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Puig seals dominant debut Asian Tour victory with wire-to-wire masterclass

The 21-year-old Spaniard makes history as the youngest winner of an International Series event with Singapore triumph

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International Series Singapore winner David Puig (centre) with Rahul Singh (left) and Cho Min Thant (right) from the Asian Tour at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on the Asian Tour. - Supplied photo

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 5:19 PM

David Puig strolled to a majestic five-shot victory in the $2 million International Series Singapore today, to register his maiden victory in the professional game.

The Spaniard completed a stunning wire-to-wire triumph after firing a final round one over par 73 at the impressive Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course), in Singapore.

Puig finished the Asian Tour event on 19 under, with Jaewoong Eom from Korea hanging on for second place, after carding a 69.

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American Andy Ogletree took another step closer to securing both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits by closing with a 69.

Ogletree’s round featured a hole-in-one on the par three fourth, to finish in a tie for third with Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, in with a 68.

Puig of Spain hitting a watches his shot during the International Series Singapore golf tournament at the Tanah Merah Country Club. - AFP

Puig had a nine-shot lead at the start of the day thanks to rounds of 64, 66 and 66, and was never challenged.

Playing conservatively, he made the turn in one under with a birdie on eight, before a minor wobble with bogeys on 11 and 14. The 21-year-old had a six-shot lead playing 18, which playing partner Eom birdied.

“It’s awesome,” said Puig, who won $360,000, and became the youngest winner of an International Series event.

“You know, this is my first year as a professional, but I think I deserved a win probably two or three months before this day. But, yeah, it’s awesome, it’s the best feeling in the world. That’s why I practice so hard and yeah, very happy.”

His win comes as no surprise. Since turning professional in September last year he has been close to winning on numerous occasions, including in his first event the International Series Morocco, where he was third, and the International Series England in August, when he tied for fourth.

This was only his ninth start on the Asian Tour and moved him into second position on the International Series Order of Merit and fourth place on the Asian Tour merit list.

His success comes off the back of an outstanding season in the LIV Golf League, where he has been playing for Torque GC, the dominant team this year who have won four times.

Sunday’s victory is the perfect preparation for next week’s LIV Golf Jeddah, the final regular season event of 2023. Puig will be hoping to improve on his best individual finish on LIV Golf, which is joint fourth place at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.

Eom’s strong finish allowed him to match his best performance on the Asian Tour, as he tied for second in the New Zealand Open in March.

The Korean injured his left wrist a couple of years ago, underwent surgery and spent a year and a half recuperating before making a comeback last year.

Ogletree’s ace was the result of a magnificent five iron from 230 yards that flew straight into the cup.

“Yeah, it was crazy. I didn’t see it. I just had a really bad hole on three and was trying to decide between a four and a five,” he remarked.

“I said let’s hit the five and give it a chance, and it flew in. Crazy. We heard it hit the pin, but we didn’t know where it went. We got up there, and there it was in the hole.’

It was his ninth hole in one and he also chipped in on the next hole for a birdie.

Remarkably, moments earlier, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma won a brand new BYD SEAL EV thanks to a superb ace on the par three 16th. He fired in a perfect nine iron and claimed the keys to the electric vehicle.

Singapore amateur Ryan Ang also finished in a blaze of glory holing his second shot on the par four ninth, his final hole, for an eagle two and a 68. His six-under total meant he finished as the leading local player in a tie for 23rd.

The SJM Macao Open is the next stop on the Asian Tour and tees off on Thursday at Macau Golf and Country Club. It is the first time the event has been played since 2017 when India’s Dubai Golden VISA Awardee Gaganjeet Bhullar won the event for the second time.

Results

(7,535 Yards, Par 72).

D. Puig (Spain) 64. 66. 66. 73. 269.

J. Eom (South Korea) 69. 67. 69. 69. 274.

P. Saksansin (Thai) 70. 69. 69. 68. 276.

A. Ogletree (US) 68. 71. 68. 69. 276.

T. Osuki (Jap) 68. 70. 70. 69. 277

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 5:19 PM

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