Ben Campbell roared into The International Series Rankings race in emphatic style with an incredible play-off victory in Morocco last Sunday, and the New Zealander is hoping that quality time with some of the biggest names in world golf will help him claim the title and a place on the 2025 LIV Golf League roster.

The New Zealander is in Spain as an alternate for LIV Golf Andalucia this week, and the 32-year-old’s confidence will be sky high if he is required as a stand-in, after seeing off Rankings leader John Catlin from the United States in a thrilling sudden-death play-off on Sunday to claim the International Series Morocco trophy at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s testing Red Course.

The tournament in Morocco was the third of 10 International Series events on the Asian Tour offering a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the Rankings champion, and additional opportunities for others placed high enough on The International Series Rankings to get in to the LIV Golf Promotions event.

Victory lifted Campbell up to second in the standings behind Catlin, with both players leapfrogging Oman champion Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz. With seven events left, there is plenty at stake as the Asian Tour’s best chase top spot and that lucrative place on the LIV Golf League.

Victory in Morocco was Ben Campbell’s second on The International Series. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Last season, Campbell also snatched victory from 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith from Australia and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the last at the 2023 Hong Kong Open, a win on The International Series that led to his invite to travel with the LIV Golf League.

This season he has travelled for all nine events as an alternate in between competing on the Asian Tour, gaining invaluable experience along the way.

So far, Campbell has filled in for Ripper GC captain Smith on the final two rounds in Miami, shooting 71-73, and replaced Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm from Spain in the final round in Houston, producing an impressive five-under final round of 67.

He said: “Hopefully next year I can get a full card out here, through either The International Series or the LIV Golf Promotions event.

“I think the good thing (about being an alternate) is it gives you motivation to get out here, once you have experienced it. I am trying to get my game into the best possible place for those events on The International Series. It is an amazing opportunity for the Asian Tour.”

Ben Campbell caught John Catlin with an eagle birdie finish in Morocco and then triumphed with a birdie in the play-off. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Campbell gained some incredible on-course experience at the weekend in Rabat. With 70 holes already played, and three shots back, he produced a sensational eagle-birdie finish on 17 and 18.

That effort drew him level with Asian Tour Order of Merit front-runner Catlin, the leader for all three rounds and a back-to-back champion at International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF earlier this season.

A play-off birdie with just his fourth putt in the last five holes played was enough to claim the spoils against Catlin, who had recently earned a place as a LIV Golf League stand-in for Charles Howell III on the Crushers GC team thanks to his incredible form in 2024.

Away from the white heat of the competition, he has enjoyed the learning process on LIV. He explained: “It is quite an interesting process to be here and to learn the set-up of some of the players. I have taken a couple of invaluable takeaways from it.

“Golf is a funny game, just seeing some of the best players in the world and what they are doing and how they are training, playing with them on practice rounds can give you little things that you can take and put into your own game.”

Campbell admits the big names have surprised him in many ways off the course. He said: “The one thing that surprised me is just how hard these guys are working. You can go to the gym at 6:30 in the morning and there are already three of four guys in there.

“When you go to dinner, you could end up at a dinner with five or six of the guys you have looked up to your whole life.

“They are telling stories, and you learn from them. You can learn more sitting at a dinner than you would watching on a range or putting green. That has been really valuable, and even hanging out with the caddies, you can ask questions, and learn a bit.”

Campbell is next in action at International Series England, the fourth event on the Series and the ninth event on the Asian Tour which takes place from 8-11 August on the Longcross Course at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey. Information and tickets are available at www.internationalseries.com.

Denwit Boriboonsub’s preparations for next week’s Open Championship, where he will be making his first appearance in a Major, have been high on his list of priorities of late – including in June when he played three rounds at Royal Troon. It was another busy month, when he also secured a new sponsor. Denwit was speaking to Asian Tour contributor and former Tour player Olle Nordberg.

Hi again everyone!

Since the last diary I’ve been quite busy with tournaments and preparing for the biggest tournament in my life so far, my first Major, the Open Championship at Royal Troon next week! So, let’s start from there.

I decided to try to go over for an early practice session to Scotland in June, so we contacted the course and asked if it would be possible. I was very happy and grateful that they agreed to my request, so many thanks to Royal Troon and my manager Tom Su to help set this up!

I also was lucky enough to hire Colin Montgomerie’s old caddie Colin Cotter to help guide me around the course, since it was my first time playing a true links course with very different conditions to what I’m used to. He just led the way and helped me get to grips with links golf – explaining where to lay up or where to play aggressive.

But at The Open it’s gonna be my regular caddie Guy on the bag, of course he wants to caddy. It’s his first Major too, it’s gonna be exciting.

Denwit Boriboonsub has been a professional since 2020. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

I managed to play three rounds at Troon, and I found out that playing this course is very difficult with the wind; it was blowing like around 35 to 50 kilometers per hour. And, yeah, of course it’s links golf, so it’s very difficult. Also, the weather was cold, it was like below 10 degrees and the wind was absolutely howling.

It was my first time playing a true links course, and I totally like it. I think with that style of game you gotta be patient out there and stay focused, because the wind will just blow the ball everywhere. You have just gotta be patient and stay focused. Royal Troon being a links course that’s quite tight and narrow, it’s going to be a bit difficult for me.

I am in Scotland this week again, for five or six practice rounds, having spent a few days in London!

Anyway, after the early practice at Troon I went to play in the Kolon Korea Open, but things didn’t really go well. I didn’t hit my driver well and I didn’t have much time for rest because I came back from Scotland and landed on Sunday, and on Tuesday I went to Korea. I was a bit jet-lagged from the big time change from the UK, and I didn’t prepare for that course so well. I missed the cut. It’s the first time that I played Woo Jeong Hills and I think it might be my last time there as well.

On more bit of exciting news is that I got a new sponsor after Korea. My team have been trying to find some new sponsors, and after talking to Betagro, two or three weeks ago, they got the deal done! Betagro is Thailand’s leading comprehensive food business operator, and they sponsor some of the best Thai golfers like Thongchai Jaidee on PGA Tour Champions and Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn on the LPGA – to support Thai pros around the world. Hoping for more sponsors too!

Last week was International Series Morocco and it was my first time in Morocco, it was amazing. It was my first time in Africa, and I loved the weather there, plus the food was amazing too! Rabat was a really nice city; I can’t really describe it. It looks very historic, and our hotel, the Hotel Fairmont La Marina, was looking over the beach and the old town. It just looks like an ancient city.

I played two practice rounds at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Red Course: on Monday a full 18 holes and Tuesday just with a wedge and putter, while taking notes around the greens.

On that course you just got a hit straight. And yeah, it was also all about putting I think, because the greens were a bit slopey and not that fast. If I had driven the ball like I did in Malaysia at the start of the year it would have been easier, but unfortunately I drove it more like in Korea so it was difficult.

It was a tough week playing there: I couldn’t hit my driver, couldn’t putt, my long irons were not good. It just says everything. I was happy to make the cut, but yeah, I’m not really happy with the result.

Other than that, I didn’t do much in Morocco, just watched a lot of the Euros football, cheering for the Dutch!

So full steam ahead now for next week’s Open; wish me luck and follow me on IG for my updates from Troon!

Bank Mandiri, one of Indonesia’s premier financial institutions, will title sponsor the Indonesia Open for the third successive season in 2024 – once again demonstrating their unwavering commitment to the development of the game locally and internationally.

The tournament, which is one of the region’s most-treasured National Opens, will also be returning to Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, for the first time in a decade.

It will be played from August 29 – September 1, and boast prizemoney of US$500,000, with the winner earning US$90,000.

Darmawan Junaidi, President Director of Bank Mandiri, said: “Bank Mandiri feel privileged to partner with the Indonesia Open. The tournament is not only important for the domestic game, but it has enormous regional appeal and is therefore an outstanding sporting property for Bank Mandiri to be associated with.

“Our sponsorship is also tied in with our initiative to help the development of the game in Indonesia, and our desire to see the country’s leading professionals make their mark internationally. This requires a long-term and consistent approach, which is why we are lending our support to the tournament as title sponsor for the third consecutive season.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, speaking at today’s press conference.

The tournament, won last year by Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, will be the 10^th event of the season on the Asian Tour.

Japto Soerjosoemarno, Persatuan Golf Indonesia (the Indonesia Golf Association) Chairman, said: “We are truly grateful to Bank Mandiri for their loyal support of our National Open. We have enjoyed two excellent years working with them and their unprecedented three-year title sponsorship of our event is testament to their wish to help grow the game in Indonesia.

“We are also extremely appreciative to Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course for hosting the tournament for the first time in 10 years. We are excited to be heading back to one of Indonesia’s finest golf clubs that boasts a world-class golf course.”

The course is known locally as “The Spirit of the Sea” as it lies close to the coastline of the Java Sea, in North Jakarta and was designed by legendary golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Budiarsa Sastrawinata, President Director of Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, said: “It is an honour for Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course to be hosting the country’s National Open again. Our PIK course is a true championship test that is perfect for a tournament of this stature. The club will be working 24/7 to make sure we are able to stage one of the finest editions of the tournament.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, added: “In recent seasons the Mandiri Indonesia Open has added tremendous strength to our mid-season schedule; we are grateful to Bank Mandiri for helping to facilitate this and for their steadfast three-year title sponsorship of the event. We also thank the Indonesia Golf Association and indeed Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course for their considerable efforts in enabling the staging of the Indonesia Open.”

Nitithorn Thippong was victorious last year.

When Nitithorn triumphed last year, his name was added to a trophy that includes many household names including Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who won the title when last played at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course in 2014.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar is the only player to win on three occasions (2013, 2016, 2022), the first of those coming at this year’s venue.

Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant has been victorious twice (2005, 2011); while other notable names are his compatriot Thongchai Jaidee (2009), Craig Parry (1997) from Australia, Kiwi Frank Nobilo (1994) and the late, great American Payne Stewart (1981).

Kasiadi is the only Indonesian golfer to have lifted the trophy, his triumph coming in 1989. Indonesia’s Rory Hie came close in 2011 when he tied for second, one behind Thaworn, when the event was also held at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course.

New Zealand’s Ben Campbell proved at the International Series Morocco, played on the formidable Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, why you should never give up when in contention on a Sunday afternoon.

Standing on the easily reachable par-four 17^th tee, three strokes behind playing-partner John Catlin from the United States, he pulled off a stunning eagle, birdie finish – something that Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond did to win in 2022 – to match Catlin in regulation play, when the American could only manage two closing pars.

A stunning 20-foot birdie putt from just off the 18^th green then sealed the deal on the first play-off hole in the New Zealander’s favor, as he won his second International Series title after having pulled off a similar come-from-behind win against 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith from Australia in last year’s Hong Kong Open.

The victory has moved him to number two in The International Series Rankings, which Catlin leads by some margin. However, there are still seven more International Series events to be played this season before the winner of the Rankings is decided. The top ranked player earns that life-changing place on next year’s LIV Golf League.

Ben Campbell holes out for the win. He finished third in Putts per Round for the week. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Looking at the statistics for last week, not surprisingly, Campbell’s best categories came in putting and short game.

He was a clear winner in Scrambling, with a super impressive average of 91.30%, followed by Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma at 80%, quite some distance behind.

Remarkably, he was 100% in Sand Saves, making eight out of eight – which included three out of three in the last round. He was joint top of that category.

He finished third in Putts per Round, with an average of 27, and 10^th in Putts per Green in Regulation, with 83.

He had solid statistics in other key categories such as Greens in Regulation (GIR), averaging 68.06% to finish tied 36th; Driving Distance, with a median of 299 yards for equal 26th; and Fairways in Regulation, with his 65% placing him in a share of 15th of the players making the cut.

However, the one category that really stood out, and a direct consequence of constantly getting up-and-down, was Fewest Bogies – which he topped with three. Teeing off in round four, the man from Queenstown had not made a bogey in 105 holes, not since his third hole in the second round of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, his last Asian Tour event.

Campbell was 100% in Sand Saves making three in the final round. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He was just a nine-hole stretch away from tying Korean LPGA star Jinyoung Ko’s incredible run of 114 holes in 2019 for the professional world record. And he was also close to American Tiger Woods clean sheet of 110 holes in his banner season of 2000, when he won three Majors and 10 events in total.

Bogies on the opening two holes and another on 12, quickly put paid to any records being matched or broken but it was still a brilliant performance by a golfer clearly entering the prime of his career.

Catlin barely put a foot out of place in the first three rounds, leading from the first round until teeing off in the last but like Campbell he also began the last round with two straight bogeys. However, an even par 73 final round while in the lead is not a bad outing under the conditions, and the current International Series Ranking leader should be commended for another fantastic performance for the week.

While Catlin’s stats were slightly better than Campbell’s pretty much across the board – Fairways in Regulation 66.67%, GIR 72.22%, Putts in GIR 1.67, Driving Distance 301.8 yards – making six bogies versus Campbells three proved to be the deciding factor in an exciting and extremely close fought battle.

Statistics Categories leaders at the International Series Morocco (of players making the cut):

• Average Putts per Round – Charlie Lindh (SWE), Phachara Khongwatmai (THA): 26.5
• Putts per GIR – Charlie Lindh (SWE): 1.64
• Greens in Regulation – Taichi Kho (HKG): 86.11%
• Fairways in Regulation – Junghwan Lee (KOR): 78.33%
• Driving Distance – Eugenio Chacarra (ESP): 331.60 yards
• Most Eagles – Yurav Premlall (RSA): 3
• Most Birdies – Jeunghun Wang (KOR): 22
• Fewest Bogies – Ben Campbell (NZL): 3
• Scrambling – Ben Campbell (NZL): 91.30%

Ben Campbell snatched a surprise victory from John Catlin right at the very end to win the US$2million International Series Morocco after a sensational finish here on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

New Zealand’s Campbell holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18^th to win on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off, having been three behind playing-partner Catlin with two holes to play.

Campbell shot a two-under-par 71, helped by an eagle on the par-four 17^th and a birdie on 18 in normal time, to tie Catlin, in with a 72, on 15-under.

American Caleb Surratt (71) and Eugenio Chacarra (73) from Spain, tied for third, three behind the top two.

Ben Campbell celebrates his second International Series win. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Campbell started the final day one behind Catlin – the leader after each of the first three days and chasing win number three of the season – and looked to be just falling short.

He’d made two great up and downs for par on 15 and 16 before holing a 35-foot putt for eagle on the penultimate hole.

On the par-five 18th hole they both faced 10-foot birdie putts, with Campbell holing his first before his American opponent, normally so clinical, just missed his attempt.

“That was a great finish,” said Campbell.

“You know I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike (his caddie), I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient. And yeah, like I went flag hunting on 16 and leaked it right, and hit a great bunker shot there. I said to Mike, if I can find a birdie eagle, you never know. So, I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the play-off, it’s always good.”

It is his second success on the Asian Tour having won the Hong Kong Open, another event on The International Series calendar, at the end of last year after a similarly last-gasp finish when he nailed a 15-foot birdie to win by one.

Campbell overcame a formidable final group. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The win is another reward for a player dogged by injury through his career.

He said: “I just think it’s been a tough run, and I didn’t give up then and I’m not going to give up now. I just kept saying to Mike just don’t give up out here. I’ve got to find something in my swing. I was feeling great on the range and lost it, sort of, on the course. But yeah, just said to him and I just sort of keep saying to myself, don’t give up.”

Catlin had one hand on the trophy with three to go and was a safe bet to claim the seventh Asian Tour title of his career and second wire-to-wire of the season.

Holding a one-shot lead at the start of the day, he surprisingly bogeyed his first two holes, but bounced back to lead by one at the turn before a birdie on 15 left him with that three-stoke cushion. Unfortunately, two closing pars were not good enough to hold off the charging Campbell.

Said Catlin: “I mean, you have to tip the cap. I mean the guy goes two, four, four to finish. I mean, he probably made 130 feet of putts to win on the last three holes. All you can do is shake his hand and say well done. I mean, yeah, it is what it is.

It was John Catlin’s first play-off loss on the Asian Tour. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I played great. You know, I never, never gave in; I just kept battling. Kept chipping away. And you know that birdie on 15 gave me a decent little cushion there. And yeah, I mean, I’m very pleased with the way that I play. There’s no doubt about it.”

It is the first time he has lost in a play-off on a main Tour, having won one in Europe and two in Asia, including this year’s International Series Macau presented by Wynn.

The 33-year-old has the consolation of taking over from Mexican Carlos Ortiz at the top of The International Series Rankings, while he consolidated his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM).

Campbell is now second on The International Series Rankings and third on the Asian Tour OOM.

Surratt, at 20 the youngest player on the LIV Golf League, was thrilled with his week.

“Really good week,” he said. “You know, I didn’t know it was going to be as good as this at my first International Series event, so it was definitely way more than I expected. And definitely gave me something really good to build off of going into next week and Andalusia.”

The Asian Tour takes a short break now before heading to the International Series England at Foxhills Country Club and Resort, from August 8-11.

It will be the ninth event of the season on the Asian Tour and fourth leg of The International Series.

American Andy Ogletree, who topped the Asian Tour OOM and International Series Rankings last year, is the defending champion.

John Catlin is one round away from his third Asian Tour victory of the season, and second International Series title, after taking the third-round lead in the US$2million International Series Morocco today.

The American, who currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit and sits second on The International Series Rankings, posted a third-round five-under-par 68 to lead on 14-under by one from New Zealand’s Ben Campbell.

Campbell, last year’s Hong Kong Open champion, also fired a 68 – remarkably going 105 holes, which is five rounds and six holes, without a bogey on the Asian Tour.

Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra was another to card a 68 and is one shot further behind, here on the challenging Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the capital Rabat.

John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Catlin has led the tournament for each of the first three days and rarely put a foot wrong today. He bogeyed the first but then made six birdies, narrowly missing an eight-foot eagle putt on the driveable par-four 17^th.

Said the 33-year-old Californian: “I would say I’m in pretty good control. You know I would have liked to start the round off a bit better, but after that I feel like I played some very, very solid golf and built some good momentum going into tomorrow.”

He won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back earlier this year, and recently made a fine debut on the LIV Golf League, finishing joint 24th in Houston, and tied seventh in Nashville. Asked if winning The International Series Rankings – he is currently in second place behind Mexican Carlos Ortiz – to earn a place on LIV Golf next season is a target, he promptly replied: “Oh 100%!

“You know, it’s definitely a goal of mine, but you got 18 holes to go tomorrow. So, I’m just going to take it one shot at a time, give it everything I have got, and we’ll see what happens.”

Campbell last dropped a shot on the 12^th hole in the second round of International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March, and he drained a number of long par putts today to maintain a clean sheet.

Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I got off to a good start out there,” said the Kiwi, aged 32.

“The swing was feeling great. I sort of battled a little bit through the middle part of the round and had a few chances coming in but good to be there in contention. Got a few things to tidy up ahead of tomorrow but it’s good when you’re near the lead.”

Chacarra will be in the final pairing tomorrow with Catlin and Campbell thanks to birdies on 17 and 18, meaning three champions on The International Series going out in the final group.

The winner of last year’s St Andrews Bay Championship said: “My goal is to win. Obviously, everyone here wants to win. There’s a lot of good players so it’s going to be tough, but I’m happy with it.

“I’ve not been healthy for the last year, so to be able to compete again and feel my body good is something that feels really nice. So, I’m excited to play again. I’m happy again. Just going to try to enjoy tomorrow. Hopefully I drop some putts and I have a chance to win again.”

Australian Travis Smyth fired a 70, helped by an eagle on 17, and is in sole possession of fourth, three back from Catlin.

Eugenio Chacarra. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Italian Stefano Mazzoli (67), Pat Perez of the United States (68) and fellow countryman Caleb Surratt (68) are another stroke behind along with Miguel Tabuena (71) of the Philippines.

Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate Charlie Lindh (main picture) is having a week to remember after following up qualification for this year’s Open Championship with a place in the top-10 going into this weekend at the International Series Morocco.

That fine achievement is all-the-more impressive given the gruelling midweek journey it took to reach this week’s venue Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, as part of a whirlwind 48 hours that saw him secure a spot in his first ever Major.

Lindh, who joined the Asian Tour in January after finishing in sixth spot at the Qualifying School in Thailand, had delayed his trip this week to accommodate a visit to Burnham & Berrow in Somerset for Final Open Qualifying.

That proved to be a good call – he secured a place in the field for the 152nd edition at Royal Troon, which takes place from 18-21 July, in nail-biting fashion.

But with a three-hour drive from the course to London, a four-hour stop-over in a hotel and a four-hour drive to Rabat from Marrakesh following his flight to Morocco, Lindh only just made it to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam on Thursday morning, giving him just enough time to walk eight holes and hit the range ahead of his afternoon first-round tee time.

Charlie Lindh is in contention despite no time to play a practice round. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The 26-year-old could be forgiven for struggling – especially after the excitement of Open qualifying. However, Lindh brushed aside his lack of preparation and fatigue on day one and bounced back from an early double bogey on his second hole with six birdies to record a brave four-under-par 69.

He followed that up on day two with a 71, that also included an early double, to finish at six under, in tied ninth and just three off the lead in a bunched leaderboard.

Lindh admitted he was already running on empty going into the weekend after such a gruelling week. Lindh, who had previously missed the cut at both International Series Oman and International Series Macau presented by Wynn, put his good form down to a combination of decent rest and practice coming into the busy week.

He said: “I got off to a slow start today again, made a double on my third hole. I managed to make a couple of birdies after that but obviously I was struggling at the end. I am so tired at the moment. I just need to go home and sleep and get ready for the weekend.

“I had three weeks off before heading out (to Open qualifying) this week. I had not been playing the way I would like to play. But I took the time off and now I am excited to play again. I had a lot of practice, I changed one thing and that was the major difference.”

It is little wonder that Lindh is mentally and physically tired. With an Open place in his grasp, he bogeyed the 35th of 36 holes played in one day to slip back to five under and into a three-man play-off for the remaining two available spots to join Justin Rose and Dominic Clemons.

Despite overcooking his birdie attempt on the first play-off hole, Lindh held his nerve to slot home the four-foot return and secure his spot alongside Fireballs GC star Abraham Ancer, at the expense of his LIV Golf League colleague Anirban Lahiri of Crushers GC.

Lindh made it on to the Asian Tour this year after finishing sixth at Qualifying School. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Having claimed a spot in his first-ever major, Lindh does not want to rest on his laurels. He still has International Series glory on his mind, chasing leader John Catlin as part of a packed leaderboard that has a five-man tie for second just a shot behind the American.

Lindh said: “You know this week is going to be like this, so you must accept it. And that is why I had those three weeks off, to make sure I was fully charged. But I am still tired, no doubt about it. I felt tired and was feeling it out on the course. Travelling between the Open qualifying and here was horrendous but I am here and I am in contention and I’m excited to be playing this weekend – it’s brilliant.”

American John Catlin, attempting to claim his third title in four starts on the Asian Tour, maintained his lead in the US$2 million International Series Morocco today.

The joint first-round leader fired a two-under-par 71 on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, for a two-day total of nine-under.

It gave the six-time winner on the Asian Tour a one-stroke advantage over India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (68), Travis Smyth (69) from Australia, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma (70), New Zealander Ben Campbell (70) and Filipino Miguel Tabuena (71).

New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori, the first-round leader with Catlin, fell back with a 77 and is three under.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Catlin, winner of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back earlier this year, had an unusually up-and-down back nine, with an eagle, one birdie on 18, and three bogeys but held on to head into the weekend in pole position.

John Catlin has been a pillar of strength through two rounds. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“Yeah, it was okay, I just would have liked to have been a little bit sharper,” said Catlin.

“It just felt a little bit off, but I was able to hang in there well, and you know I still posted a decent number and stayed on top of that leaderboard. That was important to me coming down that last. I was like, ‘I want to make a four on 18 and be in that final group’.”

The 33-year-old is fresh from his debut on the LIV Golf League: he finished joint 24th in LIV Golf Houston, tied for seventh in their Nashville event and will head to the next stop Valderrama next week.

He added: “I just I love the game. I love to play. I want to keep playing and you know, I think that’s the beauty of it – there’s always next week, there’s always next week, there’s new goals you set, there’s always new heights you’re trying to get to.

“You know, Tiger Woods said it, he’s like ‘you never really arrive, it’s like a journey where you never really get there’. Right? Like, you’re always okay, I can be a little bit better here. I can do this a little bit better, I can do that a little bit better, and I think that’s the beauty of it.”

Tabuena birdied the last two holes as he continued to back up his fifth-place finish in the Kolon Korea Open two weeks ago.

Miguel Tabuena is just one off the lead, playing his best golf of the season. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He said: “It was good. I knew it was going to be tough today, the winds were swirling and there were some good pins there. I didn’t get off to a good start, but I held in there and finished pretty well.

“I just continued to stay patient you know. I knew that there were a lot of holes left in the round, and a lot of holes left in the next few days, and I just wanted to put myself in a good position to move up the leaderboard.”

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent is a stroke further back with Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra. They both shot 71, in the eighth event of the season on the Asian Tour and the third of 10 stops on The International Series.

For Vincent it has been two of the most unusual days of his golfing career, after having arrived here with his clubs delayed, like his brother Kieran.

Before his afternoon round yesterday he dashed to Casablanca airport to see if his clubs had finally arrived. To his dismay he was not able to get them in time even though they had arrived at the airport, so he hurried back to the tournament but arrived late for his tee-time and was penalised two shots. His par four on the first was frustratingly turned into a six. However, he responded to the challenge by firing a 68 to sit two off the lead.

Missing club issues has not stopped Scott Vincent from heading in the right direction. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

This morning he was back on the course with his own clubs but rather than capitalise he tripled bogeyed the par-four 10^th, his first hole of the day.

The 32-year-old continued to struggle on his first nine but burst through with four birdies in his last six holes.

“I misjudged the timing coming back (yesterday). We made one wrong turn and that put me a few minutes behind,” said the 2022 International Series Rankings champion.

“My clubs had arrived at about 9.30 that morning, so I was there waiting for them. I could see with my Apple tags that they were in the airport, but I just couldn’t get to them in time. So yeah, it was hard letting them go knowing that I was within 20 metres of them somewhere. But yeah, I had to leave them in order to try and make the tee time and yeah, maybe left a little too late.”

After his poor start today he said: “Kind of thought we were over that after yesterday, but yeah, it was just trying to get into the rhythm. Tried to not get caught up in the circumstances and just play your game, and yeah, after that it was actually really nice and solid.”

South African Jaco Ahlers produced the shot of the season so far enroute to carding a 71, to sit four off the lead.

He made a spectacular albatross on the par-five 12^th after holing his second shot from 252 yards with a hybrid.

It is the 28^th albatross in the history of the Asian Tour and the first in two years.

“That’s pretty nice to hole that for an albatross,” said last year’s winner of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

“It’s the first one I’ve ever had, so pretty happy. It was a good number, just hit it a little bit too far right and the slope helped it out, so it was nice to see it going in.”

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the defending champion, carded his second 73 and is even for the tournament.

Brothers Scott (main picture) and Kieran Vincent both enjoyed eventful days to say the least on the opening round of the International Series Morocco, at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

In a bizarre twist, both players started the day minus their golf clubs as they had not arrived with them at Casablanca airport, and the day got even worse for Scott after a morning run to the airport proofed fruitless as he returned empty handed.

To compound his woes, he incurred a two-shot penalty for arriving at the first tee – with a borrowed set from the club pro – shortly after his scheduled tee time of 12:30. He was 30 seconds away from being disqualified.

Brother Kieran ended up teeing off with a hastily assembled set which included a selection of clubs from friends in the tournament who stepped in to support the Zimbabwean. Legion XIII team-mate on the LIV Golf League Caleb Surratt supplied the irons, Taichi Kho provided a driver and Ian Snyman chipped in with a wedge. Jaco Ahlers even provided some golf balls for the day.

Kieran Vincent used a selection of clubs kindly given by other players. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Given the tricky situation, the rounds were nothing short of spectacular. Scott, who plays for the Iron Head GC on LIV, roared back from his two-shot penalty with five birdies and an eagle, on the par-five eighth, to sit just two shots off co-leaders John Catlin and Kozuma Kobori.

Kieran started off with three bogeys, two in his first three holes, but birdies on four, eight, 12 and 17 gave the him a one-under round of 72 which he “would have signed for straight away” had it been offered before his round.

Scott, who also played with the same clubs on the pro-am, said: “I had zero expectations today but feel we definitely learned something that will help us get better in future. So in a way it was great to play, the pressure was off and I just wanted to see what would happen.

“We have an early turnaround (for the second round) so the plan is to play with the same clubs unless they can be couriered. Entertaining for the Vincents, for sure!”

Kieran said: “Lucky enough, we have some really cool people out here on the Asian Tour – it is a friendly tour. A lot of people had clubs, bits and pieces, but obviously it is hard to make up a full set when you do not have anything, so we have a bit of a mixed bag here!

“I have talked a lot to myself about adapting, no matter what, whatever the situation might be. And so just being able to go out there with none of my stuff, even golf shoes, I am taking in the moment, and we will just take it as it comes.”