Pavit and Smyth renew International Series rivalry in Morocco
June 11: Talented Thai star Pavit Tangkamolprasert (main image), who finished runner-up to Australian Travis Smyth in the International Series Japan earlier this year, reversed the position on the opening day of the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
Pavit shot a bogey-free eight-under par 65 to finish two ahead of Smyth, tied for second position alongside Younghan Song. Coincidentally, the Korean, who was bogey-free in his 67, was second in the International Series Japan last year, and is looking to win for the first time on the Asian Tour.
On the acclaimed par-73 Red Course of Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, American Andy Ogletree, one of the most successful players in The International Series with three titles, signalled a return to form with a storming finish that included an eagle-birdie finish in his five-under 68.
He was joined on that score by the in-form Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, runner-up last week on the Japan Golf Tour, Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana, Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard and American Grant Haefner, who played with rented and borrowed clubs after his bag did not turn up at the airport.
Travis Smyth of Australia. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Defending champion Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe made a determined start to his campaign with a three-under 70. Hugo Trommetter, a promising amateur, was the leading Moroccan player with a round of 73.
Among the various LIV Golf stars in the field, RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson shot a four-under 69, while Korea Golf Club’s Doyeob Mun was tied 18th with a 70.
Pavit looked good in his opening nine, the back nine of the golf course and made four birdies before the turn. He then made five pars on the trot, before scripting a superb finish of four straight birdies.
“I feel like today everything was right for me. I haven’t really played well since Namseoul (the GS Caltex Maekyung Open), where I shot a five-under on the first day, and it’s been a bit of a struggle over the last few events,” said the 37-year-old two-time winner on the Asian Tour.
“I couldn’t really putt well. I just kept grinding, kept my chin up, and reminded myself that this is The International Series. It’s a big opportunity. So yeah, today everything just came together. On a course like this, with tricky greens and tough pin positions, you need to be in the right spots to have birdie chances, and I hit my irons really well.”
Younghan Song of South Korea. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Smyth has won twice this year – The International Series Japan and back home on the PGA Tour of Australasia – and spent a couple of fruitful weeks on LIV Golf deputising for the injured Paul Casey in Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC.
“First of all, I just love this golf course. It’s a place where I feel I can play well, so I arrive with good vibes straight away,” said the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader.
“I love the challenge of having to shape the ball both ways and hit different trajectories. I enjoy moving the ball around and visualising different shots, and this course really suits that style of play. With the tree-lined fairways, it forces you to be creative, which I enjoy.
“I think winning in Japan earlier this year took a huge weight off my shoulders. Before that, I would come into International Series events knowing how important they were and probably put a bit too much pressure on myself.
“I’d be trying harder, maybe not sleeping as well, and feeling a little more stressed. Since that win, and then going on to play well in Singapore and having some great experiences with Crushers GC in LIV Golf, I’ve felt much more relaxed. I feel like I’ve proven to myself that I can get the job done.”
Andy Ogletree of the USA. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Ogletree, the 2023 Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Ranking winner opened with a 68. Winner of the International Series events in England and Qatar in the 2023 season, started from the 10th tee and was one-under after 13 holes. The 28-year-old then birdied the fifth, eagled the eighth, and closed with another birdie on the par-three ninth hole.
“It was a good day. I did a really good job of staying patient. The golf course was definitely gettable this morning, but it’s still a very difficult course,” said Ogletree.
“When we got to my final two holes, my caddie actually said, ‘Let’s finish eagle-birdie here, keep your head up’.
“On the eighth, I hit it down the fairway but just into the right rough. I had a good lie, though, and managed to get it onto the green. Then I rolled in about a 50- or 60-footer for eagle. On the ninth, I hit another good shot and made birdie. Maybe, my caddie needs to start calling the shots a little earlier.”
The International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco is the third leg of the ‘elevated’ events on the Asian Tour and is being played in Morocco for the fourth time.
June 11: American Andy Ogletree (main image), one of the most successful players in The International Series with three titles, signalled a return to form with a storming finish that included an eagle-birdie finish in the opening round of the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco on Thursday.
On the acclaimed par-73 Red Course of Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, the 2023 Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Ranking winner opened with a five-under-par 68 and joined Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana at the top of the leaderboard midway through the opening round.
Although the wind kept away from the golf course for much of the morning session, the Red Course proved a tough nut to crack. Germany’s Marc Hammer, who made a double bogey on his final hole, Chinese Taipei’s Chien-yao Hung and Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit were tied third in the clubhouse at 69, with Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma, Thai Itthipat Buranatanyarat and Singapore’s James Leow one shot further adrift at 70.
Among those tied on 71 were Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan, Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, American John Catlin, the in-form South African Ian Snyman, and the evergreen Australian Matt Jones.
Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Ogletree, who won The International Series events in England and Qatar in the 2023 season, started from the 10th tee and made an early bogey on the 11th. By the time he finished 13 holes, he had racked up another bogey, but three birdies helped him rise to one-under par.
The 28-year-old, who was part of Phil Mickelson’s Hy Flyers GC in the 2024 LIV Golf season, then birdied the fifth, eagled the eighth, and closed with another birdie on the par-three ninth hole.
“It was a good day. I did a really good job of staying patient. The golf course was definitely gettable this morning, but it’s still a very difficult course,” said Ogletree.
“When we got to my final two holes, my caddie actually said, ‘Let’s finish eagle-birdie here, keep your head up’.
“On the eighth, I hit it down the fairway but just into the right rough. I had a good lie, though, and managed to get it onto the green. Then I rolled in about a 50- or 60-footer for eagle. On the ninth, I hit another good shot and made birdie. Maybe, my caddie needs to start calling the shots a little earlier.”
After a tough 2025 season, Ogletree said he was happy with the way his form is trending this year.
“Overall, I’m happy with where my game is and the direction my form is trending. I controlled what I could control, and stayed positive throughout the day,” he added.
“Golf is hard, but I don’t feel like I made any major unforced errors out there. This is a golf course where you can get down on yourself pretty quickly if things aren’t going your way, and I didn’t do that today. I will try to keep that same mindset going into tomorrow.”
Marc Hammer of Germany. Picture by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
The highlight of Sadom’s round was a tap-in eagle on the par-4 17th hole, which was his eighth. It actually had the potential of becoming something even more special, but an albatross was denied after his tee shot on the 287-yard hole hit the flagstick and left him with a two-footer clean-up job.
“I hit a really good drive…a high fade that landed about five or six yards short of the pin. The ball then rolled forward and hit the flagstick, leaving me with a tap-in eagle from about two feet. It was definitely the shot of the day for me,” said the 27-year-old from Bangkok, a multiple champion on the Asian Tour, but searching for his maiden International Series title.
“Everything was really good today, especially my iron play. I think I only missed one or two greens all day, which gave me a lot of birdie opportunities. Overall, everything felt very solid.”
Playing his first full season on the Asian Tour, 27-year-old Hammer was rightly disappointed with the closing double bogey after all the hard work of navigating the previous 17 holes with six birdies.
“Unfortunately, I finished with a nice little double at the end. But overall, the game felt really good. Actually, it’s been feeling good over the last couple of weeks as well. My long game is pretty much on point, which I feel, you need around this course,” said Hammer.
“I hit it well off the tee, hit a lot of good approach shots, gave myself plenty of chances, and holed a couple of putts. So overall, it was solid.
“It’s nice on the Asian Tour. It’s definitely different from playing in Europe, mainly in terms of the courses, but I really enjoy it. I like the travel, I like the culture, and the courses are very good as well, especially on the International Series, the setups are excellent. I’m really enjoying it.”
The International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco is the third leg of the elevated events on the Asian Tour and is being played in Morocco for the fourth time.
The International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco returns this week with all three past champions competing – adding a compelling storyline to what is the fourth edition of the event.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, winner of the inaugural edition in 2022, Ben Campbell from New Zealand, who triumphed in 2024, and the defending champion Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, have all made the trip aiming to become the first to claim the title for a second time.
The event tees-off on Thursday on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, which has hosted all three tournaments, and is the third stop of the season on The International Series and ninth on the Asian Tour.
It is a place that holds particularly special memories for Jazz as his victory here was his first in three years on the Asian Tour, while it remains his only success on The International Series.
“It feels great,” said Jazz. “Coming back to a venue where you’ve won before is always special. It’s a really good tournament, honestly one of the best set-up events of the year, and I’d say this is one of my top three golf courses on The International Series schedule. It’s always nice to come back here and play.”
Jazz Janewattananond after winning in 2022.
The 30-year-old is a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour but has not tasted further success since his win here. He has been knocking on the door though, including at the Singapore Open this year – where he tied for third.
He said: “Singapore was a really good confidence boost. It could have gone my way, and of course it could have been a little better, but overall it showed me that my level is getting better and better again. I just need to keep doing the right things and hopefully I can get over the line soon.”
He faces a formidable field this week, that includes Spain’s Sergio Garcia, American Bubba Watson and Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Travis Smyth from Australia, but welcomes the challenge.
“There are so many great players here that you’re not thinking, ‘I absolutely need to win this week,’” he said. “For me, it’s more about coming here, playing good golf, and hopefully playing well enough to improve my ranking and build momentum again.”
Campbell’s return carries added significance. It was his victory here that first put him on the radar of LIV Golf’s RangeGoats GC, whose captain Watson eventually asked him to join.
“Bubba has asked me about the course and the event a few times before we arrived,” said Campbell [main picture in 2024]. “It’s great to have him here this week, not only for the tournament, but for Moroccan golf and The International Series in general.
“That’s one of the really cool things about The International Series and LIV Golf, getting more LIV players involved in these events. The more top names that come out and play, the more everyone benefits in terms of experience and exposure.
Scott Vincent following his success last year.
“I’m sure a lot of the players here will learn a lot from playing alongside Bubba, and it’s also great having Sergio here this week and a number of other top players. It’s really exciting for the event overall.”
Campbell goes out with Smyth and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer at 12.25pm local time; Jazz will play with Japan’s Yosuke Asaji and Korean Byeonghun An at 12.55pm; while Vincent is with Garcia and Australian Elvis Smylie at 12.45pm.
The International Series is the upper echelon of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
Overview
The International Series returns to Morocco for its fourth edition this week – gaining fresh momentum with Visit Morocco on board as presenting partner for the first time.
The new partnership with Visit Morocco is through the Moroccan National Tourism Office and aligns with their objective of positioning elite sport with tourism promotion and highlighting Morocco as a premier golf travel hub in the region and beyond.
The tournament has made phenomenal progress since its launch in 2022, when Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond [main picture] triumphed.
This has been made possible by the fantastic support from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association – both chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid – reflecting a shared vision to grow the game in the North African nation.
Last year a commitment was made to continue with the event for another two years – an indication of its value and importance.
Sergio Garcia.
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course)
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam translates to “House of Peace” in Arabic – something that is completely fitting.
Its famous Red Course is a firm favourite among players, and was voted the Asian Tour Players’ Choice Course of the Year last year.
The club is the brainchild of the late King Hassan II who wanted a world-class 36-hole golf club in the country’s capital, Rabat. It was built on a 440-acre site on a sandy, tree-lined property with rolling contours in the heart of a cork oak forest.
The club now boasts 45 holes spread over three courses: the Red, Blue and Green.
All three were designed by Robert Trent Jones and his long-time European-based associate, Cabell Robinson. The club opened in 1971.
The Red Course has been the permanent home of the Trophée Hassan II since it opened. The event, now part of the PGA Tour Champions, was won by 10-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend last month.
Travis Smyth.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco
- Date: 11 – 14 June
- Venue: Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), Rabat
- Par/Yards: 73/7,630 yards
- Purse: US$2million
- Asian Tour leg: Ninth
- International Series Leg: Third
- Edition of tournament: Fourth
- Previous winner: Scott Vincent (ZIM)
- Previous winning score: 278 (-14)
- Total number of players: 156
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 plus ties.
The Red Course.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Andy Ogletree (2023), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Anirban Lahiri (2015)
- Nationalities: 32
- Top contenders: Sergio Garcia (ESP), Charlie Lindh (SWE), Ian Snyman (RSA), Travis Smyth (AUS), Bubba Watson (USA), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Elvis Smylie (AUS), Abraham Ancer (MEX)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Elvis Smylie (AUS) #114
- Highest ranked player on the Order of Merit: Travis Smyth (AUS) #1
- Highest ranked player on the International Series Rankings: Travis Smyth (AUS) #2
- No. of amateurs in the field: 5
- No. of Moroccan players in the field: 7
Tournament Notes
- Spain’s Sergio Garcia has been one of the best players in the world since his breakout performance in the 1999 PGA Championship when he finished second to Tiger Woods. He has 38 global victories, including the Masters Tournament in 2017 and the 2008 Players Championship. Five of his wins have come in Asian Tour events, the latest being the 2018 SMBC Singapore Open. Currently the captain of the Fireballs GC on the LIV Golf League, where he was fourth last week at the Andalucia event.
- Charlie Lindh from Sweden is coming into this week in top form, having just posted his first Asian Tour win last week at the am green IGPL Bharath Classic with a brilliant eagle on the 72nd. Two weeks before that he finished solo-second at the KOLON Korea Open. He also had a T6 at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort in the beginning of March and sits in third place on the Order of Merit.
- South African Ian Snyman has also been in great form lately, recording his first Asian Tour win at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last month and a T10 in the KOLON Korea Open three weeks ago. He also finished T3 at the notoriously difficult Namseoul Country Club at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open the week prior to his win in Chinese Taipei. He also posted a T5 at the season opening Philippine Golf Championship. Currently fourth on the Order of Merit
- Travis Smyth from Australia currently leads the Order of Merit after a win at the International Series Japan, a third-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a solo-fifth at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort. On the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia he earlier in the year won the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship to wrap up the 2025/26 Order of Merit crown on that tour after that victory and two other top-fives. The Order of Merit title secured Smyth a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale in July. He has also played the last two events on the LIV Golf League and he recorded an impressive T8 at LIV Golf Korea.
- American Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion, in 2012 and 2014, is currently playing on the LIV Golf League as captain of the Range Goats GC. This year has not been what he has hoped for, but he did finish ninth at last week’s Andalucia event. During the 2025 LIV Golf season he had a runner-up and three other top-10’s as his best results.
- Fellow LIV Golf player Abraham Ancer from Mexico, playing for Torque GC, is having a better season with a third-place finish last week in Andalucia, a T3 in South Africa and a T4 in Riyadh. He has one LIV Golf win on his resume, the 2024 Hong Kong event. He has one victory on the Asian Tour, the 2023 PIF Saudi International, and he also won the 2021 WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational on the PGA Tour.
- Defending champion Scott Vincent is back on the LIV Golf League this season after topping The International Series Rankings in 2025, and playing as a wild card he has been in good form. Currently 17th in the standings after three top-10’s and four other top-20’s, the best result being a fourth-place finish at the Mexico City event. This will be Vincent’s first Asian Tour appearance this year.
- Young Australian Elvis Smylie is the highest ranked player on the OWGR this week at number 114, and he got off to a flying start to his LIV Golf career when he won the Riyadh event in early February and finished T8 four weeks later in Hong Kong. Prior to joining Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC squad he had one victory on the DP World Tour, the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship.
Pictures By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
June 7: Sweden’s Charlie Lindh, second in his last outing at the Kolon Korea Open, once again showed the importance of seizing the momentum in golf when he secured his maiden title on the Asian Tour by winning the US$500,000 am green IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco.
It was a grandstand finish for the 28-year-old, who eagled the last hole to win by four shots at 18-under par total, having started the day three behind the overnight leader, Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech. The eight-under par 64 was also the best round of the tournament.
Settee could only muster a 71 on the day when it mattered most and fell to a tie for second place at 14-under with tall American Charles Porter (66).
Porter had reached 16-under after 17 holes and was tied with Lindh playing the last, but he pushed his second shot into the beach and proceeded to make a disappointing double bogey.
Charlie Lindh of Sweden. Picture courtesy: FRMG
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut shot a 66 and jumped to tied fourth place alongside England’s Sam Broadhurst (68). American Marcus Plunkett also shot a 66 to move to tied sixth place at 12-under where he was joined by the Thai duo of Poom Saksansin (69) and Runchanapong Youprayong (70).
The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), and Karandeep Kochhar (68) was the organisation’s top performer at tied ninth. Ayoub Lguirati (69) was the leading Moroccan star, finishing tied 13th at nine-under.
The winning cheque of US$90,000 takes him to third place in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and will boost his motivation ahead of next week’s US$2 million International Series Morocco.
“It feels good…feels really good. Feels like I’m still focused, but when everything settles a little bit, I will realise what I have done today. I have been playing good coming into this week, and I have been very, very excited to play golf the last couple of months, because the game has been feeling better. And thankfully, I got some good results today,” said Lindh, whose win came a day after the Swedish National Day and with his childhood friend Isac Bondesson on his bag.
On the 18th, Lindh reached the edge of the green in two shots, and then putted from the fringe some 20 feet from the pin for the eagle.
Charles Porter of the USA. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
On Saturday after his round, Lindh said he wanted to be aggressive and make some early birdies.
“I was firing at every pin from the start, almost birdied the first and second, but got it on three and five. I just kept firing on pins, and I made a good long putt on hole number six,” said Lindh, who hails from a tiny village of less than 600 people near the southern Swedish city of Kristianstad.
“When I made the birdie on the sixth, I thought to myself, ‘all right, I got one shot to play with, and until I drop that shot, I can fire at everything’.”
Settee seemed out of sorts in the first few holes and made three bogeys in his first eight holes. He then turned it around with four birdies in the next 10 holes.
Settee Prakongvech of Thailand. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.
“It was just a bad start and maybe some unlucky shots, but I could come back from that. I thought I did not hit my tee shots as good as yesterday, but I also missed some short putts,” said the 31-year-old from Bangkok.
“I am ok with tied second, though. I missed five cuts in a row before this tournament, so finishing second is a good week.”
It was a disappointing end for Porter, who made the cut in stunning fashion on Friday by making four birdies in his last five holes. He then shot a 65 on Saturday to move up the leaderboard. He made seven birdies, an eagle and a bogey in his first 16 holes, before the disaster on the 18th hole.
The Asian Tour moves 180 kilometers north to the capital city of Rabat for the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
June 6: Settee Prakongvech (main picture) did enough hard work in the middle of his round to overcome a dry opening and closing stretch of holes and open a three-shot lead going into the final day of the US$500,000 am green IGPL Bharath Classic.
The 31-year-old from Bangkok, who is searching for his first title on the Asian Tour since turning pro in 2014, made three birdies in a row from the fifth hole onwards, and then added one more on the 12th for a four-under par 68 that elevated him to solo lead at 13-under.
Overnight joint leader Runchanapong Youprayong (71) slipped after a late double bogey to tied second place at 10-under alongside Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (67). Both players are also looking for their maiden win on the Asian Tour.
England’s Sam Broadhurst, son of Paul Broadhurst, winner of six DP World Tour titles in over 500 appearances, matched the lowest round of the day – a seven-under 65 – to climb to tied fourth place with Thailand’s Poom Saksansin (67) at nine-under.
The tournament is co-sanctioned with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), with Karandeep Kochhar (70) leading the charge for its members in tied 10th place. Ayoub Lguirati added a 70 to remain the top Moroccan player, tied 16th at six-under par.
Runchanapong Youprayong of Thailand. Picture courtesy: Storyline/IGPL.
Settee made just one birdie in the four par-five holes and started his birdie run on the par-three fifth with what he called one of his best shots of the day. A strong headwind was blowing but he held a four-iron against it to four feet.
The Thai star felt the fact that he birdied only one of the four par-fives on the golf course was a missed opportunity to open an even larger lead at the top.
“I missed like a five-foot putt on the third and then again on the 18th. Both are par-five holes,” said the winner of the Blue Canyon Open on the Asian Development Tour in 2022.
“Everything felt the same as yesterday. I hit my tee shots very well, and hit my approach shots good, but I missed some short putts. It’s okay…the game is still in good shape.”
On Swedish National Day, Lindh decided to celebrate early on the golf course. His plan for the round was to come out swinging and make a few birdies early, and he did just that with two in the first three holes.
Lindh, a three-time champion on the Nordic Golf League, dropped shots on the 10th and 12th holes, but seven birdies lifted him into contention.
Charlie Lindh of Sweden. Picture courtesy: Korea Golf Association.
“It was a really good start to the day. We said when we came out that we need to be ready from the first hole to make birdies. Because the wind was very calm compared to yesterday, and we were a couple under right from the start, so yeah, that was good,” said Lindh, who continued his good form from the Kolon Korea Open, where he had finished second.
“I still played good despite the dropped shots. I had a lot of chances coming in, it was just that the putts dropped on the front nine, but got a couple back on the last few holes.”
Runchanapong started with a bogey, but three birdies pulled him back to -2 for the round and in touch with Settee. However, a double on the par-5 14th ruined his card for the day.
“It was pretty slow, got off to a bogey start, but managed to make a birdie on hole three. I felt like today I didn’t hole a lot of putts and made some poor shots, I think I’m in a pretty good spot for tomorrow’s final round,” said the 26-year-old.
“I’m just going to keep playing the way I played for the past couple of weeks, and hopefully, some putts will drop tomorrow. Just trying to stay in the present.”
Sam Broadhurst of England. Picture by Jason Butler/Asian Tour.
On his 65, Broadhurst said: “I played solid, hit the ball well off tee to green, and holed a couple of putts, which didn’t happen yesterday, so that was the main difference.
“They pushed a couple of the par-three tees up, which made it a lot easier, and the wind was a lot calmer compared to the last couple of days.”
American Charles Porter (65) matched the lowest round of the day and moved to tied sixth place at eight-under alongside compatriot MJ Maguire (69), England’s Steve Lewton (68) and South Africa’s Ian Snyman (69), who is looking for his second win on the Tour in his last three starts.
The tournament, which forms part of the Asian Tour’s three-week visit to Morocco, is co-sanctioned by IGPL. After back-to-back tournaments at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, built on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the Asian Tour will move to Rabat next week for the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
June 5: Settee Prakongvech (main picture) and Runchanapong Youprayong opened up a three-shot lead in the US$500,000 am green IGPL Bharath Classic as they made it an all-Thailand affair at the top of the leaderboard after Friday’s second round.
Settee, playing in the morning session, handled the tricky windy conditions at the oceanside Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort course brilliantly in making a bogey-free seven-under par 65. That took him to nine-under par total at the halfway stage, where he was joined by overnight leader Runchanapong, who survived a double bogey-bogey stretch in his round of 70.
Another Thai player, Ekpharit Wu, winner of the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last year, showed his love for windy golf courses once again, shooting a 67 to move into a tie for third place at six-under par alongside Austrian Niklas Regner (72).
Karandeep Kochhar (73) was the best-placed player from the tournament’s co-sanctioning partners Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), tied for fifth place at five-under. He was joined there by Indian teenager Kartik Singh (69), Philippines’ Lloyd Jefferson Go (71), American MJ Maguire (70), Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (70), South African Ian Snyman (72) and New Zealand’s Nick Voke (72).
Runchanapong Youprayong of Thailand. Picture courtesy: Storyline/IGPL.
Ayoub Lguirati was the top Moroccan player after a solid round of 67 lifted him to tied 12th place at four-under par.
Settee came into the tournament having missed cuts in each of his last five starts. But on a difficult scoring day that tested the Asian Tour field, he found his touch.
While some of the players spoke about the two-to-three club wind as the day progressed, the 31-year-old seemed to be playing in a bubble of his own. He made four birdies on the front nine, and as the wind picked up further, he added three more on the back nine. That included a birdie on the long par-4 fourth hole that Settee said “felt like an eagle”.
“I think that I am a better player in the wind because I hit it low. So, it’s not affecting my ball flight too much,” said the 31-year-old, who is yet to win on the Asian Tour.
“I just started to play better. Everything came together. I hit a lot of fairways and hit some good approach shots. And, I was lucky to have made some putts. They weren’t easy putts, but I just tried my best and made them.”
Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Picture courtesy: Storyline/IGPL.
Runchanapong started his round from the 10th tee with a birdie when he slotted home a 20-footer birdie putt. That lifted his mood immediately and he kept playing solid golf to make four more birdies. However, his score was impacted by a double bogey on the par-4 fourth hole (his 13th).
“My front nine was good. The birdie on the 10th hole kind of got things going. It was blowing out there for sure. But on the back nine, we had to wait a little bit on the fourth and that kind of tightened my back a little bit. Just made a bad swing there. But overall, I was very solid and I am happy how I handled myself throughout the adversity out there,” said the 26-year-old, looking for his first Asian Tour win.
“I hit it left off the tee and made a double. It happened to me last week as well (playing an ADT event at the same course where he finished third). I made a seven back then. Luckily, I made a six today, so that was good.”
Ekpharit started from the 10th tee and made just one bogey – on the par-four sixth hole late in his round. But he more than made up for that with a birdie on his closing hole, the ninth.
“Today was very good. I can handle these conditions, so I’m happy for that,” said Ekpharit. “I felt like I had more power, more energy, today. I think it’s because I take a lot of rest.
“I have this one thing… like I trust the wind to be a friend before going out to play on courses like this. That is very helpful.
“That birdie on the ninth was probably my best of the day. I made a long putt, about 20 feet, and I’m very happy about that one.”
Regner, winner of an ADT event in the African continent last year, made four birdies, but lost that advantage with four bogeys.
“It wasn’t as good as yesterday. I would say even the wind was not picking up as much as yesterday in the first few holes, but it was quite strong in the last few holes. The pins were also a little bit more tucked on the greens, so yeah, overall, I’m happy with minus six after two rounds,” he added.
Karandeep Kochhar of India. Picture courtesy: Storyline/IGPL.
Kochhar, who also won an ADT event in Egypt last year to regain his card on the Asian Tour, was disappointed with two late birdies on the fourth and ninth holes.
“I got a little unlucky on the last. Just had a small putt of four-odd feet. I thought I hit a good putt, but it just went the other way. Definitely, don’t want to finish with a three-putt on the last, but I still think I played really well today. May be, missed two small putts coming in,” said Kochhar, who sank a long 30-footer putt for birdie on the 17th hole.
“Would have loved to have those two short putts back, but other than that, I’m not too concerned. The putting actually has been very good because I’ve worked on it a lot over the weekend.”
The tournament, which forms part of the Asian Tour’s three-week visit to Morocco, is co-sanctioned by IGPL. After back-to-back tournaments at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, built on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the Asian Tour will move to Rabat next week for the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
June 5: Settee Prakongvech (main picture) came to the US$500,000 am green IGPL Bharath Classic having missed cuts in each of his last five starts. But on a windy day that tested the Asian Tour field at the oceanside Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, the Thai player found himself on top of the leaderboard following a sublime seven-under-par 65 round on Friday.
Settee shot the best round of the morning tee times, and added to his 70 in the opening round Thursday, he moved to nine-under total at the halfway stage.
Compatriot Ekpharit Wu, winner of the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last year, showed his love for windy golf courses once again, shooting a 67 and tying for second place in the clubhouse alongside Austrian Niklas Regner (72) at six-under.
Indian teenager Kartik Singh (69) moved up to five-under total alongside Karandeep Kochhar (73), who was the best-placed player from the co-sanctioning partners Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), Philippines’ Lloyd Jefferson Go (71) and American MJ Maguire (70).
Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Overnight leader Runchanapong Youprayong was among the players playing in the afternoon session.
While some of the players spoke about the two-to-three club wind as the day progressed, Settee seemed to be playing in a bubble of his own. He made four birdies on the front nine, and as the wind picked up further, he added three more on the back nine. That included a birdie on the long par-4 fourth hole that Settee said “felt like an eagle”.
“I think that I am a better player in the wind because I hit it low. So, it’s not affecting my ball flight too much,” said the 31-year-old, who is yet to win on the Asian Tour.
“I just started to play better. Everything came together. I hit a lot of fairways and hit some good approach shots. And, I was lucky to have made some putts. They weren’t easy putts, but I just tried my best and made them.”
Ekpharit started from the 10th tee and made just one bogey – on the par-four sixth hole late in his round. But he more than made up for that with a birdie on his closing hole, the ninth.
“Today overall was very good for me, because I can handle these conditions, so I’m happy for that,” said Ekpharit. “I felt like I had more power, more energy, today. I think it’s because I take a lot of rest.
“I have this one thing… like I trust the wind to be a friend before going out to play on courses like this. That is very helpful.
“And yes, that birdie on the ninth was probably my best of the day. I made a long putt, about 20 feet, and I’m very happy about that one.”
Karandeep Kochhar of India. Picture by Chris Symes/Photosport.
Regner, winner of an ADT event in the African continent last year, made four birdies, but lost that advantage with four bogeys.
“It wasn’t as good as yesterday. I would say even the wind was not picking up as much as yesterday in the first few holes, but it was quite strong in the last few holes. The pins were also a little bit more tucked on the greens, so yeah, overall, I’m happy with minus six after two rounds,” he added.
Kochhar, who also won an ADT event in Egypt last year to regain his card on the Asian Tour, was disappointed with two late birdies on the fourth and ninth holes.
“I got a little unlucky on the last. Just had a small putt of four-odd feet. I thought I hit a good putt, but it just went the other way. Definitely, don’t want to finish with a three-putt on the last, but I still think I played really well today. May be, missed two small putts coming in,” said Kochhar, who sank a long 30-footer putt for birdie on the 17th hole.
“Would have loved to have those two short putts back, but other than that, I’m not too concerned. The putting actually has been very good because I’ve worked on it a lot over the weekend on it.”
The tournament, which forms part of the Asian Tour’s three-week visit to Morocco, is co-sanctioned by IGPL. After back-to-back tournaments at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, built on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the Asian Tour will move to Rabat next week for the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
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