China Tour number one Li Linqiang celebrates birthday with Volvo China Open lead
China’s Li Linqiang (main picture) handed himself the best possible birthday present today when he took a share of the clubhouse lead in his country’s biggest and most important golf tournament, the Volvo China Open.
He celebrated his 20th birthday by carding a first-round five-under-par 67 at Hidden Grace Golf Club, Shenzhen, along with Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam and Settee Prakongvech plus Australian Jack Thompson, after the morning session.
Thailand’s Nitithong Thippong, Englishman Steve Lewton, Jinichiro Kozuma and Kento Nakai from Japan, China’s Jin Daxing, and Korean Doyeob Mun all returned 68s.
Li currently tops the China Tour Order of Merit after three wins this year, including last week’ s Hengdian International Golf Elite Pro-Am, and is clearly peaking at the right team for this week’s US$1.5 million event – which is being played on the Asian Tour for the first time since 2019.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Seven birdies and two bogeys saw him take to the front, in an event that has been won on six occasions by golfers from China: Cheng Jun (1997), Zhang Lianwei (2003), Wu Ashun (2015), Li Haotong (2016), Zhang Huilin (2020), and Zhang Jin (2021). The latter two triumphed when the tournament was played as a China-only event due to the global pandemic.
“I didn’t look at the score on the leaderboard, just stick to my rhythm and strategy,” said Li, who is playing in this event for the first time, and also debuting on the Asian Tour.
“My target was to play even today as it is the first time for me to play at Hidden Grace Golf Club. I feel my putting was excellent. Not only did I have just 28 putts, but also I holed two long par putts, both about 20 feet.”
Despite being in fine form he added: “I don’t think I am at my best. I had an injury on my left waist these two months, but it didn’t affect my swing. I just feel painful. Certainly, no plans to celebrate my birthday tonight. I don’t have time.”
Chuenboonngam, playing his first full season on the Asian Tour, also enjoyed a good day on the greens.
“I had a lot of big putts today,” said the 25-year-old.
“On hole 17 I holed from 20 feet, downhill, made it. And hole 10 I holed from the same distance. And all my other birdies were from same length. I like this course but the tee shot is a bit narrow. The condition is very good.”
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He has impressed this year and is the highest ranked Thai on The International Series Order of Merit in 13th position – helped by finishing second in the International Series Thailand, where he was defeated in a sudden-death play-off by Australian Wade Ormsby.
“It’s my putting, it’s been really good this year, that’s why I am playing well,” said the Thai golfer, who broke through on the Asian Development Tour last year finishing second on the Order of Merit, winning the Gunung Geulis Invitational, finishing second three times, and third twice.
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho fired a 71 and is in a tie for 42nd.
Filipino star Miguel Tabuena is one of a number of players with good reason to find top form going into this week’s Volvo China Open, the first of three back-to-back events that will define an historic season on the Asian Tour.
It was recently confirmed that the top-ranked players on the Tour’s International Series Order of Merit will qualify for the LIV Golf Promotions event, a new qualifying tournament in December that offers three lucrative places on the LIV Golf League next season.
While runaway leader Andy Ogletree looks to have wrapped up the Order of Merit title after two International Series wins this season, Tabuena knows that good performances this week – and in consecutive weeks at the Hong Kong Open and Indonesian Masters – could have a big impact on his season.
Tabuena won The DGC Open earlier this season, and has shown fine form on The International Series, with top-10 finishes in Qatar, England and Singapore. Handily placed at 17th in the standings, the 29-year-old knows that a hot streak could still take him into the top eight, and a bye into the second of four rounds in Abu Dhabi.
Miguel Tabuena. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Tabuena, who is also in second place on the Asian Tour OOM is fully aware of the need for a strong finish to the campaign.
“It’s the last few events of year and hopefully I can finish as strong as I started. A goal that might be hard to reach is actually catching Andy! But the goal for now is to get myself in a good spot before Abu Dhabi.
“The top eight get into the second round, and that’s a mini goal for now. My game is in a good spot and I believe that if I play well in the last International Series events, I can get in the top eight and give myself a shot for next year.”
Tabuena’s position in The International Series OOM standings is all the more impressive given a wrist injury that threatened to derail his season, adding to concerns over his father’s health following heart bypass surgery.
The three-time Asian Tour winner puts his good form this season down to hard work and a positive mindset, saying: “It is not rocket science, it is hard work. I played less than 10 events last year because dad got sick but luckily that’s out of the way now and he’s doing well. I spent lot of time working hard in the off season.
“I told myself to start the year strong and play well all year. I’ve played well at start of the year many times but dipped in mid-season before finishing strong. But this is my most consistent year as a pro and it is down to the hours I put in on and off the course.
“I have a good team, coach and recovery schedule and it is a lot about self-belief and confidence. Playing some of the best players I the world on The International Series really puts my game to the test and I proved to myself that I can compete with the best. Hopefully I can finish strong.”
For Chinese teenage star Ding Wenyi there’s precious little time to dwell on what might have been.
In the first three-way play-off in Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship history last Sunday, Ding and compatriot Sampson Zheng were edged out by Australian Jasper Stubbs.
Courtesy of his dramatic triumph, Stubbs has earned starting places in the Masters Tournament and The 152nd Open Championship in 2024.
Meanwhile, Ding has flown here to compete in this week’s Volvo China Open pondering what might have been after missing out on the grand prize by such a narrow margin.
Reflecting on the bitter taste of extra-time defeat at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, 18-year-old Ding was in philosophical mood.
Ding, last year’s US Junior Amateur champion who is 17th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, said: “It was a really great week. I thank all the people that support and create this tournament.
Ding Wenyi celebrates on the 18th after a birdie putt to make it into a playoff at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last weekend. Photograph by AAC.
“I think I did well. Just sometimes if you want to be the champion, you have to have some luck.
“Actually, on the last putt on the 18th hole before the play-off, I didn’t think I had a chance. But I didn’t give up. I made a par and I got into the play-off.
“I didn’t feel nervous because I play a lot of tournaments and I know the champion sometimes is waiting for you. This time, it’s not mine … but that’s okay.”
Rather than stew on the missed chance to appear at Augusta National and Royal Troon next year, Ding’s immediate focus has switched to Shenzhen’s Hidden Grace Golf Club this week, an establishment with which he has close ties, carrying its name on his cap.
It was in 2020 at this very venue that Ding finished runner-up at the Volvo China Open – the best performance to date by an amateur in the event.
“Last week has so many positives. I feel comfortable to come back my country and hopefully get a good result this week,” he said.
“I played some tournaments on the Asian Tour this year and I am glad to come back here. I think there is still some way to go for me to win on Asian Tour but it’s not out of the question. I will keep the same routine this week. Hidden Grace Golf Club is in good condition, especially the greens.”
Based on his performance in Melbourne and his third-place finish in the Hainan Open on the European Challenge Tour four weeks ago, it would be no surprise to see Ding vying for the Volvo China Open title come Sunday.
All eyes will be on Andy Ogletree at this week’s Volvo China Open, as The International Series Order of Merit (OOM) leader goes in search of the golden ticket to the LIV Golf League that comes with top spot in the standings.
In-form Ogletree is the runaway leader going into the last three back-to-back International Series events of the season. With the Hong Kong Open and the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE to follow straight after the last putt drops in China, the American has one hand on that OOM title for the set of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar.
The 25-year-old tops the standings by over half a million dollars, and also leads the Asian Tour OOM, thanks to tournament wins at International Series Qatar in February and International Series England in August.
A tied third in Singapore, Ogletree’s latest impressive performance, adds to top-10 finishes in Oman and Scotland in the Series, and his undoubted talent was made clear after he technically finished in the LIV Golf League Open Zone this season, above the dreaded Drop Zone, despite only appearing as a reserve.
Andy Ogletree will be attempting to claim his third title of the year at the Volvo China Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
As he closes in on the OOM title and a LIV Golf League spot for next season, Ogletree admits he has already been fielding calls from players around the world eager to follow in his footsteps, with the Asian Tour’s high-profile events offering a viable pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
He said: “Guys have reached out to me regards Asian Tour Q School, and the process of getting out here. I think it (The International Series) has shown what it can do in my situation – I think it will be appealing to a lot of college players turning pro as it adds another route to make a great living playing golf.”
The International Series has taken on added significance with the confirmation that eligible players inside the top 40 of the OOM standings will be able to participate in the LIV Golf Promotions event in Abu Dhabi from 8-10 December, a four-round qualifying tournament that will give three additional players entry to the LIV Golf League roster for next season.
It’s no secret that Ogletree is a big fan of the Asian Tour’s marquee tournaments. A winner in the inaugural season in 2022 at the International Series Egypt, the 2019 US Amateur champion admitted preparing for International Series events as if they were his “Major tournaments” earlier this season.
Ogletree, one of the original 48 players in the field for the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London event last season, said: “The International Series is really cool. It gave me somewhere to play and build my game back up. I was struggling at my first event in London, but part of my decision to come to LIV Golf was the guaranteed International Series starts.
“I knew I was going to build up a schedule and travel the world and see some cool places. It has been awesome and the competitions have been amazing; I really enjoyed playing these tournaments with championship style golf courses. It has been great earning my way back (to the LIV Golf League).”
The Volvo China Open tees-off at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen tomorrow.
Jazz Janewattananond has reached many momentous milestones during his illustrious career and ahead of this week’s US$1.5 million Volvo China Open, being played at Hidden Grace Golf Club, in Shenzhen, he enthusiastically revealed the next one: marriage.
The Thai star will tie the knot with girlfriend and fellow professional golfer Sarina Schmidt next month in Thailand, completing a romance which on occasion has seen her caddie for him – most noticeably when he won last year’s International Series Morocco.
“The big day is on November 22nd!” said the 27-year-old.
“It’s good, it’s the next chapter of my life. I have been growing up, finding myself on the golf course and now I am trying to grow up off the golf course, which is good, everyone has to grow up sometimes.”
The exciting news is just the lift the 27-year-old needs after a torrid second half to the season which has seen him miss 12 successive cuts, the majority of which came on the DP World Tour.
Jazz Janewattananond pictured with the winner’s trophy and girlfriend Sarina Schmidt after winning last year’s International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
It meant he lost his playing rights on the DP World Tour but as he now turns his attention to playing full-time on the Asian Tour it is with renewed hope and optimism, especially after opting to ditch a swing change.
He said: “I am back playing on the Asian Tour full-time right now. I was struggling a little bit, couldn’t get it back, couldn’t get my confidence. But it has been improving for sure. I have been seeing a lot of improvement. Working hard on what I have been doing well on the practice round so that I can transfer to the golf course.
“I have had some swing problems, some maintenance problems. I was working on the wrong things for a little bit, but I got it back now, I am on the right track. I have gone back to the things I was working on by myself.”
Jazz is a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour – the first of which came at the Bangladesh Open in 2017 – and he also won the Order of Merit in 2019, the year he roared to victory on four occasions.
And after winning in Morocco last November, which was his first success on the Asian Tour in three years, his game appeared to be back on track.
The good form continued this year until his struggles with his swing really became serious in May.
“I was playing well until Japan in April. I had just finished fourth in the International Series Vietnam, then after that I fell off with the swing change. The first month the changes weren’t that bad but then after I never recovered,” he said.
“You know sometimes you think you are going the right way but then you find a big wall and you can’t turn back but now I am going the right way.”
Seven of his wins on the Asian Tour three have been national Opens, as he also won the Singapore and Korea Opens in 2019, so he will have his eye on another when he tees-off on Thursday.
L-R- Ye Wocheng of China, Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, Tong Yang of China and Eugenio Chacarra of Spain take a selfie at Long Cheng Square in downtown Shenzhen on Tuesday December 31, 2023 ahead of the Volvo China Open at the Hidden Grace Golf Club. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
This week marks the first time the Volvo China Open has been played on the Asian Tour since 2019. The tournament returns as part of the blossoming International Series and features a stellar line-up that includes American Andy Ogletree – who leads both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits – Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, Eugenio Chacarra from Spain and Taichi Kho from Hong Kong.
It is the 28th staging of the Volvo China Open, which in 2020 and 2021 was played as a China only tournament when local professionals Huilin Zhang and Jin Zhang triumphed. The event wasn’t held last year.
Both Zhangs are competing this week along with the country’s amateur star Ding Wenyi, who lost the Asian Amateur Championship in a sudden-death play-off in Australia at the weekend.
Ding, winner of the US Junior Amateur last year, has been paired with Jazz for the first two rounds.
The Volvo China Open makes its long-awaited return to the Asian Tour schedule this week, and it will be the first time since 2019 that the event has been open to international players following three years of interruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The US$1.5 million event, which is part of the Asian Tour’s highly lucrative International Series for the first time, will see the top players from the Asian Tour compete alongside the best players from China at Hidden Grace Golf Club, in Shenzhen. The club formerly known as Genzon Golf Club has hosted the tournament four times, in 2014 and from 2019 to 2021.
This week marks the 28th staging of the tournament – which has enjoyed a storied history since its inauguration four decades ago.
When the Volvo China Open was first played in 1995 at Beijing International Golf Club it was the first time a major international professional tournament was held in China, and the ground-breaking event was won by Raul Fretes of Paraguay. While the event was not a part of the Asian Tour schedule in the first year, it would join a year later.
The history of the Volvo China Open pictured on a branded wall at Hidden Grace Golf Club. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
During the early years of the Asian Tour the Volvo China Open was an important event on the schedule, and it would help launch and shape the careers of several noteworthy Asian Tour players.
In its first year as part of the Asian Tour, legendary Thai player Prayad Marksaeng won by nine strokes over Hsieh Yu-shu of Chinese Taipei. It was his maiden professional win and the first of his 10 Asian Tour victories.
In 1997 history was made when the third staging of the tournament saw its first Chinese winner, with Cheng Jun lifting the trophy after winning by five shots over Australian Adrian Percey. That victory was expected to be the first of many for the exceptionally talented Cheng, but surprisingly it remains his only professional victory.
The 1999 edition of the event at Shanghai Silport Golf Club was famously won by Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar by seven shots from American Christian Pena, and the victory helped Han secure the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown that season. Han would later become instrumental in re-shaping the Asian Tour when he took over as Chairman in 2004, and he is credited for having overseen the rapid growth of the professional game in Asia. Han sadly passed away in February of 2022 aged 61 after a short battle with illness, and earlier this year the Asian Tour launched the Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award in his honor.
Four years later in 2003 Chinese star Zhang Lianwei won the title at Shanghai Silport, it was Zhang’s second win of the year having previously won the Caltex Masters in Singapore in a play-off over Ernie Els of South Africa. That year he also became the first player from his country to crack the top-100 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and as a result received a special invitation to play in the Masters, the first player from China to do so.
The tournament was co-sanctioned by Asian Tour and DP World Tour between 2004-2008 and in 2006 Jeev Milkha Singh became the first player from India to win the Volvo China Open. His victory was the first out of four global wins in Singh’s fabulous season, capped by claiming the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He also finished the year inside the top-50 in the OWGR, earning an invitation to the Masters, becoming the first Indian to play in this Major the following year.
The Volvo China Open would not be sanctioned by the Asian Tour between the years 2009 and 2017, but among the noteworthy winners during this period were China’s Wu Ashun and Li Haotong who posted their first DP World Tour victories with these wins, and PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang of Korea who won the tournament in 2010.
The Volvo China Open returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2018 when Sweden’s Alexander Björk claimed the trophy, and again the following year when victory went to Finland’s Mikko Korhonen.
Jeev Milkha Singh of India with the winners trophy after the final round of the Volvo China Open at the Beijing Honghua International Golf Club in 2006. Picture by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.
The global pandemic meant the tournament was played as a China only event in 2020 and 2021, with local pros Huilin Zhang and Jin Zhang winning the last two editions. No event was held in 2022.
Both of those players are competing this week, when the region can enjoy the return of China’s biggest and most important golf event.
The Asian Tour has welcomed the launch of the LIV Golf Promotions event as another breakthrough moment for golf in the region, with Cho Minn Thant, its Commissioner & CEO, describing it a “an incredible, lifechanging opportunity”.
The innovative and inclusive new event, which will provide a pathway onto the world’s most exciting new franchise, the LIV Golf League, was unveiled yesterday, and will be staged at the celebrated Abu Dhabi Golf Club from December 8-10.
The top-three finishers will secure passage through to next season’s multi-million-dollar circuit with a decidedly strong contingent from the Asian Tour set to compete in Abu Dhabi via the Tour’s International Series.
The leading 25 available players from the top-40 on this year’s final International Series Order of Merit (OOM), will be eligible to enter round one, as well as tournament winners from this season’s Asian Tour. In addition, players ranked two to eight on the final International Series OOM earn a pass into round two.
Scott Vincent retained his playing rights for next year’s LIV Golf League. Picture by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images.
“It’s a pathway to golf’s most lucrative series, and an incredible chance for Asian Tour members, offering a lifechanging opportunity,” said Cho. “With so much at stake, I’m sure this event will capture the attention of all eligible players as well as golf fans around the region and beyond.”
The International Series – 10 elite-level tournaments integrated into the Asian Tour schedule with its own OOM – starts its homeward stretch of three successive events next week, with the Volvo China Open followed by the Hong Kong Open and the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE.
American Andy Ogletree is poised to win The International Series OOM, helped by two International Series victories in England and Qatar this year, and secure the automatic berth onto the 2024 LIV Golf League but there will be fierce competition for places in the LIV Golf Promotions event, which will tee-off just over two weeks after Indonesia.
Added Cho: “We were already expecting a gripping end to the season before yesterday’s news, but the LIV Golf Promotions event will now bring added drama – particularly as it being held on our continent.
“Christmas will come early to the three successful graduates. Judging by the performances of our members this year we know they will have an excellent chance to earn one of those ‘gold tickets’ and join The International Series Order of Merit winner on next year’s LIV Golf League, along with Scott Vincent – who did so well to this year to keep his playing privileges,”
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, who first made his name on the Asian Tour and claimed last year’s inaugural International Series OOM, finished this season 22nd in the LIV Golf League Individual Rankings to lock in a spot for 2024.
The LIV Golf Promotions event tournament will see four rounds of golf played over three days, with 36-holes on the final day, and offer an overall prizemoney of US$1.5 million.
Highlighting the global aspect of the LIV Golf League, leading players from all over the world will be eligible to participate. Through its broad entry criteria, recent winners of Majors plus PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and DP World Tour events will be welcome to compete alongside Ryder Cup stars, and players from the top of The Universal Golf Rankings.
The field will also include the leading golfers from the rankings on the Japan Golf Tour, Korean PGA Tour, Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia alongside extensive categories for the game’s elite amateurs.
Players in the Drop Zone from the recently completed 2023 LIV Golf League Individual Standings will also have another chance to return to the circuit.
Starting Friday, December 8, those who finish in the top-20 and ties from round one will advance to Saturday’s round two, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players and ties following round two will advance to the final day of competition, where scores will reset once more for an intense full-day, 36-hole shootout.
At Sunday’s conclusion, the top three finishers will receive highly coveted and lucrative spots on the LIV Golf League for 2024. The top three finishers will also earn prize money of US$200,000, US$150,000 and US$100,000 respectively.
Players finishing fourth to 10th will receive full exemption for all 2024 events on The International Series.
The tournament will be available globally live and on-demand on LIV Golf Plus, the LIV Golf YouTube channel and broadcast partners around the world, with live coverage on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 – 5:00 p.m. (all times local).
For more information, visit: LIVGolf.com/liv-golf-promotions-2023
Following an exciting LIV Golf season finale that saw captain Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC capture the 2023 LIV Golf Team Championship and celebrated RangeGoats GC’s Talor Gooch earning the 2023 Individual Champion title, the league today announced details on LIV Golf Promotions, presenting an exciting pathway for elite players from across the global golf ecosystem to earn their place on the LIV Golf League in 2024.
The tournament will be staged December 8-10 at the iconic Abu Dhabi Golf Club (pictured) in the United Arab Emirates, with four rounds of golf played over three days, including 36 holes on the final day where the top three finishers will be drafted into one of the LIV Golf teams next season. LIV Golf Promotions also offers a prize purse of US $1.5 million.
“In less than two years, through the launch of LIV Golf and our development of The International Series on the Asian Tour, more than 3,500 new opportunities have been created for players to compete and advance their careers at golf’s highest levels. This is bringing progress to the sport on a global scale, and the world is taking notice,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO. “LIV Golf Promotions establishes an integrated pathway for the best players and up-and-coming talent from all over the globe to join a league that is changing the game. Open competition and meritocracy have always been a part of the fabric of LIV Golf, and following the success of our first full, 14-event season, we’re excited to be able to launch LIV Golf Promotions and offer players from around the world the chance to qualify for 2024.”
Captain Bryson DeChambeau and Crushers GC, first place, Captain Bubba Watson and RangeGoats GC, second place, and Captain Joaquín Niemann and Torque GC, third place, celebrate on stage during Day Three of the LIV Golf Invitational – Miami Team Championship at Trump National Doral Miami on October 22, 2023 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Highlighting the global aspect of the LIV Golf League, leading players from all over the world will be eligible to participate. A full breakdown of eligibility criteria, including qualifiers for round one and round two, is below.
LIV Golf Promotions will consist of four rounds of 18-hole stroke play. Starting Friday, December 8, those who finish in the top 20 and ties from round one will advance to Saturday’s round two, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players following round two will advance to the final day of competition, where scores will reset once more for an intense full-day, 36-hole shootout. At Sunday’s conclusion, the top three finishers will receive highly coveted and lucrative spots in the LIV Golf League for 2024. The top three finishers will also earn prize money of $200,000, $150,000 and $100,000 respectively. Players finishing fourth to 10th will receive full exemption for all 2024 events on The International Series on the Asian Tour.
LIV Golf Promotions will complete the player roster for the 2024 LIV Golf League, with the three qualifiers from Abu Dhabi Golf Club being joined by the winner of The International Series 2023 Rankings to replace the four relegated players. American Andy Ogletree, who competed in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series in 2023, is poised to secure that automatic berth, having recorded two International Series victories in England and Qatar, and three further top-10 finishes.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “This is what our season has been driving towards and is a great showcase of the open player opportunities that LIV Golf is committed to. The innovative format of LIV Golf Promotions will offer drama and excitement and I have no doubt that we will crown some very deserving recipients of their rights in the LIV Golf League 2024.”
Scott Vincent, a member of this season’s Iron Heads GC team thanks to finishing atop last year’s International Series Rankings, finished this season 22nd in the LIV Golf League Individual Rankings to lock in a spot for 2024.
Talor Gooch of RangeGoats GC hits his shot from the first tee during Day Three of the LIV Golf Invitational – Miami Team Championship at Trump National Doral Miami on October 22, 2023 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Said Vincent: “That’s the coolest thing about LIV is you get to play with some of the best in the world, and that’s what we grow up hoping for, to challenge ourselves, push ourselves, and try and reach new levels – maybe something we never dreamed of. It’s amazing how it worked out for me. So many things just rolled into place, and the fact that I get to do this again, I can’t be more thrilled.”
In addition to welcoming players from around the world, relegated players, and those without a team commitment for 2024 who finished in the ‘Open Zone’ (25-44th) on the 2023 LIV Golf League standings also have the opportunity to regain their playing rights for 2024.
The tournament will be available globally live and on-demand on LIV Golf Plus, the LIV Golf YouTube channel and broadcast partners around the world, with live coverage on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 – 5:00 p.m. (all times local).
For more information, visit LIVGolf.com/liv-golf-promotions-2023
LIV Golf Promotions Eligibility Criteria:
Category A: Qualifiers for Round 1
- Members of the 2023 Walker and Palmer Cup Teams
- Winner and runner-up of the following most recent amateur events:
- S. Amateur Championship
- The Amateur Championship
- Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (October 29)
- Latin America Amateur Championship
- European Amateur Championship
- NCAA Championship (Individual)
- Eisenhower Trophy (Individual)
- Leading 15 available players from within the top 40 WAGR rankings as of November 20, 2023 (excluding players exempt into round 2)
- Leading 25 available players from within the top 40 on the final International Series 2023 Rankings, (excluding those exempt into round two)
- Leading 3 available players from inside the top 5 from each of the following professional Tours as of November 20, 2023
- Japan Golf Tour (Money Ranking inc. Majors)
- KPGA Korean Tour (Genesis Point Ranking)
- Sunshine Tour
- PGA Tour of Australasia
- Tournament winners from the Asian Tour in 2023 and Korn Ferry Tour in 2023
- Leading 30 available players from within the top 300 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 20, 2023 (excluding those who are exempt into Round 2)
- Event invitations as determined by LIV Golf League
Category B: Byes into Round 2
The following players are exempt from Round 1 and are automatically eligible to participate in Round 2:
- The top 2 players in the WAGR rankings as of November 20, 2023
- Players ranked 2 to 8 on the final International Series 2023 Rankings
- Leading 5 available players from within the top 30 of the Final 2023 DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour Order of Merits / Rankings
- Winners of PGA TOUR and DP World Tour sanctioned tournaments in the 2022 and 2023 calendar years
- Ryder Cup and President’s Cup participants from 2019 – 2023
- Winners of Major Championships from 2019 – 2023
- The leading 15 available players from within the top 150 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 20, 2023
- Players relegated or without a contract for the following season from the Final 2023 LIV Golf Individual Standings
- Event invitations as determined by LIV Golf League
LIV Golf is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission are centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.
Aramco has agreed one of the biggest and most significant partnerships in the history of the Asian Development Tour (ADT), after confirming title sponsorship of the Saudi Aramco Invitational for the next three editions, with an additional two-year option. The overall prize money will be US$250,000, making it the most lucrative event on the Tour, and establishing it as a prestigious season-ending tournament.
The 72-hole stroke play event will be held at Rolling Hills Golf Course (main picture) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, from November 29 to December 2, bringing down the curtain on the ADT’s 2023 calendar in spectacular fashion and taking total ADT prize money for the season beyond the US$1 million barrier.
Nabil Al-Nuaim, Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association (SAGA) and Aramco’s Senior Vice President of Digital and Information Technology, said: “Aramco has a history of over 75 years supporting golf in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are proud to continue our tradition across the company and the Kingdom. We believe partnership with the Asian Development Tour is a natural fit with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and Aramco’s mission to promote sports, and particularly golf, among the youth of Saudi Arabia.”
Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO, said: “This is wonderful news for the Asian Development Tour, the Asian Tour’s flourishing feeder circuit, and we are truly appreciative to Aramco for their support.
Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij is the defending champion. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I know that all those who play on the ADT will welcome this exciting news, which, I’m sure will motivate them to work even harder as they bid to progress their way onto the Asian Tour,” he added.
With the top 10 players on the ADT’s end-of-season Order of Merit earning promotion to the Asian Tour in 2024, the Saudi Aramco Invitational will prove decisive in determining who makes it through.
Cho added: “Where Energy is Opportunity is Aramco’s tagline. The Saudi Aramco Invitational will energise and provide opportunity for the region’s up-and-coming professionals, as well as elite amateur players. We’re grateful to Aramco for their vision and commitment to the development of golf.”
The 120-strong field for the Saudi Aramco Invitational will be made up of 70 players from the ADT, 40 players selected by Aramco and 10 invitees.
Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij triumphed in the 2022 inaugural tournament, which was also played at the Rolling Hills Golf Course.
Located in Dhahran, Rolling Hills is a private course for employees of Aramco.
Headquartered in Dhahran, Aramco is one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, creating value across the hydro-carbon chain and delivering societal and economic benefits to people and communities around the globe who rely on the vital energy it supplies.
“Aramco takes great pride in sponsoring and hosting Asia’s best up-and-coming talent at our beautiful, yet challenging, golf course,” said Mr Al-Nuaim.
“We are always seeking strategic and long-term partnerships and we look forward to further developing our relationship with the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour.”
Famed for hosting some of the most prestigious golf events in Asia, The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club has borne witness to countless remarkable moments in its storied history.
Following further success in 2023, it has secured its place alongside the most esteemed golfing destinations in the world after being named the ‘World’s Best Golf Course’ at yesterday’s World Golf Awards in Abu Dhabi, joining illustrious venues such as the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, Augusta National, and Shinnecock Hills in recent years to have claimed this honour.
With an unrivalled reputation for excellence, The Serapong often receives praise from top players who have graced its fairways. Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng, who emerged victorious at the SMBC Singapore Open in 2017, shared his admiration for the course’s outstanding layout and conditioning, saying: “The Serapong is one of the best conditioned courses I have ever played. Players enjoy playing fair courses and this is something I found at Sentosa Golf Club. It was difficult and challenging, but also fair and I loved this during my victory there.”
Sadom Kaewkanjana claimed the SMBC Singapore Open in 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/SPORTFIVE.
This is a sentiment echoed by fellow Asian Tour star and 2022 SMBC Singapore Open champion Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand: “It is not only one of the most favoured course amongst Asian Tour players but undoubtedly one of the most challenging as well for many golfers. With a perfect design and great conditioning, it has so many great holes, including the first three that work through the hillside before dropping down towards the lagoon and the coastline.”
Earlier this year, The Serapong, having staged the Singapore Open from 2005-22, welcomed the LIV Golf League for the first time as Talor Gooch landed the first back-to-back triumph on the circuit. The American came through a play-off with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, a former winner of the Singapore Open five years ago, with Brooks Koepka a shot back.
American Koepka, who would go on to lift the PGA Championship only a few weeks’ later, emphasized The Serapong’s allure as a ball striker’s paradise: “It’s a ball striker’s golf course. You’ve got to leave yourself some good opportunities from the fairway. These greens are just so pure that you can roll it in pretty easy if you just start it on line.”
Phil Mickelson has been a regular visitor to Sentosa Golf Club for the past 20 years.
For two days, Phil Mickelson was also in contention at Sentosa Golf Club and the six-time Major winner gave an interesting insight into his preparations to tackle The Serapong.
“You’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full six, seven, eight iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well. If I want to play well here, those are the areas that I really need to focus on,” said the American.
The Serapong has always been a jewel in the Singapore golfing crown but the renovations in 2020 have now elevated it to a new level, after the fairways were replaced with fresh grass and new drainage infrastructures, tee boxes re-lasered to reinstate a tabletop flat finish, and bunkers given new liners with new white sand to improve consistency, texture, and playability for decades to come.
When Garcia played there in April, he made special mention of the ‘pure greens’. He said: “It’s a course that I enjoy. I feel like if my game is a little bit on, and I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, give myself a lot of birdie opportunities, and then the greens are so pure that if you’re rolling it with a little bit of confidence, you can make some putts.”
Sergio Garcia won on The Serapong in 2018 and lost in a play-off there this year.
Alongside being named the best course on the planet at the awards, there was additional cause for celebration as The Serapong also collected the award for Singapore and Asia’s Best Course.
These endorsements from the world’s best players, combined with its recent accolades, have firmly establish The Serapong as an icon of world golf and Singapore, inviting golfers from around the world to explore its magnificence.
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