Asian Tour's International Series leader John Catlin says full-time LIV Golf spot is his No 1 priority

With the 2024 golf season now past its halfway mark, it's time to delve into the various aspects of the Asian Tour's prestigious International Series Order of Merit.

Recently, the Asian Tour held its third event out of eight in Morocco, each offering a substantial prize fund of at least $2 million.

At the top of the International Series leaderboard currently is John Catlin from the US, with Ben Campbell from New Zealand close behind. Interestingly, both Catlin and Campbell are reserved for the upcoming 2023 LIV Golf season. Catlin has an impressive professional record with 13 career wins, including his victory at the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm Castle.

At 33 years old, John Catlin has expressed his commitment to the International Series, stating that it is his current priority. He reflected, ‘It (the International Series) is definitely priority one for me now. Having experienced the LIV Golf events, they are really cool.

“We are very well looked after, and playing that caliber of field for that kind of money is something we all want. That is priority one, and I am looking forward to what will unfold over the next five events.”

Last year, the Asian Tour and LIV Golf announced that the winner of the Asian Tour's International Series Order of Merit would earn a spot in the next LIV Golf season. The honour went to Andy Ogletree from the US, who also secured a spot through the LIV Golf Promotion tournament held at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club in 2023.

The International Series tournaments are gaining popularity among players, with LIV Golf League participants adding them to their schedules along with other Asian Tour events. Strong performances in these tournaments can help LIV Golf players earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, which are not currently available in LIV Golf events.

Among the LIV Golf players who have participated in International Series events this year are Louis Oosthuizen, Joaquim Niemann, Branden Grace, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Lucas Herbert, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra, David Puig, and Jason Kokrak. It is expected that more players will join the International Series in 2024.

Andy Ogletree, known for his successful amateur career and victory at the 2019 US Amateur, claimed his first professional win at the International Series Egypt in 2022. After further victories in Qatar and England, he secured his spot in the 2024 LIV Golf season.

The upcoming International Series events are as below:

- August 8th – 11th, 2024, International Series – England, Foxhills, England.

- October 31st – November 3rd, 2024 – Indonesia Masters, Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

• International Series returns in 2024 with an increased prize pool of $23m

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