CHINESE-TAIPEI’S Chang Wei-lun capitalised on securing his visa to play here this week at the last minute by taking a share of the lead in the US$5million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers today.
He fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 here at Riyadh Golf Club, along with Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand, to make the best possible start in the star-studded season-ending event on both the Asian Tour and The International Series.
Korea’s Yubin Jang and Chilean Joaquin Niemann are next best placed after 65s, while American Peter Uihlein, who currently leads The International Series Rankings, is in a group of 11 players who carded 66.
“I only got my visa on Monday, which was the day I arrived,” laughed Chang.
“It is a really big event, probably the biggest I have played in, so I am a little nervous.”
Four birdies on the front and three on the back saw him upstage a field that includes 42 players from the LIV Golf League.
The 31-year-old is clearly still on a high after finishing joint second in the BNI Indonesian Masters last month, which helped secure his playing rights for next season.
He added: “I am especially excited to see DJ [Dustin Johnson] here this week. It would be really cool to play in the same group as him.”
Sadom, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, dropped his only shot of the day on 17 but birdied the last, like Chang.
He said: “This is the last tournament of the year, and I’ve prepared well. I’m happy and honoured to be playing in this tournament where there are so many great golfers in the world. I’ve tried to study every good shot from them.”
Niemann is here after finishing joint fifth in the Australian Open week and despite the lengthy trip showed no signs of tiredness.
“I feel like, yeah, my game is in good shape,” said the Chilean, who finished the year second individually on the LIV Golf League.
“I mean, it’s nice to finish the year having a lot of good golf. Playing good tournaments, too. It’s been fun. I haven’t had a great Sunday yet on my last three tournaments, and so yeah, I think there’s always stuff to improve. I’m off to a great start here in Saudi, so I’m pretty happy with that.”
Promising young Saudi golfer Khalid Attieh, who made history earlier this year at the International Series Oman where he became the first Saudi amateur to make the cut in a professional tournament, carded a 67 while his compatriot Saud Al Sharif fired a 68 – a nod to the progress golf is making in Saudi.
John Catlin from the United States, who wrapped up the Asian Tour Order of Merit title last week, also returned a 68. He is in second place on the rankings and one of a wealth of players who can take that title and secure a place on next year’s LIV Golf League as the winner this week will earn 1,000 points.
Defending champion Abraham Ancer from Mexico was another to shoot 68.
