Top marks for Kang and Sandhu on day one of Qualifying School
Veteran Korean Kyungnam Kang and Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu’s bids to secure coveted Asian Tour cards for next year started perfectly today when they took a share of the first-round lead in the Final Stage of the Qualifying School.
They fired outstanding eight-under-par 63s on the A and B nines at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, ahead of Filipino Sean Ramos, who returned a 64.
Argentina’s Miguel Carballo, Korean Doyeob Mun, Niklas Regner from Austria, Flint Bekkers from the United States and Australian Jack Thompson, are next best following 65s. Regner, who has spent the last three years on Europe’s Challenge Tour, was the only one to record his 65 on the C & D nines.
Four more rounds remain before the top 35 win their tour cards, with a cut made after tomorrow’s round and also after the fourth round on Friday.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kang is in pole position thanks to an eagle on the par-four 18th, where he sensationally holed his second, and six birdies – including one on 17 and three in succession from the fifth.
“Everything felt good,” he said. “All parts of my game worked together. And I got a bit lucky on the last.”
The 41-year-old has been a professional for 20 years and spent most of that time playing on his home tour, where he won on 11 occasions, while he also had a spell on the Japan Golf Tour from 2016 to 2019.
He added: “The Asian Tour is doing so well; I thought it was time to get my card.”
That decision is partly due to the fact he has been in fine form in 2024. He was in contention in all three of the Asian Tour events staged in Korea this year: the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, where tied for ninth, the Kolon Korea Open, where he was joint third, and the Shinhan Donghae Open – where he finished joint 13th. A second-place finish in the Kolon Korea Open last year remains his best finish on the Asian Tour.
Sandhu comes into the week hot having won the Vishwa Samudra Open 2024 presented by Kapil Dev last week on India’s professional circuit – his fifth win on that Tour.
Sean Ramos with his girlfriend, who is caddying for him this week. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He had a disappointing year finishing 82nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, with the top 65 retaining playing rights.
The 38-year-old looks like he is on a mission to bounce back from that this week. He made a brilliant start, with birdies on the first three and then later three in a row from seven to go out in six-under. He dropped his only shot of the day on 10 but collected three more birdies later.
Rookie professional Ramos, just 20 years old, had the distinction of making two eagles, on the second and 15th, both par fives. Like Sandu, the Asian Development Tour player made his only bogey on 10.
It’s no surprise to see Thompson in contention from the get go. He won the school here at Lake View two years ago shooting rounds of 68 70 65 64 66 to win on 22-under, and he looks to be dialled in once again this week. A few weeks ago he just missed keeping his playing card after finishing 69th on the Merit list.
Australian Zach Murray, who finished 126th on the Merit list, has also begun well carding a 66, along with American Manav Shah and Japan’s Taiki Yoshida.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Many of the well-known names competing this week have made strong starts: Malaysians Ervin Chang (67) and Shahriffuddin Ariffin (68), England’s Sam Broadhurst (68) – the son of former Ryder star Paul Broadhurst – American Berry Henson (68), Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman (68), Irishman Paul Dunne (68) and China’s Wu Ashun (69).
After the excitement of LIV Golf Promotions at the weekend – the LIV Golf League’s version of their Qualifying School – the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School commences tomorrow here in Hua Hin, Thailand, boasting a high-calibre field of 208 players.
Lee Chieh-po, who claimed his maiden title this year on the Asian Tour at the International Series Thailand, made history by winning LIV Golf Promotions to become the first player from Chinese-Taipei to earn a place on the incredibly lucrative LIV Golf League.
Just the winner was rewarded with playing rights for next year, whereas 35 cards are on the line this week at Lake View Resort and Golf Club – where two layouts are being used: A&B and C&D.
Of the many players who standout here this week is Jack Thompson – who won the school here at Lake View at the beginning of 2023. Remarkably, he made it into the week by claiming the final qualifying berth at the First Stage Qualifying Section C tournament at Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket. And prior to that he had not been able to practice for three weeks because of a wrist injury.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thompson kept his card that first season, finishing 54th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM), while this year he missed out, agonisingly by the narrowest of margins.
Just over two weeks ago at International Series Qatar, the final OOM counting event, he fired a final round 75 to tie for 49th. It meant he finished 69th on the merit list with only the top 65 retaining their cards.
“Probably 30 minutes to an hour after I finished in Qatar, I wasn’t angry or anything, just annoyed,” said the 26-year-old from Adelaide.
“It was past that point. What can you really do? I didn’t really play scared or anything, so I was proud about that. Just found it a bit difficult on the last day.
“If I was two shots better, I wouldn’t be here this week. Your outlook on the season would be pretty different but that’s the fine margins in golf.”
He was 22-under-par for five rounds when he won here two years ago and prevailed on the last day by two shots after a closing five-under-par 66. All strong memories and knowledge he can draw upon this week.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He explained: “After Qatar, obviously it was disappointing to miss out. I have had eight days off, and didn’t touch a club. I was knackered and went back home but feel pretty fresh. Obviously don’t want to be back here but I am looking at it in the way that I get another chance.”
He feels he did not putt quite as well this year, while an element of complacency also resulted in his season not being as good.
In November this year he tied for fifth in the Taiwan Class Taifong Open for his best finish on the Asian Tour, but he played better in the more lucrative International Series events last year, which helped him on the OOM.
“I feel pretty relaxed, whatever happens, happens; it’s always nice coming back to a course you have played well at,” said Thompson.
Thirty nine nationalities are represented this week along with a wealth of past winners on the Asian Tour, including: Berry Henson, Trevor Simsby, Rashid Khan, Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Miguel Carballo, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Carlos Pigem, Taehoon Ok, Yikeun Chang, Siddikur Rahman, Marcus Fraser and Jason Knutzon.
Asian Tour regulars Ervin Chang, Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Jonthan Wijono, Chikkarangappa S, and David Drysdale are also here along with DP World Tour winners Wu Ashun, Alejandro Canizares, Marc Warren and Paul Dunne.
Jack Thompson pictured winning in 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A cut will be made after the first two rounds with the leading 140 and ties making it through before a second cut is made after the fourth round. The top 70 and ties survive that cut.
The top 35, and no ties, will earn their cards on the fifth and final day, which will be played on the A&B layout.
If there is a tie for first place and 35th position then they will be decided by sudden-death play-offs.
Fueled by nine birdies in the morning and a clutch tee shot in the late afternoon, Lee Chieh-po won the grueling 36-hole LIV Golf Promotions finish Saturday to claim the coveted spot in the league’s 2025 season.
The 30-year-old Lee becomes the first player from Chinese Taipei to earn full-time status in LIV Golf. He hopes his victory and presence in the league will inspire other golfers from his country.
“It means a lot for our players,” said the Asian Tour regular, who won for the first time at this year’s International Series Thailand. “LIV Golf, I think it’s many players’ dream. I go there and they will come.”
Lee – also known by his English name, Max – shot a two-round total of 10 under at Riyadh Golf Club to win by two strokes over Asian Tour player Taichi Kho and relegated LIV Golf player Branden Grace in the 20-player final-day field. A total of 92 players began the week hoping for a chance to join LIV Golf.
All players finishing inside the top 10 will receive exemptions to all 10 tournaments on The International Series in 2025. Six players on the final leaderboard previously did not have that status: American Ollie Schniederjans and Australians Brett Coletta and Jack Buchanan, who shared fourth at five under; Germany’s Max Rottluff, solo seventh at four under; and Korea’s Soomin Lee and England’s David Horsey, part of the four-way tie for eighth at three under.
They were all chasing Lee after he shot a seven-under 64 in his morning round that included nine birdies, including four in his final five holes. That gave him a two-shot lead over Schniederjans, who posted a bogey-free 66.
2024 LIV Golf Promotions winner and qualifier, Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf.
Lee remained in control throughout the afternoon, making the turn with a one-shot lead over Grace, who had just made his fourth birdie of the day at the 11th hole.
Lee seemed to be pulling away with a three-stroke lead late in the round. But a bad approach at the par-four 16th resulted in a bogey. “I hit it way poor to the left, and I was laughing, like, what am I doing?” Lee recalled.
When Grace and Kho finished with birdie at the 18th, his lead was reduced to a single shot going into the par-three 17th, the most difficult hole on the back nine this week.
That’s when he stepped up and delivered the biggest shot of the day, his tee ball nearly rolling into the cup. After making birdie, he stayed away from trouble at the 18th to close it out.
“Just tried to reset my mind,” Lee said. “Hole No. 17, that shot is very important. I hit a very good tee shot.”
Grace was watching in the clubhouse as Lee finished his round. He was hoping to regain his spot with Stinger GC with a win this week, but the team could still make a business case for keeping him in the lineup.
“Played good, gave it everything,” Grace said. “It was a good go. Now I’ll go home and have a holiday.”
Schniederjans, the former top-ranked amateur who is playing his way back from injuries that slowed his career, was encouraged by being in the mix this week.
“I’m very confident about where everything is heading,” he said. “I had to hit a lot of cool putts and shots under pressure, so it was really nice to see that. It did give me even more confidence. But I have a lot of confidence in my future.”
As for Lee, his confidence is sky-high. A hip injury last year forced him into swing changes, but a consistent stretch of play this season that culminated in the victory in Thailand – he rallied to overtake LIV Golf player Peter Uihlein – is an indication of his talent.
Now he’s ready to compete in LIV Golf and ready to embrace everything the global league has to offer.
“On the LIV Tour, every player is very strong,” he said. “I think I can learn something. I will learn something.”
GET TO KNOW LIV GOLF’S NEWEST PLAYER LEE CHIEH-PO:
- Born: Nov. 1, 1994 (30 years old)
Birthplace: Taoyun, Chinese Taipei
His English name of Max was given to him when he was 6 years old
Turned pro in March 2015
Won his first Asian Tour event in 2024 at the International Series Thailand, with birdies at the last two holes to beat current LIV Golf player Peter Uihlein by one stroke
That first tournament win came in his 138th career start in world-ranking events
Suffered a hip injury last year that forced him to adjust his swing and change his movement. “Now it’s getting better, and the swing is easier,” he said.
Made 19 starts on the Asian Tour in 2024, with one win, two other top 5s and four other top 10s
Finished 4th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2024 and 7th on The International Series points standings
Has 23 career top 10 finishes on the Asian Tour, including runner-up results in 2022 and 2023
His home course is Taoyuan Golf & Country Club
Grew up playing golf with Kevin (Chun-an) Yu, who posted his first professional win on the PGA Tour this year
Text courtesy LIV Golf.
Relegated LIV Golf player Scott Vincent shot an eight-under 63 to lead the field in Friday’s second round of LIV Golf Promotions, while Ollie Schniederjans earned the final spot by surviving a six-man play-off.
Twenty players advanced to Saturday’s 36-hole final day at Riyadh Golf Club, with the leaderboard reset entering the third round that will be a shotgun start. Players will be re-paired before the final round, with players starting off the first and 10th tees.
The Promotions winner earns a spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League, while the top 10 and ties receive exemptions into all The International Series events next year.
Vincent has been a full-time player in LIV Golf since earning exemption by winning The International Series Rankings in 2022. He kept his status by finishing in the top-24 Lock Zone in the first two seasons but was relegated this year. Although his former team, Iron Heads GC, has filled his roster spot, Vincent is hoping to return for a fourth season on LIV Golf.
“It would be amazing,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and compete and give it my absolute best, but I’m going to be just fine either way. That’s the approach I’m using.”
Ben Campbell. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
One of the 19 competitors he’ll have to beat is younger brother Kieran, who earned one of the three Promotions spots a year ago and played for Jon Rahm’s expansion Legion XIII team before suffering relegation like his brother.
The brothers are sharing an apartment in Riyadh and would love to share the top of the leaderboard late on Saturday.
“We love each other. We want the best for each other,” said Kieran, who shot a 65 Friday. “We want to compete at the highest level. If it’s not you, it’s him, that kind of attitude. Obviously, it’s super-cool to be playing out there looking at leaderboards and seeing your brother up there. You can’t script it any better than that.”
“Of course I want him to do really well,” Scott said, “but at the same time I want to be just one step ahead of him, and I’m sure he wants the exact same thing.”
A third relegated player, Stinger GC’s Branden Grace, also advanced by shooting 66, but the fourth relegated player, Kalle Samooja of Cleeks GC, was eliminated with a 72. Samooja was the top performer at the 2023 Promotions. LIV Golf Wild Card player Hudson Swafford also failed to advance.
Taichi Kho. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The second-lowest score Friday was the 64 shot by Ben Campbell, the highest-ranked International Series player in the field. Campbell finished third in the season-long race, less than 40 points behind Joaquin Niemann in the final standings. Had Campbell finished first, he would’ve already secured a LIV Golf spot.
“It would be massive to get over the line tomorrow,” said Campbell, who made three appearances as a LIV Golf reserve in 2024, “but there’s a lot of golf.”
Australia’s Jack Buchanan was one under after a bogey at the par-three 14th but bounced back with three consecutive birdies, the last two from outside 15 feet. He then had to hit off the sand with his approach shot on 18 to secure a par and avoid the play-off with a 67.
Asked what it would mean to earn the Promotion spot Saturday, the Adelaide-born Buchanan said: “It would mean everything. I don’t even know how to explain it. It would change your life a bit.”
Richard T. Lee was also among the 10 players who shot 67. If he claims the top spot Saturday, he will become LIV Golf’s first player from Canada.
“It’s crossed my mind for sure,” Lee said. “If I do make it, I think it would make a big impact on Canada.”
Germany’s Max Rottluff, a former college roommate of Rahm’s at Arizona State, also avoided falling into a play-off by making a 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to shoot 67.
Kieran Vincent. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I didn’t look at the leaderboard prior to hole 18,” Rottluff said, “… but I had a feeling that 4-under is probably going to put me in a better spot than 3-under.”
Korea’s Hongtaek Kim three-putted the 16th hole to drop back to three under. He just missed a birdie attempt on his final hole that would have avoided a play-off. Instead, he joined fellow Koreans Junghwan Lee and Wooyoung Kho, Americans Schniederjans and MJ Maguire and Italy’s Stefano Mazzoli at the play-off hole, the par-four 18th.
Schniederjans and Maguire advanced after the first hole with birdies and then matched birdies again. On the third play-off hole, Schneiderjans’ tee shot finished in the rough next to the edge of the grass.
Given relief via a local rule, he made the most of it with a wedge that finished under the pin while Maguire sent his approach well past. After Maguire missed his birdie attempt, Schniederjans rolled his in to survive and advance.
“I thought for sure I needed probably to birdie it two in a row,” said Schniederjans, who rolled in an 8-foot par putt in regulation at 18 to make the playoff. “I actually felt fortunate that only two of us birdied the first go. So, once it got to two-for-one, I was more nervous at that point.”
Schniederjans, a former top-ranked amateur player, is hoping to take a big step forward in a career that has been beset by injuries.
“I want to play against the best players in the world again,” he said. “I think I’m coming back to I’m fully healthy. I’ve been through a lot, and I just want to prove myself again and get that opportunity.”
He’ll have 36 pressure-packed holes on Saturday to fulfill that dream.
PLAYERS AWAIT 36-HOLE FINALE
Saturday will start early and continue until late in the afternoon for the final two rounds at LIV Golf Promotions. But the reward to the winner is immense: a spot in next year’s LIV Golf League.
Kieran Vincent went through this a year ago, claiming one of the then-three available spots at the inaugural Promotions event in Abu Dhabi. He even had to play an extra playoff hole.
“Fortunate enough to be in this situation previously,” he said. “We’ll try and draw on some of that, try and conserve energy for tomorrow because it’s a long day, action-packed, so anything can happen.”
Indeed, fitness will be a big key in deciding the outcome.
“36 holes is something I’m very comfortable with,” said Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho. “I played four years of college golf at Notre Dame, and we played a lot of 36-hole days.
“I understand it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You’re going to make mistakes, and you’re going to make some miraculous shots during the round. It’s important to keep yourself level-headed and I guess not to over-try during the round because you have to conserve your energy for the entirety of the day.”
The two English players left in the field are also the two oldest players competing Saturday – 41-year-old Steve Lewton and 39-year-old David Horsey. Lewton had a first-round bye while Horsey has played the first two days.
“It’ll be interesting,” said Horsey, who last remembered playing 36 holes in a day when he was an amateur. “Especially the legs. It’s quite firm ground and you find the legs ache a bit, the calves a bit. Walking on the sand between tees and fairways is quite heavy. Hopefully the legs will hold up.”
QUICK LOOK AT THE FINAL 20 PLAYERS
SCOTT VINCENT, Zimbabwe (63) – Played full-time on LIV Golf the first three years, the last two with Iron Heads GC.
BEN CAMPBELL, New Zealand (64) – Highest-ranked player (3rd) in field from The International Series final standings.
KIERAN VINCENT, Zimbabwe (65) – Played for Legion XIII after earning a LIV Golf spot at the 2023 Promotions tournament.
JEONGWOO HAM, Korea (66) – Four professional wins, including three on the DP World Tour; Rookie of the Year winner in 2016.
GUNN CHAROENKUL, Thailand (66) – Has 12 professional wins across five different tours; finished T14 in last year’s Promotions tournament.
BRANDEN GRACE, South Africa (66) – Won LIV Golf’s first U.S.-based tournament in 2022 as a member of Stinger GC; finished second and ninth in individual points in first two seasons.
JEONGWOO HAM, Korea (66) – Won Korean Tour’s Golfzon-Toray Open in September.
DAVID HORSEY, England (66) – Has six career wins, including four on the DP World Tour.
DAIHAN LEE, Korea (66) – Won Korean Tour’s KPGA Tour Championship in November.
JACK BUCHANAN, Australia (67) – Two-time winner this year on PGA Tour of Australasia; fourth on Order of Merit.
BRETT COLETTA, Australia (67) – Has three career wins, including two since 2023 on PGA Tour of Australasia.
TAICHI KHO, Hong Kong (67) – Became first player from Hong Kong to win on the Asian Tour with his victory at the World City Championship in 2023.
RICHARD T. LEE, Canada (67) – Won Asian Tour’s BNI Indonesian Masters in November; 5th in International Series points.
LEE CHIEH-PO, Chinese Taipei (67) – Won International Series Thailand in October; 7th in International Series points.
SOOMIN LEE, Korea (67) – Won Korean Tour’s KJ Choi Invitational in October; has six career wins.
STEVE LEWTON, England (67) – Won Asian Tour’s Mandiri Indonesia Open in September; finished 20th in last year’s Promotions tournament.
SUTEEPAT PRATEEPTIENCHAI (67) – Won twice on Asian Tour and once on Thailand Tour in 2024.
MAX ROTTLUFF, Germany (67) – Has four professional wins, including two in 2023 on the Challenge Tour.
BORJA VIRTO, Spain (67) – Has four career pro wins, including two on Challenge Tour in 2015; played collegiately at Iowa State.
OLLIE SCHNIEDERJANS, USA (68) – Former top-ranked amateur from Georgia Tech who has one professional win.
Text courtesy LIV Golf.
A total of 21 players advanced out of Friday’s opening round of LIV Golf Promotions, including Jon Rahm’s former college roommate, rising stars from Brazil and Hong Kong, and one golfer playing with borrowed clubs.
Those 21 players now join 28 others who received exemptions into Friday’s second round at Riyadh Golf Club. The leaderboard will be reset, with the top 20 players (no ties) advancing to Saturday’s 36-hole final day. The Promotions winner earns a spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League, while the top 10 and ties receive exemptions into all International Series events next year.
Korea’s Jeunghun Wang, playing in the final group Thursday, birdied his last hole to top the first-round leaderboard with a seven-under-par 64. “Some lucky shots went in, including some long putts, which helped me play well heading into tomorrow,” Wang said.
Five players shared second by shooting 65, with nine players shooting 66. The final six players advanced on the cutline number by shooting 67s, eliminating the remaining 43 players from the tournament.
Jeunghun Wang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Hong Kong’s rising star, 24-year-old Taichi Kho, was among the group at six under, his round highlighted by an eagle at the par-five 15th after a 355-yard drive. Kho also advanced from the first round at last year’s Promotions tournament before being eliminated in the second round.
“Last year I couldn’t get past the fact that it was a clean reset after round one,” Kho said. “I remember last year I had a great first round as well, and I felt like I carried on some of those thoughts and feelings as I would do a regular tournament going into the second round …
“Going into tomorrow, it’s important for me to just understand it’s a completely new day.”
Germany’s Max Rottluff also shot six-under, with five birdies in his last seven holes. Rottluff played collegiately at Arizona State, where he was the roommate of Jon Rahm, the Legion XIII captain who won the 2024 Individual Championship in his first LIV Golf season. Another roommate was Alberto Sanchez, who is the caddie of Fireballs GC’s David Puig.
“We still talk quite a bit and whatnot, so it would be a dream come true to join those guys,” said Rottluff, who credits Rahm with inspiring him to continue his golf career.
“I was considering giving it up back at the end of ’22, and I spent a week with him, and that really kind of straightened out my head and went out and won two times that year on the Challenge Tour,” said the 31-year-old Rottluff. “Kind of went back on a better trajectory again.”
Ian Snyman. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
South Africa’s Ian Snyman, another player who shot 65, already has a taste of LIV Golf. He played for Cleeks GC in the first two tournaments held during the inaugural 2022 season. He’s remained in touch with members of the all-South African Stinger GC team.
“I’ve been talking to Charl [Schwartzel] and Gracey [Branden Grace] and asking how things have changed over the last two years,” Snyman said. “It’s exciting. It’s something we all want to be part of. I like the team aspect.
“That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re giving it a shot, and we’ll see what happens.”
Mexico’s 22-year-old Jose Islas, who turned pro earlier this year and recently won two events on his home country’s tour, is among the group shooting 66. Islas’s round, which included five consecutive birdies, was manufactured from borrowed clubs from his caddie’s friend after his own equipment failed to arrive in Riyadh.
Although the clubs are the same manufacture (Titleist), they’re a completely different model than his usual blade irons. Even so, he holed an eagle shot from 165 yards during a practice round and will continue to rely on them if his own clubs don’t show up. He planned to go to the airport after his round to check on their status.
“I think it’s not about the clubs, it’s more about how I thought the shots that I was going to hit, so I was with no expectations at all,” Islas said. “I think that’s why it really worked.”
Brazil’s Fred Biondi, the 2023 NCAA Individual Champion from Florida’s winning team, posted a bogey-free 66, as did Spain’s 21-year-old Luis Masaveu, a former U.S. Amateur semifinalist.
The hottest group on Thursday was the threesome of Ireland’s Mark Power (66), Spain’s Borja Virto (66) and England’s David Horsey (67), with all three players advancing.
“The round has a nice feeling,” Virto said. “Sometimes if one of the guys is struggling a lot, it can maybe not bother you, but it doesn’t feel as nice as all three of us playing well together and making it through to the next round.”
“A positive round,” said Power, a member of the 2023 Walker Cup team. “Everyone is in good spirits.”
Veteran American players Bo Hoag and Ollie Schniederjans also advanced, with Hoag shooting a bogey-free 65 and Schniederjans making it on the number with a 67.
“I’ve actually never played overseas, so it was something new for me,” said the 36-year-old Hoag. “Long flight over here.”
If Hoag finishes first this week, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to travel in 2025 during LIV Golf’s global schedule. “I think it would be fun,” he said.
Courtesy LIV Golf.
After six months at Stanford University Ratchanon Chantananuwat, aka ‘TK’, returned to play two events on the Asian Tour: the International Series Qatar followed by last week’s PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Remarkably, despite the break from playing on Tour, he tied ninth in Saudi – adding to the young Thai amateur’s amazing story. Olle Nordberg, former Tour player and now Asian Tour contributor, caught up with him and asked nine key questions.
ON: TK, last time we had a chat here at the Saudi Open presented by PIF in April you were just about to go to Stanford University. Now you’ve been there, how’s it been?
TK: It’s been great. Lots has happened, but overall, it’s been great. I’m really happy with Stanford.
ON: What’s the experience been like, I mean your first time going overseas to go to school and everything? What happened from the beginning when you got there and how was it?
TK: Right, so I actually got there very early. I’ve been there since the end of June because I had to do a summer quarter, we do quarter systems at Stanford and when I say quarter I just mean term or semester. So I was there since June, did summer quarter and fall quarter, so I’ve actually done pretty much two whole quarters. But it’s just been great, I’ve settled in fine. The golf is great, the weather has been really nice, and the facilities are obviously awesome. So, I’ve really enjoyed it so far.
Ratchanon Chantanuwat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
ON: How are your classes going and how’s it been to transition to university from high school?
TK: Classes haven’t been too hard yet, but to be fair, they’re very, very different. I mean, the subjects I’m taking are very different, they’re also university subjects having lecture style classes. And to be fair it’s been fine in terms of score just because I’m taking relatively easy classes, but next quarter is when things are going to start becoming legit. Like I’m going to be doing Economics and potentially some sort of engineering class, so that’s going to be pretty tough. But I’m looking forward to it, at least I’m going to like what I’m doing, so I’m going to be interested. My two main classes this past quarter were Introduction to Psychology and Introduction to Communications. I mean, I really enjoyed both but it’s just, I mean, an intro class is always going to be relatively easy. And actually, in the summer I did intro to Political Science, so I’ve had a really broad spread so far.
ON: How is campus life?
TK: Campus life is amazing. Stanford is huge, you can probably lock me up there for six months and I won’t even voice a single complaint, it’s really nice. Like, the way I live my life is actually pretty similar to how I lived back home. Like most days it’s just golf and school, but when I’m not golfing or studying, that’s when it’s the best. Like, instead of sitting at home for two or three hours just doing nothing on my own, I get to hang out with my friends, my teammates. We play pickleball, maybe just go eat, just do whatever. It’s just like you’re living with your friends.
ON: You’re staying in dorms on campus too right, so do you have a roommate?
TK: Yeah, I’m staying in the dorms, and I actually have two roommates. My dorm is like one of the best, because it used to be an upperclassmen dorm, but now it’s a freshman dorm, so there are so many two room doubles, meaning two rooms. I got one of the only one room triples in the entire dorm. I can’t complain, my room’s really nice and it’s huge. I have basically a penthouse view and I’m on the third floor. My roommates are super nice and very understanding and really smart. So that’s really cool, we get along well.
Ratchanon Chantanuawat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
ON: Who are you rooming with, some guys from the golf team?
TK: No, actually so many people have asked me that question, but as a freshman you can’t choose your room or your roommates, and Stanford has a rule where athletes can’t room with athletes, so they actually put all the freshmen male golfers in one dorm. So, I’m in the same dorm as the other two freshmen, which is perfect, but I’m not rooming with an athlete or anyone on the golf team. My roommates are from all over the place, one of them is from Idaho, and the other from Mexico/So Cal, but I mean, there’s internationals, there’s people from everywhere in the dorm.
ON: How’s the experience been transitioning to college golf, I mean you’re still an amateur, but you have been playing a lot of professional events. Going to more of a team atmosphere, how’s that been?
TK: It’s definitely been super different, like in terms of competing, it’s obviously still very individual, the team scores are just individual scores added up. But in terms of having a team, that’s the best thing ever. Like, I’m close with all eight of the other guys in the team, we’re really, really close. We’re even close with the girls, like Stanford golf is just a really friendly program. I get along with everyone and it’s really cool being with them. At the top it’s still very competitive, but in terms of depth and environment, it’s so different compared to professional events. Especially a field like this week, the PIF Saudi International, where there’s LIV guys, like so many Major winners, it’s definitely very different.
ON: How has your game been during this time, because you’ve had a lot of other things going on, like settling into school, finding your way around campus and everything else? It’s not only all about golf now, so how’s your game been so far?
TK: To put it plainly, I’ve played not good at all. Like, I’ve started all the tournaments, which is good, right? But even my best week was like a very below average week compared to how I used to play on tour. I mean, you’re right, like settling in, it’s like starting a new life. So, I’ve accepted the fact that I haven’t had a great fall, but did it go to waste? No, because it’s like an experiment. It’s just like when I first came on the Asian Tour, I’m not gonna start performing well straight away. I mean, I kind of did … [laughing].
ON: I would say you did, right?
TK: Actually, I definitely did. I wish I could have done the same with college. But yeah, my point is, it’s just like moving countries. This quarter, golf wise, not the best, but I’ve learned so much. I think I have a good idea what I’m doing, I know what my priorities are, I know what I want to do, and I have a better idea of how I’m going to do it. So, I’m really, really looking forward to winter.
Ratchanon Chantanauwat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
ON: Do you feel like you’re more back in the environment that you know when you come here to play on the Asian Tour? I know this week’s course in Riyadh is one of your favourites?
TK: Oh 100%, I mean, it’s probably a debate as to how competitive college golf is compared to pro golf, but the Asian Tour is great, especially this week and big events like the PIF Saudi International. I definitely feel at home. I mean, I’ve grown up playing pro golf, I’ve done nothing but play Asian Tour events for the past two and a half years, so to come back here is just super nice. Like I said, I know what a good week for me looks like here, so coming back here I have something to compare myself to, and I can use that to go back stronger next year.
The best performers from The International Series and Asian Tour are lining up alongside emerging talent from around the world for ‘one shot at one spot’ onto the LIV Golf League, in the LIV Golf Promotions event at Riyadh Golf Club that starts tomorrow.
American John Catlin, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and International Series Macau presented by Wynn winner, will receive a bye into round two of the four-round, three-day event alongside compatriot MJ Maguire, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, Canada’s Richard T Lee and Lee Chieh-po of Chinese Taipei.
All five were 2024 champions on The International Series, and all finished in the top eight of the rankings in a thrilling season that was won on the final day by LIV Golf League star Joaquin Niemann from Chile.
Steve Lewton of England, South Africa’s Jbe Kruger and Thai players Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Rattanon Wannasrichan, will also enter in the second round as champions on the Asian Tour this season.
Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A further 15 players from the top 40 of The International Series Rankings will get their chance to claim that coveted LIV Golf spot next season, entering the tournament in the first round.
Thai quartet Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai, Gunn Charoenkul and Jazz Janewattananond will be joined by the Australian trio of Travis Smyth, Maverick Antcliff and Wade Ormsby in the mix.
Newly crowned Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Stefano Mazzoli will also be in the field, with the Italian joined by Chang Wei-Lun of Chinese Taipei and Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines.
South Africa’s Ian Snyman, Kazuki Higa of Japan, Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, an 11-time winner on the Asian Tour, also earned their places through the rankings.
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, last year’s Asian Tour Rookie of the Year, will also feature alongside David Boriboonsub of Thailand, Jeunghun Wang of Korea and Nick Voke of New Zealand, thanks to event invitations.
The 93-strong field also includes Ryder Cup and Walker Cup standouts, former top-ranked amateurs and NCAA champions, and winners on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and Sunshine Tour.
Richard T. Lee. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman said: “Building on our first and highly successful LIV Golf Promotions in 2023, the interest has only increased this year as one deserving player will earn the chance to compete in the LIV Golf League.
“The strong interest underscores the significance of creating more opportunities in our global sport to ensure current and rising stars of the game can build their careers and compete at the highest level.”
Former Ryder Cup player Chris Wood of England is one of the best-known names in the field, which also includes seven participants from the 2023 Walker Cup and two from the 2024 Palmer Cup, the iconic team tournaments contested by the best amateurs and college golfers.
Santiago De La Fuente, the 2024 Latin America Amateur Champion, 2024 European Amateur runner-up Max Kennedy and newly turned Spanish pro Luis Masaveu are also ones to watch along with young Brazilian Fred Biondi, the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Individual Champion and runner-up in the PGATU rankings behind Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg.
Branden Grace, Kalle Samooja, Scott Vincent and Kieran Vincent, all regular starters on The International Series will also be hoping to secure their LIV Golf status for 2025 after ending up in the drop zone in the 2024 season.
The overall winner will secure a highly coveted spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League and an opportunity to be signed by a team, along with US$200,000.
In addition, the top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemption into all 2025 events on The International Series schedule, sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour will boast another vibrant, busy and hugely rewarding calendar of tournaments next season, after the schedule was revealed today.
The preliminary schedule boasts a total of 22 events offering prize money of over US$30 million – with more tournaments to be added.
With The International Series once again providing a potent backbone of 10 events – thanks to the ongoing partnership with LIV Golf – the Tour will be played across the full length of the calendar year, making a popular return to India and the Philippines.
First up will be the Philippine Open, returning after a six-year absence, in January, before the inaugural International Series India presented by DLF takes place the ensuing week.
It is an exciting start to 2025 that will be followed not long after by the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport and the second edition of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, in March.
Joaquin Niemann won PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers on Sunday to secure The International Series Rankings at the last minute. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Two of Korea’s biggest golf tournaments, GS Caltex Maekyung Open Championship and Kolon Korea Open, will again return in May and June.
International Series Morocco, BNI Indonesian Masters, Link Hong Kong Open, and PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers will all return as part of The International Series, which will be complemented by four more new destinations to be announced.
The International Series Rankings will once again act as a pathway to the LIV Golf League in 2026.
All events on The International Series will feature minimum prize money of US$2million with the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers offering at least US$5million – the richest on Tour.
In addition, the return of SJM Macao Open, 41st Shinhan Donghae Open, Saudi Open presented by PIF and Chinese-Taipei’s Yeangder Tournament Players Championship, Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Taiwan Glass Taifong Open will add strength and depth to the 2025 season. The National Opens of Indonesia and Malaysia are also expected to be on the schedule.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “We have come a long way since the Asian Tour was established 20 years ago. 2025 promises to be another exciting season, where we will comfortably surpass US$30 million in total prize money for the third successive year.
“It will be a year where we can again provide great opportunities for our members, entertain our millions of fans across the region, and return to some popular and familiar destinations.
“We will provide regular updates as the schedule continues to develop and as we move into a year that promises so much.”
The Final Stage of the 2026 Qualifying School will take place at the end of 2025.
The Asian Tour’s current season was completed on Sunday at PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
Victory went to Chile’s Joaquin Niemann after a season that saw 21 tournaments staged offering US$33.75 million in total prize money.
American John Catlin [main picture with Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour] was crowned the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion earning US$1,456,800, surpassing Indian Jeev Milkha Singh’s long standing single-season earnings record.
Please see the schedule under the 2025 tab here.
Young Italian golfer Stefano Mazzoli has capped a fine first season on the Asian Tour by scooping the Tour’s Rookie of the Year Award.
Mazzoli finished in 25th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with 583.72 points from 16 events, holding off nearest challenger Tatsunori Shogenji from Japan. Shogenji ended in 41st position with 400.93 points.
Both made it through Qualifying School at the start of the year, with the Italian claiming the eighth card and the Japanese golfer the second.
Mazzoli, like Shogenji, also negotiated a First Stage Qualifier the week before Final Stage so the season that followed fully justified his decision to play in Asia and go through the testing and pressure-packed school.
Stefano Mazzoli. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
Mazzoli started the season well by making the first three cuts, before mid-way through the season catching the eye by finishing joint fifth in the International Series Morocco. Not long after that he bettered that by claiming joint fourth in the Black Mountain Championship – his best result of the year.
He also tied for sixth at the Link Hong Kong Open towards the end of the year, for his third top 10 of the season. He only missed five cuts and impressively balanced his schedule playing on Europe’s Challenge Tour.
Not surprisingly he becomes the first Italian to win Rooke of the Year honours.
This week the 26-year-old is in the field for the LIV Golf Promotions event, which tees off on Thursday at Riyadh Golf Club and will see the winner earn a place on next year’s LIV Golf League.
His success in the professional game follows on from a strong amateur career. In 2015 he won the European Amateur Championship and later played collegiate golf in the United States for Texas Christian University, graduating in 2019. He competed in the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon, where he was one of just two amateurs to play and the only collegiate golfer in the field.
He succeeds Taichi Kho as Rookie of the Year. He won following a season the saw him become the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event – at the World City Championship at the Hong Kong Golf Club, his home club – and become the first golfer from the SAR to claim the individual title at the Asian Games.
Next year’s PKNS Selangor Masters is set to be one of its most celebrated editions as for the first time it will be staged as the season-opening tournament on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
The tournament, one of Malaysia’s most prestigious, will be played at Seri Selangor Golf Club – its preferred home since its inception in 2008 – from January 22-25.
And in addition to its new, important date, the prize money will be increased to US$200,000 – representing a generous 14% increment.
“With this year’s Asian Development Tour having recently been successfully completed, we are pleased to be able to start unveiling plans for next year, with the exciting news that the PKNS Selangor Masters will help raise the curtain in 2025,” said Ken Kudo, General Manager, Asian Development Tour.
“This esteemed event, which is such an important one for Malaysian golf, will allow us to start the season with a bang and is sure to draw an extremely strong field.
Shahriffuddin Ariffin pictured winning in 2022.
“We thank the Selangor State Government and PKNS for clearing the way to schedule the tournament as our season opener – which is a prime position.”
India’s Rahil Gangjee won the tournament this year [main picture], back in June, following on from Chinese-Taipei’s Ho Yu-cheng and Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin.
“PKNS is delighted that the next Selangor Masters is just around the corner,” said YB Dato’ Setia Haji Haris Bin Kasim, Chairman of organising committee.
“Our association with the tournament has been extremely rewarding and allowed us to give back to Malaysia and its strong golfing community – where there remains huge potential for the country to grow into regional force.
“The PKNS Selangor Masters starting the new season puts us on the front foot from the get go and is an important development that reflects the significance of the event.”
The Selangor Masters was first staged in 2007 on the local circuit, before being elevated onto the Asian Tour the following year – when Malaysia’s Ben Leong claimed the title. It was played on the Asian Tour until 2014 before joining the ADT three years ago, post COVID-19.
Other winners are Australian Rick Kulacz (2009), Angelo Que (2010) of the Philippines and Joonas Granberg (2011) of Finland.
They were followed by the Thai trio of Thaworn Wiratchant (2012), Pariya Junhasavasdikul (2013) and Chapchai Nirat (2014).
Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat won the ADT’s season-ending Aramco Invitational in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, to snatch the Order of Merit title at the last minute.
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