Julien Sale makes history with debut victory at Smart Infinity Philippine Open

French golfer Julien Sale has etched his name in history by becoming the first member of the Asian Tour to secure victory on his debut. The 27-year-old delivered a brilliant five-under-par 65 in the final round to claim his maiden professional win at the US$500,000 Smart Infinity Philippine Open on Sunday, January 26.

Born on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, Sale finished with an impressive 11-under 269 total at the Masters Course of Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club, overcoming Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, who tied for second at 10-under.

Julien Sale [Picture by Jason Butler]
Julien Sale [Picture by Jason Butler]

A Remarkable Performance

Sale entered the final round trailing Ikemura by two strokes but quickly gained momentum with seven birdies before a bogey on the par-five 18th. His lead proved insurmountable, despite late birdies from Ikemura and Sadom.

“It feels great. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it feels so good to have my first professional win and my first win on the Asian Tour,” said Sale, holding the trophy that marked his historic feat.

Breaking Records

Sale’s win is a significant milestone. He is the first French golfer to win on the Asian Tour in over 15 years, following Gregory Bourdy’s triumph at the 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open. Coincidentally, the only other member to win in their first start after graduating from the Asian Tour Qualifying School was Sadom in 2019.

Staying Patient Amid Challenges

Reflecting on his performance, Sale emphasized the importance of patience:
“Today was a bit tricky; it was much windier from the start. I stayed patient, and that was the key word today: patience.”

Sale’s decision to compete on the Asian Tour came after losing his Challenge Tour card last year, during which he missed 15 cuts in 23 starts. Encouraged by friend Stefano Mazzoli, the 2022 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year, Sale chose to pursue opportunities in Asia and has carried the momentum ever since.

Impressive Field and Performances

Australian Kevin Yuan finished fourth, while Filipino star Miguel Tabuena tied for fifth after a strong recovery, including birdies on the last two holes. Tabuena remarked, “I’m still proud of the way I fought back after the first day, but I’m exhausted.”

Sadom, who narrowly missed his third Asian Tour title, heads to next week’s International Series India, optimistic about his performance.

Looking Ahead

The Asian Tour now shifts its focus to the International Series India, a US$2 million event at the prestigious DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram, near New Delhi.

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