Published on July 8, 2024

Ben Campbell snatched a surprise victory from John Catlin right at the very end to win the US$2million International Series Morocco after a sensational finish here on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

New Zealand’s Campbell holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18^th to win on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off, having been three behind playing-partner Catlin with two holes to play.

Campbell shot a two-under-par 71, helped by an eagle on the par-four 17^th and a birdie on 18 in normal time, to tie Catlin, in with a 72, on 15-under.

American Caleb Surratt (71) and Eugenio Chacarra (73) from Spain, tied for third, three behind the top two.

Campbell started the final day one behind Catlin – the leader after each of the first three days and chasing win number three of the season – and looked to be just falling short.

He’d made two great up and downs for par on 15 and 16 before holing a 35-foot putt for eagle on the penultimate hole.

On the par-five 18th hole they both faced 10-foot birdie putts, with Campbell holing his first before his American opponent, normally so clinical, just missed his attempt.

“That was a great finish,” said Campbell.

“You know I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike (his caddie), I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient. And yeah, like I went flag hunting on 16 and leaked it right, and hit a great bunker shot there. I said to Mike, if I can find a birdie eagle, you never know. So, I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the play-off, it’s always good.”

It is his second success on the Asian Tour having won the Hong Kong Open, another event on The International Series calendar, at the end of last year after a similarly last-gasp finish when he nailed a 15-foot birdie to win by one.

The win is another reward for a player dogged by injury through his career.

He said: “I just think it’s been a tough run, and I didn’t give up then and I’m not going to give up now. I just kept saying to Mike just don’t give up out here. I’ve got to find something in my swing. I was feeling great on the range and lost it, sort of, on the course. But yeah, just said to him and I just sort of keep saying to myself, don’t give up.”

Catlin had one hand on the trophy with three to go and was a safe bet to claim the seventh Asian Tour title of his career and second wire-to-wire of the season.

Holding a one-shot lead at the start of the day, he surprisingly bogeyed his first two holes, but bounced back to lead by one at the turn before a birdie on 15 left him with that three-stoke cushion. Unfortunately, two closing pars were not good enough to hold off the charging Campbell.

Said Catlin: “I mean, you have to tip the cap. I mean the guy goes two, four, four to finish. I mean, he probably made 130 feet of putts to win on the last three holes. All you can do is shake his hand and say well done. I mean, yeah, it is what it is.

“I played great. You know, I never, never gave in; I just kept battling. Kept chipping away. And you know that birdie on 15 gave me a decent little cushion there. And yeah, I mean, I’m very pleased with the way that I play. There’s no doubt about it.”

It is the first time he has lost in a play-off on a main Tour, having won one in Europe and two in Asia, including this year’s International Series Macau presented by Wynn.

The 33-year-old has the consolation of taking over from Mexican Carlos Ortiz at the top of The International Series Rankings, while he consolidated his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM).

Campbell is now second on The International Series Rankings and third on the Asian Tour OOM.

Surratt, at 20 the youngest player on the LIV Golf League, was thrilled with his week.

“Really good week,” he said. “You know, I didn’t know it was going to be as good as this at my first International Series event, so it was definitely way more than I expected. And definitely gave me something really good to build off of going into next week and Andalusia.”

The Asian Tour takes a short break now before heading to the International Series England at Foxhills Country Club and Resort, from August 8-11.

It will be the ninth event of the season on the Asian Tour and fourth leg of The International Series.

American Andy Ogletree, who topped the Asian Tour OOM and International Series Rankings last year, is the defending champion.

Published on July 6, 2024

John Catlin is one round away from his third Asian Tour victory of the season, and second International Series title, after taking the third-round lead in the US$2million International Series Morocco today.

The American, who currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit and sits second on The International Series Rankings, posted a third-round five-under-par 68 to lead on 14-under by one from New Zealand’s Ben Campbell.

Campbell, last year’s Hong Kong Open champion, also fired a 68 – remarkably going 105 holes, which is five rounds and six holes, without a bogey on the Asian Tour.

Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra was another to card a 68 and is one shot further behind, here on the challenging Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the capital Rabat.

Catlin has led the tournament for each of the first three days and rarely put a foot wrong today. He bogeyed the first but then made six birdies, narrowly missing an eight-foot eagle putt on the driveable par-four 17^th.

Said the 33-year-old Californian: “I would say I’m in pretty good control. You know I would have liked to start the round off a bit better, but after that I feel like I played some very, very solid golf and built some good momentum going into tomorrow.”

He won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back earlier this year, and recently made a fine debut on the LIV Golf League, finishing joint 24th in Houston, and tied seventh in Nashville. Asked if winning The International Series Rankings – he is currently in second place behind Mexican Carlos Ortiz – to earn a place on LIV Golf next season is a target, he promptly replied: “Oh 100%!

“You know, it’s definitely a goal of mine, but you got 18 holes to go tomorrow. So, I’m just going to take it one shot at a time, give it everything I have got, and we’ll see what happens.”

Campbell last dropped a shot on the 12^th hole in the second round of International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March, and he drained a number of long par putts today to maintain a clean sheet.

“I got off to a good start out there,” said the Kiwi, aged 32.

“The swing was feeling great. I sort of battled a little bit through the middle part of the round and had a few chances coming in but good to be there in contention. Got a few things to tidy up ahead of tomorrow but it’s good when you’re near the lead.”

Chacarra will be in the final pairing tomorrow with Catlin and Campbell thanks to birdies on 17 and 18, meaning three champions on The International Series going out in the final group.

The winner of last year’s St Andrews Bay Championship said: “My goal is to win. Obviously, everyone here wants to win. There’s a lot of good players so it’s going to be tough, but I’m happy with it.

“I’ve not been healthy for the last year, so to be able to compete again and feel my body good is something that feels really nice. So, I’m excited to play again. I’m happy again. Just going to try to enjoy tomorrow. Hopefully I drop some putts and I have a chance to win again.”

Australian Travis Smyth fired a 70, helped by an eagle on 17, and is in sole possession of fourth, three back from Catlin.

Italian Stefano Mazzoli (67), Pat Perez of the United States (68) and fellow countryman Caleb Surratt (68) are another stroke behind along with Miguel Tabuena (71) of the Philippines.

 

 

 

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Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate Charlie Lindh (main picture) is having a week to remember after following up qualification for this year’s Open Championship with a place in the top-10 going into this weekend at the International Series Morocco.

That fine achievement is all-the-more impressive given the gruelling midweek journey it took to reach this week’s venue Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, as part of a whirlwind 48 hours that saw him secure a spot in his first ever Major.

Lindh, who joined the Asian Tour in January after finishing in sixth spot at the Qualifying School in Thailand, had delayed his trip this week to accommodate a visit to Burnham & Berrow in Somerset for Final Open Qualifying.

That proved to be a good call – he secured a place in the field for the 152nd edition at Royal Troon, which takes place from 18-21 July, in nail-biting fashion.

But with a three-hour drive from the course to London, a four-hour stop-over in a hotel and a four-hour drive to Rabat from Marrakesh following his flight to Morocco, Lindh only just made it to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam on Thursday morning, giving him just enough time to walk eight holes and hit the range ahead of his afternoon first-round tee time.

The 26-year-old could be forgiven for struggling – especially after the excitement of Open qualifying. However, Lindh brushed aside his lack of preparation and fatigue on day one and bounced back from an early double bogey on his second hole with six birdies to record a brave four-under-par 69.

He followed that up on day two with a 71, that also included an early double, to finish at six under, in tied ninth and just three off the lead in a bunched leaderboard.

Lindh admitted he was already running on empty going into the weekend after such a gruelling week. Lindh, who had previously missed the cut at both International Series Oman and International Series Macau presented by Wynn, put his good form down to a combination of decent rest and practice coming into the busy week.

He said: “I got off to a slow start today again, made a double on my third hole. I managed to make a couple of birdies after that but obviously I was struggling at the end. I am so tired at the moment. I just need to go home and sleep and get ready for the weekend.

“I had three weeks off before heading out (to Open qualifying) this week. I had not been playing the way I would like to play. But I took the time off and now I am excited to play again. I had a lot of practice, I changed one thing and that was the major difference.”

It is little wonder that Lindh is mentally and physically tired. With an Open place in his grasp, he bogeyed the 35th of 36 holes played in one day to slip back to five under and into a three-man play-off for the remaining two available spots to join Justin Rose and Dominic Clemons.

Despite overcooking his birdie attempt on the first play-off hole, Lindh held his nerve to slot home the four-foot return and secure his spot alongside Fireballs GC star Abraham Ancer, at the expense of his LIV Golf League colleague Anirban Lahiri of Crushers GC.

Having claimed a spot in his first-ever major, Lindh does not want to rest on his laurels. He still has International Series glory on his mind, chasing leader John Catlin as part of a packed leaderboard that has a five-man tie for second just a shot behind the American.

Lindh said: “You know this week is going to be like this, so you must accept it. And that is why I had those three weeks off, to make sure I was fully charged. But I am still tired, no doubt about it. I felt tired and was feeling it out on the course. Travelling between the Open qualifying and here was horrendous but I am here and I am in contention and I’m excited to be playing this weekend – it’s brilliant.”

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American John Catlin, attempting to claim his third title in four starts on the Asian Tour, maintained his lead in the US$2 million International Series Morocco today.

The joint first-round leader fired a two-under-par 71 on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, for a two-day total of nine-under.

It gave the six-time winner on the Asian Tour a one-stroke advantage over India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (68), Travis Smyth (69) from Australia, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma (70), New Zealander Ben Campbell (70) and Filipino Miguel Tabuena (71).

New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori, the first-round leader with Catlin, fell back with a 77 and is three under.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Catlin, winner of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back earlier this year, had an unusually up-and-down back nine, with an eagle, one birdie on 18, and three bogeys but held on to head into the weekend in pole position.

“Yeah, it was okay, I just would have liked to have been a little bit sharper,” said Catlin.

“It just felt a little bit off, but I was able to hang in there well, and you know I still posted a decent number and stayed on top of that leaderboard. That was important to me coming down that last. I was like, ‘I want to make a four on 18 and be in that final group’.”

The 33-year-old is fresh from his debut on the LIV Golf League: he finished joint 24th in LIV Golf Houston, tied for seventh in their Nashville event and will head to the next stop Valderrama next week.

He added: “I just I love the game. I love to play. I want to keep playing and you know, I think that’s the beauty of it – there’s always next week, there’s always next week, there’s new goals you set, there’s always new heights you’re trying to get to.

“You know, Tiger Woods said it, he’s like ‘you never really arrive, it’s like a journey where you never really get there’. Right? Like, you’re always okay, I can be a little bit better here. I can do this a little bit better, I can do that a little bit better, and I think that’s the beauty of it.”

Tabuena birdied the last two holes as he continued to back up his fifth-place finish in the Kolon Korea Open two weeks ago.

He said: “It was good. I knew it was going to be tough today, the winds were swirling and there were some good pins there. I didn’t get off to a good start, but I held in there and finished pretty well.

“I just continued to stay patient you know. I knew that there were a lot of holes left in the round, and a lot of holes left in the next few days, and I just wanted to put myself in a good position to move up the leaderboard.”

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent is a stroke further back with Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra. They both shot 71, in the eighth event of the season on the Asian Tour and the third of 10 stops on The International Series.

For Vincent it has been two of the most unusual days of his golfing career, after having arrived here with his clubs delayed, like his brother Kieran.

Before his afternoon round yesterday he dashed to Casablanca airport to see if his clubs had finally arrived. To his dismay he was not able to get them in time even though they had arrived at the airport, so he hurried back to the tournament but arrived late for his tee-time and was penalised two shots. His par four on the first was frustratingly turned into a six. However, he responded to the challenge by firing a 68 to sit two off the lead.

This morning he was back on the course with his own clubs but rather than capitalise he tripled bogeyed the par-four 10^th, his first hole of the day.

The 32-year-old continued to struggle on his first nine but burst through with four birdies in his last six holes.

“I misjudged the timing coming back (yesterday). We made one wrong turn and that put me a few minutes behind,” said the 2022 International Series Rankings champion.

“My clubs had arrived at about 9.30 that morning, so I was there waiting for them. I could see with my Apple tags that they were in the airport, but I just couldn’t get to them in time. So yeah, it was hard letting them go knowing that I was within 20 metres of them somewhere. But yeah, I had to leave them in order to try and make the tee time and yeah, maybe left a little too late.”

After his poor start today he said: “Kind of thought we were over that after yesterday, but yeah, it was just trying to get into the rhythm. Tried to not get caught up in the circumstances and just play your game, and yeah, after that it was actually really nice and solid.”

South African Jaco Ahlers produced the shot of the season so far enroute to carding a 71, to sit four off the lead.

He made a spectacular albatross on the par-five 12^th after holing his second shot from 252 yards with a hybrid.

It is the 28^th albatross in the history of the Asian Tour and the first in two years.

“That’s pretty nice to hole that for an albatross,” said last year’s winner of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

“It’s the first one I’ve ever had, so pretty happy. It was a good number, just hit it a little bit too far right and the slope helped it out, so it was nice to see it going in.”

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the defending champion, carded his second 73 and is even for the tournament.

Published on July 5, 2024

Brothers Scott (main picture) and Kieran Vincent both enjoyed eventful days to say the least on the opening round of the International Series Morocco, at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

In a bizarre twist, both players started the day minus their golf clubs as they had not arrived with them at Casablanca airport, and the day got even worse for Scott after a morning run to the airport proofed fruitless as he returned empty handed.

To compound his woes, he incurred a two-shot penalty for arriving at the first tee – with a borrowed set from the club pro – shortly after his scheduled tee time of 12:30. He was 30 seconds away from being disqualified.

Brother Kieran ended up teeing off with a hastily assembled set which included a selection of clubs from friends in the tournament who stepped in to support the Zimbabwean. Legion XIII team-mate on the LIV Golf League Caleb Surratt supplied the irons, Taichi Kho provided a driver and Ian Snyman chipped in with a wedge. Jaco Ahlers even provided some golf balls for the day.

Given the tricky situation, the rounds were nothing short of spectacular. Scott, who plays for the Iron Head GC on LIV, roared back from his two-shot penalty with five birdies and an eagle, on the par-five eighth, to sit just two shots off co-leaders John Catlin and Kozuma Kobori.

Kieran started off with three bogeys, two in his first three holes, but birdies on four, eight, 12 and 17 gave the him a one-under round of 72 which he “would have signed for straight away” had it been offered before his round.

Scott, who also played with the same clubs on the pro-am, said: “I had zero expectations today but feel we definitely learned something that will help us get better in future. So in a way it was great to play, the pressure was off and I just wanted to see what would happen.

“We have an early turnaround (for the second round) so the plan is to play with the same clubs unless they can be couriered. Entertaining for the Vincents, for sure!”

Kieran said: “Lucky enough, we have some really cool people out here on the Asian Tour – it is a friendly tour. A lot of people had clubs, bits and pieces, but obviously it is hard to make up a full set when you do not have anything, so we have a bit of a mixed bag here!

“I have talked a lot to myself about adapting, no matter what, whatever the situation might be. And so just being able to go out there with none of my stuff, even golf shoes, I am taking in the moment, and we will just take it as it comes.”

 

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Asian Tour Order of Merit leader John Catlin from the Unites States moved into his familiar position on top of the leaderboard today after an opening round seven-under-par 66 gave him the lead, along with New Zealand’s rising star Kazuma Kobori, in the US$2 million International Series Morocco.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena is next best placed with a 67, on the par-73 Red Course here at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the capital Rabat.

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, playing with borrowed clubs and penalised two shots for arriving late on the first tee – just 30 seconds away from a DQ – shot a remarkable 68, along with Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, Ben Campbell from New Zealand, Frenchman Sebastien Gros, Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, Yanwei Liu from China, and Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma.

Catlin, who cruised around bogey-free like Kobori and Tabuena, has arrived in Rabat high on confidence, having made an impressive debut on the LIV Golf League last month.

He made an eagle and five birdies, evidence he is still playing the exceptionally high level of golf that saw him win the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back this year.

“Just very solid,” said the American, who is also second on The International Series Rankings.

“Hit a lot of really good shots. Actually left a few out there, it could have been even better, but I am very, very pleased with how I played. I am looking forward to the next three days.”

The 33-year-old, a six-timer winner on the Asian Tour, is enjoying arguably his finest season, with one reward being invites to the LIV Golf League. He finished joint 24^th in Houston, tied for seventh in Nashville and will head to Valderrama next week.

He added: “It’s just hard work and sticking to the process. I am continuing to learn from the failures from the past in order to get better. I think that’s all you can ever do.”

Kobori, aged just 22 and New Zealand’s great hope for the future playing in his first International Series event, was unwell earlier in the week and was thrilled to have produced the goods on day one.

He said: “Unfortunately I got a bit ill on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I only got to play yesterday. I would’ve liked to have played it a bit more but hopefully I’ve still got three more rounds to play in which I am really looking forward to.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I managed it because I didn’t even touch a club Tuesday. You should have seen the shots I was hitting on the range this morning but that being said, and once I got underway, I started to hit it quite nicely. Yeah, I don’t know it all just came together when I needed it to.”

He turned professional at the end of 2023 after a brilliant amateur career that saw him claim the individual title at the Eisenhower Trophy and the Australian Amateur earlier in the year. In 2019 he also won the New Zealand PGA Championship on the PGA Tour of Australia – the circuit where he won three successive titles earlier this year for his maiden wins as a professional.

Tabuena finished fifth in the Kolon Korea Open two weeks ago for his best finish of the season on the Asian Tour. He had got his game back on track by going back to a set of clubs and a putter he had used before and this week, much to his relief, he has picked up where he left off.

“I had no idea why I experimented (with new clubs),” said Tabuena.

“It’s great to be to be hitting it well again. It’s very good to be holding that old putter that I had used for the last three years. It seems to be coming along. It’s not quite there. I had a few mental errors but there’s three days to go and it does look like it’s working now.

“I took advantage of the calmer conditions in the morning but I’m pretty tired. I’m still jetlagged. I actually have my whole team here this week.”

One of those team members is on his bag. He explained: “It was great. We were having fun the whole time. It’s my sister-in-law on the bag, Kayla. And it’s a bit different, but it seems to be working. I’m loving every second of it.”

Vincent was narrowly late for his tee-time as he had gone to Casablanca airport to collect his golf clubs, which like his brother Kieran, had not arrived with him. Unfortunately, the clubs had still not arrived and upon his return to Royal Golf Dar Es Salam he played with a set from the club pro plus a two-shot penalty, with his par on the first turned into a double.

He said: “I had zero expectations today but feel we definitely learned something that will help us to get better in the future.”

Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Sarit Suwannarut, Australian Travis Smyth, Swede Charlie Lindh, Yeongsu Kim from Korea and Indian Rayhan Thomas, who recently turned pro, all returned 69s.

The defending champion Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand fired a 73.

This week’s event is the eighth of the season on the Asian Tour and the third of 10 stops on The International Series.

Published on July 4, 2024

American John Catlin admits the lure of a place on the LIV Golf League is now a big motivating factor as he goes in search of victory at the International Series Morocco, which starts today.

The American won last time out on The International Series, with a thrilling sudden-death play-off victory over David Puig from Spain at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn in March.
He followed that up with victory next time out, winning the Saudi Open presented by PIF to move top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and second behind Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz on the The International Series Rankings – with top spot automatically earning a place on the LIV Golf League.

Catlin’s great form also earned an invite as an alternate on the LIV Golf League. The American has impressed with a T24 in Houston and a T7 in Nashville, and is also set to play next week in Andalucia as he continues to deputise for the injured Charles Howell III on the Crushers GC team.

Having experienced the LIV Golf League, the six-time Asian Tour champion is eager to do all he can to earn a permanent place via the rankings system, starting right here in Morocco this week where invaluable points are at stake.

He said: “It (The international Series) is definitely priority one for me now. Having experienced the LIV Golf events, they are really cool. We are very well looked after and playing that calibre of field for that kind of money is something we all want. That is priority one and I am looking for what will unfold over the next eight events.”

South African Branden Grace is also looking for a big weekend in Morocco. The Stinger GC player jetted in overnight from Open final qualifying in the UK, where he narrowly missed out on a spot in the fourth major of the season, losing out on a play-off after a gruelling 36 holes.

Grace finished second and ninth in consecutive seasons on the LIV Golf League, but is currently in the lower reaches of the standings. With four events left on the LIV campaign this season, he is eager to put together a run of good results and move away from the drop zone.

Grace was happy with his performance over two rounds at the Open qualifying in midweek, and is looking to continue that form on the Red Course.

He said: “It is nice to be back in Morocco, this is a great golf course, it is tough and I am ready to go. I am a little tired as I got to bed at 3am after 36 holes and an extra two. It is what it is. I found I played really well in tough conditions and can take a lot going into this week.

“Listen, it (The International Series) is a great stepping stone for the guys playing out here full time, trying to get onto LIV. For me, I see myself coming here for the chance to play a week before a big event (LIV Golf Andalucia), even just to find something to take into those events.

“Obviously it is a great opportunity for World Ranking points, and if things don’t go your way (on the LIV Golf League), you are only one win away from giving yourself a great chance to be back there if you need it (via the International Series Rankings).”

Local hero Ayoub Lguirati is eager to replicate the great form that earned him a superb T28 finish two years ago in the tournament ultimately won by Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand. One of nine Moroccan players in the field this week, he said: “I feel stronger and better than two years ago, thanks to my experience on the Asian Development Tour and The International Series.

“I learned a lot and I will do my best to play well and represent my country. This is a great opportunity for the Moroccan players, it is like two years ago for me. The tournament opened a lot of doors for me. So it is a great opportunity for them to improve and play in international tournaments.”

Published on July 3, 2024

The Asian Tour has finalised the 2025 Qualifying School schedule with a record seven First Stage tournaments feeding into the Final Stage at the end of the year – where lucrative playing privileges for the new season will be secured.

Following the recent announcement that Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club in Melbourne, Australia, will host the opening First Stage qualifier, from September 17-20, the School will go coast to coast in the United States for two stages before staying in Thailand in the lead-up to the Final Stage, to be played at Lakeview Resort & Golf Club, in Hua Hin, from December 17-21.

Last year the Asian Tour made history when it staged a qualifier in the United States for the first time, at Soboba Springs Golf Club in California. This season will build on that with the school making two visits there: first to Tesoro Club in Florida from September 29-October 1, before returning to Soboba Springs, from November 5-8.

Pattana Sports Club in Chonburi is the next stop, from December 3-6, before Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok, Grand Prix Golf Club in Kanchanaburi, and Springfield Royal Country Club, stage events simultaneously from December 10-13.

Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The popularity of the Asian Tour Qualifying School is a barometer for the success of the Asian Tour and once again this year we are expecting a huge response from players globally wanting to enjoy playing our schedule.

“Our international schedule of events and players means we are absolutely in need of a qualifying school that caters for this, hence returning to Australia and the United States and having seven First Stage Qualifiers meets our needs in terms of size and scale.”

Each First Stage event will be played over four rounds, with the top-placed finishers earning places in the Final Stage – played over five rounds, with the top-35 earning their cards.

Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg took top spot at the Final Stage of this year’s Qualifying School, played at Springfield Royal Country Club and Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Thailand.

668 players were involved in the last edition of the Qualifying School, including those who played in the six First Stage qualifiers. The Final Stage comprised 219 players from 35 nations reflecting the increasing global popularity of the Asian Tour.

Registration for the 2025 Asian Tour Qualifying School will begin on July 3, 2024. Check out asiantour.com/q-school for more information.

 

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Up-and-coming Pakistan golfer Ahmad Baig admits his “dream has come true” as he prepares to face up to some world-class talent at International Series Morocco this week.

Baig received a tournament invite to the Royal Dar Es Salam in Rabat after a stellar season so far on the Asian Development Tour (ADT). The 26-year-old leads the current ADT Order of Merit thanks to two tournament wins in Vietnam, the season-opening Lexus Challenge in March and the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters last month.

Baig only took up the game 10 years ago, and he is pinching himself at the prospect of lining up in a field that includes nine LIV Golf League players and the cream of the Asian Tour.

He said: “My dream is to play on the Asian Tour, and today it feels like my dreams have come true, because I am playing, and this is my first time playing on The International Series. I feel extremely excited to be playing and competing against these big names.”

This is Baig’s second Asian Tour appearance of the season, and he hopes to go one better after narrowly missing the cut in the Saudi Open presented by PIF. On that occasion he fell agonisingly short, as a bogey on his last cost him a place on the weekend.

He said: “That was very painful. I played well but sadly on the last I managed to bogey from 20 yards – I just overhit a chip and then could not close out. Hopefully I have learned from my mistakes.”

Baig is always eager to learn, from his experience and from those around him. He has a wonderful opportunity to gain experience against some top names this week.

The assembled field includes stars such as 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell of Smash GC, South African’s Branden Grace (Stinger GC) and the American trio of Pat Perez (4Aces GC), Peter Uihlein (RangeGoats GC) and Caleb Surratt (Legion XIII), as well as in-form Asian Tour Order of Merit leader John Catlin, and multiple Asian Tour winners Gaganjeet Bhullar, Scott Hend and defending champion Jazz Janewattananond.

He said: “I am always trying to learn from them because they are the best players in the world. So any time these players are at the range or working on their short game, or putting, of course I will take the opportunity to watch and learn. I am also excited to compete against these big names.”

Pakistan may not be known as a hotbed of golfing talent, but Baig took to the game immediately after being introduced to it by his brother, who worked at the Lahore Garrison Greens Golf Club.

Now a member of the Royal Palm Golf Club in Lahore, he is reaping the rewards of all those hours of practice where he tried to emulate heroes, he watched on TV including Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy.

With a swing speed of 124, a driving average of 310 to 315 yards and two wins under his belt, he is on track to live the dream by graduating from the ADT to full Asian Tour status next season.

But this season, he’s delighted to gain invaluable experience, and he’s one of a number of players from the MENA region who are getting the chance to take on the heavyweights of the Asian Tour and the LIV Golf League thanks to the pathway that The International Series provides for promising talent, whether amateur or pro, at events over the course of the season.

So how does he feel going into this week’s event on a testing Red Course? He said: “I have never played here before and we do not have courses like this in Pakistan. It is a challenging course, the greens have a lot of slopes and this is a long course compared to what I am used to in Pakistan. It is a wonderful challenge.

“The past two years on the Asian Development Tour have been about progress and I have learned many things. I practice a lot and I have mentally prepared myself better for tournaments.

“I have a different approach now and that is why I feel confident this year. I have always played aggressive but now I know to adapt the conditions and use common sense – depending on what the play is. I am learning, and I am looking forward to a great week.”

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Tournament Information

• Tournament: International Series Morocco
• Venue: Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), Rabat
• Date: July 4-7, 2024
• Purse: US$2 million (first place US$360,000)
• Asian Tour leg: Eighth event of 2024 season
• International Series leg: Third of 2024 season
• Edition of tournament: Second (first played in 2022)
• Course designer: Robert Trent Jones
• (Redesigned in 2017–2018 by James Duncan)
• Year opened: 1971
• Par/Yards: 73 / 7,596
• Field: 156
• Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds to the leading 65 pros plus ties
• Social Media Hashtags: #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #whereitsAT

Field Breakdown

• Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (USA) 2022, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 2019, Scott Hend (2016), Jeev Milkha Singh (2008 & 2006)
• Nationalities: 30
• Past winners of tournament in the field: Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 2022
• Top contenders: John Catlin (USA), Jeunghun Wang (KOR), Graeme McDowell (NIR), Peter Uihlein (USA), Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA)
• Highest ranked player on OWGR: John Catlin (USA) #172
• Highest ranked player on 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit: John Catlin (USA) #1
• No. of amateurs: 5
• No. of Moroccan players in the field: 8

Tournament key notes + storylines

• Jazz Janewattananond is back to defend his title he won in 2022. On a dramatic Sunday afternoon, he came out of the chasing pack by finishing with an eagle and a birdie to close with a fine six-under-par 67 to end on 12 under and beat Canadian Richard T. Lee by one stroke. It was his first win in three years.
• Asian Tour Order of Merit leader John Catlin of the United States will have a great chance to take over the International Series Rankings from current leader Carlos Ortiz from Mexico who is not playing and is only US$33,975 ahead. Catlin, the won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and Saudi Open presented by PIF back-to-back in March and April, and is coming into the tournament in good form having posted a T7 and T24 in the last two LIV Golf League events, having been called up to stand in for the injured Charles Howell III on Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC team.
• Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion and four-time Ryder Cupper, is having a solid season on LIV Golf where he has posted three top 10s this season, in Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Houston. McDowell has 16 professional wins in his career, including 11 on the DP World Tour and three on the PGA Tour.
• American Peter Uihlein had a good start to his season by finishing tied second in the LIV Golf Series Las Vegas event in February, just one stroke behind the winner Dustin Johnson. In two Asian Tour events this season, the Saudi Open presented by PIF and International Series Oman, Uihlein posted tied third and sixth place finishes respectively.
• Jeunghun Wang of Korea has had a lean spell since securing a start in the upcoming Open Championship by finishing runner up at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open to start his season. However, he is a proven winner on the Dar Es Salam Red Course layout. In 2016 Wang won the DP World Tour’s Trophee Hassan II in a play-off for his first DP World Tour win, and promptly won again the following week in the Asian Tour joint sanctioned AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
• Thailand’s Chonaltit Chuenboonngam is coming into the tournament in fine form, having nearly broke through for his first Asian Tour victory in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in early May coming up just short in a play-off. He followed it up with a creditable tied 13th place at the notoriously difficult Woo Jeong Hills in the Kolon Korea Open in June.
• The Red Course at host club Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is a classic layout with big cork oak trees lining the fairways and in the early 1990s was ranked among the World’s Top 100 Courses. In addition to the Asian Tour’s International Series Morocco, it has also hosted numerous events on the DP World Tour, Ladies European Tour, Challenge Tour and PGA Tour Champions.