INTERNATIONAL SERIES TOP 8 SET FOR FIRST-ROUND BYES AT LIV GOLF PROMOTIONS

JAKARTA Indonesia – Gaganjeet Bhullar walked away with much more than the trophy and bumper $US 270,000 winner’s cheque at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE.

His brilliant wire-to-wire victory also secured the all-important eighth place on The International Series Order of Merit standings, a result that secured an automatic bye into round two of the LIV Golf Promotions event and took the Indian a step closer to one of three golden tickets to the LIV Golf League roster next season.

Going into the weekend, Bhullar was sitting 46th in the standings, outside the top 40 which would generate seven second-round exemptions from those placed two to eight, and 25 first-round places for Asian Tour players.

The 11-time Asian Tour winner booked the final berth in the second round and edged out Phachara Khongwatmai into a first-round spot, the Thai star just falling short of that bye despite a rollercoaster third place at the Hong Kong Open last week.

Bhullar said: “This feels very special because before this week, since it is the cut off, coming here this week the standings was definitely on the back of my mind, and motivating me to play well and get the chance of a place in the LIV Golf qualifier. I played well last week too but struggled on Sunday, but this week the goal was to stay in the zone, and I managed to do that.” 

The top 8 finishers in the International Standings represent eight different countries – winner Andy Ogletree (USA), No. 2 David Puig (Spain), No. 3 Ben Campbell (New Zealand), No. 4 Kieran Vincent (Zimbabwe), No. 5 Takumi Kanaya (Japan), No. 6 Wade Ormsby (Australia), No. 7 Gunn Charoenkul (Thailand) and No. 8 Bhullar (India).

Ogletree already is guaranteed a spot in the 2024 LIV Golf League and Puig played in LIV this season and is a free agent after his contract expired and is an attractive option for any team with an open spot. The next six players in the standings have first-round byes for LIV Golf Promotions in Abu Dhabi and will try to qualify for a fascinating 36-hole final day.

The top three finishers at the Promotions event lock up LIV Golf spots for next year. The tournament will be held Dec. 8-10 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Click here for full details on LIV Golf Promotions.

INTERNATIONAL SERIES TOP 8

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Vincent, the International Series Vietnam winner, was delighted to claim an exemption and is seeking to become the second Vincent competing full-time in LIV Golf; his older brother Scott was the International Series winner last year, played for Iron Heads GC lin 2023, and earned a spot in 2024 with a Top 24 Lock Zone finish.

Said Kieran: “Every week is an important week in golf but the fact that this one could have playing rights next year on LIV ... I can’t wait to get there, never been to Abu Dhabi and it is going to be a great event.”

Vincent was a reserve player at several LIV Golf tournaments in 2023, as was Ormsby and Ogletree.

In-form runner-up Karandeep Kochhar was also celebrating his big result as the brilliant final-round 63 took him into from 37th and up to 15th, for one of 25 places on the first round of the LIV Golf Promotions event.

Kochhar has been a big mover in the past three weeks, coming out of nowhere with an impressive T5 in the Volvo China Open and a T25 at the Hong Kong Open before his runner-up spot at the Royale Jakarta.

He said: “Before these three weeks, it wasn't on my mind. But yesterday I did have a look in the evening, I went on the Order of Merit and just trying to kind of see where I stood and everything. Anyway, if I played my game, I would be in.

“I think it's a great opportunity for players like me in Asia, trying to get on the LIV Series, which is arguably the best tour in the world. I'm really looking forward to that opportunity and have a good week in Abu Dhabi hopefully.”

Ogletree had already wrapped up the Order of Merit and LIV Golf League golden ticket last week at the Hong Kong Open, the penultimate tournament on The International Series, the schedule of 10 elevated marquee events on the Asian Tour.

Puig finished runner up in the standings after an impressive tied third-placed finish alongside last week’s Hong Kong Open champion Campbell, who moved up to third in the standings.

At the other end of the standings, Korea’s Kyongyung Moon secured a place in first round in Abu Dhabi, his impressive fifth-placed finish at Royale Jakarta enough to leapfrog from 53rd to 36th.

Photo courtesy of Asian Tour