ASIAN GOLF INDUSTRY FEDERATION

Catlin Denied in Dramatic Play-Off

Michael Maguire Black Mountain1
Michael Maguire defeated John Catlin in a play-off in Hua Hin. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.

Hua Hin, Thailand: Unheralded Michael Maguire denied fellow-American John Catlin a third victory of the year after winning the US$2 million Black Mountain Championship following a dramatic sudden-death play-off in heavy rain.

In his second season on the Asian Tour and without a win in the professional game, Maguire made par on the second extra hole at Black Mountain Golf Club to take the title after Asian Tour and The International Series number one Catlin missed a 15-footer for par on the 18th.

Both players made birdie on the first play-off hole. Catlin, with a short birdie putt, appeared to have won before his opponent holed a 20-footer for a four from the fringe.

Both players finished the 72-hole tournament tied on 23-under after Maguire shot a closing seven-under-par 65 and Catlin carded a 66 in The International Series’ fifth event of the season, and the 15th leg of the Asian Tour.

Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, joint leader at the start of the day with Catlin and paired in the final group with Maguire and Catlin, closed with a 72 and finished four shots shy of the play-off.

Chinese-Taipei’s Max Lee Chieh-po agonisingly missed the play-off by one, his 65 leaving him solo third. New Zealand’s Ben Campbell (64), Thai Suteepat Prateeptienchai (66) and Italian Stefano Mazzoli (66) finished tied for fourth, another two strokes back.

Maguire said: “Big weight off my shoulders. I’ve kind of been close. I’m kind of a journeyman, played on every Tour you can think of and finally to get a win on a big Tour like this is huge!”

Maguire was one shot behind Catlin playing the last hole, with the former, so often unbeatable in this position, the hot favourite to win.

Maguire found the front bunker in two while Catlin faced a 12-footer for birdie. However, in a surprise turn of events Maguire nearly holed his bunker shot for an eagle leaving him a straightforward birdie putt, while Catlin missed his putt for the victory to send the event into overtime.

Maguire, aged 31 and from Florida, made it through the Asian Tour Qualifying School at the beginning of last year, in fourth place, and kept his card after finishing 56th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

That season was helped in a big way by tying for fourth in the International Series Vietnam, his best finish on the Asian Tour before today’s breakthrough.

He added: “It was a fun battle down the back. We were back and forth. I think I tied him on the seventh hole, and then we had a two-shot swing on nine. It was kind of big, but I knew two shots is nothing on this course, especially with the finish, having a couple holes we could get close to the green with drivers.

“Just staying close and being patient was my biggest thing … and then having to roll in a few nice ones.”

Catlin was attempting to win three titles in a season for the second time in his career. He achieved the feat in 2018, and it looked like the hat-trick was well within his grasp today.

“I gave it everything I had, I went bogey-free,” said the American, who this year won the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, in a play-off, and the Saudi Open presented by PIF, back-to-back.

“I thought I had it in the first play-off hole, and I thought I had it in regulation. He hit an amazing bunker shot and then holed about a 20-footer to extend the play-off,” added Catlin, who lost the International Series Morocco in extra-time this year after Campbell stormed through, holing a succession of stunning putts.

Catlin said: “It kind of feels like Morocco. I really didn’t do that much wrong, and here I am standing on the wrong side of it.”

The result means Catlin extends his lead on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings ahead of next week’s International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club in Bangkok.

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