Boasting an increased prize pool of US$23 million, the pathway series to the LIV Golf League, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, will once again commence the year in Oman before making further return journeys to Hong Kong, Indonesia, Morocco, and Qatar.

Following the announcement in November of the inaugural International Series Macau presented by Wynn, the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers has also been confirmed as a further addition to The International Series 2024 schedule.

Abraham Ancer pictured during round four at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club – Asian Tour / International Series

The following tournaments are all confirmed for the 2024 Asian Tour calendar:

International Series Oman | 22-25 February | US$2 million
International Series Macau presented by Wynn | 14-17 March | US$2 million
International Series Morocco | 04-07 July | US$2 million
Indonesian Masters | 31 October-03 November | US$2 million
International Series Qatar | 28 November-01 December | US$2.5 million
Hong Kong Open | Dates TBC | US$2 million
PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers | Dates TBC | US$5 million

Three further venues will be announced to complete the 10-event series that comprises the International Series, integrated into the Asian Tour schedule, with all tournaments carrying a minimum US$2 million prize fund.

Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series said: “Competition to host International Series events has been high, with interest coming from around the globe as venues, destinations and stakeholders embrace the new competition and excitement that The International Series has brought since launching in 2022.

“We remain committed to our mission of enhancing opportunities for players around the world and an open player pathway into the LIV Golf League and are excited to add some marquee events to the schedule for 2024.

“This will be a landmark season for The International Series, and we continue to go from strength to strength. We remain committed to providing a transparent player pathway that enables global golfers to compete in our tournaments and take an opportunity to play over the season for a place on the LIV Golf League.

“With our first confirmed dates for the season spanning the Arabian Gulf, China’s southern coast, southeast Asia and North Africa, the schedule underscores our commitment to being a truly International Series.”

Singh concluded: “Oman once again provides a fitting curtain raiser to the season, while Macau breaks new ground for us in a region that has a rich heritage of golf. By returning to Morocco for the first time since our inaugural season, we have compelling proof that our events are an attractive proposition to destinations with world-class golfing pedigree.”

Images: Asian Tour / International Series

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Scott Vincent put Zimbabwe golf on the map by winning the 2022 Order of Merit on The International Series and securing a place on the lucrative LIV Golf League. By securing his place in the Lock Zone this season, the top-24 players in the star-studded LIV Golf League this season,  he perhaps best illustrated how the Series and the Asian Tour is offering a clear pathway for players from all over the world.

Vincent’s example highlights the appeal of The International Series to players from across the globe, and his brother Kieran and young American star Andy Ogletree are among those hoping to follow in his footsteps.

With the innovative new LIV Golf Promotions event offering an additional three places on the LIV Golf League, there is even more at stake at the top of The International Series Order of Merit leaderboard, as 30+ players will have the chance to enter the unique qualifying event that takes place in Abu Dhabi from 8-10 December.    

Golf Digest Middle East recently caught up with Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, to check out the impact of the ‘elevated events’ on the Asian Tour.

“The prize-money influx has been huge to the Asian Tour, thanks to LIV Golf’s input and The International Series helping to take the Asian Tour to new and exciting venues around the world,” he said.

“The money on offer has really helped us become a real elite tour alongside the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. You only need to look at the players that are now coming to compete in these events — from traditional Asian venues like Thailand, India, Singapore and Vietnam to the newer arrivals in England, Scotland and this week in Hong Kong.” 

Rahul is not wrong. You only need to look at the entry list for this week’s International Series Hong Kong Open to see how far things have come in a short time.

Talor Gooch, Cameron Smith, Taichi Kho and Miguel Tabuena pictured during a photocall with the Hong Kong Open trophy. Asian Tour

Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell join LIV Golf headliners Harold Varner III and Belgian Thomas Pieters for the long-running tournament, first held in 1959, which has a boosted prize fund of $2 million.

Other big-name players including 2022 Champion Golfer of the Year Cam Smith, two-time Hong Kong Open champion Wade Ormsby, Hong Kong Asian Games gold medallist and the first local player to win an Asian Tour title at the World City Championship in March, Taichi Kho, and LIV Golf winner Eugenio Chacarra.

Oh, and then there is the newly crowned LIV Golf Individual Champion Talor Gooch joining the field for the first Hong Kong Open to be contested since 2020.

Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf

“We moved into Africa and England with The International Series in 2022, then across the Middle East and into Scotland in 2023,” Rahul added. “Now we are beginning to see a successful breed of players who can compete at the highest level, with Scott and Kieran [Vincent], Andy [Ogletree] only a few that can reach the very top.

“This coming schedule will only be more inclusive, and hopefully we can see more Asian Tour players getting into major spots and other elite contests.

“The biggest thing I have noticed is that players have no reason to leave the Asian Tour, with so many opportunities on offer.

“Also we now have the Asian Development Tour opening the door to younger, up-and-coming stars, allowing them to compete at a high level before they take the next step up.”

With the world literally at their feet, where is next for The International Series?

“That is a great question,” said Rahul. “I would say ‘local’ as events such as Morocco and Egypt [on the original International Series schedule] have had a major impact, and allowing us to include and help develop, more locally based players that wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to compete on this level.

“We have already seen Tom Kim go on to great things on the PGA Tour thanks to his upbringing on the Asian Tour and expansion ensures we go truly global, and try to tap as much talent as we can.

“The key to remember is we are not competing with other tours but trying to create opportunities — perhaps The International Series can head to North America and Continental Europe. But — with the LIV Golf playoffs still to come in Abu Dhabi in November, it has already been an incredible ride.”

Main image: Rahul Singh with Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant. Supplied

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Players placed second to eighth in the standings will earn a bye into round two of the LIV Golf Promotions event this December — the pathway that will ultimately offer three spots on the LIV Golf League next season — and Suwannarut staked his claim for one of those places with a $270,0000 winner’s cheque that took him to ninth in the standings.

Suwannarut, nicknamed Safe, put in a stunning round eight-under-par 64 for a 19-under total which placed him well in front of Taichi Kho from Hong Kong, and Chinese youngster Chen Guxin, the third-round leader.

The 25-year-old admits the LIV Golf Promotions event was at the forefront of his mind. He said: “It’s funny because I talked to my coach, my trainer and my friends before about the top 32 and am I going to be in the Q-School (LIV Golf Promotions) for LIV Golf, and they said just go and finish in the top five.

“I joked that finishing in the top five is hard, so why don’t I try to win? I am really happy, it’s another step. I’ve now got myself a chance to get into LIV Golf and I am going to do my best.”

Already guaranteed a place in the top 32, and a place in the first round of the Abu Dhabi event from December 8-10, Suwannarat is confident that he can make the move into the top eight. Going into the BNI Indonesian Masters as defending champion next week following this week’s Hong Kong Open, he has a right to feel confident.

He said: “I think all I have got to do is keep this feeling, keep the momentum going strong and try and play good.”

The International Series Order of Merit leader Andy Ogletree will have to wait another week to claim the title outright.

Needing to finish in outright third or better for that position in China, which brings an automatic spot on the LIV Golf League next season, he closed with a 69 to finish in a tie for seventh. He still sits clear at the top with $1,068,582.50 in earnings.

That keeps the dream alive for Kieran Vincent ($450,205.83). The Zimbabwean sits in third behind LIV Golf League’s International Series Singapore winner David Puig ($468,216.67) and is the only person who can theoretically catch the American — by winning the last two events outright if Ogletree fails to earn any significant money.    

Evergreen American Berry Henson was left to rue an ongoing stomach virus which affected his performance over four days and cost him the chance to move up the standings.

Henson, who works as an Uber driver on his off-season at home in the Palm Springs area, looked in with a shout of a high-flying position after a second-round 66 left him T7 at halfway. But instead of motoring up the rankings, a closing 75 left the part-time driver in T25 for the tournament and temporarily stalled in 12th place on the Order of Merit ($283,994.04).

All is not doom and gloom though, as Henson is just over $35,000 short of Anirban Lahiri, currently eighth in the standings, with two tournaments left.

He said: “My game is in a good place, I just couldn’t keep my energy levels up today because of some sort of virus that has sucked the juice from me.”

Speaking about his strategy ahead of the LIV Golf Promotions event, he said: “All the research I have done trying to figure out the best scenario, we don’t know who is going to play yet, but I feel if you can get into the top eight, it is going to be big. I didn’t get that this week, but I must set goals on the number I need to get into that top eight.

“I have been playing well and the whole goal was to be peaking for this and that’s where my game is heading. It was just a bit of fatigue that caught up with me, but I have a few things I need to work on to make sure I’m in the best place going into a big Sunday round next week, and I feel my game is in the right place.”

Next up in The International Series schedule is this week’s Hong Kong Open (November 9-12), before the schedule closes with the BNI Indonesian Masters in Jakarta (November 16-19).

Main image: Asian Tour

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In-form Ogletree is the runaway leader going into the last three back-to-back International Series events of the season. With the Hong Kong Open and the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE to follow straight after the last putt drops in China, the American has one hand on that OOM title for the set of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar.

The 25-year-old tops the standings by over half a million dollars, and also leads the Asian Tour OOM, thanks to tournament wins at International Series Qatar in February and International Series England in August.

A tied third in Singapore, Ogletree’s latest impressive performance, adds to top-10 finishes in Oman and Scotland in the Series, and his undoubted talent was made clear after he technically finished in the LIV Golf League Open Zone this season, above the dreaded Drop Zone, despite only appearing as a reserve.

Andy Ogletree will be attempting to claim his third title of the year at the Volvo China Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

As he closes in on the OOM title and a LIV Golf League spot for next season, Ogletree admits he has already been fielding calls from players around the world eager to follow in his footsteps, with the Asian Tour’s high-profile events offering a viable pathway onto the LIV Golf League.

He said: “Guys have reached out to me regards Asian Tour Q School, and the process of getting out here. I think it (The International Series) has shown what it can do in my situation – I think it will be appealing to a lot of college players turning pro as it adds another route to make a great living playing golf.”

The International Series has taken on added significance with the confirmation that eligible players inside the top 40 of the OOM standings will be able to participate in the LIV Golf Promotions event in Abu Dhabi from 8-10 December, a four-round qualifying tournament that will give three additional players entry to the LIV Golf League roster for next season.

It’s no secret that Ogletree is a big fan of the Asian Tour’s marquee tournaments. A winner in the inaugural season in 2022 at the International Series Egypt, the 2019 US Amateur champion admitted preparing for International Series events as if they were his “Major tournaments” earlier this season.

Ogletree, one of the original 48 players in the field for the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London event last season, said: “The International Series is really cool. It gave me somewhere to play and build my game back up. I was struggling at my first event in London, but part of my decision to come to LIV Golf was the guaranteed International Series starts.

“I knew I was going to build up a schedule and travel the world and see some cool places. It has been awesome and the competitions have been amazing; I really enjoyed playing these tournaments with championship style golf courses. It has been great earning my way back (to the LIV Golf League).”

The Volvo China Open tees-off at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen tomorrow.

Main image: Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

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The Zimbabwean claimed a money-spinning spot among some of the biggest names in world golf last season by winning the inaugural International Series Order of Merit.

While this season’s OOM winner is guaranteed a spot on the 2024 roster, a potential pathway to riches has opened up to others on The International Series.

Eligible players inside the top 40 of the standings will also be in with a chance to claim three further places on the League through an innovative three-day LIV Golf Promotions event that will take place at the iconic Abu Dhabi Golf Club from 8-10 December.

Vincent more than held his own among the 13 major winners, former World No. 1s and huge names on the LIV Golf League this season, positively relishing the steep learning curve. He said: “That’s the coolest thing about LIV — you get to play with some of the best players in the world and that’s what we grew up hoping for — to challenge and push ourselves and reach new levels, something you never dreamed of.

“The experience overall has been incredible. It reminds me so much of college golf, which I think most of us loved. The team aspect is amazing. You have buddies out there going to dinner and sharing experience and you are rooting for them and they are cheering for you.

“It makes for an amazing atmosphere. The spectators are incredible, and the music is a huge hit and I think we all love playing in this. Also, from a family perspective with the support we get, there is so much to love about it.”

Prior to the final weekend of the regular season at LIV Golf Jeddah, Vincent could have been proud of the form which had brought a fourth place at LIV Golf Singapore and another six top-20 finishes overall.

But going into round one on Royal Greens, he was still outside the ‘Lock Zone’: the top 24 in the standings which guarantees a place on the roster next term. Things didn’t look too hopeful after a low-key, level-par opening round of 70.

Vincent put his foot down on day two with a sensational round of 62, before a closing 66 ensured a fourth-placed finish overall in the tiebreakers for the tournament on 12-under. That result thrust him from 31st in the standings to 22nd, securing a spot on the Iron Heads roster for another season.

Reflecting on the result, Vincent explained that the top 24 was not his target over the weekend. He said: “It was one shot at a time. I try not to focus on the leaderboard — it takes you too much into the future or the past, so I just try to play golf and stay present.

“That weekend more than most I think I did the best and it helped me stay present and that’s a huge goal. Just be in the moment, experience it and enjoy it.”

When asked for words of encouragement for this season’s hopefuls on the Asian Tour, Vincent said: “Go for it! I know they are going to, but more than anything is to try and stay in the moment. Enjoy the experience, this is how we learn grow and get better.”

And for his younger brother Kieran? After all, the 25-year-old is currently third in the OOM standings and a certainty for the LIV Golf Promotions qualifier in Abu Dhabi. Vincent snr said: “He is a fantastic player, working on all [the] right things and moving in a solid direction. He has an amazing future in front of him, and he is on his own journey. It is exciting to follow.”

The International Series Order of Merit will be decided in a three-week swing that closes out the schedule for the 2023 season: the Volvo China Open (2-5 November), the Hong Kong Open (9-12 November) and the BNI Indonesian Masters (16-19 November).

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The Spaniard dominated The International Series event for the third successive day, reaching 20-under, with Korean Jaewoong Eom leading the chasing pack after shooting a 69.

Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned a 68, and Australian Jack Thompson a 69, to sit in a tie for third, one shot back – on another incredibly hot and humid day on TMCC’s Tampines Course.

Puig’s 64 on day one gave him a three-shot lead, and after a 66 yesterday he moved six in front before more big drives, precision iron play and a hot putter today saw him extend the gap.

The 21-year-old, who also plays on the LIV Golf League, attacked the front nine with three birdies and an eagle to take a firm grip of the event before eight successive pars on the back was fittingly capped off with a birdie on the par-five 18th.

“Yeah played very good again, hit a lot of fairways and greens and made some putts on the front nine,” he said. “I think I missed some on the back but overall played very good, very steady and pretty happy.”

His 54-hole score is the lowest of the season on the Asian Tour, while he also has the biggest three-round lead of the year.

Despite his exceptional performance he did admit he still has concerns.

“You know, I always get frustrated. It doesn’t matter if I’m leading like this week or if I’m playing pretty bad, I always get frustrated because I always want to make the best score I can,” he said.

“But again, I know I was hitting good putts, they dropped in the front nine and they didn’t on the back, so I think it was pretty average overall. But again, very happy with the way I’m playing, and it was good to finish with a birdie on 18.”

Main image: Asian Tour

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The 21-year-old Spaniard has a commanding six-stroke lead over Korean Jaewoong Eom, who returned a 67 — in the seventh International Series event of the season.

Australian Jack Thompson, this year’s Qualifying School winner, shot a 68 and is a further shot behind, while Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (67) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (69) are in group of nine players tied for fourth, another stroke back.

Puig has been knocking on the door of a first Asian Tour victory since turning professional just over a year ago and looks like having his best chance this week.

He started the day with a three-shot lead after a sublime 64 on Thursday and made light work of the Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club once again on Friday.

He started on 10 with a bogey but bounced back with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 and swept through the second half with four more birdies, including on the last, and one dropped shot.

“Two awesome days. Played very good,” said Puig.

“I think I even played better today than I did yesterday. You know, it was pretty hot at the end, and I had a couple bad shots on holes seven and eight to finish, but overall, very happy.”

This is not the first time he has been out in front on the Asian Tour: he led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and he had a three-shot margin after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship in August but ended in a tie for fourth.

About those performances he said: “It’s experience you know, and kind of learning from the past. I mean, I think I already learned a lot in this last month, on seven for example, or eighth, I hit a couple bad shots and instead of trying to be a hero and try to even make birdie or par, where sometimes you make like six or seven, I played steady and had two fives. I knew I was going to get two fives, but you know, I think I’m ready.”

He has also been competing full-time on the LIV Golf League playing for Torque — the dominant team this season, having won four times. His best finish individually came in Chicago in August when he was fourth and next week he heads to LIV Golf Jeddah.

His six-shot advantage is still some way short of the Asian Tour’s record after two rounds. England’s Lee Westwood holds that as he had an 11-stroke lead at the 2011 Thailand Golf Championship.

Eom, who shone in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year when he finished in a tie for second, made five birdies and was one of the few players to go bogey free.

“I think everything was good today, from tee shots to iron-play to putting,” said the Korean, who as well as being a fine golfer, also speaks Mandarin fluently.

“Everything was good, and I am pleased with the way I played. This is actually my first time in Singapore. The golf course looks great and the greens are in good conditions. It was really hot out there. That’s the toughest part. I’m not used to playing in this heat. We never get this in Korea.”

Kho is clearly still on a high after claiming the gold medal at the Asian Games last week in China and shot up the leaderboard making six birdies before dropping his only shot of the day on the last.

He said: “I felt like I had some issues with strategy and bit of focus yesterday, but I was able to clean that up really nicely, so I was able to attack the golf course like I thought I could. And overall, a really good day.”

The 22-year-old made history in March by becoming the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event after he recorded a hugely popular and significant victory at the inaugural World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.

“I think I have a mixture of confidence and a little bit of fatigue, but I feel like it almost works to my advantage because I’m just out here playing golf,” said Kho, who finished 27-under at the Asian Games.

“And that’s all it really feels like, there’s no added pressure or anything like that. So, yeah, overall, I’m just trying to play golf and just try to get a little bit better this week. But other than that, there’s a lot of confidence from my ability to go low from the previous week, and hopefully that can help me this week and in the future as well.”

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The Arizona-based Spaniard shot a scorching bogey-free eight-under-par 64, on the intimidating Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club on a hot and humid day.

Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Thais Rattanon Wannasrichan and Itthipat Buranatanyarat returned 67s  in the seventh International Series event this season.

Puig is due a win on the Asian Tour having consistently been in the running since turning professional in September last year, including in his last three appearances: he tied for fourth in the International Series England, ended equal 14th in the St Andrew Bay Championship, and came home in a tie for 11th in last month’s Shinhan Donghae Open, on each occasion threatening to win.

And he made the perfect start on Thursday with three birdies on the front side, and five on the back, including three in the last four.

“Tough course, tough conditions,” said the 21-year-old, who plays for Torque — the dominant team on the LIV Golf League this season having won four times.

“It is true that some holes were a little shorter today, but still a tough course, firm greens. I hit it very good, and I think the front nine I played very good. I putted three times for eagle, and shot three-under with 17 putts, I missed one green. On the back nine I played solid as well, I hit good shots, and made more putts, so yes very happy.

“I have been hitting it pretty good off the tee this year and this is a long course and there are some holes where you need to be accurate and precise but there are others where they kind of open and with my distance I have a little bit of an advantage to that.”

In his very first event on the Asian Tour last year, the International Series Morocco, he came home in third having been the overnight leader, and that set the tone for a consistent run of high-quality golf.

He added: “I have played good these past couple of months. I have had a lot of good rounds and couldn’t get it done in all of these tournaments, but you know I keep learning. I know I am a good player and that’s why I am here and why I play on LIV, I know that, and also the scores tell that. I practise hard and I think I am doing all the things right, with my team as well.”   

Chang is in-form at the moment — he tied for fifth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week — despite carrying an injury.

“I injured my right ankle last week,” said Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, at the Charming Yeangder event.

“I am not limping, but I felt uncomfortable through the round today. I hurt my ankle during the third-round last week, and I just played through it on the final day.

“Didn’t think much of it and I played well to get a top-five finish on Sunday. That gave me a lot of confidence coming to this week. I brought the injury into this week but it’s my third time playing here now so I am familiar with the course. Just play shot by shot. My ankle’s injured and I can’t do much about it. So just play the best I can.”

He began on hole 10 and turned in two-under thanks to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.

He added: “Those back-to-back birdies there got me going. The course is in great condition, as always. There is nothing I can nitpick about the course.”

He dropped a shot on the second, but rallied with gains on three, five, eight and nine.

Asian Tour Order of Merit and International Series OOM leader Andy Ogletree came in with a 68, along with Japan’s Tomoharu Otsuki, Koreans Bio Kim, Meenwhee Kim and Taehee Lee, New Zealander Ben Campbell and Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai.

Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand returned a 71, as did former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho — winner of the individual gold medal at the Asian Games last week.

Jaco Ahlers, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, fired a 72, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell signed for a 74.

Singapore amateur Ryan Ang finished the day as the leading local player after carding a 70. Ang was the joint leading Singaporean in last week’s Asian Games, along with James Leow, in a tie for 12th. Leow shot even par on Thursday.

Main image: Asian Tour

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All three are desperate to find some form to take into next week’s LIV Golf regular-season finale in Jeddah.

Morgan, Koepka and Kim are currently in the Drop Zone in LIV Golf’s season-long Individual standings. All non-captains who finish the regular season ranked 45th or lower in the standings will be relegated out of the league and must play their way back in through the promotion tournament later this year.

The final points standings will be complete after LIV Golf Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club from Octobter 13-15.

Morgan is ranked 46th, Koepka is 48th and Kim is 50th through the first 12 LIV Golf tournaments this season. James Piot, ranked 47th, is the other player facing relegation but is not in Singapore this week.

The player sitting on the bubble position at No. 44 is Bernd Wiesberger, who is playing this week at Tanah Merah Country Club. Players who finish 25th-44th in the standings are in the Open Zone and are regarded as free agents, while players who finish in the top 24 are in the Lock Zone and guaranteed a spot next season.

Other LIV Golf players in the field include major winners Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel, along with Richard Bland, Carlos Ortiz, David Puig and Scott Vincent.

The 10-tournament International Series is a set of elevated events on the Asian Tour and supported by LIV Golf. The Order of Merit leader at the end of the season earns a guaranteed spot for the 2024 LIV Golf League season.

Andy Ogletree, who has won two of the first six International Series events this season, is the current money leader and will look to extend his advantage in Singapore.

Jediah Morgan. LIV Golf

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They will join last year’s Open Championship winner and Gooch’s fellow LIV Individual Champion front-runner Cameron Smith, two-time Hong Kong Open victor Wade Ormsby, and local hero Taichi Kho — winner of March’s World City Championship.

The world’s top golfers are making the trip to Fanling drawn by the Hong Kong Open’s history, its new status as an event on The International Series — 10 elite-level tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour, providing a pathway to the LIV Golf League — and its purse of $2 million.

The 31-year-old Gooch is making his Hong Kong Open debut in record-breaking form, having won three times already this season on LIV Golf — in Adelaide, Singapore and Andalucía — becoming the first-ever player to achieve that feat on the fledgling global circuit.

“I am excited to be making my debut appearance at the Hong Kong Open in 2023. I have heard a lot about the city and the Hong Kong Golf Club from other players, and I look forward to playing in front of the knowledgeable galleries in Fanling,” said Gooch.

“Last year I didn’t get a win, so this year I was just so focused on getting an individual win. You don’t think much past the first one until you get it. I definitely didn’t have three in mind for the season, but it’s cool to be here.”

Cameron Smith. LIV Golf

Gooch and Smith are two of the three LIV Golf stars in contention, along with American Bryson DeChambeau, for the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion crown to be decided at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on October 13-15.

A top-10 finish for Gooch at the LIV Golf Chicago has him in contention for the individual title on 162 points in the individual standings, eight behind Smith’s leading 170.

Another confirmed star for the Hong Kong Open, Lahiri, performed even better in Chicago, finishing tied for second in what was his third top-10 finish this season.

The 36-year-old is no stranger to Fanling, with seven Asian Tour titles to his name, he has a best finish of tied for seventh at the Hong Kong Open back in 2015.

Lahiri will also be familiar with fellow headliner Smith, having finished as runner-up to the young Australian at The Players Championship in 2022.

Chacarra is ranked eighth in The International Series Order of Merit standings. The Spanish star turned pro in 2022 to join the LIV Golf League and struck gold on his fifth ever event winning the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok.

His debut non-LIV Golf win came on The International Series at the Asian Tour’s inaugural St Andrew’s Bay Championships in August, when he defeated Matt Jones in a 10-hole playoff, the longest in Asian Tour history.

Main image: Talor Gooch. Asian Tour

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