Major winners McDowell, Schwartzel headline golf’s International Series at Tanah Merah
Plenty of star power at this week’s US$2 million event at a tough Tampines course
THIS week’s International Series Singapore is littered with star power from Asia and beyond, with Major golf champions Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel leading a stellar cast.
Joining them are American Andy Ogletree, who already has three International Series titles, and Taichi Kho from Hong Kong, who struck gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last week.
Yet to look beyond them is an exercise in practicality because at least a fifth of the 144-player field boast credentials that could see them secure comfortable final placings at the US$2 million event, the seventh in the Series.
And considering that Tanah Merah Country Club’s pristine Tampines course has been primed for a battle of skills and minds from Thursday (Oct 5) to Sunday, there are no firm favourites for the overall winner, who will take home a cheque for US$360,000.
A winner at the Asian Tour’s Ballantine’s Championship in 2008, and the 2010 US Open Champion, McDowell from Northern Ireland is now primed for further success and a return to form following a top-20 finish at the International Series in England in August.
The European Ryder Cup legend said: “My time at Close House (in Newcastle) was a great experience, and I’m looking forward to another solid performance to give myself the chance to win my first International Series event. I’ve always enjoyed playing in Asia, so I’m excited to get back to Singapore and to experience Tanah Merah Country Club for the first time.”
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Schwartzel, who famously won the 2011 Masters Tournament, again etched his name into the history books at the inaugural LIV Golf London event in June 2022, winning the individual title by one shot over compatriot Hennie Du Plessis.
The South African clinched a shared 13th place in his most recent International Series appearance in Qatar in February 2023, and arrives at this event following a commendable top-20 finish at LIV Golf Bedminster last month.
Ogletree’s three International Series titles include triumphs in Egypt in 2022 followed by Qatar and England in 2023. And he will be looking to build his lead on both the International Series and Asian Tour orders of merit, reaffirming his star potential after winning the 2019 US Amateur Championship.
The 25-year-old said: “I’ve had the pleasure of participating in the LIV Golf League already, which is an experience I relished. As we enter the final leg of The International Series 2023 schedule, each event now holds immense significance in securing my spot for the upcoming year.”
McDowell will be joined by two of his LIV Golf teammates in Bernd Wiesberger and Richard Bland. The field will also feature Hideto Tanihara, recent winner of the ANA Open Golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour, and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, a dual Asian Tour champion.
Sadom’s counterpart, Nitithorn Thippong, the defending champion in Singapore, is determined to retain his title at Tanah Merah Country Club and returns in great form after winning the Mandiri Indonesia Open in August.
The Thai golfer, affectionately known as “Fever”, said: “After my victory on the Tampines Course last year, I believe I’ve unlocked the secret to performing exceptionally well on this course, and I can’t wait to defend my title. The Tampines course is great, but tough. I think you have to hit a mid-iron or a long-iron really well, and your putting on the tricky greens has to be good.”
South African Jaco Ahlers is also relishing being on a tough course. The winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters said: “Yeah, I like difficult courses – just the fact that level par is a good score. Tampines is a world-class course where you have to grind it out.”
High-flying Zimbabwean brothers Scott and Kieran Vincent will also return to the Tampines Course having teed up in the 2022 edition.
Older brother Scott, who topped the International Series 2022 Order of Merit to earn his place in the LIV Golf league, showed exceptional form during his last visit to Singapore with a blemish-free 62 at LIV Golf Singapore in April.
Vincent, meanwhile, is an International Series winner in his own right, having clinched his debut professional victory in April 2023 at KN Golf Links in Vietnam.
Singapore has entered a total of 16 golfers for this week’s International Series event, including rookie professional James Leow.
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