John Catlin has solidified his position at the top of the Asian Tour’s International Series standings, edging him closer to a promotion to the LIV Golf league.

Throughout the International Series campaign, Catlin has been the player to beat, and he continued to impress at the Black Mountain Championship, despite narrowly missing out in a playoff. He finished his fourth round at 23-under-par for the week, tying with fellow American Michael Maguire.

After tying the opening hole of their playoff, it was Maguire who emerged victorious in Thailand, making par and besting Catlin, who could only make bogey.

Despite this setback, there were still positives for the former DP World Tour star, who remains at the top of the International Series Order of Merit with five events left. The season-ending leader will be promoted to LIV Golf.

“I mean, I gave it everything I had, I went bogey free,” Catlin reflected afterwards. It isn’t the first time he’s lost in a playoff, having experienced the same fate at the International Series event in Morocco earlier this year. “I mean it kind of feels like Morocco,” he added.

“Like I really didn’t do that much wrong, and here I am standing on the wrong side of it, so it is what it is,” Catlin said. “I kind of kept telling myself I was like, Michael’s kind of pushing me, like I could feel that.

“He kept holing good putts and hitting good shots in there, and I kind of used that. I was like okay, he’s gonna push me on, I gotta keep staying strong.”

John Catlin

John Catlin could return to LIV Golf ( 

Image:

Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Catlin is eyeing a full-time spot on the LIV Golf circuit by 2025, armed with the motivation that has driven his remarkable performance on the Asian Tour this year.

The Californian player isn’t a stranger to the breakaway league either, having already made an impression during his stint as an injury substitute in six events. Stepping in largely for Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC while Charles Howell III was out injured, Catlin’s gameplay turned heads.

DeChambeau didn’t hold back on his praise for Catlin last month. “He’s a fantastic golfer,” he said. “I grew up playing some golf with him in northern California, and we had some battles early on in our careers, in junior golf even. He’s a stellar player. He’s shot in the 50s and won a few times this year now. “.