Singapore: The Asian Tour membership have cast their votes with worthy winners being rewarded for contributing to an outstanding 2024.

John Catlin’s unparalleled season has seen him win The Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year on the Asian Tour – after final counting of votes was completed this week.

In addition, the Black Mountain Championship has been confirmed as The Tournament of the Year; the Link Hong Kong Open as The International Series Tournament of the Year; and Al Mouj Golf, venue for the International Series Oman, the Players’ Choice Course of the Year.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “The Asian Tour congratulates this year’s award winners, who have been chosen by our members – the ultimate mark of respect.

“John Catlin’s astonishing performances and the remarkable professionalism shown by everyone involved with the Black Mountain Championship, the Link Hong Kong Open and Al Mouj Golf made 2024 another exceptional season.

“We thank all of you, as we do all our tournaments, partners, and venues, and we wish you continued success for 2025.”

It’s the second time that Catlin has won the award, after first being honoured in 2018. He joins an elite group of players who have received the award multiple times. Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee is a three-time winner, while his compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh have both received it twice.

This latest accolade is the icing on the cake for the American. He enjoyed arguably the finest season of his career, winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) title for the first time, and in doing so beat Singh’s 16-year-old single season earnings record. His total earnings of US$1,456,800 took him US$4,098.31 past the Indian’s 2008 winnings.

Catlin won back-to-back titles early in the season, at the Saudi Open presented by PIF followed by the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where he defeated Spaniard David Puig in a play-off. A 59 on day three in Macau saw him become the first player on the Asian Tour to break 60.

The 34-year-old also lost in two play-offs, at International Series Morocco and the Black Mountain Championship, finished second in the Yeangder TPC, third in the Malaysian Open, and tied for fourth in the SJM Macao Open.

It is the second year that the award has been named after the late and great Kyi Hla Han – the Asian Tour’s former OOM champion who later became the regional circuit’s Executive Chairman.

Catlin, who has played on the Asian Tour since 2015, finished sixth on the Merit list in 2018 but was named Player’s Player of the Year thanks to three victories.

He lost in a sudden-death play-off against countryman MJ Maguire at the Black Mountain Championship in a brilliant finish that no doubt helped the event being named Tournament of the Year. Played at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, the US$2 million event was also part of The International Series and made a huge impact on the season.

The same level of contribution applied to the Link Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club where, American Patrick Reed charged to victory, helped by a third-round 59, and the stunning course at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, where Mexican Carlos Ortiz won the first event of the year on The International Series.

Al Mouj Golf was also voted Best Course last year, along with the Hong Kong Golf Club.

Huge crowds were once again a feature in Hong Kong, where the club was celebrating its 135th anniversary.