Peter Uihlein Shatters Course Record in First Asian Tour Win at International Series England

On August 11, 2024, Peter Uihlein claimed a remarkable victory at the International Series England, marking his first win on both the Asian Tour and The International Series. Uihlein’s performance in the final round was nothing short of spectacular, as he delivered a flawless bogey-free eight-under-par 63, culminating in a four-round total of 20-under-par. This impressive score secured him a commanding seven-shot lead over his closest competitors, Andy Sullivan and Caleb Surratt.

Uihlein, 34, set a course record with a 61 at the halfway mark and entered the final day with a one-shot lead over Harold Varner III. His final round was highlighted by several key moments that demonstrated his exceptional skill and composure. A pivotal shot came when Uihlein eagled the par-four 10th hole, extending his lead to three strokes. He followed this up with a birdie on the 12th and holed a crucial par on the 13th. Despite a tricky position on the par-five 14th, Uihlein managed to recover well, further solidifying his lead. His performance was capped off with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-three 16th, followed by birdies on the 17th and 18th.

Reflecting on his victory, Uihlein said, “Bit of a dream, really. I mean, I was two over par through eight holes on the first day. I tripled 17, and it was a bit of a grind that day, and then the next day I just kind of blitzed it, and yesterday kind of survived. And today, obviously, I kind of had some things going my way, no doubt about it. So just kind of one of those days where things were going my way, and I took advantage of it. So, I’m happy to be here.”

Andy Sullivan, who finished as a runner-up after shooting a 66 in the final round, expressed his enjoyment of the tournament and the camaraderie it provided. “I loved it, it was great. I really enjoyed myself, I’m not gonna lie. Being competitive at golf and obviously seeing a load of lads that I haven’t seen for a while, obviously, because we don’t play with the Asian Tour as much anymore, and the LIV guys as well. So, it’s good to see friends that I haven’t seen for a while and catch up with them, and obviously to play good golf, it’s great,” said Sullivan.

Caleb Surratt, who also finished as a runner-up with a final round of 68, conveyed his disappointment at not securing his first professional win since January but remained optimistic about his progress. “It’s tough because I felt like I was in contention all day, but Peter ran away with it and that’s hard to beat. This is a great learning experience for me, and I am looking to improve my game. It’s a really good week to build off. I have been working really hard on a lot of things, and it’s nice to have things pay off. It’s been a year when I have kind of been waiting on a breakthrough. I have had a couple of close calls, but I know that week is coming eventually,” said Surratt.

Other notable performances included Sampson Zheng from China, who shot a 66 and tied for fourth, Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand, who shot a 67 and tied for fourth, and Harold Varner III from the United States, who shot a 70 and tied for fourth. Indonesian golfer Jonathan Wijono delivered an impressive final round of 64, finishing in ninth place.

Uihlein’s victory also came with a substantial financial reward, as he earned a cheque for US$360,000. His win propelled him to third place in The International Series Rankings, which are currently led by John Catlin from the USA. Uihlein praised the Longcross course at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey, appreciating its flexibility and strategic options. “I loved it. You were allowed to try different things. You could play it different ways. I obviously was very aggressive and tried to kind of drive to a lot of greens, and, you know, it paid off. There are obviously other ways guys probably played it, but I liked the strategy we had. I like the game plan we were doing, and I had fun doing it. So that’s part of this, part of the equation,” he said.

The Asian Tour will now take a two-week break before resuming with the Mandiri Indonesia Open, scheduled to take place from August 29th to September 1st at Damai Indah Golf. The tournament offers a prize of US$500,000, and defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand, who finished tied for 13th this week, will aim to defend his title. This win marks a significant achievement for Uihlein, showcasing his dominance and exceptional form in a highly competitive field.

For more information about The International Series, please visit www.internationalseries.com.