Catlin cruises into striking distance at IRS Prima Malaysian Open
John Catlin did what he does best today play his best golf in Asia after he fired his second successive six-under-par 65 in the US$1 million IRS Prima Malaysian Open.
The American made light work of the golf course at The Mines Resort and Golf Club going bogey free and nailing six birdies.
He is in second place after the morning flights came in on day two, here in Kuala Lumpur.
Australian Kevin Yuan has the clubhouse lead on 13-under following a 64, one ahead of Catlin.
After a poor season by Catlin’s high standards last year on the DP World Tour – he finished 151st on their rankings – today’s round was an encouraging performance by a player who first made his name on the Asian Tour.
John Catlin. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
He said: “Nice to go bogey free, just had one bogey yesterday. It is always nice when you can keep bogeys off the scorecard. Made a 12-footer on the last to stay bogey free. It felt nice. I am just glad all the work that I am putting in is starting to pay off and I am starting to play better golf, starting to get back in the mix.”
The 33 year old from California won three-times on the Asian Tour in 2018, when he was voted the Player’s Player of the Year, and also triumphed once the following season. That success came off the back of two Asian Development Tour (ADT) victories.
He chose to play mainly in Europe soon after, and once again he was on the victory trail securing two titles there in 2020, back-to-back, and another in 2021.
He was the one of the game’s most in-form players, expected to keep on topping up his trophy cabinet.
However, 2022 in Europe also did not go well for him as he ended 90th on the rankings, and not being able to play the required quota of events on the Asian Tour last year meant he had to return to the Qualifying School last month in Hua Hin, Thailand.
As expected, he comfortably claimed his card finishing 19th – helped by the fact that Hua Hin is his second home as he rents a place there, just down the road from Springfield Royal Country Club, venue for the final round of the Qualifying School.
And now on the shoulder of the leader in the Asian Tour’s season-opening event, John Catlin’s name on the leaderboard is turning more than a few heads.
“Despite a difficult few years, I have kept very positive. I have learned a lot from that. I don’t think anyone goes through golf without ups and downs. It is not a linear curve to the top. It’s peaks and valleys but I feel stronger now than I did before,” he added.
John Catlin. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
“Me and my coach have been putting in hard work on my swing just to try to continue to get better. That’s kind of what we have done for 10 years now.”
This week’s event is also part of The Open Qualifying Series, meaning the top three finishers not otherwise exempt, make it through to the game’s oldest Major at Royal Troon Golf Club in July.
Catlin has already played in the event twice, missing the cut in 2021 and 2022, and would dearly love to have another crack at it by capitalising on his love of Asia this week.
He said: “I feel very comfortable out here. Four wins and a lot of good finishes. I lived here for five years. I feel comfortable on this grass, I am pretty good at reading grain, And I think that’s a big part of it out here.”
So, could this be the week the Catlin-gun breaks back into the winners’ circle again? He looks hungry for it, with a number of factors working in his favour.
Malaysia has been good to him as he won the Sarawak Championship in 2018 on the Asian Tour and the 2017 EurAsia Perak Championship on the ADT; he has a liking for National Opens, as he claimed the Thailand Open in 2019, also on the Asian Tour; and he is doing what he loves to do the most, playing golf on the fairways of the Far East.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Indian Veer Ahlawat shot sparkling nine-under-par 62s to take the first-round lead in the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open today – both crediting the much-needed off-season downtime for their strong showings.
Canadian Richard T. Lee fired a 63, while Malaysians Gavin Green and Khavish Varadan shot 64s at The Mines Resort and Golf Club, in the Asian Tour’s first event of the year.
“Really good start to the week and the year as well. A good long break seems to have done me some good. I got a lot of rest and played some golf,” said seven-time Asian Tour winner Jazz.
“I went to Korea to work with new coaches, BFG Korea – that’s a golf school. It did me a lot of good. Head coach there is Si Woo Lee. I have just been working on my balance, getting my balance back. I was with them for three weeks.”
The 28-year-old is also determined to right the wrongs of the past few years when his game failed to fire far too often.
Veer Ahlawat. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
He added: “I just want to be playing well this year. I don’t want a repeat of last year or the year before. I just want to be teeing up and feeling confident. I want to be in contention, I don’t like fighting to make the cuts, and I don’t like being left behind, and not playing for anything. To be on the golf course is good, but I would rather be on the golf course playing well. That’s my goal.”
He made seven birdies today and putted from off the edge of the green on 11 for an eagle.
Ahlawat, still looking for first Asian Tour win, dropped his only shot of the day on 18.
He said: “Really solid round, I drove the ball well and hit some really good second shots. Hitting them to seven, eight feet and holing them. Just dropped that shot on 18, where I got the wind direction wrong.”
He played his first full season on the Asian Tour in 2022, when he finished equal fifth in the Singapore Open – which remains his best result to date.
“My game has been feeling very good, just like my putting has been very good,” he said.
“I really worked on my body during the break. I tried to gain some yardage and I think I did gain a little bit but not much to be honest. My goal is to finally get a win this year and then have a lot of top 10s!”
As preferred lies were being played their 62s could not count as official course records, meaning American Tiger Woods’ 63 at the World Cup of Golf in 1999 is still the mark the beat.
Green, the Asian Tour number one in 2017, was bogey-free, with an eagle and five birdies.
“Not many big mistakes, I gave myself a lot of chances. I hit it good enough,” he said.
“I missed a couple of putts but the main thing is it is consistent. It is something that I am looking for and it’s something that is on path that me and my coach are working on.
“Other than that, we gave ourselves a lot of looks. Hit a lot of greens and made a nice eagle on 17th.”
Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po returned a 65 along with Australian Kevin Yuan, England’s Steve Lewton, Filipino Justin Quiban, Korean Lion Park, John Catlin from the United States and Thai Danthai Boonma.
Gavin Green. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
American Trevor Simsby, who won this event when it was last played in 2020 just before the global pandemic stopped play on the Tour, fired a 71.
Australian Wade Ormsby, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour, came in with a 69, thanks to a hole-in-one on the par-three 165-yard second hole. He used a seven iron but sadly no prize is on offer there, unlike the par-three 16th – where an ace will earn you a Titoni Master Series luxury watch.
The week marks the 55th staging of Malaysia’s National Open.
The event is part of The Open Qualifying Series and will see the leading three players, not otherwise exempt, qualify for The Open at Royal Troon Golf Club July 18-21.
It looks like Khavish Varadan’s decision to return to Malaysia having lived in the United States for nearly nine years was the right choice to make.
The highly regarded Malaysian shot a fine seven-under-par 64 today in the first-round of the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open at The Mine Resort and Golf Club to sit in joint fourth position.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Indian Veer Ahlawat have the lead after shooting sizzling 62s – in the first event of the season on the Asian Tour.
Varadan, the joint leading Malaysian along with his decorated compatriot Gavin Green, only turned professional at the Asian Tour Qualifying School last month, having opted not to complete the final year of his degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“I am actually really enjoying being a professional as I like to do things on my own,” said Varadan, who was unable to secure a card at qualifying school and will focus on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and Malaysia’s local circuit.
Khavish Varadan. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
He bogeyed the first hole today but recovered with four birdies in a row from the third, and another on nine. Later, he made four birdies on the second nine and one bogey.
Said the 23-year-old: “I bogeyed the first today but better to bogey the first on the first day than the last on the last day.
“The first day you must always put yourself into position, but I am normally not that good on the first days, and I am always catching up the last couple of days. The goal is to keep myself in position and that’s what I did.”
His golfing career State side was hampered by a damaged nerve in his neck which lasted three years and forced him to sit out six months in 2022.
“I think things are now slowly coming together,” he said.
“I hit the ball really well at Q School, but I have been struggling with my putter as it’s taking time to adapt to the greens in Asia.”
This week’s event is part of The Open Qualifying Series meaning the leading three, not otherwise exempt, will earn a place in this summer’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Being able to play in a Major is one of the goals he has set himself in his rookie year, but it’s not just a top-three finish he is eyeing.
He said: “The thing is I have really high expectations of myself, I would love to tee up in a Major this year. But I am trying to win this week, my goal is to win every time I tee it up whether it is the Masters, or a local event.”
Fortunately the confident young golfer is also able to draw on the experience of Iain Steel – a close friend and formerly one of Malaysia’s top golfers, who played on the Asian Tour, and won two ADT events.
Explained Varadan: “Iain said ‘the ball is not going to listen to you, just take your opportunities over there when you can, and you will do well’, he has been a really big help.”
Teeing off in the first group out today he is clearly wasting no time in heeding Steel’s advice.
To quote the Rolling Stones, Gaganjeet Bhullar Can’t Get No Satisfaction.
Winner of 11 titles, which makes him the third most successful player in the history of the Asian Tour, the 35-year-old Indian has now set his sights firmly on winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
His craving to become the sixth Indian player to end the year as number one just got more intense after a fantastic 2023, in which the Chandigarh-based professional finished third behind Andy Ogletree and Miguel Tabuena.
It would only be a natural progression for Bhullar, who finished number six in 2009, improved to fifth place in 2012 and 2013, then bettered it to a fourth place in 2018, before the third-place last year.
As he starts a new season at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open this week, Bhullar revealed some of the goals he has set for himself in 2024.
“It’s absolutely a top goal for me,” said Bhullar, winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE last year, following which he also won the season-ending TATA Steel Tour Championship on the domestic Indian Tour. “So many of my friends have done that, and I am very eager to join that club.
Gaganjeet Bhullar of India pictured with the winner’s trophy on Sunday, November 19, 2023, after the BNI Indonesia Masters, presented by TNE at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club, Jakarta, Indonesia. The Asian Tour event has a prize fund of US$ 1.5 million and is being held from November 16-19, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“When I won in Indonesia, the field was stacked as it was an International Series event. I played with Patrick Reed, who is a major champion, on Saturday. Winning that tournament has given me a different outlook. I personally feel that I’m ready to step up the game and I’m ready to go for the Order of Merit.”
A by-product of that, even though it involves him doing well on The International Series Order of Merit, would be his other goal of making it to LIV Golf in 2025. The number one player on International Series is guaranteed a spot in the LIV Golf League.
“Ever since I turned pro 17 years ago, I have always made goals for the year. These days, you must be very specific. It’s like you need to know exactly which flight are you taking? Which hotel are you staying in? How do you get there? If you have planned before, things become a lot easier,” said Bhullar, who made it to the final stage of the LIV Promotions event last year, but faltered on the final day.
“We all are very aware of the situation golf is in. The lack of world ranking points on the Asian Tour, and other Tours, is shocking. I won the PGTI Tour Championship, and I got just 1.4 points for it, whereas it used to be seven points in previous years. The Asian Tour has decided to go the Saudi way, the LIV way. So, making it to LIV Golf is another big goal. I keep watching my friend Anirban (Lahiri) playing with all these top stars, and to be able to play with guys like Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka really inspires me.”
Bhullar, one of the straightest hitters of the golf ball, has also set his sights on some stats-related goals.
“In 2021 and ’22, I struggled a bit with my driving. Even though I was playing well and the stats were still saying that I was hitting a lot of fairways, I was just not happy with my driving accuracy. I worked a lot on my driver last year and the result was that I won the driving accuracy on the Asian Tour. I think I achieved close to 82 per cent fairway,” said Bhullar.
“Once you are on the fairway, you don’t have much pressure. You know that whatever happens, I’d end up making a par for sure. That is one of my goal this year that I’m going to be consistent in my use of driver. Also, last year I was quite good with my putting inside eight feet. To continue doing that is on top of my agenda. The years I’ve performed well in driving and putting, I have won and contended in tournaments.
“Scrambling is one stat I would love to improve. I thought that’s where I failed a bit last two seasons (he was 72nd in the scrambling in 2023 at 54 per cent).”
Gaganjeet pictured after round four with the winner’s trophy on Sunday August 7, 2022 of the Mandiri Indonesia Open 2022 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, Jakarta, Indonesia. The US$500,000 Asian Tour event is staged from August 4-7, 2022. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Bhullar hasn’t played much golf in his six weeks of off-season, instead focusing on his body and mind.
“I mostly stayed away from golf. Spent a lot of time with family. But through this time off, I’ve been working a lot on my fitness, because I won’t get much time from February all the way until May or June. So, I worked the last five weeks on my body – my balance, the core and the glutes,” said Bhullar.
“I reckoned this was the time to do it and get the body in shape. Once the tournament starts, you want to focus on how you practice, what you eat and how you travel. The fitness level will go down over the next 4-5 months, so I need it to be high up at the start of the season.”
Working on his mental strength has been an ongoing process for the Indian.
“I don’t have a swing coach right now. I personally give more importance to the mental side. I’ve worked with several psychologists and self-hypnosis experts in the past. I feel once you have achieved that calmness in your mind, the swing, the short game and the timing, everything finds its own route… everything comes back into the game,” he explained.
“The last three years, I’ve been working with Dr Tarun Jain. We have been brainstorming on a lot of things, like how my body reacts under pressure. What I need to do better under pressure? How my body reacts in summer weather, and how is it different from the winters. I give a lot of data to him, and we try to come up with a good masterplan for each week.”
A refreshed Bhullar can’t wait to return to the golf course, the excitement heightened by the fact that the IRS Prima Malaysian Open is being played at Mines Resort, a golf course he loves.
“I was talking to my mum and dad a couple of days ago. They were there in Malaysia 12 years ago, when I played at the Mines and I had a top-10 finish in the CIMB Championship against all the PGA Tour stars. It was a long time ago, but still feels like as if it was part of last year’s schedule,” he reminisced.
“The golf course really suits my eye. I played well on it back in the day, and I’m hoping that I will play even better now.”
The Asian Tour’s season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open marks the latest milestone in Taichi Kho’s stunning rise to fame.
On the first anniversary of his debut as a professional golfer, the 23-year-old Hong Kong player could be forgiven for reflecting proudly on a remarkable 12 months.
But befitting a young man whose stock continues to soar, Kho’s main focus and energy is on what lies ahead of him – starting at The Mines Resort & Golf Club from February 15-18.
Ahead of his maiden appearance of 2024, Kho said: “I’ve been working hard this off-season to stay on the path that I’ve been on … not changing too much, just refining a few things.
HONG KONG- L-R- Victor Kho, father of Taichi Kho of Hong Kong hugs his son after his win on the 18th green on Sunday March 26, 2023 during Round Three of the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club, at Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong. The US$ 1 million Asian Tour event was reduced to a 54 hole event due to the weather delays. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I’m not looking to become a new golfer in 2024, but just to be a little bit better every day across all parts of my game.”
If he achieves that, then Kho will be set fair for a second successive memorable year among the ranks of the professionals.
To say that the University of Notre Dame graduate’s first season on the Asian Tour was spectacular would be a huge under-statement.
In winning the World City Championship last March, he became the first Hong Kong golfer to taste victory on the Asian Tour. In October, he brought further glory to the Special Administrative Region of China when claiming the individual gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Not too bad for a player who began 2023 as an amateur and who was listed as 1,357th in the Official World Golf Ranking. By the end of the year he was the little matter of 970 places better off in 387th spot.
With four other top-10 finishes to go with his famous Hong Kong Golf Club win, Kho placed ninth in the Asian Tour’s 2023 Order of Merit standings. In so doing, he clinched the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year accolade.
He said: “It (2023) was an incredible rookie year for me and to win the Asian Tour Rookie of The Year was a true honour.
Taichi with his 2023 Asian Games gold medal. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I am grateful to the Asian Tour for providing a platform for me and many others to showcase our golfing talents around the world. I have made so many great experiences thanks to them.
“The Asian Tour, along with The International Series, helped me see what world-class golf is like and it definitely inspired me to improve myself every day.
“There are so many people I want to thank for the successes of last year, most notably my parents – Yoko Kikuchi and Victor Kho – my coaches Jonathan Wallett and Mark Mossip, my trainer Leo Tong, my management team at Octagon, and, of course, everyone at the Asian Tour.”
Although there was much to celebrate during 2023, it says much about Kho’s character and mindset that the most important lesson he learned all year just happened to be his most high-profile ‘failure’.
By virtue of his World City Championship win, Kho qualified for the 151st Open Championship. But his Major debut didn’t turn out as planned.
On the opening day at Royal Liverpool, he ran up seven bogeys in his opening nine holes followed by a quintuple-bogey 10 on the 18th that added up to a 12-over-par 83 and left him propping up the 156-man field.
Despite a six-stroke improvement on day two, it was a chastening week for Kho – but one which he now believes was a crucial part in his golfing education.
Reflecting on the highs and lows of 2023, Kho said: “Winning the World City Championship is something that I’ll remember forever. To win in front of my parents, friends, and local support was more than I have ever dreamed of.
“But I think the most valuable experience from last year would have to be the Open Championship. I wasn’t playing my best golf leading up to the tournament, and had a tough performance that week.
“But just being in that atmosphere and learning from the world’s best really helped me progress as a golfer. From then on, I was able to really apply my learnings and had a great second half of the year, highlighted by the Asian Games win.”
Taichi during the SJM Macao Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Given what transpired at Royal Liverpool, Kho is keen for an opportunity to return to The Open Championship as soon as possible.
With this week’s IRS Prima Malaysian Open being afforded Open Qualifying Series Asia status by The R&A, you can be sure that Kho will be eyeing a top-three finish which would secure him a starting spot at Royal Troon in July for the 152nd Open Championship – and a shot at redemption.
The feelings for a professional golfer, at the start of a new season, are almost like the ones everyone around the world gets on New Year’s Day – a wave of hope and optimism washing away the heartbreaks and frustration of the previous year. Story by Joy Chakravarty.
Exactly 60 days after the last putt dropped at Riyadh Golf Club and crowned the exciting Thai star Denwit Boriboonsub as champion of the season-ending Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund, action on the Asian Tour resumes this week with the IRS Prima Malaysian Open.
The US$1million tournament at Kuala Lumpur’s storied Mines Resort & Golf Club kicks off a 2024 season that promises to be bigger, better and richer than ever before and continues to bring life-changing playing opportunities for the region’s finest. Malaysia’s Gavin Green (pictured) is one of the favourites.
Players like Denwit, Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma and American Andy Ogletree are just a few names from 2023 who made the most of the chances that came their way.
Denwit Boriboonsub of Thailand celebrates on the 18th green on Sunday December 17, 2023 after the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund at Riyadh Golf Club. The US$ 1 million season ending Asian Tour event is staged from December 14-16, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The talented 19-year-old Denwit won three tournaments in three weeks – Saudi Aramco Invitational on the Asian Development Tour, the Thailand Open on All Thailand Golf Tour and then went back to Saudi for the Saudi Open and defeated superstar Swede Henrik Stenson for his first win on the Asian Tour. Just like Tom Kim in the recent past, the Thai has become the poster boy and a shining example of what good golf on the Asian Tour can do to a career.
Ogletree was on the other end of the spectrum, playing the Tour’s International Series events as a LIV Golf member. The 25-year-old from Little Rock, Mississippi, chose it as his pathway back to LIV Golf, and did a pretty good job of it. He won two International Series events to not just top The International Series Order of Merit, but also ended the season as the Asian Tour number one.
Kieran, younger brother of Scott Vincent, who is already an established member of Iron Heads on LIV Golf, and Kozuma were among the 35-odd Asian Tour players who qualified for the Promotions tournament in Abu Dhabi and clinched two of three available cards.
The Asian Tour members will also get a chance to qualify for the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon through two Open Qualifying Series events – three spots at this week’s IRS Prima Malaysian Open and two at the Kolon Korea Open in June.
More good news that came early for the Tour was the return of Malaysia to the schedule. The country, with a history of hosting big tournaments in the past, last held the Malaysian Open in March 2020, after which the world shut down due to the pandemic.
The Tour also announced yesterday that the Karen Classic in Kenya will be launched this July meaning 21 tournaments across 13 countries are currently confirmed, with a significant number still to be added.
The Mines Resort & Golf Club, Kuala Lumpur, venue for this week’s season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, is confident of going past the 2023 mark of 23 events and total prize money of US$35 million.
Cho said: “The strength and depth of the Asian Tour’s 2024 schedule is reflective of the phenomenal growth we have been enjoying and we are already excited about what the new year will bring.
“The International Series events, combined with our central column of established tournaments, form the backbone of the Tour. We look forward to announcing other premier events in due course.”
In 2024, each International Series tournament will have a prize purse of US$2 million or more. But they are much more than just good prize money events. They offer crucial international exposure for the Asian Tour members and test their skills against much stronger fields.
The season’s first International Series tournament is next week at the demanding Al Mouj course in Muscat, Oman.
Another big challenge players will face, particularly in 2024, is that the Paris Olympics is this year, with the men’s event being played from August 1-4. Several players will jostle to qualify for their country, and with the Official World Golf Ranking the sole criterion, every tournament in the first half of the season assumes added importance, with the cut-off date June 17.
So, let the games begin with the 55th staging of Malaysia’s National Open.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat will be aiming to rewind the clock and kick-start his 2024 campaign when he tees-off in the Asian Tour’s season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open, which starts Thursday.
It was 11 years ago that Thai Kiradech wrote his name into Malaysian Open folklore when he eked out a one-stroke victory from European Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari.
With that triumph at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, Kiradech soared into the top-100 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time in 85th spot.
His seemingly irresistible rise in the game continued in the following years with a handful of wins that led to him becoming the first Thai to become a PGA Tour member in 2018.
Following that year’s World Golf Championships – Dell Technologies Match Play, he reached the dizzying heights of 29th in the OWGR.
Despite a few bright spots, his fortunes since those heady days have waned, languishing in 475th place in the rankings as of the start of 2024.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
Competing at The Mines Resort & Golf Club this week presents him with a welcome opportunity to reset after a wretched run of form last year which saw him miss the half-way cut on 12 occasions.
However, a tie for fifth in the DP World Tour’s KLM Open and a share of ninth spot in the Asian Tour’s World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club indicated that Kiradech still has the game to add to his three Asian Tour titles to date.
Further motivation for Kiradech comes from the fact that the Malaysian Open has been afforded Open Qualifying Series Asia status by The R&A with the three leading finishers, who are not already exempt, qualifying for July’s 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Kiradech, now aged 34, has a score to settle with Royal Troon having missed the cut the last time The Open was staged there in 2016, one of six appearances the Thai has made in the eldest of the four men’s Major championships.
Given the rich rewards on offer at The Mines, it’s no wonder this year’s Malaysian Open has attracted such a strong field as it makes a welcome return to the calendar after a four-year hiatus following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leading the way are no fewer than eight of the top-nine from the Asian Tour’s 2023 final Order of Merit standings – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines (second), Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar (third), New Zealander Ben Campbell (fourth), Australian Travis Smyth (fifth), Thais Phachara Khongwatmai (sixth) and Poom Saksansin (seventh), Spaniard David Puig (eighth) and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (ninth).
Also among the favourites will be American Trevor Simsby, victorious the last time the Malaysian Open was held in 2020, and Takumi Kanaya, one of the rising stars of Japan golf, a winner on last year’s International Series and currently 121st in the OWGR.
Other young guns to keep an eye on include Korean Woo-young Co, a graduate from last month’s Asian Tour Qualifying School, and Thai teen amateur prodigy Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.
Kiradech tapping in to win the Malaysian Open in 2013. Picture by Ian Walton/Getty Images.
The home nation also has a strong contingent, spearheaded by former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Gavin Green, who will be joined in the starting line-up by his younger brother, Galven, as well as the country’s brightest amateur talents.
Rising Malaysian stars Shahriffuddin Ariffin and Ervin Chang will also be hoping to make an impression after strong 2023 seasons, as well as their experienced compatriot Ben Leong, who has been showing signs of returning to form in recent times.
The Asian Tour announced today it will stage an additional event on the African continent this year with a new tournament, the Karen Classic – which will be played at Karen Country Club, in Nairobi, Kenya from July 11-14.
In yet another example of the Tour broadening its reach, the ground-breaking full-field tournament will boast prize money of US$750,000.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “This latest exciting addition to our ever-expanding schedule is a hugely significant development for the Asian Tour, our members, and our growing number of followers.
“It will mark the fifth African nation we have visited and to be scheduled the week after the International Series Morocco, it forms part of an exciting two-event swing on the continent that will truly enhance our tournament calendar.
Karen Country Club.
“We thank Karen Country Club and look forward to introducing Kenya’s golfing community to one of Asia’s fastest growing sporting properties, the Asian Tour.”
“We are very happy to provide a bridge between Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia with Kenya leading the way. I am positive that the tournament will be a runaway success and our members will enjoy this amazing opportunity to experience such a special destination which is famous for its amazing terrain and wildlife.”
Karen Country Club, who have hosted the country’s National Open on 11 occasions and is only 30 minutes from the nation’s world-renowned Safari parks, are the promoter of the all-new event and are excited about this new opportunity.
“The Karen Classic allows us to look east and explore mutually beneficial areas of development. We are extremely proud of what Karen Country Club has achieved and its status on the African continent. As a club, we have demonstrated the capacity to host international golf tournaments time and time again. We will also be able to showcase our premier facilities to the international sporting community. This new tournament will add a new dimension to the Asian Tour, and we can’t wait to welcome its players and staff,” said Muema Muindi Chairman of Karen Country Club.
Karen Country Club.
Bryan Sun, Golf Director, Karen Country Club, added: “Our aspiration is to be the premier golf destination in East Africa and hosting the Asian Tour is a testament to the work we have put into making that happen.”
And Ali Mohamed Tournament Director and Chairman of the International Committee at Karen Country Club said: “I have had the privilege to witness the exponential growth of golf in Kenya and the increasing interest of international players and spectators in our country’s golfing scene. The collaboration with the Asian Tour will undoubtedly elevate the stature and positioning of Karen Country Club within the global golfing community. Overall, the collaboration with the Asian Tour will cement Karen Country Club’s position as a premier golfing destination in Africa and create numerous opportunities for growth and development in golf.”
The Karen Classic will be the ninth leg of the Asian Tour, which is expected to boast 25 tournaments in total this year – with Kenya being one of its many remarkable and alluring destinations.
The Tour first visited Africa for the Mauritius Open in 2016, and returned there in 2017, 2018, and 2019, while in 2017 it went to the Joburg Open in South Africa and in 2018 the South African Open. In 2022 the Tour held International Series events in Morocco and Egypt.
The Asian Tour’s new season starts this Thursday at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open, which is being played at The Mines Resort and Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur.
Major winners Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell are the first two golfing superstars confirmed to tee it up at the inaugural International Series Macau presented by Wynn, taking place at Macau Golf & Country Club from 14-17 March.
Masters champion Garcia (main picture), who won the famous green jacket at Augusta National in 2017, will line up alongside US Open 2010 winner McDowell, with LIV Golf’s Crushers GC player Anirban Lahiri and Hong Kong youngster Taichi Kho, the Asian Games gold medal winner, also set to feature in a strong field as Macau makes its debut on The International Series.
Top international talent from the Asian Tour will also be battling it out for the US$2 million purse. Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, New Zealander Ben Campbell and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, the final three winners on last year’s calendar of 10 elevated events, are in the field.
Garcia, who has claimed a remarkable 36 tournament wins worldwide, including six on the Asian Tour in China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, said: “I’ve always enjoyed playing in the region throughout my career, and I’m excited about playing in Macau and competing against some genuine talent from the Asian Tour.”
Graeme McDowell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Ryder Cup legend, who is now the captain of the all-Spanish Fireballs GC on the LIV Golf League, added: “I’ve heard a lot about the venue and how excited some of the players are about it, so it would be great to pick up another win in Asia here.”
On Sunday he was beaten by Chilean Joaquin Niemann on the fourth playoff hole at LIV Golf Mayakoba – the opening event of this year’s LIV Golf League.
Former Ryder Cup team-mate and new Smash GC member McDowell, who triumphed in Macau last November at a spectacular rooftop challenge to unveil the inaugural International Series Macau presented by Wynn, added: “I am excited to be back in the Vegas of Asia.
“It’s an amazing destination, and as soon as I saw the calendar, I pencilled it in. It fits my schedule well and like other events on The International Series, playing in a strong field at a world-class destination gives me a wonderful opportunity to stay sharp and competitive.”
The tournament is the second of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that offer increased prize funds, world-class destinations, and a pathway to the LIV Golf League for golfers from all over the globe through its season-long rankings system. It follows the International Series Oman on the schedule, and is the fourth event of the Asian Tour season.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “Bringing The International Series to Macau is a milestone moment, and it is fitting that we can confirm Sergio and Graeme, two Major winners, among a strong field for our first ever event here.
“The International Series Macau presented by Wynn is a perfect fit for our model and another example of the growth and success of our brand.
“We are committed to bringing elite-level golf to international markets and offering players from around the globe the chance to compete with the best players on the Asian Tour, at incredible destinations, for elevated prize purses and a pathway onto LIV Golf.”
The partnership was announced between The International Series and Wynn, the world’s leading luxury integrated resort developer and operator, last year.
Ms. Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Wynn Macau Limited said: “We are proud to sponsor the very first International Series Macau, part of a new elite tier of sporting events and entertaining offerings in Asia. This world-class golf tournament underscores our commitment to supporting the Macao SAR Government’s ‘1+4’ diversification development strategy, growing the sports industry, and strengthening the city’s position as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.”
The Asian Development Tour’s (ADT) strong bond with Malaysian golf will push on unabated once more this season with an event from the nation’s impressive domestic circuit, the Toyota Tour, joining the schedule as a jointly sanctioned tournament.
The Toyota Tour Championship, the culmination of the Toyota Tour calendar, will grace the ADT’s 2024 schedule – which is currently in the process of being finalised and will be released in due course.
The MYR400,000 (approximately US$85,000) event, which was also played on the ADT last year and won by Thailand’s Suttinon Panyo, will be held at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club (main picture) ̶ an Asian Tour Destinations member ̶ from November 20-23.
The field size will be 144, consisting of 66 ADT members, 66 players from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour and 12 invites.
Said Ken Kudo, Associate Director, Partnerships, Asian Tour: “We were absolutely delighted to see the Toyota Tour Championship become part of our schedule for the first time last year, and so we warmly welcome it back.
Suttinon Panyo won last year’s Toyota Tour Championship. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
“It is one of the biggest events in Malaysia and made a big impact on the ADT last year and is representative of the high standard of events we want staged on our schedule. We thank UMW Toyota Motor, the Professional Golf of Malaysia Tour and Kota Permai Golf and Country Club for their contribution and commitment.
“This is the first of a series of announcements relating to ADT events being played in Malaysia, one of the circuit’s most popular destinations.”
With promotion to the Asian Tour in 2025 the prize for the top-10 in the end-of-season ADT standings, the Toyota Tour Championship, and the other Malaysian events to be confirmed, will be pivotal in determining which players make the step-up next year.
Launched last year, the Toyota Tour is a tri-party agreement between the PGM Tour, UMW Toyota Motor as the naming partner and MST Golf as the delivery agency.
Today’s announcement comes off the back of the news earlier this week that the ADT will welcome two events from the VGA (Vietnam Golf Association) Tour onto its schedule this year – the Lexus Challenge and the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters.
Two tournaments in Thailand, the ADT–All Thailand Partnership Trophy and the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, were also recently confirmed – building momentum before the forthcoming full schedule announcement.
“It’s shaping up to be a very special season on the ADT with the schedule looking impressive and extensive, with a significant increase in the number of events and total prizemoney,” added Kudo.
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