In a battle of LIV Golf reserve players, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell beat American John Catlin on the first playoff hole Sunday of the Asian Tour’s International Series Morocco (US$2 million) at the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
Campbell holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to win on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, having been three behind Catlin with two holes to play. The two players were in the same group during the final round.
Campbell shot a 2-under 71, helped by an eagle on the par-4 17th and a birdie on the 18th in regulation, to tie Catlin at 15 under.
Both players have seen action as LIV Golf reserves in 2024.
Campbell filled in for Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith for the final two rounds in Miami, shooting 71-73, and also replaced Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm in the final round in Houston, producing an impressive final-round 5-under 67.
Catlin has started the last two LIV Golf tournaments as a fill-in for Crushers GC’s Charles Howell III, who is out with a leg injury. Catlin tied for seventh at LIV Golf Nashville and is scheduled to make his third start, again for Howell, at next week’s LIV Golf Andalucía.
With the second-place finish, Catlin moves to the top of the season-long International Series standings, while Campbell moves to second. The International Series points leader at the end of the 10-event schedule this year earns a full-time spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League.
LIV Golf members Caleb Surratt of Legion XIII and Eugenio Chacarra of Fireballs GC finished in a tie for third. Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma ended the week solo seventh while Pat Perez of 4Aces GC notched a top-10 finish with a T8.
Other LIV Golf members who made the cut and competed on the weekend were Iron Heads GC’s Scott Vincent (T13), Stingers GC’s Branden Grace (T20), Legion XIII’s Kieran Vincent (T28) and RangeGoats GC’s Peter Uihlein (T42).
Campbell started the final day one behind Catlin, who led after each of the first three rounds. Catlin was chasing his third win of the season, and he put himself in a prime position to close it out. He had to make two great up-and-downs for par on Nos. 15 and 16 before holing a 35-foot putt for eagle on the penultimate hole.
On the par-5 18th, they both faced 10-foot birdie putts, with Campbell holing his first before Catlin, normally so clinical, just missed his attempt.
“That was a great finish,” Campbell said. “I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike (his caddie), I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient. And yeah, like I went flag hunting on 16 and leaked it right, and hit a great bunker shot there. I said to Mike, if I can find a birdie eagle, you never know. So, I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the playoff, it’s always good.”
It is his second trophy on the Asian Tour having won the Hong Kong Open, another event on The International Series calendar, at the end of last year after a similarly last-gasp finish when he nailed a 15-foot birdie putt to win by one.
The win is another reward for a player dogged by injury through his career.
“I just think it’s been a tough run, and I didn’t give up then and I’m not going to give up now,” Campbell said. “I just kept saying to Mike just don’t give up out here. I’ve got to find something in my swing. I was feeling great on the range and lost it, sort of, on the course. But yeah, just said to him and I just sort of keep saying to myself, don’t give up.”
Catlin had one hand on the trophy with three to go and was a safe bet to claim the seventh Asian Tour title of his career and second wire-to-wire victory of the season.
Holding a one-shot lead at the start of the day, he surprisingly bogeyed his first two holes, but bounced back to lead by one at the turn before a birdie on No. 15 left him with that three-stoke cushion. Unfortunately, two closing pars were not good enough to hold off the charging Campbell.
“You have to tip the cap,” Catlin said. “The guy goes two, four, four to finish. I mean, he probably made 130 feet of putts to win on the last three holes. All you can do is shake his hand and say well done. I mean, yeah, it is what it is.
“I played great. I never, never gave in; I just kept battling. Kept chipping away. And you know that birdie on 15 gave me a decent little cushion there. And yeah, I mean, I’m very pleased with the way that I play. There’s no doubt about it.”
It is the first time he has lost in a playoff on a main Tour, having won one in Europe and two in Asia, including this year’s International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
Surratt, at 20 the youngest player on the LIV Golf League, was thrilled with his week.
“Really good week,” he said. “I didn’t know it was going to be as good as this at my first International Series event, so it was definitely way more than I expected. And definitely gave me something really good to build off of going into next week and Andalucía.”
The Asian Tour takes a short break now before heading to the International Series England at Foxhills Country Club and Resort, from Aug. 8-11. HyFlyers GC member Andy Ogletree, who topped the Asian Tour OOM and International Series Rankings last year, is the defending champion. It will be the ninth event of the season on the Asian Tour and fourth leg of The International Series.
The LIV Golf League resumes this week at LIV Golf Andalucía at legendary Real Club Valderrama in Spain.
Main image: Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
