BEST PERFORMANCE AT THE SAUDI OPEN
John Caitlin went wire- to-wire to win the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
American John Catlin ran rampant on his way to winning the US$1million Saudi Open presented by PIF for the first back-to-back win on the Asian Tour in five years.
American John Catlin led from start to finish in the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
His final-round, five-under-par 66 completed a 24-under total to win by seven shots over Australian Wade Ormsby.
Australia’s Wade Ormsby had the best final-round score of 64 but still ended seven shots behind the winner.
Ormsby registered his best performance since winning the International Series Thailand in March of last year by carding a 64 here at Riyadh Golf Club. American Peter Uihlein finished strongly shooting a 63 to share third place, nine behind the champion, with Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand, who returned a 67.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat finished in a tie for third with American Peter Uehlein.
Catlin, who won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn last month, also nearly made history on the Asian Tour. He came agonisingly close to becoming the first player to complete 72 holes bogey-free, but he missed a seven-foot par putt on 14. Last month he did actually write his name into the Asian Tour history books by becoming the first player to shoot a 59, in the third round in Macau.
The victory here, which earned him a cheque for US$180,000, saw him overtake Spaniard David Puig at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Puig closed with a 67 to finish in sole possession of fifth, 10 back from Catlin.
Catlin becomes the first player to win successive events on the Asian Tour since Jazz Janewattananond in 2019, when the Thai claimed the Indonesian Masters and Thailand Masters.
