Evergreen Asian Tour player Steve Lewton is hoping to draw inspiration from in-form compatriot Richard Bland as he goes for glory in his home tournament, the International Series England at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey.

The 41-year-old will be teeing off on home soil, a rare occasion for the Englishman who first started playing on the Asian Tour after earning his card through Q-School back in 2012.

With the event being the fourth of 10 that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League at the end of the season, Lewton has extra incentive to shine.

Bland, a member of Cleeks GC on the LIV Golf League, is also in the field. Ten years Lewton’s senior, Bland is a shining example of a player improving with age, after claiming back-to-back senior major titles this season.

Steve Lewton pictured during a practice round on Tuesday. Pictured by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

On top of that, Bland is also in a good position to secure his place in the lock zone, the top 24 on the LIV Golf League, with just two tournaments left this season.

Lewton admits he is inspired by his compatriot, saying: “Looking at Blandy, and how he’s played makes me think maybe I have got 10 really good years left as I’ve started playing better in my late 30s and early 40s. Blandy has 10 years on me, so hopefully I can continue on that upward trend and do something similar.”

Lewton may have a number of years on many of his rivals, but age and experience has given him a different perspective on the course.

A standout amateur who finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy in the 2006 European Amateur Championship at Biella Golf Club in Italy, said: “Ten years ago I would have probably said it was a disadvantage. But as I have played better later in my career, I would probably say age is an advantage to me.

“I have a lot more experience playing in different places, and maybe the best way of describing it is that I am playing because it is fun, almost trying not to ‘care’ too much.”

Lewton’s last win was back in 2014 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. He has not been short of good form in recent years however, with a fourth-placed finish at International Series Oman and a T5 at the Volvo China Open last season, and a T5 in the International Series Thailand in 2022, the first ever event on the series.

He is confident that there is more success around the corner, especially in the second half of the season where the series will conclude with six events in eight weeks. Lewton said “My goals this year are to win again. I feel like I have been close the last couple of years and I feel like my game has really been trending in the right direction.

Lewton has been playing some of the best golf of his career in his 40s. Pictured by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“So I am really looking forward to this back end of the season where we can get a good run of events going and try and take some form into them. My ultimate goal this year is to give myself the best opportunity to get to LIV.

“That is my ambition at the moment so I’m doing everything, turning every stone to try and get the best form and play to my full potential. I would suggest that a lot of players on the Asian Tour would dream of getting to LIV.”

Lewton’s last stand-out display was a T4 in the star-studded PIF Saudi International, where he pushed all the way in a field that included superstars including Dustin Johnson, Cam Smith, Phil Mickelson, Xander Schauffele and eventual champion Harold Varner III who is also in the field playing the iconic Longcross course at Foxhills.

Going into another big week against a field that includes Bland, Varner and other LIV Golf talent as well as rankings leader John Catlin and nearest challenger Ben Campbell, the winner last time out in Morocco, Lewton is confident he can raise his game and rise to the challenge.

“I think the biggest part of playing in a field like that is that generally you play better when you play with better players – you up your game. You concentrate on what makes you play better.

“The injection of the LIV Golf League players on The International Series makes our field better and that’s only a good thing as it helps the Asian Tour players to play better.”

Timing is of the essence in golf. Just ask John Catlin. It was approaching 3.20 pm on an increasingly dreary Saturday afternoon in Scotland that the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader rolled home a two-foot putt for par on Royal Troon’s 18th green.

Story by Spencer Robinson, Asian Tour contributor, at Royal Troon.

By the time Catlin had signed his scorecard and headed off to fulfil media obligations, the skies had darkened menacingly and light rain was turning into unpleasant, relentless drizzle.

As tournament leader Shane Lowry made his way to the first tee for his 3.45 pm start, Catlin could not resist a wry smile.

“My timing’s pretty good,” said the American, dry and sheltered having safely negotiated this treacherous links layout before the heavens opened.

On the back of a blistering start during which he made birdies at four of the first seven holes, Catlin was able to complete his round in two-under-par 69.

That gave him a 54-hole total of two-over 215 and left him in a share of 30th place as the leaders set out for their third rounds. With the weather deteriorating, he was hopeful those ahead of him would move into reverse, allowing him to creep up the leaderboard. Sure enough, 90 minutes later he was upto joint 23rd.

TROON, SCOTLAND – JULY 20: John Catlin of the United States and his caddie Barry Cornwall look on from the 12th fairway during day three of The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 20, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Did he feel he still had an outside shot at holding aloft the famous Claret Jug on Sunday?

“Just keep doing what I’m doing. It’s all in Shane’s hands at the minute. I’ve got to go out and do something pretty special to even be in the conversation,” added the journeyman pro, who has had a pretty special season to date.

After securing his starting spot in the 152nd Open Championship by virtue of finishing in a share of third place in the season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open, Catlin posted back-to-back triumphs in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn followed by the Saudi Open presented by PIF.

A fortnight ago he was pipped in a play-off by New Zealander Ben Campbell at the International Series Morocco.

This week has served to underline Catlin’s status as an elite professional golfer, even if he remains disarmingly modest.

He said: “I’m just taking it one day at a time. I’m taking the opportunities that I’ve got. I’ve played well this year on the Asian Tour, which is a feeder to the LIV. I’m taking those opportunities as they present themselves.

“I fought hard for invites on the DP World Tour. Unfortunately, they went with a different avenue. So I had to keep doing what I could do. I had to keep playing the Asian Tour and keep playing well. It opened up the LIV door. Like I’ve told myself all year long, I just want to keep playing good golf. Whatever door that opens up, I’m going to take that door.”

TROON, SCOTLAND – JULY 20: John Catlin of the United States plays his second shot on the 12th hole during day three of The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 20, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

After an opening 76 here, Catlin needed to show his mettle in the worst of the day two conditions to give himself a chance of making the cut.

And he did just that, grinding out 13 pars in his first 14 holes before making birdie putts at three of the four closing holes to sign for a 70 and finish inside the cut-line.

“Those first 12, 13 holes yesterday were an absolute bear. It was hard to make pars. Every par you made felt like a moral victory. Then it calmed down a little bit, and I was able to take advantage and make some birdies in the closing stretch.

“I was pretty much on that (cut) number, just inside it all day. I just kept staying steady, kept making pars. I knew six-over would be enough, so I just kind of kept plodding along,” said Catlin, who continued that momentum at the start of round three.

Catlin is one of five Asian Tour members who succeeded in making the cut this week, along with fellow-American Andy Ogletree, Chilean Joaquin Niemann and the Korean duo of Minkyu Kim and Jeunghun Wang.

While Catlin and Wang booked their places here through the IRS Prima Malaysian Open, Kim earned his passage as a result of his victory in the Kolon Korea Open, the event from which Younghan Song also qualified.

Song was paired with reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Ogletree in the third round at Royal Troon.

Both struggled to assert themselves, Song carding a birdie-less 77 and Ogletree managing just one birdie in an error-strewn 79.

US golfer Andy Ogletree watches his iron shot from the 14th tee during his third round, on day three of the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the south west coast of Scotland on July 20, 2024. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Ends.