SINGAPORE: Former US Masters champion Patrick Reed from the United States will compete in next week’s International Series Singapore, and the International Series Korea, the following week, further enhancing the strength of the field at the exciting new tournaments on the Asian Tour.
The International Series Singapore will be played on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club from Aug 11-14, while the Lotte Skyhill Jeju Country Club will host the International Series Korea, from Aug 18-21.
Both events will boast a lucrative purse of US$1.5 million (RM6.7m), with the winner earning US$270,000 (RM1.2m).
Reed warmed up for his trip to Asia in fine fashion at the weekend by helping the 4 Aces GC side – which included captain Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez – win the team competition at the star-studded LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster, while he was fifth individually.
The American hit global headlines when he won the US Masters in 2018 and is a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour – his most recent victory came at last year’s Farmers Insurance Open.
He has also claimed two WGC events during his stellar 11-year professional career, at the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship and WGC-Mexico Championship in 2020.
The 31-year-old has competed in three Ryder Cups, with his success in the Match Play event earning him the nickname “Captain America”.
He will join an outstanding field in Singapore, which includes American Sihwan Kim, who currently leads the Tour’s Order of Merit following two victories this season.
He is one of 16 players from the top-20 on the Merit list competing – in what will be the 11th stop of the year on Tour and the third International Series event.
Korean Bio Kim and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, both first time winners this season and second and fourth respectively on the Merit list have entered as well as Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, fifth on the rankings.
The Tour last visited Tanah Merah in January this year, when Korean Joohyung Kim beat Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand in a sudden-death play-off at The Singapore International, in the penultimate event of the 2020-22 season.
The Tour re-commences play next week after a short-summer break at the Mandiri Indonesia Open at Pondok Indah Golf Course.
The new raft of International Series events was unveiled earlier this year thanks to an exciting new relationship with LIV Golf. Details of the remainder of International Series events for the season will be announced soon.
Sihwan Kim won the very first International Series event, played earlier this year in Thailand, while Vincent triumphed in the International Series England. – Asian Tour
