Kedah, Malaysia: American John Catlin will be gunning for his second Asian Development Tour (ADT) title when the PGM Darulaman Championship gets underway on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old American will return to familiar ground at the Darulaman Golf and Country Club this week, having finished in sixth place there last year.
The RM200,000 (approximately US$44,600) PGM Darulaman Championship is jointly sanctioned with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) and will see players from over 10 countries teeing up at the ADT event.
Catlin, who turned professional in 2013, will be looking to secure his first win this season and improve his position on ADT Order of Merit where he is currently in 18th position.
“I finished sixth at the PGM Darulaman Championship last year so I am looking forward to get back there again. I’m definitely looking to cap a win which will boost my Order of Merit ranking,” said Catlin.
The top-five finishers on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of this season will earn playing rights on the region’s premier Tour in 2018.
The American, who clinched his maiden ADT title last year at the Combiphar Golf Invitational, has been on good form this season.
In April, he finished tied-11th on the Asian Tour at the Yeangder Heritage tournament held in Chinese Taipei after being granted a spot through a sponsor’s invitation.
On the ADT this year, he has missed the cut only once in eight starts and finished tied-15th at the Charming Yeangder ADT event last weekend.
“I have been practising hard for this four weeks stretch. The first three weeks have been good so far. I came in tied-28th at the Taifong Open, tied-seventh in Thailand and then tied-15th this week at the Charming Yeangder ADT. The game’s feeling good.
“I am starting to see the efforts paying off. It’s nice to be able to get close to the lead. It’s been one of the most consistent years I have had,” said Catlin.
Other notable names at this year’s PGM Darulaman Championship include local favourite Nicholas Fung, who recently won his first Asian Tour title in Thailand last month, current ADT Order of Merit leader Pannakorn Uthaipas of Thailand, and ADT winners Brett Munson of the United States and Martin Dive of Australia.
The PGM Darulaman Championship, by featuring on the ADT schedule, will also receive Official World Golf Ranking status, with the winner receiving a minimum of six points and the top-six players and ties earning points on a sliding scale.
