Business as usual for red-hot Catlin at Saudi Open presented by PIF
It’s been five weeks since John Catlin won the last Asian Tour event in spectacular fashion, but the break appears to have been inconsequential for the American after he took the first-round lead in the US$1million Saudi Open presented by PIF today.
He shot a six-under-par 65 at Riyadh Golf Club for a one-shot advantage over Australians Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby, Japan’s Tatsunori Shogenji and Filipino Justin Quiban.
Catlin is very much the man of the moment having won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn last month after defeating Spaniard David Puig in a sudden-death play-off. His fifth win on the Asian Tour was helped by an astonishing 11-under-par 59 in the third round for the circuit’s first ever sub-60.
He said: “I rested for a bit after Macau. I gave myself about a week off and then I got right back to grinding. There were some things I wanted to improve upon. I was able to do it and I feel like I am getting there. It is a never-ending process, there are always things we can do better.”
Scott Hend. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He was bogey-free today, making three birdies on each nine – in what is the fifth event of the season on the Asian Tour.
“It was solid today,” said the 32-year-old Californian, who was out in the morning session.
“It was playing difficult out there. The wind picked up, pretty much from the get go. I really had control of my ball flight. I was able to get the ball pin high a lot. It was difficult. I holed a few nice putts.”
He is currently in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, which is being led by Puig, having also come close to winning the season-opening Malaysian Open, where he tied for third.
Hend, playing later in the day, looked the most likely to catch Catlin especially when facing an eight footer for birdie on the par-five 15th to move to seven-under. But the 50-year-old surprisingly three putted for a bogey to slip back to five under. He parred home from there.
“The greens were more difficult as the afternoon went on, so tomorrow morning we will have the best of the greens,” said the Australian, a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour.
“The game is in good shape as always, possibly could win at some point, possibly.”
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ormsby has spent much of the season travelling on the LIV Golf League as a reserve and admitted it was good to open with a 66 despite the lack of tournament time.
“Played nicely, been hitting it well past few days so it’s nice to take that to the tournament, especially as it has been pretty windy,” he said.
“I haven’t had a great start to the year, but the game has been okay. I just havent had the scorecard in my pocket as I have been travelling with LIV a little bit, which changes your rhythm.
“The game feels good, and I feel I have good things ahead of me. I have just got to get back into playing tournaments.”
Puig, who made a costly double on 16, Thailand’s Danthai Boonma, and Australians Maverick Antcliff and Justin Warren carded 67s.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Li Haotong from China are in a group of players who shot 68s.
Justin Quiban. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, second here last year, shot a 69, while the defending champion Denwit Boriboonsub from Thailand came in with a 70.
Spain’s Ryder Cup star Rafa Cabrera Bello carded a 72.
Henrik Stenson has highlighted the importance of LIV Golf players competing on the Asian Tour, and the incredible impact it continues to have on the region’s professional golfers.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Saudi Open presented by PIF, the fifth leg of this year’s Asian Tour, which starts today, the Swede specifically pointed to The International Series – 10-elite level events that are integrated into the Asian Tour schedule – and the key role it plays in raising standards.
“Many of the LIV Golf players play two or three throughout the year. That elevates The International Series and the Asian Tour on those weeks,” said the 48-year-old.
“It’s important to have a measuring stick and that is what happens during The International Series when you have the LIV Golf players and big strong names coming to play. They raise the standard and that is what the other guys are striving to beat.
Henrik Stenson of Sweden pictured during the Pro-Am event on Tuesday April 16, 2024, ahead of the Saudi Open presented by PIF. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“You have seen it with David Puig who has two wins in the past nine months. He comes in, plays solid, wins tournaments and the other guys realise they have to up their game if they’re going to want to get to the next level and compete with the best players in the world. That has been a huge opportunity for the Asian Tour to have that influx and have a stronger competition.”
The Swede is more than qualified to speak on the matter as he is one such golfer who has played a part in this, not only as a LIV Golf player but also through having been a regular visitor to Asia for the past two decades.
His second-place finish in the Saudi Open presented by PIF last year, when he made a valiant late run making four consecutive birdies from the 12th and another on 17 before eventually finishing three shots behind the champion Denwit Boriboonsub from Thailand, being a fine example of his influence.
He added: “I enjoyed the week last year. I came in rather late and threw myself into action. We managed to finish second with a good finish on Sunday on the back nine in particular.
“Now, as we’re on our way down to Adelaide and Singapore for the next two LIV Golf events, it made good sense to break up the journey and get the reps in. I’m trying to get the 2024 season going because it’s been halted a bit due to some health issues in the early part of the year, so I hope I can put that behind me and stay healthy for the remainder of the season. Hopefully I will play a solid week here in Riyadh again.”
Henrik Stenson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Stenson has been paired with Puig and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho in the first two rounds here at Riyadh Golf Club – two more of the Asian Tour most exciting young golfers.
“There are so many more players catching the eye on the Asian Tour,” he added.
“I didn’t see much of Denwit play, but if you’re good enough to go out and win a pretty big event on the Asian Tour, like he did last year, you have game. He is part of that new generation and it’s fun to see new and upcoming players go out and play freer than you do after 20 years on tour.
“We see the game growing all over Asia and one of my observations is that Thailand seems to have developed a lot of players. There are a lot of Thai players on the Asian Tour, more than I remember 10/15 years ago. Certain countries are making strides, and it seems like Thailand has produced a lot of players lately.”
The Asian Tour is delighted to announce that a team of seven referees recently completed The R&A’s new Level 4 Advanced Referees Certification.
Led by Jittisak Tamprasert, Director of Rules & Competitions, Asian Tour, they successfully made it through a six-month course for what is The R&A’s highest level of refereeing.
Set up last year, the Level 4 certification process focuses on seven key areas of competency: refereeing, course marking, course set-up, pace of play management, course notes for referees, local rules and managing suspension/resumption of play.
Jittisak, who has worked for the Tour for the past 22 years, said: “I wish to express my gratitude to The R&A for our on-going close working relationship and the opportunity for our referees to go through this process and be recognised as Level 4 Advanced Referees. I am very proud of our team in attaining this highest recognition.”
A close up view of The R&A Level 4 Advanced Referee Qualification certificate awarded to first group of Asian Tour referees, pictured on Tuesday April 16, 2024, ahead of the Saudi Open presented by PIF. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Jittisak is pictured today with four other officials who earned the certificate: Idtiphat Silasuwan (Todd), Phutthisarn Sricharuviphat (Kong), Adnan Othman and Jayson Cheok. Their colleagues, Krirkchai Boonprasert and Henry Arabelo, not in attendance, also received the certificate.
The COO of the Asian Tour, David Rollo congratulated the team, adding: “This accomplishment by our top referees in reaching the highest R&A qualification is a source of pride to the Asian Tour. We look forward to working closely with The R&A to provide additional referees this opportunity in the future and support our ambitions to deliver the highest standards in competition management”.
They are the first group of Asian Tour referees to earn this accolade, which rewards individuals who have set the bar at the highest level in officiating at Tour level.
Ahead of the defence of his Saudi Open presented by PIF title this week, Denwit Boriboonsub has revealed the secret to his success last year, and it’s very much a case of winner, winner chicken dinner!
The Thai star famously claimed three tournaments in a row last December with two of those events coming here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – first at the Aramco Invitational and later the Saudi Open presented by PIF – where KFC was on the menu every single night.
“Yeah, we ate KFC everyday last year, starting at Aramco. Went back to Thailand for a week after that and came back to Riyadh for the Saudi Open and ate KFC everyday again and won again!”
In that week back on home soil he also triumphed in the Thailand Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour. It was a remarkable three weeks especially as the Aramco Invitational was the final event of the season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the Saudi Open presented by PIF brought the year to a conclusion on the Asian Tour. No player has achieved that feat.
Denwit Boriboonsub pictured with the winner’s trophy at last year’s Saudi Open presented by the Public Investment Fund. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “It’s the Super Dinner KFC Meal I ate: four pieces of chicken, large Pepsi, large fries. It’s funny because at this year’s New Zealand Open we ate Botswana steaks, the best steak I have had in my life, for six days in a row but missed the cut.”
Last December, age 19, he fired a final round seven-under-par 64 to win the Saudi Open presented by PIF by three strokes from LIV Golf League star Henrik Stenson from Sweden at Riyadh Golf Club, where the US$1million event is again being played this week.
“We will try KFC every day this week, the same meal, and hopefully it will have the same effect,” he said.
“I am playing quite well. It was really windy in today’s practice round, so hopefully it calms down. I don’t think about winning. I just concentrate on my game and hopefully the result comes.
“The only issue now is my short game. I am struggling with my wedge. I can’t play it at the moment, from all distances. I am still trying to figure it out.”
To say Christmas came early for Denwit last year is an understatement.
Denwit Boriboonsub, Jeunghun Wang and David Puig pictured with The Open trophy at the Malaysian Open, where all three qualified for the game’s oldest major. Picture by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour.
Sitting in 133rd position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) at the start of December and 30th on the ADT rankings, his playing status for 2024 was looking bleak.
However, in the space of three weeks his world was transformed.
Victory at the Aramco event, in a sudden-death play-off against England’s William Harrold, catapulted him to the top of the ADT OOM – which secured his Asian Tour card for the following season, before victory on the Saudi Open presented by PIF allowed him to finish in 21st place on the final Asian Tour OOM.
He said: “My iron play was key to that success. It just clicked and of course I was holing everything.”
His end of season form carried over into 2024, most noticeably at the season-opening Malaysian Open, where a 10-under-par 61 on the final day saw him tie for third and secure one of the three places up for grabs in this year’s Open Championship.
He also recorded a top-10 at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and is currently in 10th place on the Asian Tour OOM.
The rising star from Pattaya explains: “I did have a couple of KFCs in Macau, and one in Malaysia – but that was on the last day after my 61.”
The Saudi Open presented by PIF will make a triumphant return to Riyadh Golf Club next week, from April 17-20, with LIV Golf captain Henrik Stenson headlining the field, along with five fellow LIV Golf members, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, and the stars of the Asian Tour.
The eighth edition of the event last December was the first time it had been fully sanctioned by the Asian Tour and saw Thailand’s 19-year-old star Denwit Boriboonsub finish on 18-under-par, three shots ahead of 2016 Open Championship winner Stenson. The Thai has confirmed he will return to try and successfully defend his title when the Asian Tour tees-off after a five-week break in the Saudi Arabian capital.
Building on last year’s successful hosting, the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF will once again see a strong LIV Golf contingent battle for the trophy as Andy Ogletree, Peter Uihlein, Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig join Majestics joint-team captain Stenson and his former European Ryder Cup teammate Cabrero-Bello in Riyadh.
Henrik Stenson pictured at last year’s Saudi Open presented by PIF. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Puig, who won the season-opening Malaysian Open, currently tops the Asian Tour Order of Merit ahead of second placed John Catlin from the United States – winner of the recent International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where he shot the Tour’s first ever 59.
Golf Saudi will again show their commitment to ensuring opportunities for everyone with a number of spots reserved for invites for local Saudi and Arabic golfers to compete in the tournament, while the No. 1 ranked disability golfer in the world, and Golf Saudi ambassador, Kipp Poppert, will tee it up among the professionals once more.
Stenson catapulted himself into second place with a 65 in the final round last year and is determined to go one better and lift the trophy this time round, even though he knows it will be tough with the strong field assembled.
Stenson said: “I am thrilled to be returning to Riyadh to play in the Saudi Open presented by PIF. I loved the atmosphere on my first visit to what is an incredible golf course, and I am very excited to experience that again.
Denwit Boriboonsub celebrates his victory last December. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“The facilities are highly impressive and highlight the strides that golf in Saudi Arabia continues to make. I am expecting another very strong and testing tournament against a field full of quality players, but I am eager to go one better than last year and lift the trophy.”
Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO Cho Minn Thant added: “We are delighted to be going back to Riyadh for the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
“The event proved to be an excellent addition to the Asian Tour having been elevated from the Asian Development Tour, and Riyadh Golf Club provided us with a perfect setting to end 2023. In Golf Saudi, we have a trusted partner who we are confident will deliver another fantastic tournament.”
The Saudi Open presented by PIF is the fifth stop of the season on the Asian Tour.
Qualification for the summer Olympics in Paris this year is well and truly underway with a host of Asian Tour members in contention. In the first of a series of articles in the run up to the XXXIII Olympiad, Asian Tour contributor Joy Chakravarty spoke to 10-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend from Australia about his memories of Rio in 2016, and the allure of the Olympics.
At the age of 50, and in the shortage of Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points in events he is playing, Scott Hend realises that a second appearance in the Olympics is almost non-existent, but he takes as much pride in representing Australia and being a part of golf’s return at 2016 Rio Games, as any of his 16 international victories.
“That’s something that nobody can ever take away from you. You don’t have to be a medalist to be called an Olympian and it’s always nice to say to yourself that you are one,” said Hend, who showed he can still compete against the youngsters by finishing second last month in the 103rd New Zealand Open, presented by Sky Sport.
“I mean, it would have been great to win a gold, silver, or a bronze, but what I experienced as a competitor, as part of the team that included Marcus Fraser and Ian Baker Finch as our captain, and our caddies, it was one of my proudest career moments. Golf was returning to the Olympics, and we were part of history.”
Scott Hend. Picture by Scott Halleran/Getty Images.
Asked how much it would mean to him if he got a chance to play in another Olympics, Hend quipped: “Is there a senior Olympics?!
“But seriously, I haven’t played well enough to be in the team. In saying that, the way the World Ranking system is these days, it makes it very hard for someone who isn’t playing on the PGA Tour to be looked at for the Olympics.
“Forget about me, I’m not even sure who are the two guys that qualify for Australia. With my sensible boots on, I would think Cam Smith should be one of the guys because he is our best player. Of course, that may not happen because LIV Golf do not get world rankings.
“Both Jason (Day) and Min Woo Lee are playing great golf, but I would like Cam to be one of the players. He’s an amazing golfer and he is a great representative for Australia.”
Men’s Olympic golf is limited to a field of 60, with qualifications based on the OWGR. The top-15 players are automatically eligible, but the number is limited to a maximum of four golfers from a single country.
Thereafter, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) come into play. It consists of a maximum of the top two eligible players per country.
Scott Hend. Picture by Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images.
The current OGR (as of April 1) is being led by world number one Scottie Scheffler from United States. Three other Americans Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele, and Patrick Cantlay, all ranked in the top-15 on the OWGR, are currently holding qualification places. Schauffele won the gold medal at Tokyo 2020.
Day and Lee are leading the way for Australia while there are a total of 13 Asian players from seven countries – China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Chinese Taipei – that are currently inside the qualification line.
Indians Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Phachara Kongwatmai and Malaysian Gavin Green are among the top-60.
The cut-off date for qualification is June 17, with the men’s event due to be played at Le Golf National in Guyancourt from August 1-4.
Hend insists the Olympics must be a goal for every young golfer to qualify for. It’s not just what happens inside the ropes that is incredible, but the whole atmosphere is electric and motivating.
“We golfers are lucky…we get rewarded every week for all the hard work that we put in. But for some of the athletes in the Olympics, that’s the only thing they are working towards for four years,” said Hend, who finished tied 39th in Rio.
“We had a house in Rio, and we’d go to the village, and we went into Australia House. We ate in the cafeteria with all the Olympians and went to the gym to check out how these people work out. We watched a basketball game. It was an amazing experience and something that every athlete and every fan must experience. Just to see how tough and how rewarding sports can be.”
Hend named sprinters Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson and swimmer Michael Phelps as his favourites, while decathlon was the one discipline he loves to watch.
Xander Schauffele after winning the gold medal at Tokyo 2020. Picture by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.
“One Olympic moment I will never forget was when Ben Johnson won the gold with that record run in Seoul (1988), and then got disqualified because of using performance-enhancing drugs,” said Hend, going down memory lane.
“And that is why I have the greatest respect for what Bolt, Michael Johnson and Phelps achieved. These are just ridiculous disciplines when you think how hard they have to train to become the best in the world. What I really love, probably because of the disappointment with Ben Johnson, is that with all the drug testing they have these days, those guys did all that and were clean as well.
“Having said that, my favourite disciple to watch is decathlon, because they put themselves through absolute hell. They have to be all-round athletes, and it is fun to see them go through all those 10 different disciples and also try to plan and take advantage of what they are good at, like a big guy who’s good at javelin and trying his best to compete in the 1,500 meters.”
As for his own event, Hend said once he fell behind a bit at the halfway stage, all he did was fire at every pin.
“I just went for broke on the weekend, because, unlike our regular golf tournaments, only 1-2-3 matters in Olympics. Fraser had the course record going for a while and I remember walking with him and finish the round,” recalled Hend.
“My round fell apart when I hit a footprint on the 10th hole and continued to hit a couple of other footprints and ended up making a nine or a 10. It was that type of a golf course where you got a little bit offline, and you got punished badly.
“And yet, the honest truth is, I enjoyed every moment of wearing the Aussie colour and be a part of Rio 2016.”
March, 2024: The Open here I come
In the first of Denwit Boriboonsub’s diary entries for 2024, the young Thai star – who sensationally won in three successive weeks last December – looks back at his start to the season, which included punching his ticket to The Open, and talks about his defence of the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund this month. Denwit was speaking to Asian Tour contributor and former Tour player Olle Nordberg.
First of all, I am very happy that for my first diary of the year, I am delighted to say that the start of the season has gone quite well.
After all of the excitement following my finish last year, there was, understandably, a lot of expectation heading into the new year and I am happy with how things have gone. I have had two very good weeks, which gave me a lot of confidence, while there were a couple of weeks that weren’t so good.
My season started at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open. The first three days I played pretty well, before an amazing 61 on the last day saw me finish in a tie for third to earn a place in The Open in July. That is the lowest round of my career, and what a time to do it.
Denwit Boriboonsub after winning the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund last December. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Getting into The Open in Malaysia was my goal as I knew it would be more difficult in the other Open qualifiers, like the Kolon Korea Open. The course there at The Mines also suited my game.
After the front nine on Sunday, I looked at the scoreboard, and saw I was just four shots back. I knew that the back nine was makeable, every hole is makeable, and I started dropping putts, started holing chips, from everywhere, just holing it from everywhere!
I started the back nine by making six birdies in a row, and I knew then that I had a chance because when I looked at scoreboard again, I was just one or two back from the leader, with a bunch of players behind me. I then birdied the 17th and 18th which was great because I was three or four shots ahead of third place.
I was fortunate to get the third spot in The Open on a countback from John Catlin, who was also third, via the Official World Golf Ranking but I guess John made up for that soon after by winning in Macau with that 59. Congratulations to him on that.
It has always been an aim of mine to play in The Open. Last year I went to Open Qualifying, and I missed the cut. I know qualifying to play in The Open is not an easy thing to do, so it’s something that makes me very proud, especially aged 20. It’s like a next step for me, and it will also be my first Major.
The following week in Oman, I didn’t play so good because of my iron play. My irons were quite off, and my putts didn’t drop. I think this was actually due to the mental part of my game, more than the physical side.
I missed the cut there, as I did in New Zealand the week after. I was quite tired, to be honest, as it is a long journey but it’s definitely worth it when you get there, Queenstown is such a beautiful place.
International Series Macau presented by Wynn was my next event, for my second time in Macau, and things went much better.
Denwit with the other Open qualifiers in Malaysia, Jeunghun Wang and David Puig. Picture by Khalid Redza / Asian Tour.
First of all, I changed the ball I was using, went back to the Chrome Soft X, because in New Zealand I used the new one and it didn’t work out. So, I changed to the old one and I just saw the shots fly like I’m used to seeing them. And I know the course pretty well, Macau Golf & Country Club suits me just like The Mines, everything just suits me. I played pretty decent, finished ninth.
I also had an opportunity to play with some star players in Macau as well and it was a very valuable experience. It’s not often you have a chance to play with the likes of Patrick Reed, Jason Kokrak and Carlos Ortiz.
It was absolutely a learning experience. I learned so much from Patrick, his iron play, his short game, they are on another level. And his putting too.
I didn’t really get nervous, it just felt normal playing with them. The most nervous thing for me is playing with a sponsor, that is quite nervous for me, but playing with those players just felt normal. They were very nice, I talked to both Patrick and Jason.
My next event is the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund, where it will feel great to be the defending champion. I think I have a good chance to keep the title because I just feel like the course suits me, everything suits me at that course. It’s wide, it’s huge, and the fairways are pretty firm. The greens are soft and it’s windy. So yeah, I think that course is on my side, and I think I am pretty confident that I will play well.
To prepare for Saudi I’ll probably play on some windier courses, and probably go there earlier to practice, on Friday or Saturday.
Last year I remember I just hit so many great drives, my iron play was good, I made all the putts, and my mental game was good. I didn’t think about winning, just everything was very good, and that showed in the performance.
Hopefully, in April’s diary, I will be saying the same thing.
Few golf clubs can come close to matching Kota Permai Golf & Country Club’s trophy cabinet, which is virtually spilling over with awards for its sublime golf course and superb facilities.
It’s not just the hardware that makes Kota Permai – an Asian Tour Destinations partner – one of the great success stories of Malaysian golf. Driving the venue’s rise to the pinnacle of the industry in this region is a talented and highly committed management team, helmed by the visionary leadership of Gamuda Land Executive Director Tang Meng Loon, writes Jonathan Ponniah.
“The human element plays a crucial role in keeping Kota Permai at the forefront of the golf industry. While the course design, maintenance, facilities and other infrastructure are obviously important, it is the people who bring life and character to the club and contribute to its success,” said Tang, who has been with Kota Permai since 2007.
“We have a competent and visionary management team who help set the club’s strategic direction, while making critical decisions and ensuring efficient operations. We empower them and give them a free hand to showcase their abilities. Once you set the goals and empower the department heads, they feel engaged, motivated and committed towards achieving those goals. They don’t just come to work … they come here filled with passion and with a sense of ownership. That’s the key to success,” he elaborated.
Kota Permai’s stunning Ross Watson-designed layout is always in pristine and tournament-ready condition
Tang was quick to point out that teamwork was another key element. “Collaboration and coordination among all the departments and individuals is crucial. Everyone plays a unique role in creating a welcoming, enjoyable and top-notch golfing experience for members and guests. Everyone’s important. Everyone plays a part, and we appreciate and acknowledge that,” he noted.
“We always push our team beyond boundaries and encourage them to strive for even higher standards. No doubt we are up there now, but it’s not easy to stay at the top … so we have to keep on pushing forward.”
And the awards continue to pile up. Recently, Kota Permai was voted Golf Club of the Year for Malaysia at the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Awards in Abu Dhabi.
Indeed, It’s hard to believe that Kota Permai only celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. In the space of slightly over a quarter century, the club is already an icon of the Asian golf industry and is invariably the first choice when it comes to international tournaments in Malaysia. Among the marquee professional events that have been played on its pristine fairways and super-slick greens are the Malaysian Open (2008, 2020), Selangor Masters (2011, 2012), Volvo Masters of Asia (2002-2004) and Volvo Masters of Malaysia (1997-2001).
Kota Permai will once again be in the limelight this November when the 2024 season-ender of the local professional circuit, the Toyota Tour Championship, tees off as a co-sanctioned event with the Asian Development Tour.
“We always push our team beyond boundaries and encourage them to strive for even higher standards” – Tang Meng Loon
Tang stressed that the hosting of big events enhances the club’s reputation and serves as an effective branding platform.
“Hosting these events enhances the reputation of Kota Permai and establishes the club as a premier golfing destination. They also provide the opportunity for us to showcase our golf course, facilities and hospitality to a wider audience,” he said.
“The events also bring significant media attention and exposure to the club, generating positive publicity and coverage locally and internationally. This definitely helps attract new members and corporate partnerships, as well as additional revenue streams.”
The big events also serve as additional fodder for the fire of continuous improvement. “When we host a major tournament, our maintenance team will strive to keep the course in top-notch condition. We undergo inspections by agronomists from the tours and they will give feedback on any areas that need improvement, and we also work closely with the tournament directors and referees on golf course set-up and markings,” Tang shared.
Having said that, Kota Permai’s Ross Watson-crafted course is always in tournament-ready condition. Long-time course superintendent Lee Chee Keen, aka ‘Bunker Lee’, is one of the best in the business – and it helps that Tang himself has an agronomy background, having started out in the industry as a greenskeeper.
“I always stress to the team that they must look at the details, especially the greens. We have to keep the greens healthy and the speed must be a minimum of 10.5 for normal play, pushed up to 11 to 11.5 for tournaments. That is the benchmark that we set,” Tang stressed.
“When I play golf, I will also look at the details. If I observe certain things that are not right, I will immediately tell the team.”
Kota Permai’s swanky new cigar lounge
Golf aside, Kota Permai is very much a social hub, offering the full range of sports and recreational facilities. These are also continuously improved on and enhanced, with recent developments including a swanky new cigar lounge.
“Our on-going projects are a new two-storey gym and the upgrading of the badminton courts, and we also going to create two new F&B outlets – a seafood restaurant and a poolside café,” Tang revealed.
There’s thus always something new or improved each time one pops by Kota Permai. And a new award or two in that already over-crowded trophy cabinet!
The Aramco Invitational Tournament, the showstopper event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last year, will return to the schedule this year, and be played at Rolling Hills Golf Club, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia from November 27-30.
With a total purse of US$250,000, which matches last year’s prize fund, it will be one of the most lucrative events on the ADT – playing a decisive role in determining who finishes in the top-10 on the Order of Merit, which will reward players with Asian Tour cards for the 2025 season.
Today’s news follows the exciting announcement last year of Aramco’s title sponsorship of the event for three years, starting in 2023, making it the biggest and most significant partnership in the history of the ADT. Headquartered in Dhahran, Aramco is one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies.
Nabil Al-Nuaim, Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association (SAGA) and Aramco’s Senior Vice President of Digital and Information Technology, said: “Aramco is proud to continue to support golf through partnerships with key national and international partners. We aim to support the Asian Development Tour and encourage young and aspiring Saudi nationals to become professional golfers.”
Rolling Hills Country Club.
The field size will be 120 players, including 70 from the ADT, 40 from Aramco, and 10 invitees.
Last year, in one of the most thrilling finishes witnessed on the ADT and Asian Tour, Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub (main picture) won the Aramco Invitational Tournament by beating England’s William Harrold in a sudden-death play-off at Rolling Hills Golf Club.
The win for Denwit was also enough to clinch victory in the season-long Order of Merit, as it was the final event of the season. Remarkably, the following week, he triumphed in the Thailand Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour, and the week after that, he won the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund, the last stop of the year on the Asian Tour.
Ken Kudo, General Manager of the Asian Development Tour, said: “We all saw the incredible impact the Aramco Invitational Tournament made on the Asian Development Tour last year, in terms of how it dramatically transformed Denwit Boriboonsub’s season and the opportunities it offered him, and also the overall level of excitement it contributed to the circuit.
“The ADT is on the rise, and it is because of partners like Aramco. We thank them for their ongoing support and commitment to the development of our Tour, its members and golf in our regions as a whole.”
Minhaj Khan, Vice Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association, said: “Aramco aims to expand, enhance and enrich the Asian Development Tour, and players will have an opportunity to compete in the event while experiencing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the fullest.”
Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij was victorious in the inaugural event in 2022, when it was also played at the Rolling Hills Golf Course.
The Aramco Invitational Tournament announcement is the sixth ADT event to be unveiled so far this season, with many more to come.
Last year, the schedule featured 12 events, offering lucrative overall prize money of US$1.38million.
Located in Dhahran, Rolling Hills is a private course for employees of Aramco.
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