All eyes are on Riyadh this week as The International Series Rankings race is decided in the season-ending PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
The final event of The International Series and Asian Tour calendar is the last chance to claim the coveted golden ticket to LIV Golf on offer to the overall rankings champion.
There is currently one stumbling block facing the Asian Tour’s finest however. American Peter Uihlein is the current rankings leader on 1,071 points after overtaking compatriot John Catlin – the leader for most of the season – thanks to his emphatic five-shot win at International Series Qatar.
Peter Uihlein pictured with The International Series trophy at Doha Golf Club during International Series Qatar, the ninth of 10 events on The International Series in 2024. Picture by Asian Tour
That was Uihlein’s second title of the season, after a superb victory at International Series England in August, and he also has a T2 to his name after losing out on the final hole to Lee Chieh-po at International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club in October.
As a LIV Golf League player, Uihlein will not claim the berth on the LIV Golf League roster that goes to the champion. However, the golden ticket does not pass down to second place so his nearest challengers will need a big week to secure top spot.
Although the Range Goats GC player is in pole position to win the race, there are plenty of potential outcomes with 1000 points up for grabs to the champion at Riyadh Golf Club. Catlin, only 143.65 points behind, has already shown superb form with one victory in Macau, two agonising play-off defeats and seven impressive performances as an alternate on LIV Golf.
Ben Campbell, Richard T Lee, Lee Chieh-po and MJ Maguire will all feel they can have a say after all recorded victories this season, and the race is effectively still wide open.
The race is still effectively wide open and in-form Englishman Tyrrell Hatton is one who could make a charge.
Tyrrell Hatton celebrations – Icon Sportswire
The Englishman is making his first appearance on The International Series after a stellar season in which he won one individual title at LIV Golf Nashville and contributed to four victories for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII in the Team Championships, as well as the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour.
Hatton played with Catlin when the American filled in for Rahm in the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship, and he is rooting for his temporary team mate this weekend.
Hatton said: “The winner gets a spot on LIV Golf for next year, right? Pete’s already on the team so I guess in that sense, you would quite like John to finish in the top spot. For him this is an important week.
“Someone like me, I don’t have the added pressure of playing this week. It is kind of just see how we go. But for those guys trying to earn a spot on LIV, it certainly gives them an added incentive.
“They’re both fantastic players. Pete was the number one amateur player in the world when I was playing amateur golf. He has certainly played a lot better over the last couple of years, which is obviously good for him.
“John has played really well when he has had the opportunity on LIV Golf this year. I know he’s won a few times on the DP World Tour as well. They’re both fantastic players. I’m sure it will be an interesting week for them.”
Abraham Ancer of Mexico receives the trophy from Noah Alireza (L), CEO of Golf Saudi, after winning the PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on February 05, 2023.
It is the first edition of the tournament to be played at Riyadh Golf Club, with Abraham Ancer of Fireballs GC winning last year’s edition at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah.
At the pre-tournament press conference, Ancer couldn’t pick a winner but felt the top three on the rankings all had a great chance. He said: “That’s a tough question. They are all great competitors and good buddies. I have played a lot with Catlin since college. I know he has been all over the world. He’s played everywhere, and he has had a lot of years that he struggled, and then he just rose and played good at the right time. He is a gamer. I feel like he figures out a way to just get it done.
“Same with Peter Uihlein. He just won last week. He is one of those players that he can win any week at any given time.
“Ben, that is probably the guy I know the least, but I feel he’s a good buddy, and we have a lot of things in common we like to do outside of golf. I haven’t ever played with him actually, so I don’t know exactly what his game looks like, but obviously he is extremely good at what he does.
“I think it is going to be really cool to see who ends up winning that. Obviously for Ben and for John, it is extremely important to lock up a spot. It’s huge, it is life changing. It’s really cool to have that much excitement, but I’m not going to pick a player.”
Johnson, a two-time champion in the tournament and a two-major winner, felt Uihlein was the man in the driving seat.
He said: “Pete won last week, so I would have to say he’s probably playing the best coming into here, coming off a win. So obviously he has got a lot of confidence. It is tight (at the top of the rankings) and it should be an interesting week.”
The PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers takes place from 4-7 December at Riyadh Golf Club.
Main Image: Asian Tour
