Asian tour
4 NOVEMBER, 2022 - SHANK MEDIA, BY MATT HOOPER: RICHARD T. LEE SHOT A SENSATIONAL SECOND ROUND 65 TO ASCEND TO THE TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD IN MOROCCO AT THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES MOROCCO, THE FIRST ASIAN TOUR EVENT IN NORTH AFRICA. THE CANADIAN MADE 6 BIRDIES AND AN EAGLE ON FRIDAY TO MOVE TO 9-UNDER-PAR FOR THE TOURNAMENT, AND WILL GO INTO THE WEEKEND WITH A TWO-STROKE LEAD OVER THAILAND'S Nitithorn Thippong. BUT IT IS A GROUP OF LIV GOLF MEMBERS IN THE CHASING PACK WHICH MAY TAKE MUCH OF THE ATTENTION AT THIS MILESTONE EVENT FOR THE ASIAN TOUR.
DAVID PUIG, SCOTT VINCENT, CHASE KOEPKA, SADOM KAEWKANJANA, TRAVIS SMYTH AND TURK PETTIT ARE ALL WITHIN 9 SHOTS OF THE LEAD HEADING INTO THE THIRD ROUND. PUIG, THE PRODIGIOUS SPANISH ROOKIE, PLAYED 3 EVENTS ON THE 2022 LIV GOLF SEASON FOR THREE DIFFERENT TEAMS - FIREBALLS, CLEEKS AND TORQUE.
PUIG FAILED TO BREAK PAR IN EACH OF THOSE EVENTS, AND HAS NOT PLAYED IN A LIV EVENT SINCE CHICAGO, BUT PERFORMANCES ON THE ASIAN TOUR COULD SEE HIM REGAIN HIS PLACE IN THE ELITE LEAGUE FOR 2023. THE SPANIARD IS PLAYING IN JUST HIS SECOND OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING EVENT AS A PROFESSIONAL, FOLLOWING A TIE FOR 34TH AT THE ACCIONA OPEN DE ESPANA LAST MONTH. TWO ROUNDS OF 70 HAVE PUT PUIG WITHIN 3 SHOTS OF THE LEADER AT -6 FOR THE TOURNAMENT.
ZIMBABWE'S SCOTT VINCENT HAS HAD A SENSATIONAL YEAR ON THE ASIAN TOUR AND JAPAN GOLF TOUR, AND HAS PERFORMED SOLIDLY ON THE LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL SERIES. VINCENT WON THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES ENGLAND AT SLALEY HALL IN JUNE, AND THE WEEK BEFORE HE WON THE PRESTIGIOUS MIZUNO OPEN ON THE JAPAN GOLF TOUR.
VINCENT HAS RECORDED 8 TOP 20 FINISHES DURING 2022 IN OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING EVENTS, ALLIED TO 4 TOP 25 FINISHES IN LIV GOLF EVENTS. THE 30-YEAR-OLD FROM HARARE IS CURRENTLY RANKED 86TH IN THE WORLD, AND 5TH ON THE ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT. A VICTORY IN MOROCCO COULD PUT VINCENT IN SERIOUS CONTENTION TO WIN THE SEASON-LONG TITLE ON THE TOUR.
ROUNDS OF 70 AND 71 HAVE PUT THE ZIMBABWEAN AT -5, FOUR OFF THE LEAD.
THE CUT FELL AT +4 AND AMERICAN YOUNGSTER JAMES PIOT MADE THE WEEKEND BY 2 STROKES, WITH ROUNDS OF 72 AND 76. 71 PLAYERS MADE THE CUT, REPRESENTING THAILAND, ENGLAND, ARGENTINA, SOUTH AFRICA, KOREA, INDIA, USA, AUSTRALIA, MALAYSIA, ZIMBABWE, TAIWAN, JAPAN, SPAIN, MOROCCO, PHILIPPINES, SINGAPORE AND CANADA.
ROYAL GOLF DAR-ES-SALAM PREVIOUSLY HOSTED THE TROPHEE HASSAN II, WHICH WAS PART OF THE DP WORLD TOUR FROM 2010-2019.
