Catlin’s Hong Kong Open Win Sets Up Dramatic Asian Tour Money Race Heading Into Philippine Open

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John Catlin’s five-shot win at the Link Hong Kong Open has shaken up the Asian Tour Order of Merit race. The 2024 winner jumped to fourth and now has an outside chance of finishing No. 1 with one event left: the Philippine Open.

Catlin closed with a six-under 64 on Sunday, Oct. 25, at Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling to finish 20-under, five shots clear of Matthew Cheung of Hong Kong and Finland’s Kalle Samooja. It was his seventh Asian Tour victory.

John Catlin won the Link Hong Kong Open by five shots after closing with a six-under-par 64 at Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. [Asian Tour Media Hub photo]

Catlin Closes With 64 in Fanling

The 35-year-old started the day tied for the lead. He made only one bogey, on No. 5, then pulled away with birdies on Nos. 6, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 17.

On the par-four 18th, Catlin laid up to 12 feet with his first putt from the back of the green, then sank the next one and raised both arms. The round earned him US$360,000 and 787.5 Order of Merit points.

Catlin has now won six national opens, adding Hong Kong to his Austrian, English, Irish, Saudi and Thailand titles. “I mean, if you’d told me that 10 years ago, I probably would have laughed at you. So, it’s truly special,” he said.

Cheung, 31, bounced back from a third-round 72 with a final-round 67 that included four birdies and one bogey. His showing was the best by a Hong Kong golfer at the event, topping the fourth-place finish in 1996.

Cheung had the home crowd behind him as he chased a first title by a Hong Kong player. “Soaking this all in. It’s fantastic to see so many people out here, and you know, people calling my name,” he said.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (66) and New Zealand’s Nick Voke (68) shared fourth, seven shots behind Catlin. Both Cheung and Samooja carded 67s in the final round.

Asian Tour Merit Race Tightens

Catlin’s victory moved him into fourth on the Order of Merit. Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who shot 73 to tie for 73rd, still leads, with Australia’s Travis Smyth second and South Africa’s Ian Snyman third.

With US$1 million on offer at the Philippine Open presented by Philippine Sports Commission in two weeks, the race is far from over. Catlin won the Order of Merit in 2024 and has the form to make a late charge.