Josele Ballester of Spain and Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Josele Ballester announced his arrival on the global stage by capturing the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in just his 10th professional start. The Spaniard closed with a composed six-under-par 65 to secure a three-shot victory over last year’s joint runner-up, American Caleb Surratt, who carded a 69 at Riyadh Golf Club.
South Africa’s Dean Burmester, who defeated Ballester in extra holes at LIV Golf Chicago in August, posted a 71 to finish third, while England’s Richard Bland shot a 68 for fourth place. American Anthony Kim continued his steady comeback with his strongest result since returning from a 12-year absence, signing for a 70 to tie for fifth.
With this event marking the season finale on The International Series, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent sealed the International Series Rankings for the second time, having first won the inaugural edition in 2022. His victory ensures a popular return to the LIV Golf League next year. Joining him on the franchise will be Japan’s Yosuke Asaji, who held onto second place despite missing the cut this week. Filipino Miguel Tabuena came within reach of overtaking Asaji after finishing tied for 11th with a 69, ending just 25.25 ranking points behind the Japanese golfer, who stayed in third.
Ballester, last year’s US Amateur champion and a mid-season addition to Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC squad, began the final round one shot behind Surratt and Burmester. By the turn he had moved one clear, thanks to three birdies and flawless play alongside both co-leaders. He added three more birdies on the back nine, including one at the 16th, to close out an unchallenged victory in just his second Asian Tour and International Series appearance.
“First of all, thank you so much. I’m super happy,” said Ballester, 22. “It’s been everything, right? Like at the end of the day, being a young boy dreaming about this moment, winning your first professional career. This is why I worked so hard every day. It’s been really cool, to finally get this done. It’s going to make me keep working even harder to accomplish all the things I have.
“But right now I’m really happy and thankful for all the people that have been there supporting me.
“It’s been great these past few months. It’s been a lot of learning. When I joined LIV, I was not playing great, and it was a learning process. I had to become better. It’s been really cool to see that in this brief time I’ve gotten so much better and that I can compete at the highest level with the best players in the world.”
Surratt, also seeking his first professional win, recorded his third runner-up finish on The International Series, having also lost in a playoff last year to Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
“Yeah, it’s hard,” said the 21-year-old, who played for Legion XIII on LIV Golf. “I finished runner-up at this event last year. So, it’s tough. I feel like I’m overdue on my first win. I definitely had that in my mind today. Just getting off to a bad start really hurt me. Josele was beating me by four shots today through three holes. He’s an amazing player, props to him. I’m sure we’ll have many, many good battles.”
Surratt dropped shots on the first two holes but recovered with three birdies on the front nine. Two more birdies and a bogey coming home left him just short again.
Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Yosuke Asaji of Japan. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Vincent began the day five shots back but comfortably leading the rankings. A closing 75 left him eight-under in a tie for 42nd—less than he hoped for but still enough to top the standings with 335.11 points. Asaji secured second with 285.3 points.
“I think it’s still settling in,” said Vincent, winner of this year’s International Series Morocco. “Right now, all I want to do is go see my family. Yeah, we’ll head towards them tonight and can’t wait to see them.
“I woke up at about 4:30, which was two hours before I was hoping to. Then you start playing all the different scenarios in your head, which was not what I was hoping for.
“Yeah, I kind of just — I wanted to come out here and just play freely and give it my best, but yeah, I was nervous. Obviously not knowing and not trying to look at leaderboards, you don’t know how much of a cushion you have. You don’t want to be the guy who’s ahead and loses, all those things.”
Tabuena, needing a top-six finish to overtake Asaji, surged early with a three-under outward nine to move into the top four. But a bogey at 12, a birdie at 15, and another bogey at 16 ended his bid to become the first Filipino golfer to reach the LIV Golf League.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa maintained his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit after finishing tied for 65th. Vincent sits second and Tabuena third with two events still to play.
The Asian Tour now heads to India for the Bharath Classic at Kensville Golf Resort in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The inaugural event will run from November 27 to 30 and will be jointly sanctioned with the newly formed Indian Golf Premier League.
