Local hero Tabuena grabs lead to the delight of home fans
October 24: Local hero Miguel Tabuena (main picture) delighted his home fans with a stunning round that included a hole-in-one and an eagle in the space of three holes as he raced to the top of the leaderboard after the morning session of the second round of the US$2million International Series Philippines.
The 31-year-old, who shot a 69 on Thursday, started from the 10th tee with a birdie, but was galloping when he holed his tee shot on the par-three 14th, and then eagled the par-five 16th to catch up with overnight leader Sarit Suwannarut. He then birdied the 18th, second and third in a round of 65 that lifted him to 10-under par total at the halfway stage.
Patrick Reed, the former Masters champion and LIV Golf star, moved to eight-under par with a 66 that tied him alongside Denel Ieremia (67) of New Zealand. The duo was one behind Japan’s Yosuke Asaji, who was at nine-under after a round of 66.
England’s Steve Lewton shot the lowest round of the tournament so far at the beautiful Sta. Elena Golf Club, a bogey-free 63 that made up for a disappointing two-over 74 in the opening round.
Golf fans in the Philippines have turned up in huge numbers for the tournament, and they definitely were rewarded for spending their time and money as the home favourite raised hopes of a Filipino champion in an event that features players like former world No1 Dustin Johnson.
Patrick Reed of the USA. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
On the 171-yard 14th, Tabuena did not see his ball take a hop and disappear into the hole, but the eagle was perfectly planned on a hole where he has forgotten the count of how many he has scored so far in his career.
“It’s not every day you make a hole-in-one, but I was glad I kept it together after that. There’s a lot of golf to be played, but it was nice. It’s been probably six years since my last one and only second in a competition. It was nice that it was here in front of friends, family and in my home club,” said the three-time winner on the Asian Tour, who had to pull out of the SJM Macao Open with a neck spasm.
“And then the eagle on the 16th. That was a perfect seven-wood for me. I don’t know how many times I’ve eagled that hole, so it’s very familiar for me. And that is my favourite pin position for that hole, so it was very green light for me.
“I slowed down quite a bit after the birdies on the second and third. But other than that, it was a pretty solid round. The plan was to get back in position for the moving day tomorrow.”
Steve Lewton of England. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Lewton, a two-time champion on the Asian Tour, also started on the 10th tee and was five-under for his first nine and four-under for the back in a bogey-free round.
“Just pleased to get around, to be honest. I’m not hitting it the best, I won’t lie, but I putted it nicely and hit it pretty straight, which is key on this golf course,” said the popular 42-year-old.
“I’ve been ill for a couple weeks. I picked up a flu virus at the back end of Indonesia, so I spent two weeks in bed at home. I decided to come and now it seems like it was worth the trip. I need a good week this week, my sister is getting married next week in Tampa, so I’ll clock up a few more air miles to Florida from here and then back to Singapore the week after.”
Johnson, who shot a five-under 67 on Thursday, had another double bogey on the second day, a seven on par-5 eighth, and finished with a one-over 73 round.
The International Series Philippines is the sixth leg of the elevated International Series events on the Asian Tour.
October 23: In-form Sarit Suwannarut set the pace on the opening day of the US$2million International Series Philippines with an eight-under par 64 round that opened a narrow one-shot lead for the Thai star.
Sarit made one bogey while playing early in the day, but made up for that lapse with nine birdies to edge another in-form player, Japan’s Kazuki Higa, a two-time champion already this season.
Conditions were ripe for scoring at Sta. Elena Golf Club, especially in the morning, and players made the most of it. England’s LIV Golf star Richard Bland made a bogey on the ninth hole – his last – and was tied third at 66 alongside Americans Charles Porter and George Kneiser, plus Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.
LIV Golf star and former world No1 Dustin Johnson, making his first appearance in the Philippines, did not disappoint his fans. The American shot a 67, which included an unfortunate double bogey on the 15th hole and two other bogeys.
Kazuki Higa of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Johnson is tied seventh, alongside India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, Americans Austen Truslow and MJ Maguire, South Africa’s Dean Burmester, China’s Guxin Chen and Germany’s Maximilian Rottluff.
Sarit – fourth in SJM Macao Open, tied 11th in the Jakarta International Championship and tied ninth in Mercuries Taiwan Masters in his previous three starts on the Asian Tour – started on the back nine and made four birdies on his way out, and added five more on his back nine.
“It was perfect. I’ve been playing pretty good. I mean, before a round, I know I can share the ball number with my caddie and hit the shots. I tell myself, you can hit it, you can do it,” said Sarit.
“It’s not as long as some other golf courses, but the rough is pretty thick. If you miss your position, it is really hard to get it out. You have to be hitting well and putting it in a good position to make a good number.”
Speaking on his recent run of form, Sarit added: “I’d say a couple of things have happened for me. I put in a new putter in Korea and it has started working well for me. I also changed my coach. I have been working on my swing, and the changes are becoming pretty good.”
A two-time winner of International Series titles, Sarit knows a thing or two about winning on the big stage.
“I just want to play good golf. I am excited to play with a lot of good players like Dustin, Patrick Reed, and a lot of the guys from LIV Golf. So, just excited to play well,” said Sarit, who is currently ranked 25th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and 52nd in The International Series Ranking.
Dustin Johnson of the USA. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Higa, winner of back-to-back events on the Asian Tour this year – Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC – was one of seven players to play a bogey-free round and said the key was to hit fairways with tee shots, which helped him take advantage of the preferred lies in play.
“A round of seven-under was a little better than what we planned to achieve when I set out in the morning. If I look back at the round, I think we could have made two or three more putts,” said the unassuming Japanese star.
“Today, I played with Kevin Na and Sam Horsfield and it was a good pairing. However, I know that to step up to the challenge of players like Dustin and Patrick Reed, I need to continue making good scores. Need to just keep going.”
Johnson said he enjoyed his first professional round in the Philippines.
“It was a good atmosphere and Miguel (Tabuena) is a really nice player and it was a lot of fun to play with him and Louis (Oosthuizen) today. We all played pretty well, it was a good atmosphere, and we made a lot of birdies,” said Johnson.
“I played well. If any day, any time you make nine birdies, you know you hit a lot of really good shots. I had a lot of good looks at birdie and hit just one bad drive on the 15th and ended up making a double. Obviously, still in a good position going into tomorrow and the rest of the week.”
The International Series Philippines is the sixth leg of the elevated International Series events on the Asian Tour.
October 23: Sarit Suwannarut carried his recent good run of form into the US$2million International Series Philippines, claiming the clubhouse lead by one shot at the halfway stage of the opening round on Thursday.
The Thai star made one bogey in his round, but nine birdies gave him a card of eight-under par 64, one better than another in-form player, Japan’s Kazuki Higa, a two-time champion already this season – at the Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC.
Conditions were ripe for scoring at Sta. Elena Golf Club, and players made the most of it.
England’s LIV Golf star Richard Bland made a bogey on the ninth hole – his last – and was tied third at 66 alongside Americans Charles Porter and George Kneiser.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar was alone in sixth place at 67.
Kazuki Higa of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Sarit – fourth in SJM Macao Open, tied 11th in the Jakarta International Championship and tied ninth in Mercuries Taiwan Masters in his previous three starts on the Asian Tour – started on the back nine and made four birdies on his way out, and added five more on his back nine.
“It was perfect. I’ve been playing pretty good. I mean, before a round, I know I can share the ball number with my caddie and hit the shots. I tell myself, you can hit it, you can do it,” said Sarit.
“I’d say a couple of things have happened. I changed the putter in Korea and it started working pretty good, and then I also changed my coach. I have been working on my swing, and the changes are becoming pretty good.”
A two-time winner of International Series titles, Sarit knows a thing or two about winning on the big stage.
Richard Bland of England. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“I just want to play good golf. I am excited to play with a lot of good players like Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and a lot of the guys from LIV Golf. So, just excited to play well,” said Sarit, who is currently ranked 25th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and 52nd in The International Series Ranking.
Higa was bogey-free for his round and said the key was to hit fairways with his tee shots, so that he could take advantage of the preferred lies in play.
“A round of seven-under was a little better than what we planned to achieve when I set out in the morning. If I look back at the round, I think we could have made two or three more putts,” said the unassuming Japanese star.
“Today, I played with Kevin Na and Sam Horsfield and it was a good pairing. However, I know that to step up to the challenge of players like Dustin and Patrick Reed, I need to continue making good scores. Need to just keep going.”
The International Series Philippines is the sixth leg of the elevated International series events on the Asian Tour.
Former world No.1 Dustin Johnson is one of the biggest draws in world golf, and the two-time major champion is hoping that his presence in the field at International Series Philippines helps grow the game further in the sports-crazy nation and across the region.
Johnson, the 2016 US Open winner and 2020 Masters champion, tees it up at 11:40 at the Sta. Elena Golf Club in a marquee group sure to attract a large following, along with 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and local hero Miguel Tabuena.
It is Johnson’s first appearance on The International Series this season, and the 4Aces GC captain on LIV Golf is delighted to be part of a product that is committed to growing the game across the globe.
He said: “I think growing the game is very important. Obviously, LIV has done a great job leading that effort, and The International Series continues to expand golf’s reach by playing all over the world. The Asian Tour, bringing golf to parts of the world that I have never been to, and that a lot of golfers have never been to.
“I think this is great for the game. The game of golf is growing a lot, and playing in places like this really helps.”
It’s a rare season when Johnson doesn’t capture a victory.
Since his rookie year on the PGA Tour in 2008 — when he has his first win at the Turning Stone Resort Championship — he has recorded at least one win almost every year. However, this marks the first season since 2014 that the 41-year-old has gone without a title, with his best finish being third place at LIV Golf Indianapolis, the final event of the regular season.
And although he had not managed a look around the Sta. Elena course, the former US Ryder Cup player was confident he could deal with whatever came his way.
He said: “This will actually be my first look at the course – I am heading out this afternoon (for the afternoon pro-am).
“It is a golf course. I have played enough courses by now. I have got a good caddie, so hopefully he will go out and scout the course, tell me where to hit it. Then as long as my game is in good form, I’ll be able to hit it very tough.”
4Aces GC team-mate Patrick Reed, sitting alongside Johnson and local hero Miguel Tabuena at the marquee player press conference, has seen enough of the course to know it offers a test.
Reed tees off alongside compatriot John Catlin, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, and Stinger GC player Dean Burmester at 11:30 in the group before Johnson.“I saw the golf course on Monday,” said Reed.
“I played nine and then nine yesterday. Yeah, the golf course is a major golf course. You have got to work the ball both ways, and as long as you are driving it relatively long and straight, the golf course is accessible.
“But if you are off with the tee shots, it could be a long week. So the golf course looks good. I heard they had some really bad weather – a typhoon (last) Sunday – and I feel like the golf course has held up really nicely.”
Reed has the par fives in his sights as he plots a second victory of the season following on from his LIV Golf Dallas triumph back in June. A win in the Philippines would be the perfect build-up to the defence of his Link Hong Kong Open title next week.
He said: “I feel like every hole can turn, but really it seems like these par fives – you have to kind of attack them. If you hit a quality tee shot, it is not a guarantee after that point.
“You look at 10, there’s trouble near the green; same for 16. Hit too far left, and you bring the hazard into play. Miss to the right, and it is wet and nasty trying to get it up and down.
“To me, the par fives are key – you have to take care of them by being smart, but also trying to get as many birdies as possible.
“The par threes on the front are beasts compared to the back. For me, the big thing is driving it straight and being smart on the par fives.”
The ‘Bryan Bros’ are one of the biggest and best known brands in online golf content, and the American brothers are eager to use their channel to shine the spotlight on The International Series and the Asian Tour this week as they compete in an elite-level field at International Series Philippines.
The duo, who have over 690,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 350,000 Instagram followers, are teeing it up at Sta. Elena Golf Club as invites to the sixth of nine International Series events on the Asian Tour calendar that offer a pathway onto LIV Golf for the Rankings champion.
They join an incredible field that features former world No.1 Dustin Johnson along with fellow major champions and LIV Golf stars Patrick Reed, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
George, the older brother and a three-time All American collegiate golfer, explained the plan for the week at a special pre-tournament media meet on site. He said: “We’ll be documenting the whole experience: the travel, adjusting to jet lag, learning the course, and competing on the Asian Tour. We’re here with our small team – two video guys, our manager Joe, and the two of us – and we want to showcase the beauty of Filipino golf and culture.
George Bryan.
“Beyond competing, we’re excited to connect with fans here. When we announced we’d be playing, we got so many messages from Filipino followers. Even if just a few of them come out to watch, that’s a win for us. We want to tell the story of golf in the Philippines and show how special this place is.”
The brothers also played the BMW International Open on the DP World Tour this season via sponsor invites, and they are delighted to broaden their horizons once again.
George said: “Our dad always encouraged us not to stay in our comfort zone. Traveling, adapting to time zones, and learning to play on different courses – that’s how you really grow. It makes your game stronger for when you reach the biggest stages.”
Wesley, who made the cut in Germany, added: “The pathways are broader now. Before, it was mainly to the DP World Tour (that the Asian Tour players looked to go). But with LIV Golf as another avenue, The International Series adds a whole new level. It’s giving players more opportunities to make a living doing what they love, while also improving the global competitiveness of the sport.”
Younger brother Wesley, a former PGA Tour champion who broke into the top 50 of the OWGR at one stage in his career, is no stranger to elite-level competition. He admitted that he is looking forward to taking on the ‘intimidating’ Sta. Elena course.
He said: “We’ve spent the last couple of days doing what we usually do – filming YouTube videos and planning content. So I haven’t studied the course in depth yet. But it’s intimidating in places – there are spots where you just can’t miss. I’ve heard some guys say it’s one of the wider courses they’ve played recently, so I’m not sure my game’s built for the Asian Tour (laughs). I’m really excited to be here this week.
Wesley Bryan.
“I still get nervous. My tee shot nerves are real – especially knowing the fairway is about 95 yards wide (laughs). But once you get going, you settle in.”
George added: “As soon as I stepped on the course, I fell in love with it. It’s got that old-school feel that really fits my eye. You’ve got to be creative – everything’s right in front of you. The greens are great, the clubhouse is beautiful, the food’s fantastic, and the people have been incredibly warm and welcoming. Honestly, it’s been an amazing experience so far.
“We grew up following the Asian Tour – it was featured in Golfweek (magazine) back in the day. So it’s pretty surreal to now be playing in an Asian Tour event. Our dad always told us, ‘You should travel the world and play golf,’ and 20 years later, here we are, doing just that.”
The brothers, self-confessed ‘golf sickos’, are looking at the bigger picture as they prepare to share content and compete with some of the best players in the world. Wesley said: “From the content side, we just want to create fun, family-friendly videos that our audience will enjoy – showing what it’s like to travel halfway around the world and compete in a professional event. From day one, our goal has been to share that love and grow the game. If we can inspire kids to pick up a club and play with their parents, that’s everything.
Wesley added: “Most of our viewers are families watching together at home, not just individuals on phones. We want to make golf content that brings generations together — like it did for us with our dad. Tours like LIV, the Asian Tour, and DP World Tour are helping globalize the game, and we’re proud to play a small part in telling that story.”
Reflecting on the role they currently play in growing the game, George continued: “I love traditional broadcasts, but there’s definitely room to evolve. YouTube golf has shown that fans want more personality, storytelling, and a closer look at the players. It’s about finding the right balance between tradition and creativity – that’s where the game can really grow.”
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
The International Series Philippines makes a spectacular debut in Manila with the strongest field ever assembled for a tournament in the archipelago.
It is being played at Sta Elena Golf Club, formerly a sugar estate and one of the country’s finest golf properties. It has been recognised in the 100 Best Golf Courses Outside the United States by Golf Digest Magazine.
Fully operational since 1995, it boasts three nine-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones: the Banahaw, Makiling, and Sierra Madre, named after the mountains that provide the stunning backdrop. The tournament will be played over the Makiling and Sierra Madre courses.
The event aims to lay the foundation for long-term growth of the game in the popular nation.
Dustin Johnson will not be the only DJ attending as the event will also offer dynamic entertainment, from a headline concert and exclusive hospitality to atmospheric live music, gourmet dining and immersive fan activities.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: International Series Philippines
- Date: 23rd – 26th October 2025
- Venue: Sta Elena Golf Club, Santa Rosa
- Par/Yards: 72 / 7,303 yards
- Purse: US$2million (First place US360,000)
- Asian Tour leg: 15th
- International Series leg: Sixth
- Edition of tournament: First
- Total number of players: 144
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 pros plus ties.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise # InternationalSeries #ThisIsEverything
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019)
- Nationalities: 26
- Top contenders: Patrick Reed (USA), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Kazuki Higa (JPN), Wade Ormsby (AUS), Dustin Johnson (USA), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Dean Burmester (RSA), Dominic Foos (GER), Wei-hsuan Wang (TPE), Marc Leishman (AUS), Miguel Tabuena (PHI)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Patrick Reed (USA) #46
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #1
- Highest ranked player in 2025 International Series Rankings: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #1
- Number of amateurs: 1
- Number of Filipino players in the field: 11
Tournament Notes
- American Patrick Reed has been in fine form this season in world-wide events, with a win at LIV Golf Dallas, a third-place finish in the Masters, and a T3 in the BMW PGA Championship, along with a runner-up the International Series Macau presented by Wynn. On the DP World Tour he also recorded two other top-10’s while on LIV he posted five other top 10’s, finishing seventh in the individual standings. The 2018 Masters champion is the highest ranked player on the OWGR this week at number 46.
- Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe tops both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings after a win at the International Series Morocco in July, a runner-up at the Jakarta International Championship three weeks ago and a T2 at the Shinhan Donghae Open in September. He has also posted other strong finishes such as a T4 in the Kolon Korea Open, a T8 at the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF earlier this season. In addition to his good results on the Asian Tour this season he has also posted three top-fives on the Japan Tour, the most recent at the Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament in late August.
- Japan’s Kazuki Higa won the Yeangder TPC and Shinhan Donghae Open in back-to-back weeks in September and is currently second on the Order of Merit after those wins and strong start to his 2025 campaign, going T8, T5 and T2 in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, International Series India Presented by DLF and New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports respectively. On the Japan Tour he has recorded six top 10’s this season, including wins at the Shinhan Donghae Open and at the ISPS HANDA Explosion in the Summer in mid-August.
- Australian Wade Ormsby is the most recent International Series winner after capturing the Jakarta International Championship three weeks ago, and now sits in third place in The International Series Rankings, after a slow start to his season.
- Dustin Johnson of the U.S. is a two-time Major champion, having won the 2020 Masters and 2016 U.S. Open. He was ranked number one in the world from February in 2017 and he held that position for 64 straight weeks, the 5th longest run as number one. He returned to the number one spot in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 and has been at number one for a total of over 130 weeks. Currently playing on the LIV Golf League as captain of the 4Aces, and won one tournament each there in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Johnson has claimed 24 PGA Tour events during his career and been part of five Ryder Cup teams and three Presidents Cup squads.
- South African Louis Oosthuizen famously won The Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2010 by seven shots over Lee Westwood. During his career he has collected 11 top 10’s in Majors, including two runners-up and four T2’s. He now plays on the LIV Golf League where he captains the Stinger GC squad. Prior to joining LIV he posted 11 wins on the DP World Tour, including three that were co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
- Fellow South African and Stinger GC team mate Dean Burmester has been having a good season on the LIV Golf League with a win in Chicago, a runner-up in Chicago and a T4 in Riyadh to finish fifth in the individual standings.
- Germany’s Dominic Foos won his first Asian Tour title at the SJM Macao Open last week for his second professional win, it was the first since the 2015 GANT Open on the HotelPlanner Tour. Earlier in the season he also posted a T10 at the International Series Macao presented by Wynn.
- Wang Wei-hsuan from Chinese Taipei has been very much in form the second half of this season, and narrowly lost out in the play-off against Foos for his first Asian Tour title at the SJM Macao Open last week. He also recently finished third and T2 in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder TPC in his home country last month. On his local tour at home has recorded three wins and a runner-up to lead the TPGA Order of Merit by a wide margin.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Dominic Foos [main picture] won the SJM Macao Open today to become the first German to win on the Asian Tour since his illustrious compatriot Bernhard Langer 29 years ago.
He defeated Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off on the iconic par-five 18th at Macau Golf & Country Club.
Foos drained a 10-foot birdie putt to win after Wang missed his attempt for a four – in what was the sixth play-off in the history of the event.
The pair had finished tied on 17 under, with Foos – who started the day six behind overnight leader Sarit Suwannarut from Thailand – shooting a seven-under-par 63, while Wang closed with a 62.
China’s Wenyi Ding carded a 67 to finish solo third, one stroke back, with Sarit shooting a disappointing 73 to finish alone in fourth, four short of the play-off.
Dominic Foos.
The win will be a huge relieve for Foos who made it through the past two Asian Tour Qualifying Schools. He was also battling to keep his Tour card for next year, sitting in 62nd place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit prior to this week. He has now leapt into 15th position.
The 28-year-old was in the fourth from last group out and like Wang was bogey free. He made seven birdies, crucially on the last two holes of regulation play.
“I gotta say, I didn’t really look at the leaderboard all day,” said Foos.
“Just wanted to play shot by shot, but as I was walking up 18, I obviously had to have a look at the score, and then I noticed I had to make birdie. I was just past the green there. And yeah, knew what I had to do, and I’m glad I did it.”
He’s spent much of his career playing on Europe’s Challenge Tour, where he won an event 10 years ago, but he now has a two-year exemption to play on the Asian Tour.
He added: “I’ve always been a hard worker. That’s never been the issue, but obviously, with the support of my family, especially my dad, some very close friends, and you know, I got to give a big shout out to Mr. Kramski as well.
“He’s one of the few people that kind of stuck around after, because the last years haven’t been easy for me on the golf course. And, you know, like tough times like this, kind of show you who’s there for you and who isn’t. And, you know, so I know exactly who stuck around, and I’m very grateful for all these people.”
Wang Wei-hsuan and Dominic Foos.
Langer’s victory was recorded at the Alfred Dunhill Masters in Hong Kong in 1996.
Both players birdied the first play-off hole after they reached the green in two. The second time round Foos looked to be in trouble when his second found a greenside bunker, while his opponent was just off the back of the green in two. Foos then thrilled the gallery by nearly holing his bunker shot. He was left with a 10-footer while Wang played a poor chip to 20 feet. The Chinese-Taipei golfer just missed his four setting the stage for Foos’ winning putt.
Wang will be disappointed not to have won his first Asian Tour event, but this week is the continuation of an outstanding run of form that suggests more is to come.
Last month he tied for second in the Yeangder TPC and was third in the following week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters – his previous best results on the Asian Tour. He has also had a great season on his local tour at home, racking up three wins and a runner-up finish to top the Tawain PGA Order of Merit. For those three wins he wore the same tee shirt, and it was the same lucky shirt that so nearly carried him to victory today.
“Yeah, today I feel like my driver was pretty good,” said the 26-year-old, ranked second on the Tour’s Driving Distance statistics.
“And I felt pretty good after last month, after the Yeangder TPC and Mercuries Masters, I finished second and third. So, after that I felt more relaxed and was just more free with my golf little bit. Yeah, that was big help for me.”
Wang Wei-hsuan.
Attention now turns to the inaugural International Series Philippines next week. The US$2million event will be played at Sta. Elena Golf Club, just outside of Manila. Americans Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed plus South African Louis Oosthuizen headline arguably the strongest field ever assembled in the archipelago.
Pictures by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Sarit Suwannarut [main picture] held off the chasing pack to maintain his lead in the SJM Macao Open today, after a third-round four-under-par 66.
He takes a two-shot lead, on 16-under, over Australian Brett Rankin into tomorrow’s final round – here at Macau Golf & Country Club.
Rankin carded a 64, while China’s Wenyi Ding is a stroke back after a 65, with his compatriot Wocheng Ye another shot behind following a 67.
Sarit, chasing his third title on the Asian Tour but first since 2023, started the day with a three-shot lead and that was the gap at the turn.
Playing-partner Rankin caught him with a birdie on the 14th but cool-headed Sarit retaliated with birdies on 16 and 18, while the Australian dropped a shot on 17.
Sarit only made one bogey, on the 10th, and admitted to feeling the pressure of being in contention for the first time in a while.
Brett Rankin.
“I would say some nerves got into me,” said the powerfully built 27-year-old.
“I am pretty excited to play good golf again. I mean, I wanted to really, really play good golf today. And I think I did it pretty well. Yes, think some nerves there.”
He last won on the Asian Tour at the Volvo China Open in 2023, the year after claiming the Indonesia Masters.
He’s been particularly impressive off the tee with his driver and when asked if this is the best he has hit it, he said: “Actually, I’ll say yes, but at the beginning of the year, it’s not like this. It went everywhere, but now, now I kind of get some feeling of it, so I’ll try to stay hitting a good driver tomorrow.”
He’s come into the week off the back of his two best performances of the year: tied ninth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, followed by a joint 11th place result in the Jakarta International Championship.
“I will try to stay positive as possible tomorrow,” he added. “I try to focus on what I have to do. Try to commit to the shot and hit it and stay aggressive. That’s all I’m going to do tomorrow.”
Rankin, who is playing his first full season on the Asian Tour having successful negotiated qualifying school at the end of last year, is enjoying one of the finest tournaments of his career outside of Australia.
“It was a lot more complete than the first two days,” he said of his round today.
Ding Wenyi.
“I drove the ball great, my iron play was really good today and my wedge game was a lot better than first two days. I played well, so sort of ticking all the boxes at the moment tee to green, on the greens and around the greens. So usually when I’m doing that, I’m shooting good scores.”
He has won once before on the PGA Tour of Australasia, at the NT PGA Championship in 2019.
Added the 39-year-old from Queensland: “The game’s good. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing and just hope to be there on the back nine tomorrow and see what happens. But no, the game’s good, the game is solid, clearly is, I’m 14 under through three rounds, like you can’t fake your way around with that.”
Korean Sungjae Im (63), Ian Snyman (66) from South Africa, and Australian Jack Thompson (67) are next placed five behind the leader, on 11 under.
Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho returned a 67 and is seven under, while American John Catlin, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, who shot a 59 on this course last year, also fired a 67 and is five under, along with defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand, in with a 69.
Pictures by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, armed with a new swing, putter and shafts, marched into the lead at the SJM Macao Open today – looking every bit the golfer who has won two of the biggest titles on the Asian Tour.
The 26-year-old took charge of the US$1million event by making a brilliant 20-foot eagle putt on the par-five 18th to shoot a second-round seven-under-par 63.
It is the joint-lowest round of the week and saw him take the lead on 12-under, by three shots from Wocheng Ye – the unsung Chinese golfer, who carded a 66.
Ye’s compatriot and former college mate Bobby Bai (67), Australians Jack Thompson (68) and Brett Rankin (66), Germany’s Dominic Foos (68) and Siddikur Rahman (66) from Bangladesh, are another stroke back.
China’s Wenyi Ding, the joint first-round leader with Gunn Charoenkul from Thailand, is also in that group after a 69. Gunn fell back after a 71 and is six under.
Sarit Suwannarut.
Sarit, winner of the Indonesian Masters in 2022 and Volvo China Open the following year, has had a relatively quiet season. He is currently in 34th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – principally thanks to two top-12 finishes in his last two events. They have been the highlights of his season so far – the result of adjustments to his swing and equipment that appear to have got him back on track.
He said: “I have done a few things. I was just swinging my arms and not turning my body, I changed to softer shafts so I can hit a cut more easily plus I have a different putter – that’s been important and working well.”
His three on the last was the result of a giant eight iron second shot on a hole that is 576 yards.
“I think it was all about putting today,” he added.
“Even though I had two three-putts I still made a lot of birdie putts. I missed one three-footer, but other than that I made everything so it’s the putter that kept the momentum going.
“For sure, I never change my plan. If I have a chance to be aggressive, I will always be aggressive. I mean, you got to commit to the shot and then hit. A bad shot is still bad shot, so I’m going to stick to my plan.”
Sarit is one of the strongest drivers on Tour – an attribute not a necessity at Macau Golf & Country Club, where accuracy is key. However, the man nicknamed ‘Safe’ was long and straight today on his way to making an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys. Surprisingly, he three putted the 16th for a bogey from 30 feet.
Ye Wocheng.
Thirteen years ago Ye made headlines when at the age of 12 he became the youngest player to compete in the Volvo China Open.
Birdies on the last three holes, as well as three on the trot from the sixth, saw him in the spotlight today.
“I made a double on a par-five, the 13th, so to make birdies on the last three was a great comeback,” said the 24-year-old, whose English name is Aden.
“It will be good momentum going into the next two rounds. I think all the clubs are working pretty well, and especially my putting, so hopefully I can keep going.”
Ye turned professional five years ago and has been playing on both the China and Canadian Tours, winning twice on the former in 2021.
He went to Eagles Dream Golf Academy in Orlando with Bai in the late 2010s.
Bobby Bai.
Bai finished joint fourth in a Challenge Tour event in China last week and moved up the leaderboard this morning with four birdies in a row from the third.
“I got my iron shots back,” he said. “My ball striking is pretty good this week and last week as well. Tee shots are getting much better from last month, and this week my putting is going pretty well.”
Veteran Rahman, aged 40 and a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, was equally as delighted with his round – on a short course that suits his accurate play.
He said: “Overall it was a great round, especially I give credit to my short game. I’m doing great, especially with my putting, and my shots are also quite okay, I’m not complaining. Overall, it was a very good first two days.
“This is a narrow course. Honestly, I like this course because it’s not that long. It’s just a placing golf course, so I just try to stay on the fairway and hit the greens. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
Thompson made his move, helped by working with an ‘in-form’ caddie, Adrian Verroca – who was on the bag for Australian Wade Ormsby when he claimed the Jakarta International Championship, two weeks ago.
Siddikur Rahman.
“Really good to have him here,” said Thompson. “Obviously, he’s a proven from two weeks ago. He just kept me pretty level. I think we’re pretty similar in personalities. We never get to up or down. So, yeah, just helping me out. And I’m, you know, doing really well, considering it’s just been a week that we’ve met. So, yeah, happy.”
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho came in with a 69 and is four under, along with Korea’s Sungjae IM, who fired a 71. Defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand is also tied with them after a 68.
Kho found himself in one of the strangest situations on a golf course when his father, who had been following his group, stepped into to caddie for John Catlin – one of his playing partners, whose caddie was unable to carry on due to heatstroke.
China’s Haotong Li is one stroke back after a 67, while England’s Lee Westwood, winner of this event 26 years ago, bounced back with a 68 after an opening 74, but missed the cut by three.
Pictures by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
Wocheng Ye fired a second-round four-under-par 66 to edge ahead of a packed leaderboard at the SJM Macao Open today at Macau Golf & Country Club.
The Chinese golfer has the clubhouse lead in the Asian Tour event on nine-under by a shot from compatriot and former college mate Bobby Bai (67), Australians Jack Thompson (68) and Brett Rankin (66), and Siddikur Rahman (66) from Bangladesh.
First-round leaders Gunn Charoenkul from Thailand and China’s Ding Wenyi are playing in the afternoon session.
Thirteen years ago Ye made headlines when at the age of 12 he became the youngest player to compete in the Volvo China Open.
Bobby Bai.
Birdies on the last three holes, as well as three on the trot from the sixth, saw him steal the spotlight today and take the lead in an Asian Tour event for the first time in his career.
“I made a double on a par-five, the 13th, so to make birdies on the last three was a great comeback,” said the 24-year-old, whose English name is Aden.
“It will be good momentum going into the next two rounds. I think all the clubs are working pretty well, and especially my putting, so hopefully I can keep going.”
Ye turned professional five years ago and has been playing on both the China and Canadian Tours, winning twice on the former in 2021.
He went to Eagles Dream Golf Academy in Orlando with Bai in the late 2010s.
Bai finished joint fourth in a Challenge Tour event in China last week and moved up the leaderboard this morning with four birdies in a row from the third.
Siddikur Rahman.
“I got my iron shots back,” he said. “My ball striking is pretty good this week and last week as well. Tee shots are getting much better from last month, and this week my putting is going pretty well.”
Veteran Rahman, aged 40 and a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, was equally as delighted with his round – on a short course that suits his accurate play.
He said: “Overall it was a great round, especially I give credit to my short game. I’m doing great, especially with my putting, and my shots are also quite okay, I’m not complaining. Overall, it was a very good first two days.
“This is a narrow course. Honestly, I like this course because it’s not that long. It’s just a placing golf course, so I just try to stay on the fairway and hit the greens. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
Thompson made his move, helped by working with an ‘in-form’ caddie, Adrian Verroca – who was on the bag for Australian Wade Ormsby when he claimed the Jakarta International Championship, two weeks ago.
Jack Thompson.
“Really good to have him here,” said Thompson. “Obviously, he’s a proven from two weeks ago. He just kept me pretty level. I think we’re pretty similar in personalities. We never get to up or down. So, yeah, just helping me out. And I’m, you know, doing really well, considering it’s just been a week that we’ve met. So, yeah, happy.”
Pictures by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
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