LIV Golf players in mix after Round 1 of International Series Link Hong Kong Open

HONG KONG - A host of LIV Golf League players are firmly in the mix following Round 1 of the International Series Link Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong Golf Club.

4Aces GC star Patrick Reed is T7 along with Scott Vincent, who was on the Iron Heads GC roster in 2024. Both shot 5-under 65s and are T7. Matt Jones of Ripper GC and Anirban Lahiri of Crushers GC are T39 after 2-under 68s. Kieran Vincent, who was on Legion XIII's 2024 roster, also shot 68. One shot further back was Eugenio Chacarra, a member of Fireballs GC this past season, after a 1-under 69. Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer shot even-par 70 while RangeGoats GC's Peter Uihlein shot 2-over 72.

LIV Golf reserve player Ben Campbell is one shot off the lead after a 7-under 63 while fellow reserve player John Catlin opened with a 3-over 73.

They are all chasing Nitithorn Thippong, who leads by one after an impressive 8-under 62. He holed out from a greenside bunker to save par on the 18th and seized the first-round lead in the US$2 million event. The Thai golfer is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour.

Nitithorn goes by the nickname “Fever” and he lived up to that billing with a red-hot round consisting of an eagle, seven birdies and one bogey. It did look like his day would be spoiled when he hit his second into a bunker on the par-4 18th and then failed to get out from a plugged lie. However, facing the prospect of a double or worse, he proceeded to hole his fourth to loud cheers from the large gallery.

“I shanked that second shot on 18 after a great drive,” Nitithorn, 28, said. "On the first bunker shot, the lie was just too bad but the next one I calmed myself down, it was great to hole it. ... The key for me today was to make myself flow and stick with the plan. That’s all I did today, and it really worked. I pushed myself too much early on but then settled down."

Nitithorn has also been pre-occupied with thoughts of his father as he suffered a stroke recently, but the Thai star says he is on the mend. Lying in 81st place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, he needs an exceptional week here and next week, at the International Series Qatar, to book his place in the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Advisers, which is exempt for the top 30.

His most recent victory came at last year’s Mandiri Indonesia Open, which with its two-year exemption means he is not worried about losing his card next year.

Campbell memorably holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole here last year to edge Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith by one and picked up where he left off. He birdied the 18th again, although that was midway through his round as he started on the back nine.

Persistent rain all week has left the course very wet and with little roll.

“I said to Mike, my caddie, you know, we sort of have to forget everything about this course,” said Campbell. “Prior knowledge and how we played it last year goes out of the window because my driver wasn't going anywhere near as fast, everything was just stopping.

“So, yeah, I think it was just one of those days you just had to sort of play the course right in front of you and be pretty aggressive. Because, yeah, obviously you weren't bouncing off into bad places or anything.”

Campbell's win last year was his first on the Asian Tour and has been something of a turning point in his career. In July he claimed the International Series Morocco and along with a host of other strong outings he is currently fourth on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

“I think my driving and putting are important around here; I didn't miss a fairway today," Campbell said. "I've been driving the ball really well lately and then you know, I managed to hole a few good putts on the back nine. I think that's going to be the key out there.”

With only three events remaining this season, including this week, the 33-year-old from Queenstown needs a prolific finish to catch Catlin on the Asian Tour Merit list. But The International Series Rankings – which sees the winner earn a prized place on next year’s LIV Golf League – is wide open. Catlin also leads the rankings.

Yuan is at the other end of the Merit list. Sitting in 56th place, he is in a fight to keep his card for next year, as the top 65 retain their playing privileges.

“It has definitely been on my mind," Yuan said. "Playing the Asian Tour for the past couple of years, it is such a strong Tour. I haven’t been playing my best, as the results have shown. It is a huge goal to play well this week and hopefully next week to secure my card.”

He started the season promisingly by finishing fifth in the Malaysian Open, for one of his finest finishes on the Asian Tour – his best is tied second in last year’s International Series Vietnam – but he’s struggled to replicate that form since.

“I am very happy with how I played today,” he added. “I started off pretty strong, with a birdie on the first and third and had opportunities on four and five. I was rolling the putter well. It’s been pretty good and then I tried to keep it in the fairway for the last stretch.”

For more information on The International Series, please visit: www.internationalseries.com.

(Photo courtesy of Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour)