LIV Golf hopeful could face heartache in dream to join league

He has longed to become a LIV Golf regular. He even wants to captain his own team. 

But unless John Catlin saves his best until last at the PIF Saudi International in Riyadh, he may well have to put his dream on hold.

Because, for the first time in a long time, the American’s fate is out of his hands.

The Asian Tour’s ten-event International Series concludes here in the Saudi capital on Saturday evening, where one of LIV’s two meritocratic tickets into the breakaway league will be up for grabs.

Catlin the globetrotter has been the dominant force on the Asian Tour this season, winning in Macau and posting countless top ten finishes while playing six events as a LIV reserve.

Yet that still might not be enough.

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Such is the thirst for late drama, the International Series ranking points skew heavily towards the final two events this season. It allowed Range Goats GC player Peter Uhlein to usurp Catlin in the standings with his victory in the penultimate tournament in Qatar last week.

“It was always going to come down to Saudi and who plays well there with two-and-a-half times the points,” Catlin admitted.

“I would have liked to have had a head start, but the winner of next week’s tournament could only have 200 points (coming into it) and win the whole International Series.

“You show up, you give it your all, try to finish as high as you can and see where the chips fall.”

Last week, Catlin was proud to wrap up the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit title – but he’d surely feel more bitter than sweet if he can’t complete the job by graduating to the LIV tour.

“I was asked earlier what’s my goal ten years from now – I’d love to be a major champion and a LIV Golf team captain,” the 34-year-old told Gulf News. “I’ve had the chance to play in six of them, I think I’ve done quite well. I think I’ve shown I can compete out there. I want to win the International Series, for sure.

“I’d put my record up against just about anybody. I’m not sure how much better I can play all season. All I can do is keep playing good golf and see what happens.”

You wouldn’t know Catlin, the most relaxed man on the range, was entering a potentially career-altering week as he joked around with his rivals before Tuesday afternoon’s pro-am.

He isn’t the only man on the brink, however.

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There will be little he can do if fellow LIV reserve Ben Campbell (third in the standings) or Canadian Richard T. Lee (fourth) storm to the title.

Both have also had strong seasons and would feel worthy of a shot at the $25million events next season.

The elephant in the room, though, is that a LIV place might not be won at all.

If Uhlein or another contracted LIV player tops the International Series standings, there will be no place on the circuit for the best performer who would have grinded all season across Asia.

Agony or jubilation awaits.

And the obvious problem for the likes of Catlin, Campbell and Lee in their pursuit of the big prize is the impressive cast list that has formed in Riyadh.

Among 42 LIV golfers making up the 156-strong field, there are six major champions. Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed, Tyrrell Hatton and Joaquin Niemann have all made the jaunt before LIV’s season-opener at the same venue in two months’ time.

There is every chance one of them could spoil the LIV welcome party.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.