American John Catlin produced exhibition golf of the highest calibre today to win the Link Hong Kong Open by the emphatic margin of five shots – on the timeless Composite Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
He fired a six-under-par 64 for a tournament total of 20-under, to finish ahead of second placed Matthew Cheung from Hong Kong and Finland’s Kalle Samooja.
Cheung, bidding to become the first local player to win the tournament since it’s launch in 1959 and roared on by huge crowds, returned a 67, while Samooja carded the same score.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (66) and Nick Voke (68) from New Zealand were equal fourth, another two shots back.
Hong Kong’s famous golf tournament never fails to disappoint, as it joined Catlin’s Asian Tour roadshow today. It is the seventh Asian Tour victory by a player who won the Order of Merit (OOM) in 2024.
The result, which earned him a cheque for US$360,000 and 787.5 OOM points, moved him into fourth place on the Merit list to give him an outside chance to finish number one with one more event remaining: the Philippine Open presented by Philippine Sports Commission in two weeks.
Crucially, it also secured him a first invite to next year’s Masters Tournament and The Open – where he will make his fifth appearance.
The 35-year-old, who has a base in Hua Hin, Thailand, when playing in the region, started the day in a tie for the lead.
His only bogey of the day came on hole five before he pulled away from the field with birdies on six, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 17. On the par-four 18th he reached the green in two but had a long downhill putt from the back. On the pacey green he could have rolled his first putt a long way past the cup, potentially finishing off the green, so he laid up with his first attempt to 12 feet. Showing just how much confidence he is playing with he made the putt and raised both arms in triumph.
“Hard to put it hard to put it into words,” said the Californian.
“Really, you know, it was an event that I felt like I could do well at that I hadn’t really done well in the previous years, and so you know, to come out and play some really, really solid golf and you know get the job done it’s very, very special and you know anytime you can be on a trophy with some of the greatest players to ever play the game, you know I just feel very humbled and very grateful.”
Remarkably it’s his sixth national open title, as he has also claimed the Austrian, English, Irish, Saudi and Thailand Opens.
He said: “You know, anytime you can win a national open, I think it just adds a little bit of extra prestige. You know, as you mentioned, you look at the guys that have won this tournament in years past. I think that also kind of speaks to it as well. I mean, anytime you can win a national open is incredible, it’s amazing for this to be my sixth. I mean, if you’d told me that 10 years ago, I probably would have laughed at you. So, it’s truly special.”
Australian Peter Thomson, his countryman Greg Norman, Welshman Ian Woosnam, Germany’s Bernhard Langer and American Tom Watson have all won here.
Spain’s Jose-Maria Olazabal, Padraig Harrington from Ireland, Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, plus Englishmen Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, and Aaron Rai have also been successful.
While Catlin’s win is extremely popular, so was the performance of Cheung – who posted the best performance by a local player in the event.
Dominique Boulet, the Chairman of the Asian Tour, finished fourth in 1996 – the previous best result by a Hong Kong golfer.
Cheung led after the second round and carded a disappointing 72 yesterday but bounced back today with a round consisting of four birdies and one bogey.
Said the 31-year-old: “Soaking this all in. It’s fantastic to see so many people out here, and you know, people calling my name. I had a chill going down my spine, walking onto 18 green when they called my name. So that was really cool. Great day.
“Unfortunately, didn’t get the win, but you know, unbelievable overall. I mean, today I just told myself, you know, I just got to keep playing free. You know, that’s when I played my best golf in the first two rounds, and you know, I know I can do it. I played really good today. Unfortunately, John played really well as well. So, it is what it is. But I’m really happy overall.”
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert came in with a 73 to tie for 73rd to keep the OOM lead. He is in a strong position at the top with Australian Travis Smyth second and Ian Snyman from South Africa third but with plenty of points on offer at the US$1million Philippine Open the race is far from over.
