Rising American star Caleb Surratt birdied the 18th to take a one-shot lead into tomorrow’s third-round of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

He carded a five-under-par 66 here at Riyadh Golf Club today, to lead on 14-under from Thomas Pieters from Belgium in second place.

Pieters also shot a 66, while American Anthony Kim rolled back the years, shooting a 64 to move into third, another two strokes back, along with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Spaniard Josele Ballester – both in with 65s.

South African Dean Burmester (63) and Adrian Meronk (70) from Poland are a further stroke behind in a tie for sixth along with Seungbin Choi of Korea (66). Meronk was the joint first-round leader with Surratt – in the final event of the season on The International Series, and the third from last stop on the Asian Tour calendar.

Surratt was beaten by Chilean Joaquin Niemann in a sudden-death play-off here last year and has clearly returned seeking redemption.

Thomas Pieters.

The 21-year-old reached the front edge of the green on the short par-four 18th from the tee and got up and down to edge Pieters for the halfway lead. He made two birdies on the front and three on back and was bogey free.

“Very pleased. It was a good day,” said the American, who plays for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team on LIV Golf.

“You know, I think some of the hardest rounds in golf are honestly ones that have to follow up great ones, so to go out there today, kind of fight my thoughts at times, getting ahead of myself, I was still able to play well. That was good that I showed that to myself, and hopefully use this same momentum.”

He is without a win since turning professional last year but has finished second twice in International Series events and third once.

“It is a great leaderboard. Be good to see how it shakes out next few days,” he said.

Pieters, who plays for 4Aces GC on LIV Golf, last won in 2022 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – one of his six titles on the DP World Tour. This year he has recorded his two best finishes on LIV Golf, finishing joint fourth in both Korea and Virginia.

“Pretty similar to yesterday,” he said of his round today. “Played really well. I made loads of 10 to 15 footers. Only difference is I missed a couple shorter ones. Overall, super happy, obviously. Yeah, just really looking forward to the weekend and I enjoy this golf course a lot.”

Anthony Kim.

Pieters has come into the week full of confidence after top-10 finishes in Hong Kong and Singapore on the Asian Tour and The International Series.

The towering 1.96 metre golfer added: “I am just putting in the work. Just swing feels good. Not too many swing thoughts to be honest. Short game has been good, and I practice a lot on my wedges in my simulator at home and that’s been paying off.”

The 32-year-old, who made seven birdies and two bogies today, has also changed his irons.

“Yeah, my irons were kind of at the end of their lifetime and somehow I ended up with some Miura irons, and they’ve been working quite well,” he explained.

“We’re not quite there yardage-wise, but you’ve got a lot of wedges this week so I haven’t hit a lot of long irons yet. But I really love the shape of them. The ball comes off really nicely. Yeah, I think they’ll be in the bag for next year.”

Kim turned heads by moving into contention in a tournament for the first time since making his comeback to the game last year – after an absence of 12 years.

Like Surratt he did not drop a shot and made seven birdies.

He said: “My wife told me that if I make less bogeys than birdies my score will be good, so I followed that direction well today.

Scott Vincent.

“Yeah, I’m finally starting to see some of the work show. I haven’t been able to swing like I have been in practice rounds and back at home in tournament golf, but it’s starting to show up and starting to feel more comfortable out here.”

The 40-year-old has not been in contention since joining LIV Golf and his most recent victory is the 2010 Shell Houston Open.

He last finished in the top-10 in an event at the Singapore Open in 2011, where he tied for third, during a period in time when he reached number six in the world.

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, the leader of The International Series, put himself in a strong position to finish the season in top spot by shooting his second 67 to lie six off the lead. Filipino Miguel Tabuena is also well placed following a 68 and is another shot back.

The top two on the Rankings will earn places on the LIV Golf League next year and with Japan’s Yosuke Asaji, in second place, firing a 72 to miss the cut the door has been left open for Tabuena, who is in third place.

Defending champion Niemann surprisingly will not be here for the final two rounds after he carded a 69 to miss the cut by one.

Pictured by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.