourites in a field laden with firepower.

“It’s difficult to get close to the pins – that’s one of the most difficult things about the course,” said the 27-year-old this week as he prepares for the US$2million event, which will be part of The International Series for the second successive season.

“You need to put your ball into position off the tee, but the fairways are narrow, so your game really needs to be on!”

Sadom Kaewkanjana is congratulated by Tom Kim at the Singapore Open in 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/SPORTFIVE.

Fortunately, his game is nearly always on and finding fairways is his forte.

He said: “My form right now is okay. I made some changes on my backswing. I feel a little better but still need some time to get fully used to it. If I can execute this on the course, I think I’d have a pretty good chance, but I don’t want to focus too much on the outcome.”

Since that victory four years ago, Sadom has added one more Asian Tour trophy to his cabinet: last year’s Kolon Korea Open, played on another challenging venue: the Dunes Course at La Vie Est Belle, outside the capital Seoul.

“I think winning in Korea was even harder than Singapore as the course set up was very difficult. I had to remind myself that week to be patient and fully concentrate throughout all the rounds.” he said.

The Thai star has a penchant for National Opens as all three of his Asian Tour wins have been in them. His first came at the Bangladesh Open in 2019, which at the time made him the fastest qualifying school graduate to win on the Tour.

As an amateur star he also claimed the Indian, Malaysian and Philippine Amateur Opens, remarkably all in 2017. It’s no wonder he turned professional the following year.

That relationship with Opens also extends to the biggest of them all. His win in Singapore in 2022 rewarded him with a place in The Open, as the tournament was part of the Open Qualifying Series (OQS) – which will also be the case next week. He seized the opportunity by finishing joint 11^th at St Andrews, for comfortably the best finish by a Thai golfer in the game’s oldest Major.

Sadom made his second appearance in The Open last year. Picture by Getty Images.

Last year’s Korea Open was also part of OQS so he competed in the event for a second time, but despite featuring on the leaderboard early on he failed to progress to the weekend.

When he won at Sentosa in 2022, incredibly, Sadom was bogey free over the weekend. He was the joint third-round leader with American Sihwan Kim and fired a two-under-par 69 on Sunday to finish on 13 under and beat Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa and Tom Kim from Korea by three strokes.

On a extremely hot day, possibly the conditions that will greet him next week, Sihwan Kim made bogey on the first to give Sadom the outright lead, and from there the Thai star did not look back. Birdies on six and seven saw him move three ahead and he calmly parred his way home and enjoyed the comfort of a three-shot lead playing 18.

He said: “My best memory from 2022 was the last hole on the final day. I remembered being very excited hitting the tee shot.  And of course, the last putt on 18 was definitely the most special memory of that week.”

The victory continued a remarkable run of form as in the final three months of the previous year, he won five times in Thailand on the domestic circuits – including the Thailand Open.

It also allowed him to secure second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in what was the final event of the 2020-22 season, when the global pandemic had played havoc with the schedule. Tom Kim took top spot to become the youngest winner of the Merit title at the age of 19, while it remains Sadom’s best ever finish on the rankings.

Australian Adam Scott is the only player to have claimed more than one Singapore Open title on the Serapong Course, as he has triumphed there three times – in 2005, 2006 and 2010. He holds the record for the most wins in the tournament.

Sadom will attempt to join him next week and become part of a select group of five players to have raised the prestigious trophy on more than one occasion. The others are Chinese-Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon and Hsieh Yung-yo,  Filipino Ben Arda, and Australian Frank Philips – winner of the inaugural event in 1961 before achieving the double four years later.

Back in 2023 he entered monkhood for a short period to gain merit for his parents and foster calmness. Many young Thai men do this including some of his peers, like Jazz Janewattananond, Prom Meesawat and Poom Saksansin.

He lived in a forest temple, shaved his head, and meditated for a few weeks. That was post winning his first Singapore Open and part of his attempt to become an even better person and player. Singapore will soon find out how far one of their National Open winners has come since then and whether The Serapong will once again prove no obstacle for one of the region’s finest golfers.

Story by Simon Wilson/Asian Tour.

Travis Smyth’s red-hot form has earned him a swift return to the LIV Golf stage, with the Australian teeing it up as a Wild Card at this week’s event in Mexico City, just two weeks after his breakthrough victory at the International Series Japan.

The 31-year-old Australian will make his return at Club de Golf Chapultepec today, stepping into the field following Scott Vincent’s move into the HyFlyers GC starting lineup. Vincent, who also earned his place through The International Series Rankings, replaces Phil Mickelson this week, further highlighting the strength of players emerging through the pathway.

For Smyth, the opportunity is a direct reflection of both form and momentum.

“Winning the first event of The International Series season has definitely put me in a strong position, and I think that’s a big reason why I’m here this week,” he said. “So yes, the pathway is working in my favour. I’ve been playing well and it’s great to see that translate into opportunities like this. I’m really excited to keep that momentum going on such a big stage.”

It’ll be Smyth’s first LIV Golf start since the last weekend in July of 2022 when he finished solo 22nd at LIV Golf Bedminster.

Travis Smyth after winning the International Series Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Asked how his game has changed in the ensuing four years, Smyth replied Wednesday: “Totally different. I used to do some funky stuff with my swing; I was working with a pretty out-there golf coach at the time. My body was really average, and I had some lower back issues at the time. I was pretty much a mess back then.

“I’m a much better player now. Super-pumped to see how I stack up against these guys now since I’m in some good form.”

That form has been undeniable. Smyth arrives in Mexico off the back of two wins in his last three starts, including International Series Japan and the Japan–Australasia Championship.

He currently leads both The International Series Rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having also secured the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit earlier this season.

Now ranked a career-high 135th in the world, Smyth has already locked in starts at both the PGA Championship and The Open later this year, further evidence of a player hitting his stride.

“I’ve felt like I’ve hit it better or played better through stretches before this,” Smyth said. “But my ability to score and put myself in contention – mentally I feel like I’ve come up to another level, and it’s allowed me to play a bit better. I’m scoring well and hitting the shots when I need to to stay in contention and also win.”

Smyth will travel to Singapore next week for the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, part of The International Series, as he seeks to maintain his spot atop the rankings. The International Series champion at the end of the season will earn a spot in the 2027 LIV Golf League, one of the reasons he’s prioritizing his schedule around those tournaments.

It was a scramble, however, to get to Mexico City. After receiving notification Sunday morning in Australia that he had a spot in this week’s field, he had to apply for a visa while dealing with some passport issues after his appearance in Japan. He’s also in the middle of moving to a new house in Australia. He arrived Tuesday ready to check out the high-elevation course.

“Everything’s felt a bit of a rush,” he said, “but I had a good night’s sleep and today feels nice. Really excited to be part of this again.”

LIV Golf star Lucas Herbert will have the opportunity to revisit the scene of one of his early successes after confirming he will participate in next week’s Singapore Open presented by The Business Times.

The Australian will be one of the headline acts that includes fellow LIV Golf players Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu from Spain, Americans Peter Uihlein, Caleb Surratt, and Michael La Sasso, plus New Zealand’s Danny Lee.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena and Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden, Asian Tour regulars both playing on the League as ‘Wild Cards’, will also compete in the US$2million event which will be played on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, 23-26 April.

Herbert, who plays for the all-Australian Ripper GC team on the League, has played in Singapore’s National Open once before, back in 2018 when he tied for eighth.

Josele Ballester. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

It was a strong performance early in his career that came with the added bonus of qualifying for his first Open Championship – as like this year the Singapore Open was part of the Open Qualifying Series. He went on to make the cut at Carnoustie Golf Links, in what was only his second appearance in a Major.

The 30-year-old has already qualified for this year’s Open by virtue of finishing second in the New Zealand Open in February but will no doubt be focused on following up his victory at last year’s International Series Japan in Singapore. His win in Japan was his first success on the Asian Tour, and The International Series.

He will face one of the strongest fields of the year on the Asian Tour next week. His compatriot Travis Smyth, who claimed the International Series Japan at the start of the month to take the lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and The International Series Rankings, is back in action as well as reigning Merit champion Kazuki Higa from Japan.

Former OOM winners John Catlin, Andy Ogletree, and Sihwan Kim from the United States have also entered as well as Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond. Jazz won the 2019 Singapore Open enroute to finishing the year as the number one ranked player

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana who triumphed at the Singapore Open in 2022 when it was last played at Sentosa Golf Club will also tee-off next week.

Travis Smyth. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Nine other winners from last year on the Asian Tour will add further depth to what will be the 57th staging of the tournament: Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Rattanon Wannasrichan, Poosit Supupramai and Ekpharit Wu, Dominic Foos from Germany, Australian Wade Ormsby, Korea’s Doyeob Mun, American Ollie Schniederjans, and Julien Sale from France.

Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho and Korean Jeunghun Wang, who lost in a play-off last year, will also compete along with twelve Singaporeans led by Nicklaus Chiam and James Leow – both winners on the Asian Development Tour recently – reinforcing The International Series’ commitment to provide opportunities for local talent to compete at the highest level.

The leading two players not otherwise exempt will secure places in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale in July.

The Singapore Open presented by The Business Times is the fourth leg on this year’s Asian Tour and the second stop on The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Tour the provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.

Link Hong Kong Open champion Tom McKibbin [main picture] is feeling annoyed that he could not extend his Masters debut into the weekend, but missing the cut has fueled the inner fire to come back to Augusta National Golf Club, again and again. Story by Joy Chakravarty – Asian Tour contributor – at Augusta.

The 23-year-old from Holywood in Northern Ireland, now a resident of Dubai, shot rounds of 75 and 76 and fell shy of the cutline at four-over par by three shots.

That second-round 76 saw him balloon to five-over in the first five holes with a double bogey and three bogeys, before he gathered himself and finished the last 13 holes in one under.

Also missing the cut was Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee, the reigning Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, who finished on 11-over par total.

McKibbin, whose win in Hong Kong last year had secured the first Masters invitation for him, said: “I think it’s probably the first time I’ve come to a place and sort of felt like ‘try to not miss it again’.

Masters champion Jon Rahm and Tom McKibbin greet each other on hole No. 9 during a practice round prior to the Masters.Picture by Simon Bruty/Augusta National/Getty Images.

“Obviously, it’s very hard to get in. I’d definitely like to try and get back here at some point. It would be nice. It’s the best golf tournament that I have ever played. Yeah, it would be good to come back here again and again.”

Friday was a frustrating day for McKibbin, who started with two solid shots into the par-4 first green, but then got completely flummoxed by the green and three-putted for a bogey from 30 yards. On the par-5 second hole, he hit a brilliant tee shot that was in the left fairway, and his second shot unfortunately clipped the last branch of a tree and led to a double bogey.

“Overall, I hit a lot of good shots. A couple too many putts, and then the second is probably the only real bad shot that really cost me,” said McKibbin.

“It was a very annoying week, but one that was so much fun. It was a bit of everything. Probably a little bit of every emotion.”

McKibbin said the two competitive rounds and the days leading up to it were a great learning experience, especially on how the greens behaved. He hoped that it would stand him in good stead in the future.

“I think the biggest positive is just the sort of experience that I take from here,” he said.

“The more times you can play, especially on these greens, the better. I think the greens are obviously the trickiest part. The course changes so much from the practice days. Yesterday (Thursday) was a little bit of guesswork, maybe.

“I knew what they would do slope-wise, but the speed was so quick. Uphill, they are still quite slow. Then, going out this morning, again, you think they’re going to be super quick, but that little bit of dew and stuff slows it down. It’s like a little bit of guesswork on the greens, which you learn through playing more rounds here.

Tom McKibbin. Picture by Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

“I was sort of uncertain. You don’t really know what’s going to happen until you hit the putt. Obviously, once you sort of hit it outside 25 feet, you’re just trying not to three-putt really. Some of the putts have so much slope.”

McKibbin said the shot of the tournament for him was the one that set up his birdie on the par-5 15th hole on Friday.

“I hit a lovely seven-wood into 15 today. I had to cut it around the trees and hit it about 20 feet. It was nice to pull off one iconic shot that I had watched on TV. I also hit another really good shot into the 10th green, which was enjoyable as well,” he added.

The Legion XIII team member on the LIV Golf League travels to Mexico City next for the LIV Golf Mexico next week.

Already living in his own version of Alice in Wonderland, Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee could not believe what he saw as he entered the players’ locker room of Augusta National Golf Club. Story by Joy Chakravarty at Augusta.

On the left of his allocated locker was one with Tiger Woods’ name on it, if the five-time Major champion had taken his place in the first major championship of the season. On the right, was Bryson DeChambeau’s.

The 21-year-old Thai, who secured a spot to play this year’s Masters Tournament after becoming the first player from his country to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last October in Dubai, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, clicked pictures and sent it to family and friends.

Everything so far has been nothing but fantastical for the supremely talented amateur from Rayong, who is part of the famous Arizona State University’s Sun Devils team – which has won four Green Jackets this century (Phil Mickelson thrice and Jon Rahm in 2023).

Fifa is under no illusions of adding to that tally – not this year at least – but even as he is enjoying some incredible experiences, he wants a solid weekend finish.

Fifa Laopakdee. Picture by David Paul Morris/Augusta National/Getty Images.

Part of that preparation was playing a few rounds earlier in the year with Rahm, and deriving inspiration from Woods, who is half-Thai.

Staying at Crowe’s Nest at the property, Fifa is trying to soak up everything.

“The hospitality here is amazing. They’re treating us like kings. Like, every staff member knows who we are, and they know about our backgrounds. And they’re all super friendly. It’s amazing,” said Fifa, who is known for his long-hitting abilities despite a slender frame.

“There are a lot of ASU alumni who have played this event. I’m lucky enough to talk to them. I spoke to Josele (Ballester, who won the 2024 US Amateur and played the Masters last year), and I played a few rounds with Jon Rahm.

“It’s been an honour to have those kinds of guys in town and practice alongside you and give you any answers. They were happy to answer all my questions, ease all my concerns, and give me all the tips and other strategies to use this week.

“It’s been unreal so far, but I want to make it even better by playing well this week.”

Thailand has produced several remarkable talents in the past and many have played at Augusta National. However, Fifa is the first player from his country to get a Masters invite in six years since Jazz Janewattananond played here in the 2020 Masters and finished tied 51st. The best finish by a Thai player is Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s tied 16th at the 2016 edition.

Fifa is aware that the whole nation, and the continent of Asia, wants him to do well. But that is something that he is trying not to pay any attention to.

Fifa Laopakdee and Mateo Pulcini speak to members of the media. (Picture by Benjamin Gilbert/Augusta National/Getty Images).

“To be able to represent Thailand, and the Asia-Pacific region, is a huge honour. And to be the first Thai amateur to play in the Masters, is also huge. It’s always nice to know that you’re playing for something that’s bigger than yourself,” said Fifa, who loves singing during tournament rounds to deflect any pressure, a habit that he picked up from women’s world No1 Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thittikul.

“The Thai fans have been very, very nice to me. It’s so good to see how much they care and how much they support me. I really feel that have my back.

“Even though I won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, I’m still the same person, same Fifa, and just trying to be myself. I am trying to keep away from the expectations back home. I am just doing what I’m supposed to do, and that’s what I do best.”

Former world No1 Woods has been an inspiration growing up.

“I grew up watching Tiger. But do I want to be like Tiger myself? Yes, but I also know we are so different. I always try, and work hard, to be the best version of myself,” said Fifa, nicknamed so by his football-loving father, after his AAC win.

“The media doesn’t say that he is half Thai, but it’s always a good reminder for me. I too have Thai blood, the same that has dominated the world of golf.”

Fifa has been paired with former Masters champion Fred Couples and Australia’s Min Woo Lee for the first two rounds. He tees off in Thursday’s opening round at 12:15pm Eastern time.

Twelve Singaporean golfers will be in action at the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times when the tournament tees-off on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, 23-26 April.

Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam [main picture], who recently won the Selangor Masters on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), headlines a list of 10 players from the Singapore Golf Association – that utilises the Official World Golf Ranking.

The others are Ryan Ang, Gregory Foo, Dengshan Koh, Qiwen Wong, Dennis Lim, Joshua Yap and Marc Ong, while the country’s amateur stars Brayden Lee and Troy Storm complete the list.

James Leow, another recent winner on the ADT, at last year’s Aramco Invitational, and Mardan Mamat, the country’s most decorated golfer, will also compete.

Leow enters through the Asian Tour category for those who finished in the top-10 on the ADT Order of Merit last season, while Mardan qualifies through the Asian Tour’s Career Earnings exemption.

James Leow. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Chiam, whose victory at Selangor was his first in the professional game, said: “I’m very honoured to represent Singapore as the top ranked Singaporean golfer but that also comes with pressure. I’ll continue to focus on my processes and do what I can to replicate that success I had when I won in Malaysia.”

Said Leow: “Everybody, even all the Singaporean players will look forward to the Singapore Open. And with two available spots to The Open, that’s a very big opportunity for all of us. I like to compete against the best and see where I get myself.”

National squad member Storm, aged 17, is relishing another opportunity to prove his worth again on home soil after making the cut in the Singapore Open last year.

“Playing in the Singapore Open means a lot to me, especially after last year’s experience which was one of my best memories on the golf course,” said Storm.

“Being able to represent my country and compete in front of my friends and family makes the tournament even more special. I’m really looking forward to this year’s Singapore Open and can’t wait to get back out there and enjoy every moment.”

Troy Storm.

Last year Lee finished at the leading Singaporean after tying for 50^th, while Storm ended equal 63^rd. It was a remarkable performance by the duo who represented Singapore on home soil at the World Amateur Team Championship, also known as the Eisenhower Trophy, the month before.

For the second year in a row the US$2million Singapore Open will be part of The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.

The tournament is also one of the Open Qualifying Series events this season, with the top two players not otherwise exempt earning spots in The Open at Royal Birkdale, scheduled from July 16–19.

Following his last-gasp victory at the International Series Japan on Sunday Travis Smyth mentioned he did not know how many top 10s he’s had during his remarkable run of form recently.

The fact of the matter is that he’s had 22 top 10s over the past four years on the Asian Tour – which includes two wins, three runner-up finishes, and five third-placed results.

His lack of victories on the Asian Tour, particularly between his first, at the Yeangder TPC in 2022 and his second, two days ago, was the only concern – if concern is the correct terminology considering the way he has been playing.

However, the concern can now officially be put to rest after a brilliant win at Caledonian Golf Club. The manner in which he stormed through on Sunday afternoon by making birdie on 16 and an eagle on the last, thanks to a career-defining left to right breaking 20-foot putt, to win by one is reflective of a golfer at the peak of his powers.

Travis Smyth.

“I don’t know, [but] I’ve been able to turn a corner,” said the Australian, after his win – which propelled him to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

While all the hard work, patience, and the experience of being in contention week in, week out have helped him get to where he is now, he also pointed to the support of two other people: Dan Dymond, a renowned sports psychologist in Australia, and his vastly experienced caddie Richard ‘Rich’ Hallam.

“I started working with a psych in Melbourne, Dan Dymond, it’s been amazing,” said Smyth. “I haven’t really changed anything with the swing stuff, just been chipping away at that, but I feel like mentally, I’m just getting a little bit closer to where I need to be.”

Hallam, who worked for Australian Wade Ormsby for 10 years during many of his wins, started on the bag with Smyth mid-way through last year and has also brought an element of mental support.

Said Smyth: “Yeah. I mean, Rich is, you know, well experienced. I think he’s been caddying for like, 30 years, so more than I’ve been probably playing golf. But, you know, he acts as like a psychologist whilst I’m out there as well, which, which is pretty much what I’ve needed.”

Travis Smyth.

Hallam also carried the clubs for Smyth when he claimed the ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship last month, a win that put him on course to claim the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit for the 2025/26 season.

Success in Japan was also his first on The International Series, the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that provide access to the LIV Golf League through The International Series Rankings.

Smyth played three events on the LIV Golf League during its inaugural year in 2022, and has made no secret of his desire to return to the franchise.

“Yeah, I mean, the goals are still the same. Ever since I got a taste of LIV golf, I’ve wanted to get back there,” he said.

“So that’s still always at the back of my mind when I wake up in the morning and when I go to bed at night. So, I definitely want to finish out the season as good as I can and get back to where I feel like I belong.”

He feels The International Series events are his Majors and that certainly applies to the next one, the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times in just over two weeks.

Travis Smyth.

Often called ‘Asia’s Major’ the tournament makes its return to The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club and with Smyth in the form of his life you can be sure the tall Australian will most likely be making further major contributions to a season that has only just started.

Story by Simon Wilson/Asian Tour.

Pictures courtesy Graham Uden/Asian Tour. 

The exciting action on the golf course last week at the International Series Japan was matched by some strong talk off it that helped the new season on The International Series get off to a memorable start.

ROUND ONE

American John Catlin when asked if he’s close to getting back to his best after the first round:

• “I think there’s even better ahead. As I said at the start of 2024, no one goes through life or golf with everything going exactly to plan. I went through some challenges, but I’m stronger for it, and I believe my best golf is still to come.”

Lin Yuxin from China on his outlook and goals for his first Asian Tour season:

• “The Asian Tour is a great platform, and I feel very honoured to be playing here. I’m really grateful for the opportunity. In terms of goals, I’m just focused on doing my best each week and seeing where that puts me at the end of the season.”

New Zealand’s Nick Voke after playing through the worst of the weather and shooting four-under-par:

• “I’m probably as surprised as anyone. We knew it would be cold, wet and windy, we’re about a month earlier than last year—but I didn’t expect it to hit straight away. I don’t get to play in the rain too often, so it took some adjusting, but I managed it pretty well.”

ROUND TWO

Korean Yubin Jang on if he’s getting back to his form of the 2023–24 season on the Korean PGA Tour after a season on the LIV Golf League:

• “I played very well during that period, which helped me earn opportunities to compete at a higher level at LIV Golf. Last year didn’t go quite as I hoped, but I’m working hard to get back to that level and improve my performance this season.”

Karandeep Kochhar from India about his first time playing in Japan:

• “I think it’s awesome. I think obviously, playing on bent grass, like I think it’s amazing. Especially where I come from, obviously the course hasn’t been in the greatest of shape lately, so just to come here and play was just amazing. Like, it’s my first time to Japan obviously, so I’m really enjoying myself. The people are lovely; the course is amazing.”

On if he learned anything after disappointing final rounds in the Philippines and New Zealand, after leading in the former and being in contention in the latter:

• “I mean definitely, I think you learn more about yourself every time you fail, and you know, kind of come back up again. So, I think the most important part for me over this weekend will be to not get ahead of myself, and treat it like any other round. Obviously, it’s easier said than done, because every round is final rounds and weekends are obviously different. The pressure level is higher, but you know, I’m glad I put myself in that position. I want to feel the pressure, and even if I fail, that’s okay.”

ROUND THREE

Korean Hongtaek Kim on if he was targeting a win after being tied for the lead after three rounds:

• “To be honest, I didn’t have the best preparation coming in because my second child was just born. So, I was a bit unsure about how I would play this week. I’m just really pleased with how things have gone”.

Travis Smyth from Australia on his bounce-back after a double-bogey on the ninth hole:

• “Yeah, like, I just have a lot of belief in what I’m doing at the moment. You know, coming into this tournament, I was pretty unprepared. Like I didn’t practice much at all in those two weeks off, and felt very rusty at the start of the week, and even the first two rounds. And I just, I don’t know, I’m just taking it one shot at a time. I’m not really thinking too much about the result, and just, as cliche as it sounds, it’s literally just one shot at a time. And trying to sort of get my feels back, honestly, because it doesn’t feel like the same me as it did, like, sort of last month.”

ROUND FOUR

Australian Cameron John on his debut on The International Series:

• “I’m loving it. I’d honestly like to play as many of these as I can. I even messaged my wife earlier this week saying how great it would be to play the full schedule. There’s obviously a big opportunity at the end of it, so to start well gives me a lot of confidence going into the next events.”

Pavit Tangkamolprasert from Thailand describing his final round 62, nine-under-par:

• “Today I played pretty much like perfect golf. I drove the ball very well, I hit my irons very good and I was putting well. So, everything was like on the momentum. I sunk putts and had like a streak on the first nine, so I gained confidence with my putting.”

When asked if he thought he had a chance to win the tournament when he woke up this morning, he said:

• “Honestly, I didn’t feel that I was in contention, I just hoped that I wake up with no rain, not cold. The weather is perfect today, so yeah, it’s like moving day.”

American Austen Truslow on his eagle on the 16^th hole after his tee shot hit an overhanging cable and he got to play that shot again without penalty:

• “I mean, that was a crazy situation, I hit the telephone pole line, got to re-tee, and then I drove it to 36 feet and made the putt. And the first ball was going probably 20 yards right of the green, so that was insane. That’s the craziest eagle in my life.”

Ryosuke Kinoshita from Japan when asked about his final round:

• “I shot some good scores in the third and final rounds, and I started thinking about a win halfway through. However, it is really disappointing that I could not sink a short putt on the 15th. Overall, I am happy to have finished with three birdies in a row. Anyway, Travis was very impressive today.”

Travis Smyth on finishing with an eagle on the 72^nd hole to win his second Asian Tour event and first International Series title:

• “That’s what dreams are made of right there. As a young kid, you know, you’re on the putting green having putting comps with your mates, you’re trying to chip in to win, you’re trying to hole 25 footers to win. And that was unbelievable. You know, I won a tournament two weeks ago, probably a pretty similar putt downhill, left to right, just draw upon that. But yeah, for it to go in like that, it’s the best feeling ever.”

On his outlook for the 2026 season after winning twice now early in the year, after being winless since the 2022 Yeangder TPC:

• “Yeah, man, look, I’ve had a hard time trying to win tournaments. People don’t understand how hard it is to win, you know, like it’s such a mind game with yourself out there, you’re trying to… In the past, like you’re always trying to come up with excuses as to why you might not be leading, or why you might not be hitting the shots under pressure that you want to, but I don’t know, I’ve been able to turn a corner. I started working with a psych in Melbourne, Dan Diamond, it’s been amazing. Haven’t really changed anything with the swing stuff, just been chipping away at that, but I feel like mentally, I’m just getting a little bit closer to where I need to be.”

Asked if he had a target score in mind at the start of the final round he said:

• “I mean, I got off to a good start. The conditions were very favorable; I thought the flags were pretty easy. I don’t know who set up the pins, they were pretty easy. That’s why there were so many good scores. And pretty early on, you know, I saw Pavit like seven under through 12 holes, and another person was maybe six under through about 10 holes, so I thought I’m going to need to do something pretty special here. And I got a little bit ahead of myself, sort of, throughout the middle of the round, and was getting a little bit frustrated not making birdies. But I just sort of, I don’t know, as cliche as it sounds, I brought myself back to the present, you know, one shot at a time, and literally, that’s all it was. And then, you know, just to finish the way I did was unbelievable.”

On his previously stated goal of getting onto the LIV Golf League after playing three events in the 2022 inaugural season:

• “Yeah, I mean, the goals are still the same. Ever since I got a taste of LIV golf, I’ve wanted to get back there. So that’s still always at the back of my mind when I wake up in the morning and when I go to bed at night. I definitely want to finish out the season as good as I can and get back to where I feel like I belong.”

Travis Smyth’s dream run continued today when he made an eagle putt on the par-five 18th to sensationally win the International Series Japan by one.

In a riveting finish, he drained a 20 footer to narrowly avoid a play-off with Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Ryosuke Kinoshita from Japan – at Caledonian Golf Club, near Tokyo.

The Australian’s brilliant final putt saw him shoot a seven-under-par 64 to move to 15-under, with Pavit and Kinoshita both in the clubhouse on 14-under.

Pavit and Kinoshita had earlier turned the tournament on its head by shooting scintillating rounds of 62 and 63 respectively to come through from much further back. The former was in the 10^th from last group and Kinoshita the sixth.

Korea’s Hongtaek Kim and Shugo Imahira from Japan had started the day sharing the lead but were unable to keep up with the fast pace being set. Kim shot a 69 to tie for fifth while Imahira returned a 70 for equal seventh.

Travis Smyth.

This week’s US$2million event is the opening event of the season on The International Series, and it is Smyth’s first success on the Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League, via The International Series Rankings.

It’s also his second victory on the Asian Tour, having won the Yeangder TPC in 2022, and comes during a remarkable run of form.

He claimed the ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship last month which put him on course to win the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit for the 2025/26 season.

The 31-year-old also finished third and fifth in the first two events of the season on the Asian Tour and now leads the Order of Merit, as well as The International Series Rankings.

“That’s what dreams are made of right there,” said the Australian about his closing putt.

“As a young kid, you know, you’re on the putting green having putting comps with your mates, you’re trying to chip in to win, you’re trying to hole 25 footers to win. And that was unbelievable.

“You know, I won a tournament two weeks ago, probably a pretty similar putt downhill, left to right – just drew upon that. But yeah, for it to go in like that, it’s the best feeling ever.”

Having started the day two behind the leaders, he gradually worked his way through the field on the front nine with birdies on one, two and six.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

With the course playing nearly three shots easier today and players making a deluge of birdies on the back nine he still had a lot of work to do. Birdies on 13 and 16 saw him move one behind Pavit and Kinoshita before he gained two shots on the last to finish the job in regulation play.

He explained: “I’ve had a hard time trying to win tournaments. People don’t understand how hard it is to win, you know. Like it’s such a mind game with yourself out there. In the past, like you’re always trying to come up with excuses as to why you might not be leading, or why you might not be hitting the shots under pressure that you want to, but I don’t know, I’ve been able to turn a corner.”

Pavit’s 62 was the lowest of the week and consisted of 10 birdies, and just the one dropped shot. His bogey came on the third, after which he burst into life making seven birdies in the next eight.

He said: “Today I played pretty much like perfect golf. I drove the ball very well; I hit my irons very good and I was putting well. So, everything was like on momentum. I sunk putts and had like a streak on the first nine, so I gained confidence with my putting.”

Austen Truslow finished in fourth on his own, two behind the champion. He closed with a 65, helped by an unlikely and adventurous eagle on the par-four 16^th. Remarkably, his first tee shot hit some overhanging cables which allowed him to replay the shot. He promptly found the putting green in one and made his eagle putt from about 30 feet. The American faced a similar length for eagle on 18 but was unable to convert that attempt to catch Pavit and Kinoshita.

Ryosuke Kinoshita.

“On 16, I mean, that was a crazy situation,” he said. “It hit the telephone pole line, got to re tee, and then I drove it to 36 feet and made the putt. And the first ball was going probably 20 yards right of the green. So that was insane. That’s the craziest eagle in my life. So that happened.”

The Asian Tour heads to the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times next. The US$2million event will be played on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club from 23-26 April and is also part of The International Series.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.