LIV players fail to secure Open Championship | Golf News

With uncertainty looming over LIV Golf’s future, a number of members of the breakaway circuit embarked on the demanding journey from Mexico City to the Singapore Open, hoping to secure spots at The Open Championship.

Two locations at Royal Birkdale have been obtainable through the International Series event at Sentosa, but the five-man contingent of Josele Ballester, Caleb Surratt, Bjorn Hellgren, Luis Masaveau, and Peter Uihlein got here up short.

South Korea’s Jeongwoo Ham claimed victory at 16-under-par, ending two strokes forward of Australia’s Cameron John. Both players secured their locations to compete for the Claret Jug in July. Ham maintained his composure following a three-and-a-half-hour climate suspension to card a three-under-par 68 and seal the win. It comes after Kai Trump’s medical incident left her needing emergency treatment.

Among the LIV representatives, Ballester delivered the strongest efficiency. The 23-year-old Spanish golfer completed third, seven strokes behind the champion.

The former Arizona State Sun Devil ranks among Europe’s most promising skills, and his nine-under-par exhibiting at Sentosa proved spectacular just seven days after finishing the ultimate spherical of LIV Golf Mexico City.

Travel from Mexico City to the Far East requires roughly 24 hours, with a 14-hour time zone distinction. This meant Ballester and his LIV counterparts arrived with restricted time to acclimate and put together, yet their participation underscored their dedication to compete in golf’s major championships.

Hellgren and Surratt shared ninth place at seven under par. The latter posted a three-under-par entrance 9, positioning himself to problem for a top-two end, but stumbled with a bogey and double bogey on his back 9.

“I had a great front nine and felt in a good spot,” he said. “But after the delay I didn’t come back with the same intensity. That’s something I need to learn from. I finished well, but I’ve got to manage those moments better if I want to keep momentum going.

“I need to play as a lot as attainable and keep studying. The purpose is to give myself more probabilities to get my first skilled win. Weeks like this, even with the ups and downs, are half of that course of.”

Masaveau has found form difficult since joining LIV last year, though a T12 finish at six under marked solid progress. He commented: “I’m taking part in better each week. This was a step ahead again. The course is hard and you may have to play actually strong golf, so it is a respectable outcome.

“Both the Open spots and the opportunity to grow my game are why I’m here. The more you play, the more you improve. Even with a busy schedule, I’d like to play a few more of these [International Series events] this year.”

Uihlein, who only touched down in Singapore on Wednesday, secured T17 at 5 under par.