HONG KONG (SCMP/Agencies): In the end, there was no Sunday shoot-out at the Link Hong Kong Open, just John Catlin cruising to a five-shot victory on a historic day for golf in the city.
The American’s six-under-par 64 took him to 20 under overall, and the only blip on an otherwise perfect day was a bogey at the par-3 5th.
Not that it mattered. Catlin didn't need to outgun his rivals, with Hongkonger Matthew Cheung and Finland’s Kalle Samooja at 15 under, the closest the field got to depriving him of the places at next year’s Masters and Open Championship that came with his triumph.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's Ervin Chang signed off his Link Hong Kong Open campaign with an impressive three-under-par 67, securing a top-20 finish in the USD2 million Asian Tour event despite battling fatigue and injury concerns over the past two weeks.
Chang finished in joint 17th spot with a nine-under-par 271 total (66, 70, 68, 67) at Hong Kong Golf Club’s Composite Course on Sunday. Compatriot Gavin Green endured a difficult final day, carding a five-over-par 75 to finish 77th on three-over-par 283 (68, 70, 70, 75).
With a closing 64 for a 72-hole aggregate of 20-under-par 260, John Catlin of the United States emerged a worthy champion by five shots over Finland’s Kalle Samooja and home favourite Matthew Cheung. In addition to a winner's cheque of US$360,000, the 35-year-old Catlin earned two priceless Major rewards – an invitation to next year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National, and a place in The 155th Open at St Andrews.
For Chang, a crucial eagle on the par-five third hole provided an early boost to his round and helped build momentum.
"The eagle on the third hole was a very good boost for me and a good momentum builder. I hit a really good drive and left myself with only an eight-iron to the green. I hit a good chip, and it just went in from about 15 yards," explained Chang.
The strong finish was particularly satisfying for Chang, whose physical condition had been a concern heading into Hong Kong. Having dealt with an injury during the preceding SJM Macao Open, the 28-year-old consulted a physiotherapist and was relieved that his body held up through two consecutive weeks of competition.
"My body was feeling a bit tired coming into the last round, and I'm really happy to be able to finish in the top 20 this week. Overall, I felt relieved and at the same time, just pretty happy with the performance and with how I handled myself out there," noted the 2022 South East Asian Games gold medallist.
Green meanwhile described his week as “up-and-down”, and admitted that he struggled to find his rhythm during the last round, which included three double bogeys. His problems were compounded by a niggling elbow injury, which have curtailed his recent starts.
“Today obviously was a terrible day, just couldn't get anything going, and then my arm started hurting. It just wasn't a complete week, I would say. But you know, that’s part of the game," said Green, who topped the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit before heading to Europe to play on the DP World Tour.
Despite the disappointing finish, Green remained positive and noted how he enjoyed playing on the Asian Tour again. He finished T3 at last month’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, a tournament he won in 2017, but missed the cut in Macao.
“I’m looking at the positives, and I've got a great team behind me. I love playing on the Asian Tour. As I said, I've grown up playing on this tour, and it feels like home. It's nice to see everybody again, and that lifts the energy a little bit. Now, some time off, and then we'll go again in the Philippines,” noted the 32-year-old.
The Link Hong Kong Open 2026 is proud to be an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark, awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolises an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory’s sports calendar. -- SCMP/Agencies
