Spain’s Josele Ballester [main picture] won the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers against the strongest field of the year, with a complete game and impressive stats across the categories showing power, accuracy and touch.

With a final round of six-under-par 65 he would beat overnight leaders Caleb Surratt from the Unites States and South African Dean Burmester by three and five shots respectively in the end.

Being one of the longest players in the field, and in interviews during the week praising his own driving, he was able to come into the Riyadh Golf Club greens with a lot of short clubs and able to stop the ball near the pins on the firm putting greens.

Said the 22-year-old: “I just found a way on how to use my driver. I hit it really far. When I’m hitting it good off the tee, many good things happen. Over the last three months, I went from being an okay driver of the ball to a really good one.”

Caleb Surratt.

“I feel like every day the greens have been getting a little firmer. The ball is rolling good, and I think that kind of plays to my advantage. I have the ability to stop the ball on the greens pretty easily. For me, the firmer they get, the better.”

Averaging 327.67 yards off the tee on the measuring holes he ranked seventh in the Driving Distance stat category, and he used this power to his advantage making 18 birdies on the par fours and three each on the par threes and par fives during the week. His 24 total Birdies placed him second only to runner-up Surratt who led this category with 25.

He also excelled in Scrambling minimising dropped shots, ranking T2 with Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand with 83.33%, behind Australian Lucas Herbert with 88.24%.

Ballester’s other statistics: Putts per GIR 1.65 (7^th), Putts per Round 28.25 (T11), GIR 83.33 (11^th) and Fairways 57,14% (T48th).

A runner-up for the second year in a row, Surratt was clearly the best putter in the field and topped both putting categories for the week with 26.75 Putts per Green and a 1,547 Putts per GIR average.

His skills on the greens produced a category leading 25 birdies during the tournament, offset by six bogies which perhaps came from a Scrambling percentage of 68.42% (24^th), which was quite a bit lower than the winner’s.

Surratt was ranked highly in Fairways Hit with 76.79% (4^th), but his GIR percentage of 73,61% (T43) left a bit to be desired.

Statistics Categories leaders at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers (of players making the cut):

• Putts per Round – Caleb Surratt (USA): 26.75
• Putts per GIR – Caleb Surratt (USA): 1.547
• GIR – Charles Howell III (USA): 90.28%
• Fairways Hit – Charles Howell III (USA): 83.93%
• Driving Distance – Micah Shin (USA): 337 yards
• Most Eagles – Richard T. Lee, Bjorn Hellgren (SWE), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG), Charles Howell III (USA), Paul Casey (ENG), Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Faisal Salhab (KSA), Nick Voke (NZL): 1
• Most Birdies – Caleb Surratt (USA): 25
• Fewest Bogies or Worse – Josele Ballester (ESP): 2
• Scrambling: Lucas Herbert (AUS): 88.24%
• Bounce back – Sampson Zheng (CHN): 50%

Pictured by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.