John Catlin of the United States on Sunday claimed victory at the Hong Kong Open, winning at the iconic Fanling golf course for the seventh Asian Tour trophy of his career.

The California native carded a sizzling six-under-par 64 in round four to finish 20-under overall, holding off local favourite Matthew Cheung and Finland's Kalle Samooja by five strokes.

Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond and Nick Voke of New Zealand finished tied for fourth at 14-under.

It's Catlin's first triumph on the Asian circuit since the 2024 Saudi Open, and adds to victories in Thailand, Macau, and Malaysia.

Catlin went into the final round locked in a tense four-way tie for the lead at 14-under-par alongside compatriot Caleb Surratt, India's Anirban Lahiri, and Thomas Pieters of Belgium.

But a brilliant performance on the 18th-hole sand solidified his place at the top of the leaderboard.

"There were so many great players, and there was a four-way tie for the lead... anything can happen," Catlin told reporters after the win.

"I just tried to focus on what I can control. I didn't know what anyone else was doing, and I didn't look at the leaderboard until I came down the 18th," he added.

"I just tried to keep focused on the shot at hand, and keep trying to execute good golf shots. History has shown me that it's not over until it's over, and so I just kept pushing forward, giving every shot my full undivided attention. And it paid off... I've got this beautiful trophy here."

Victory in the SAR also came with another milestone for Catlin, who is ranked 447 in the world.

With the Asian Tour tournament a part of The Open Qualifying Series, his strong showing in Fanling earned him a highly coveted qualifying ticket to the 155th edition of the prestigious event, which will be played at the historic Old Course in St Andrews next July.

It also guarantees him his maiden qualification for the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia next year.

"It's kind of a dream come true," Catlin said.

"From the time I can remember, I started playing golf when I was three years old, and my goal was always to play in the Masters. This is my thirteenth year as a professional golfer, and I hadn't had the chance to do so. You just never really know if its going to happen."
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Last updated: 2026-10-25 HKT 18:09


Edited by Aaron Tam