John Catlin (-24) has won the Saudi Open, almost as expected before the last round, which the American started today with an eight-stroke lead over his closest pursuer. Just in case, Catlin scored a birdie on hole 2, the first par 5 of the Riyadh Golf Club, and then maintained a really consistent line of play, immune to surprise assaults, to end up delivering a remarkable card of 66 strokes, with a single bogey on his card, which fell on hole 14, when he really had the victory assured.
Many birdies would have had to be made by anyone aspiring to the remote possibility of sowing doubt in the leader. Many (many, rather) and, if possible, as soon as possible. Well, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (-15) who was the man who started closest on the table (close, to say something, as he did eight strokes), signed the bogey on that same par 5, hole 2, and cleared the way even more for the American.
David Puig (-14), for his part, did start strong, with three birdies in the first third of the round. It probably wasn’t enough effort to unsettle the leader, but it was enough to decidedly fight for a very valuable second place that could almost automatically grant him the passport to the PGA Championship, the second Major of the year. It wouldn’t be half decent to put any ‘but’ to the performance of the Spanish player, but on holes 7 and 10 he missed two short birdie putts and immediately signed a bogey on 11, actions that were going to slow his momentum.
Puig was still going to react in his attempt to conquer that second place, but he encountered an excellent performance by Wade Ormsby (-17 and round of 64) and a Peter Uihlein (-15) unleashed on the greens: he plugged a kilometer-long eagle putt on 13, then another very long birdie on 14, from more than ten meters, and as if that were not enough, he then saved up to three pars with delicate putts that ranged from three to five meters away (holes 15, 16 and 17). In short, a real nonsense that led him to a final record of 63 strokes.
A matter of details. While Uihlein came out of any situation unscathed, Puig signed the bogey on 17 and, despite finishing with an excellent birdie on 18, he was left without options to finish at least in a hopeful third position that would probably have put him in the top 100 in the world. His merits are there and it is normal that this Monday, with this fifth final place in Saudi lands, he is around Number 105 in the world… Will it be enough to receive the invitation from the PGA of America? We will have to see, but in no case can it be ruled out.
Carlos Pigem (-6) has closed his tournament with a great round of 66 strokes and eight birdies on the card that have put him in the top 30, while Eugenio Chacarra (-2) said goodbye with a round of 69 strokes.
