Defending champion Min Woo Lee to attempt SJM Macao Open repeat
The SJM Macao Open is proud to announce defending champion Min Woo Lee will be back to compete in the tournament this year, further solidifying the tournament’s status as one of the marquee tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar.
The prestigious event, set against the picturesque backdrop of the Macau Golf and Country Club, will be held from October 10-13, 2024.
Lee’s performance at last year’s SJM Macao Open was nothing short of spectacular. The Australian star secured a two-shot victory over Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, for his first title in two years. Lee set a new tournament record with a 30-under-par score across four days, just two strokes shy of the Asian Tour record.
He expressed his excitement about returning: “I’m thrilled to be going back to the SJM Macao Open. Last year was an incredible experience, and winning with a record score was a highlight of my season. I have great memories of the course and the fantastic support from the fans. I’m looking forward to another amazing week in Macao and hope to defend my title.”
Min Woo Lee celebrating his win 12 months ago. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
This year marks a significant anniversary for both the People’s Republic of China, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding, and Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), which commemorates a quarter-century since reunification. Known for its vibrant culture and world-class hospitality, Macao is the ultimate destination for both sports and leisure, offering a unique blend of historical charm and modern grandeur.
Building on a successful inaugural year as the title sponsor, and being the co-organiser this year, SJM Resorts, S.A. (SJM) continues its pivotal role, underscoring its commitment to elevating Macao’s profile on the international stage. The partnership has been instrumental in enhancing the event’s stature, ensuring that the SJM Macao Open remains a highlight of the golfing calendar.
Ms. Daisy Ho, Managing Director of SJM, said: “SJM is privileged to once again be the title sponsor and co-organiser for the second consecutive year. Sports tourism, characterised by its engaging, exciting, and participatory nature, not only draws international visitors from afar but also encourages them to return frequently to immerse themselves in the local community and partake in the spectacles. Therefore, SJM will continue to proactively orchestrate high-quality branded sports events, leveraging ‘Tourism + Sports’ synergy to establish a distinctive regional sports tourism ecosystem in Macao. With a deep-rooted history in golf, SJM is committed to dedicating our full efforts to this year’s event, ensuring it continues to grow from strength to strength.”
Since its inception, the Macao Open has been a cornerstone of the golfing calendar, hosted annually at the Macau Golf and Country Club. The tournament has consistently attracted top-tier talent, including Major winners Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, John Daly, and Vijay Singh, along with prolific global stars Miguel-Angel Jimenez, Branden Grace, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Thongchai Jaidee, cementing its reputation as one of the top golf events in Asia. The 21st edition of the tournament promises to once again attract top talent from around the globe, competing for a prize fund of US$1 million.
Min Woo Lee held off a spirited challenge by Poom Saksansin last year. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Mr. Luís Gomes, Acting President of the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, emphasised the significance of hosting the event: “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. Hosting the SJM Macao Open showcases Macao’s development and vitality, further promoting the construction of the ‘City of Sports’ and supporting Macao’s ‘1+4’ appropriately diversified economic development strategy. I would like to express my gratitude to SJM for their contribution to the tournament, as well as to all parties for their support and cooperation, which has ensured the smooth preparation of this event.”
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, added: “The SJM Macao Open stands out as a flagship event on our tour, known for its competitive field and stunning location. We are grateful for the support of SJM, the Sports Bureau of Macao, the Macao Golf Association and IMG, which ensures the success and prestige of this tournament.”
Johnny Senna Fernandes, President of the Macao Golf Association, remarked: “The SJM Macao Open is a beloved event for both players and fans. Its longstanding history at the Macau Golf and Country Club speaks to the quality and prestige of the tournament. We are excited to continue this tradition and celebrate Macao’s 25th anniversary with another exceptional edition of the SJM Macao Open.”
Grant Slack, EVP & Managing Director, Golf Events of IMG, remarked: “The SJM Macao Open has firmly established itself as a premier event on the Asian Tour. IMG will continue to work closely with SJM, the Sports Bureau of Macao, the Macao Golf Association, the Asian Tour, to deliver a world-class experience for players and spectators alike. We are excited to welcome the golfing world back to Macao.”
Today marked the start of a new era for Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event with the announcement that leading international real estate investor and asset manager Link Asset Management Limited (LINK) will title sponsor the Hong Kong Open for the next three years starting from 2024.
One of Asia’s oldest and most prestigious golf championships, the LINK Hong Kong Open will be played at The Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling from 21-24 November. It is the 63rd staging of the popular event.
This year also marks the 135th anniversary of The Hong Kong Golf Club, which has hosted the Open since 1959 – ranking it alongside the renowned Augusta National Golf Club and the US Masters as the only golf clubs that have hosted the same professional tournament for over 60 years.
The new sponsorship was announced today at a press conference at The Hong Kong Golf Club at Deep Water Bay with LINK Chief Executive Officer Mr George Hongchoy joining Hong Kong Golf Club Captain Mr Andy Kwok; Mr David Rollo, Chief Operating Officer of the Asian Tour; and Dr Kelvin Inge, President of the Golf Association of Hong Kong, China, in teeing off this year’s excitement.
Officials at today’s LINK Hong Kong Open press conference.
Kwok said: “We cannot wait to welcome back world-class golfers and fans from the Greater Bay Area and beyond for the 63rd edition of the Hong Kong Open at Fanling in this, our 135th anniversary year. This historic championship, the oldest professional sporting event in Hong Kong, always captures the imagination, and with the support of Link Asset Management, we are looking forward to putting on a great show for the community at large.”
Hongchoy said: “The LINK Hong Kong Open is a marquee event that showcases our city’s world-class golfing experience, attracting professional and amateur golfers both locally and internationally. Hong Kong’s golf is something that we should be proud of and something worthy of promoting on a bigger scale and making more accessible to local communities. Supporting the Hong Kong Open is a perfect opportunity to showcase LINK as a Hong Kong headquartered company with deep ties to the local community that embraces regional opportunities.”
The LINK Hong Kong Open is again a part of this season’s 10-event The International Series. In its first year on the Series in 2023 the Hong Kong Open was named International Series Tournament of the Year and one of the Players’ Choice for Course of the Year.
International Series tournaments are enhanced to provide more playing opportunities with elevated prize funds and a pathway to the biggest stages in golf. The leading points-scorer in The International Series Rankings receives exemption into the following season’s LIV Golf League.
Held throughout the year across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, The International Series contributes US$23.5 million to the Asian Tour’s 2024 total prize fund. The LINK Hong Kong Open will feature a prize purse of US$2million in 2024.
“We welcome LINK to the growing number of commercial partners involved with Asian Tour. A supporter with the reach and stature of LINK is the ideal partner for one of the region’s foundational golf championships, and we are excited about the knock-on effect this will have on the continued growth of the game in China.
Ben Campbell pictured after winning last year’s event. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“We are especially excited to feature this historic championship as one of the events on the ground-breaking International Series,” said Rollo.
Rollo’s comments were echoed by Mr Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, who said: “The success of the Hong Kong Open as an event on The International Series last season is evident with Hong Kong being named one of the Players’ choices for Course of the Year as well as the most coveted award of Tournament of the Year. As one of the world’s great cities with one of the world’s great golf clubs, Hong Kong is the perfect city to host an International Series event and we look forward to returning in 2024,” said Mr Singh.
Asian Tour star Taichi Kho, reigning gold medallist of the Asian Games, proud Medal of Honour recipient and first Hong Kong-born winner on the Asian Tour, at the 2023 World City Championship Presented by The Hong Kong Golf Club, joined today’s announcement by video conference.
“I am excited to be returning to the Hong Kong Open in 2024 and want to congratulate the tournament on its new partnership with LINK. It is great to see Hong Kong brands supporting iconic events like the Hong Kong Open which proves that golf continues to go from strength to strength in the city.
“The Hong Kong Open and Hong Kong Golf Club has had a formative role in my career, and I am really looking forward to playing alongside some of the world’s best in front of my home galleries again this November. I hope to see many local fans in Fanling at the LINK Hong Kong Open,” said Kho, last season’s Asian Tour Rookie of the Year.
Kho will be joined at his home Open by defending champion Ben Campbell of New Zealand. Campbell beat Australia’s Cameron Smith and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai by one stroke last year in an emotional victory after recovering from a debilitating injury. He has maintained his form since then, enjoying a series of strong results, including a second win on The International Series in Morocco this July.
Taichi Kho will try to become the first local player to win the Hong Kong Open. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Other international stars participating will be revealed in the coming weeks, but one of the game’s true legends in Mr Gary Player is confirmed to appear at Fanling after being named the ambassador for the tournament in 2024.
Player, an inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame, is widely known as golf’s premier international ambassador. As one of the sport’s most decorated winners worldwide with 165 tournament victories on six continents over seven decades, Player is the perfect ambassador for the LINK Hong Kong Open, which has been a catalyst for the growth of the game in Asia since the 1950s.
LINK Hong Kong Open 2024 is the latest in a series of professional tournaments that have drawn tens of thousands of local fans and tourists to Hong Kong Golf Club since 2023, including last year’s Hong Kong Open, the Aramco Team Series and the World City Championship, and the debut of LIV Golf in Hong Kong earlier this year.
Amongst these world-class sports and entertainment events, the tradition and lore of the Hong Kong Open stands alone.
The Hong Kong Open list of past champions reads like a who’s who of global golf with some of the most impressive names in the game’s history, from Asian legends like Hsieh Yung-yo to western stars like Peter Thomson, Ian Woosnam, Greg Norman, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Rory McIlroy, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Miguel Angel Jimenez, winner of the event record four times.
With continuing International Series status and a chance to make golf history on the line, another field of world-class stars is expected to thrill the audiences flocking to the LINK Hong Kong Open 2024.
In keeping with the tournament and title sponsor’s vision to take golf to all communities of Hong Kong, ticket prices for the LINK Hong Kong Open 2024 have been frozen at last year’s levels.
Admission to the opening rounds on Thursday and Friday, 21-22 November, is free for the public.
Daily prices for Saturday and Sunday 23 and 24 November are HK$200 per day or HK$300 for a weekend pass. Tickets will be on sale soon.
July was arguably the biggest month to date in the career of Thailand’s Denwit ‘David’ Boriboonsub. The Open at Royal Troon dominated his schedule and although it did not go according to plan the takeaways from the experience are potentially career changing. David was speaking to Asian Tour contributor and former Tour player Olle Nordberg.
One tournament, and one tournament alone, dominated July for me, and that was The Open at Royal Troon – and what an experience it proved to be.
My first time playing in a Major was disappointing in terms of the result, as I missed the cut following rounds of 78 and 80, but conditions were extremely difficult. However, the week was invaluable in terms of what I learned and the experience I gained.
I stayed at the Marine Hotel on site at Troon, which was great because many of the top players stayed there as well, including Rory McIlroy and his coach Michael Bannon, as well as Brad Faxon, and Tony Finau. Like, a lot of the good players were staying there. I had a chance to talk a bit with Brad, as well as Ernie Els and Rory’s physical coach, so that was nice.
In total I played Troon 11 times before The Open, that’s counting the rounds I played there earlier this summer too. When the official practice rounds started the week of the tournament, I had some really good players in my groups. The first group that I played with on Monday had Ben An and the Korean guys, it was pretty fun. And the second group, on Tuesday, I played with Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg and Vincent Norrman. Yeah, all PGA Tour players.
David Boriboonsub played 11 practice rounds at Royal Troon before The Open . Picture by Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images.
That was also great fun; watching PGA Tour players hit was just so different, it was just next level. Their ball striking, distance and strength was amazing. I realised my body has got to get stronger to be like Ludvig or Matt, got to be stronger. They were hitting it miles, sometimes 30 yards longer than me.
So now I will start a fitness program to work out more, and I started doing some speed training right after I got back from The Open and before the International Series England at Foxhills.
Standing on the first tee on the opening day of The Open I was nervous. Before that, I didn’t think I was going to be nervous because I have played in many events with top players before. But I guess I was nervous playing in a Major for the first time. I chunked a two-iron on the opening hole – yeah, I was nervous.
At The Open I didn’t really feel that confident about my game; it didn’t feel like it did compared to the Saudi Open presented by PIF or those other events I won last year. When I won those events, I was a bit more confident because it was just about my own game and not who I was playing with or against. My driving and irons were a bit off at The Open, it was a struggle from the beginning, and I couldn’t hit it close to the pins.
The course itself is not that difficult, it’s difficult because of the wind, the rain and the bunkers. The three of those, but mostly the wind, made the course really difficult. I had never played in a wind that strong in a tournament before.
I was disappointed to miss the cut, but it’s still the best experience that I’ve had in my golf career so far because it’s a Major, and there are not many chances to play an event like that for Asian golfers. So, it was still the best experience, and I wish I could go back there every year by making it through one of the qualifiers again.
Boriboonsub stands with his caddie Apisit Kumkasame at The Open – his first appearance in a Major. Picture by Harry How/Getty Images.
After missing the cut I stayed around for the weekend and went back home on Monday. Went back to Thailand and did some club fitting, changed to a new set of irons and changed grips on all my clubs as well. The irons are the same ones I used before but fresh ones.
Heading into the International Series England a few weeks later my game was feeling great. I felt like I could find the fairways; my irons were getting better; and my putting too, as I went back to an old putter – the one that I won three events in-a-row with late last year.
Foxhills is a very tight course. It’s like a shot-by-shot course, where it’s best not to be aggressive, I think, more of a laying-up course. The course suited my game pretty well, but, unfortunately, I didn’t feel well from the first day onwards. I was a bit sick, a bit sneezy, and just to be able to finish four days was a result. So, I’m pretty happy with my scores: I shot rounds of 69, 70, 72, 70 and tied for 36th.
Next up is the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in Indonesia this week on the Asian Development Tour, which will be a good warm up for the Mandiri Indonesia Open in Jakarta next week.
It’s the start of the second half of the season now so it’s time to put some scores on the doors.
Although the International Series England was wide open with nine holes to play, American Peter Uihlein put his foot on the gas on the back nine and blew away the other contenders with a six-under-par 30 to finish 20-under for the tournament.
After playing the opening nine holes in two-under-par, Uihlein eagled the short par-four 10th hole and never looked back. With birdies on his last three holes, he won the tournament by an impressive seven shots ahead of fellow American Caleb Surratt and Englishman Andy Sullivan.
The 34-year-old also plays in the LIV Golf League where he is known as one of the longest drivers and best putters, topping the 2023 LIV Golf season driving distance stat with a median of 322.5 yards and finishing tied second in Putts per Green in Regulation (GIR), on 1.56.
Last week at Foxhills in Surrey, outside of London, Uihlein also put in strong performances with the driver and putter, ranking third in Driving Distance, on 309 yards, and fifth in the Putts per GIR, with 1.64.
A pair of double bogeys were costly for joint-runner-up Caleb Surratt. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
However, the stat category that really stood out for Uihlein was GIR where he came out the clear winner with 80.56%, hitting 58 of the 72 greens in regulation which was three more than anyone else.
Joint runner-up Surratt had solid stats across the board, ranking fourth in Most Birdies with 22, sixth in Putts per GIR with 1.65 and tied 16th in GIR with 70.83%. Unfortunately, the 20-year-old LIV Golf League player made two double bogeys and seven bogies for the week, hurting his chances to win his first professional event.
The other joint runner up Sullivan, a four-time winner on the DP World Tour, had his best stat category for the week in Putts per Round ranking tied 10th, and also had a solid week off the tee hitting 57.14% of the Fairways ranking tied 15th. The Englishman made 19 birdies and one eagle for the week, offset by eight bogeys.
Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series England (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round: Nitithorn Thippong (THA) – 26.25
- Putts per GIR: Anirban Lahiri (IND) – 1.61
- Greens in Regulation: Peter Uihlein (USA) – 80.56%
- Fairways in Regulation: Tom Lewis (ENG) – 69.64%
- Driving Distance: Thomas Pieters (BEL) – 328 Yards
- Most Eagles: Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Trevor Simsby (USA) – 3
- Most Birdies: Richard Bland (ENG) – 2
- Fewest Bogies or worse: Harold Varner III (USA) – 5
- Scrambling: Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) – 75%
Peter Uihlein triumphed in the International Series England today to register his maiden victory on the Asian Tour, and The International Series, after impressively pulling away from a packed leaderboard.
The American stole the show on Sunday on the Longcross course at Foxhills Club & Resort, carding a scorching bogey-free eight-under-par 63, for a four-round total of 20-under, and a seven-shot victory over England’s Andy Sullivan and Caleb Surratt.
Sullivan shot a 66 while American Surratt shot a 68.
China’s Sampson Zheng (66), Sadom Kaewkanjana (67) from Thailand, and Harold Varner III (70) from the United States, tied for fourth, one stroke further back.
Uihlein, aged 34, smashed the course record with a 61 to take the lead at the halfway mark and began today with a one-shot advantage over Varner.
By the turn Uihlein had a one-shot lead over Surratt, playing in the group ahead.
Uihlein then proceeded to eagle the par-four 10th to move three ahead, putting some daylight between him and the chasing pack.
A birdie on the 12th saw him maintain his three-shot lead after Surratt had birdied the same hole.
Uihlein then survived a couple of shaky holes, holing a crucial par putt from seven feet on the par-four 13th. On the ensuing hole, a par-five, he found the trees on the right with his tee shot but played a miraculous recovery shot. His ball found a bad lie, entangled in tree branches, but he was able to chip back into the fairway and hit his third to 12 feet, which he just missed for birdie.
On the treacherous par-three 16th, where a tough pin position on the right brought a greenside lake dangerously into play, he holed a 15-footer for birdie to virtually wrap up the title. The look of relief on his face was tangible as his ball would have rushed past the cup if it had not dropped.
It meant he had a four-shot lead from Surratt, which became five when Surratt made bogey on 17. It was then six when Uihlein holed a 12-footer for birdie on 17, and a magnificent seven when he birdied the par-five 18th.
“Bit of a dream, really,” said Uihlein, who plays for RangeGoats GC on LIV Golf.
“I mean, I was two over par through eight holes on the first day. I tripled 17, and it was a bit of a grind that day, and then the next day I just kind of blitzed it, and yesterday kind of survived. And today I kind of had some things going my way, no doubt about it. So just kind of one of those days where things were going my way, and I took advantage of it. So, I’m happy to be here.”
Andy Sullivan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Surprisingly this is only Uihlein’s fourth win since turning professional in 2013. He has won once before on the DP World Tour, and twice on the Korn Ferry Tour while on the LIV Golf League he has come close to winning on multiple occasions having finished second four times.
He earned a cheque for US$360,000 and moves into third on The International Series Rankings, which is still being led by American John Catlin.
The golf course, located in Surrey, played a big part in his success.
He added: “I loved it. You were allowed to try different things. You could play it different ways. I obviously was very aggressive and tried to kind of drive to a lot of greens, and, you know, it paid off. There are obviously other ways guys probably played it, but I liked the strategy we had. I like the game plan we were doing, and I had fun doing it. So that’s part of this, part of the equation.”
Both Sullivan and Surratt, playing together, missed makeable birdie putts on the last to snatch second place outright.
Said Sullivan, a four-time winner on the DP World Tour: “I loved it, it was great. I really enjoyed myself, I’m not gonna lie. Being competitive at golf and obviously seeing a load of lads that I haven’t seen for a while, obviously, because we don’t play with the Asian Tour as much anymore, and the LIV guys as well. So, it’s good to see friends that I haven’t seen for a while and catch up with them, and obviously to play good golf, it’s great.”
Surratt was equally as happy with the week but disappointed not to have secured his first win since turning professional in January.
Caleb Surratt. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
“It’s tough because I felt like I was in contention all day, but Peter ran away with it and that’s hard to beat,” said the 20-year-old, also a LIV Golf player.
“This is a great learning experience for me, and I am looking to improve my game. It’s a really good week to be build off.
“I have been working really hard on a lot of things and it’s nice to have things pay off. It’s been a year when I have kind of been waiting on a breakthrough. I have had a couple of close calls, but I know that week is coming eventually.”
Earlier in the day Indonesian Jonathan Wijono stormed through with a 64 and eventually ended in ninth place, 11 behind the champion.
This week’s US$2million tournament is the ninth event of the year on the Asian Tour and the fourth stop on The International Series.
The Asian Tour has a two-week break now before the Mandiri Indonesia Open.
The US$500,000 event will be played at Damai Indah Golf (PIK Course) from August 29th – September 1st. Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, who put in a strong performance this week finishing in a tie for 13th, is the defending champion.
American Peter Uihlein has put himself in position to win for the first time on the Asian Tour, and The International Series, after holding onto the lead after the third-round of the US$2 million International Series England today.
The leader at the start of the day chipped in for a birdie on the par-five 18th on the Longcross course at Foxhills Club & Resort, in Surrey, for a two-under-par 69, to finish on 12-under and a one-shot lead over countryman Harold Varner III.
Varner fired a 65 and is a stroke ahead of Englishman Richard Bland, in with a 68, and American Caleb Surratt, who returned a 69.
“It was a bit up and down today,” said Uihlein, four times a runner-up individually on the LIV Golf League but twice on a winning team.
Harold Varner III. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I feel like I hit a lot of greens until the end. I missed one green early and made double, and then feel like I hit pretty much every green until 15, so I sort of had a run going.
“And then I missed technically four [greens] straight coming in, so that was fun. But was able to salvage a little bit which was nice. So yeah, it was a bit of an up and down, made some nice putts at the end, missed some putts kind of in middle of the round, so it kind of offset each other.”
In his 13-year career as a professional he has won on three occasions, once on the DP World Tour and twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, so a first victory on the Asian Tour tomorrow would be a significant milestone.
He added: “Yeah, a win would be nice. You know, it’s not been my best year since joining LIV, so it’s nice to kind of build some momentum with our final events coming up. And then I’m going to play a few more on The International Series after that, so it will put me in a good position which is nice.”
He made five birdies, including three in a row from the eighth, a double and one bogey.
Richard Bland. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Varner, already a winner on the Asian Tour having claimed the Saudi International at the beginning of 2022, went bogey free today enroute to shooting the lowest round of the day.
He said: “I shot six under par, so it was good. There’s another day so just need to keep doing what I’m doing. I feel like I’m playing well. Just control that part of it.
“No bogeys today and only three total for the week. I think I am driving it pretty well, getting up and down in a few places and just, you know, giving myself a lot of looks. Pretty stress-free right now, but it won’t be tomorrow.”
Bland, in the spotlight this year having claimed two senior majors on the Champions Tour – the Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open – made birdie on four of the last five to storm through at the end.
“If I am being completely honest, I am struggling with my golf swing,” said the 51-year-old, who lives just 10 minutes away.
“I need to find it. I find it on the range, but I am not taking it onto the golf course, certainly with the driver. The last four or five holes, I won’t say what I said to myself, which was basically just get up and hit it. Stop thinking about it. Hit it hard and it seemed to go in the right direction so I will use that philosophy tomorrow.”
After a poor tee shot on the 10th he lost his cool and snapped the shaft of his three wood.
He added: “I do need to find a new three wood. Just for four or five holes I was struggling. I have been trying to find a golf swing with a driver for about a month now. I can’t remember when I last broke a club through temper. I was frustrated and I bent the shaft, don’t know my own strength. I wasn’t trying to break it. I apologise to the fans for that.”
Caleb Surratt. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Surratt, who like Bland also plays on the LIV Golf League, led for much of the day but made double bogey on both the 15th, where he found water, and 16, after a hooked tee shot.
Canadian Richard T. Lee (66) is in solo fifth, three behind the frontrunner, with England’s Andy Sullivan (67), Sadom Kaewkanjana (68) from Thailand and England’s Richard Dinwiddie (72) another stroke back.
At 52 years and eight months, Jeev Milkha Singh is the oldest player in the US$2 million International Series England this week. And one of the most decorated Indian stars is showing once again that age is just a number. Story by Joy Chakravarty at International Series England.
With rounds of 69, 68 and 71, Singh is five-under for the event, in a tie for 16th, and is putting together one of his finest performances on the Asian Tour in recent times.
However, the super competitive star, who is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour, feels he could be doing even better.
“I am very annoyed with my putting, because I have given myself enough birdie chances to be threatening for the lead,” said Singh, who now plays mostly on the Seniors Tour in Europe and Japan.
“I had two three-putts on Friday, and on the first day. I had birdie putts on every hole from 14 to 18 yesterday. Putting has always been the strongest part of my game and it is frustrating when the putter starts misbehaving. I am going to be working on it to make sure that’s not the case on Sunday.”
Jeev Milkha Singh. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
When pointed out that it still was a great start for the oldest man in the championship, Singh said: “I now use my age as a motivation.
“I know I cannot hit the ball as far as some of these younger boys on the Tour, but I use that to push myself. I love playing my practice round with the Indian boys on the Asian Tour, and it is a learning experience for me. They do ask me various questions, but I honestly think I get to know a lot more just by playing with them.
“These guys keep themselves abreast with the latest in technology, and nutrition and fitness. They say you can’t teach an old dog a new trick, but I am all for it to imbibe anything new.
“And it also keeps me mentally sharp. I want to beat them and feel good about it.”
With the International Series England being played simultaneously with the Olympics in Paris, this is a special time for the son of India’s legendary Olympian, Milkha Singh. It has disrupted his usual schedule of watching Netflix after the round or practice, but one that Singh welcomes.
“Obviously, very special. I don’t watch much TV, but that’s not the case this week. I was cheering hard for India in their hockey semi-final against Germany. They lost, but they played really well and I am happy they were rewarded with the bronze medal,” said Singh, a two-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
“I also made it a point to watch the 400-metre final. That used to be dad’s favourite distance to run. And that turned out to be something. Watching (Quincy) Hall make that final push was brilliant. It kept reminding me of dad and was an extra dose of motivation this week.”
American Peter Uihlein shot one of the rounds of his life today, a course record 10-under-par 61, to surge into the lead at the halfway stage of International Series England – being played at Foxhills Club & Resort, in Surrey.
His round, made up of an eagle, nine birdies and one bogey, was remarkably 10 shots better than his first round and saw him move to 10-under for the US$2million event.
The LIV Golf star leads by one from Belgium’s Thomas Pieters – his RangeGoats GC team-mate on the LIV Golf League and joint-first round leader – and surprise-package Robert Dinwiddie from England.
Pieters returned a 69, and Dinwiddie – one of six players who made it through the 18-hole qualifier for this event – carded a 66 on the Longcross course.
Peter Uihlein. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
American Caleb Surratt is one shot back after also carding a 66, with England’s Richard Bland a stroke further behind, following a 69, along with Karandeep Kochhar from India, who shot a 67.
Uihlein finished joint third in this year’s Saudi Open presented by PIF to record his best finish on the Asian Tour, where he first started playing in 2012, and will have a chance to better that this weekend.
He’ll be hoping to replicate shots like his approach on the par-four 13th which he holed for an eagle.
“Just kind of drove it up to a lot of holes, had a lot of chips for eagle and just had comfortable up and downs,” said Uihlein.
“I drove it nice in some key areas on the par fives, and the drivable holes, and kept it in-between the trees, which is all you need to do.
“I putted unbelievable. I putted really, really well. Made a lot of pars around six, seven, eight, big par putts to kind of keep the round going when I was a couple under early, so that was nice.”
Thomas Pieters. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
He beat the previous record by two shots, with a birdie on the 18th allowing him to grab the lead at the end of the day.
Said Pieters: “Played similar to yesterday, just didn’t make enough putts. I struggled on the greens. I am still pretty happy. I thought it was pretty tough this morning. I am in a good position.”
Pieters’ most recent victory was at the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship while he came close to a seventh DP World Tour victory earlier this season when he tied for second at the Soudal Open.
“I am playing aggressively, hitting a lot of drivers,” added the 32-year-old.
“I am kind of like chipping them down the fairway with my driver. Hopefully I can keep doing the same. I didn’t play golf last week; I took the week off. Sometimes it is good to refresh the mind; swing thoughts are gone. Just kind of get up there and hit it.”
He carded four birdies and two bogeys.
Englishman Dinwiddie’s performance is even more impressive considering he was one of three players who made it through an eight-man play-off in the qualifier.
The spirit he showed that day was evident once more today as he made seven birdies and two bogeys.
Robert Dinwiddie. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
“Well, look, I’m really happy to be nine under, that’s for sure,” said the 41-year-old.
“Putted amazingly well yesterday, didn’t hit the ball great. I hit the ball a bit better today and continued to putt pretty well from 10-15 feet. But you know, still, I haven’t really hit the ball that well, amazingly, the last couple of days.
“But maybe I haven’t got myself in crazy trouble, and then I have putted reasonably well which has kind of made up for it. So, I’m really happy. I’m hopeful that I can maybe hit the ball a little bit better over the next couple of days and see what happens.”
The Englishman turned professional in 2006 and is a three-time winner on the Challenge Tour, twice in 2007 and once in 2010.
South African Branden Grace fired a 65 and is four behind the leader, along with Korean Seungtaek Lee, in with a 70.
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, the oldest player in the field at 53, rolled back the years by carding a 68 and is an additional shot back.
Canadian Richard T. Lee, who started the day joint leader with Pieters, slipped back with a 74 and is four-under.
American John Catlin, currently leading both the Asian Tour merit list and International Series Rankings, returned a 72 and is two under for the tournament.
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