Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

Abraham Ancer [LEFT AND FAR RIGHT] recorded his first wire-to- wire victory in Saudi. M issing the cut a week before a big tournament is rarely a portent of good things immediately ahead. But when Abraham Ancer arrived at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club for the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers, his state of mind could hardly have been more positive. Despite failing to progress beyond the first two rounds in Dubai the previous week, Ancer was not short of confidence as he prepared for the opening leg of the Asian Tour’s 2023 campaign. The 31-year-old Mexican said: “Leading up to Dubai I’d been practicing quite a bit at home and I felt really good. I played worse than I was expecting on my first round, and then I played nicely in my second round. “I missed the cut by one, but I knew I was in a good spot, and I felt a couple of things were clicking. So, I just brought that over here.” Indeed, he did. With a masterly display of front-running in tricky, windy conditions, Ancer posted rounds of 63, 66, 64 and 68 to claim the US$1 million first prize. His 19-under-par aggregate was two shots clear of runner-up Cameron Young of the United States with Australian Lucas Herbert a further two strokes back in solo third. Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana finished alone in fourth with Andy Ogletree firing a closing 63 to leap into ninth spot at the start of what would prove an annus mirabalis for the young American. But at the Saudi event it was Ancer who earned the plaudits, outplaying a field featuring eight of the top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking and 11 Major champions – Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Cameron Smith, Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson, runner-up at Royal Greens in 2022. “That’s my first wire-to-wire win,” said Ancer, whose repeatable swing and sound putting stroke were the cornerstones of a success that sits well alongside his triumphs in the Australian ANCER HAS ALL THE ANSWERS IN SAUDI OPENER MEXICAN’S ROYAL GREENS MASTERCLASS 32 P I F SAUDI I N T ER NAT IONA L POWER ED BY SOF T BA NK I N V E STMEN T A DV I SER S ROYA L G R E E N S GO L F A N D CO U N T RY C L U B | F E B R UA RY 2 - 5 , 2 0 2 3 | P R I Z E MON E Y U S $ 5 M I L L I ON