Ollie Schniederjans (-10) has secured victory at the International Series India, the second tournament of the season on the Asian Tour held this week, from Thursday to Sunday, at the formidable DLF Golf and Country Club. The 31-year-old American golfer enjoyed an absolutely extraordinary Sunday, one he will hardly forget, making a comeback from early on when he completed the holes of the third round left unfinished yesterday due to lack of light, and sealing his triumph with a final round of 69 strokes, leaving no chance for his rivals.
The day started perfectly for Schniederjans, who closed the second half of the round he couldn’t play on Saturday with five birdies and two bogeys to take the solo lead at seven under par, taking advantage of the complete collapse of Chilean Joaquín Niemann (-2), who, after committing only one bogey in his first 48 holes of the tournament, was completely overwhelmed by the course on the early Sunday morning, closing the last holes of his third round with four bogeys and a double bogey that practically took him out of contention.
Ollie Schniederjans seals the deal at the International Series India presented by DLF! 🏆👏🏼 #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise #DLFlifestyle pic.twitter.com/rJv7vY9eSi
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 2, 2025
Joacco was unable to rejoin the fight in the last 18 holes. Every time he managed to get closer, with several birdies and an eagle, an error followed that sent him back to square one. The Spaniard Eugenio López-Chacarra (PAR) also couldn’t get into the fight, playing really well from tee to green, but missing constant opportunities with the putter, leaving him with no chance of contending for the win (he finished tied for fifth). Thus, the only one who somewhat pressured the eventual winner was Bryson DeChambeau (-6), who starts the year at a high level and was the best of the day with a round of 65 strokes.
Not being able to rely too much on the driver on this narrow and trap-filled course didn’t seem to affect the Californian bomber too much. But he never really managed to unsettle Schniederjans, who confirmed on the par-four 13th that the tournament was clearly his. After disastrously missing the approach from a first cut of rough and even calling the referee to try to get relief from a TV tower and a banner that ultimately didn’t come into play, the man from Dallas, when everything pointed to a bogey or double bogey that would open up the fight, managed to hole out from an almost impossible spot to sign an epic birdie that sealed the tournament.
We have all been in that position but we have not gotten results like this.😱
Ollie Schniederjans earned it with this brilliant up and down for birdie on 13. 🙌https://t.co/QQChqRrghk @intseriesgolf #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise #DLFlifestyle #DLFhomes pic.twitter.com/lxcP4ps5cv
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 2, 2025
Not even on the par-three 16th did he give a final glimmer of hope to Bryson and Abraham Ancer (-2), recovering wonderfully after missing from the tee to make par. He only conceded with a bogey on the 17th, but there was no room left. Thus, Ollie achieved the second professional title of his career, after the Air Capital Classic on the Web.com Tour which he won in 2016, proving that the golf that once made him one of the best amateurs in the world hadn’t disappeared. A turning point in his career that should help him free himself to become the winning player he was destined to be at the start.
Oliver Frank Schniederjans, as he is really named, won five of the six events leading up to the Division I championship of the NCAA in his youth, finishing as runner-up. He claimed the Mark J. McCormack Medal in 2014 after reaching the Number One spot in the World Amateur Ranking, a position he held for 41 consecutive weeks. He was twice named Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference and was named an All-American after his junior and senior seasons, playing for United States in the Palmer Cup in 2014 and 2015.
Bryson’s on 🔥
He’s climbing up the leaderboard in the final round, but can he chase down the leader? #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise #DLFlifestyle https://t.co/QQChqRqIrM@intseriesgolf @Crushers_GC @livgolf_league @brysondech pic.twitter.com/4jWzxQ5Gqd
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 2, 2025
However, his promising career came to a halt as soon as he turned professional. He debuted on the PGA Tour at the Valspar Championship in 2015, but it wasn’t until two years later that he secured his card. He had earned exemptions for the US Open and the Open Championship in 2015 thanks to his McCormack Medal, but his adventure in the top tier of golf lasted barely three years. Last season, after passing through the Korn Ferry Tour, he tried his luck at the LIV Golf School, achieving a second place that earned him a reserve contract on the Saudi tour.
Now, with his exceptional triumph in the International Series in India, he wins again 10 years later, pockets a cheque for 360,000 dollars, and takes the lead in the ranking of these international series on the Asian Tour, whose final prize is a card to play in LIV Golf in 2026. A long-sought victory for the former Georgia Tech player in a tournament where only four players finished under par and where the other Spaniard in the fray, Luis Masaveu (+11), had to settle for a tied 45th place.
