Ben Campbell goes into International Series Qatar this week in great form and hot on the heels of The International Series Rankings leader John Catlin having closed to 82.95 points following his second-placed finish at the Link Hong Kong Open last Sunday.
With just one event remaining after Qatar, next week’s PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Advisers, the race to finish first and secure a place on next year’s LIV Golf League is reaching a thrilling climax but New Zealand’s Campbell insists he's keeping the race at the back of his mind.
Catlin surprisingly missed the cut in Hong Kong, leaving the door open for Campbell to close the gap with a 200-point haul for finishing behind the champion Patrick Reed from the United States. It continued a fine run of form for Campbell on The International Series this season, with three top five finishes, another top 10 and a stunning play-off win over Catlin in Morocco.
On the pressure he now faces, Campbell said: "It's one of those things, like the task hasn't changed; it's just the context is slightly different.
"It's really going to come down to how well you play Saudi with how many points there are. And yes, I feel like there is always pressure there. But, ultimately, it's just going to be one of those things where you're going to play well or you're not. So, I try not to lose too much sleep over it. Just try to play well."
Catlin is in agreement, as the pair face the biggest two weeks of their careers. He said: "I feel like there's always pressure. You are always trying to go out and perform. But you know, golf is simple in theory and difficult in execution. So, you always try and keep it as simple as you can. Just keep putting in the work, and trust in that work. And you know, hopefully we can have some good battles as the season comes to an end."
.jpeg)
The Qatar tournament offers an elevated 450 points to the champion, while a huge 1,000 points goes to the winner of the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, meaning there's plenty at stake in a very short period of time.
Doha is notorious for its windy conditions, so will the elements hinder Campbell's charge for a place on the LIV Golf League, which he desperately craves having served as an alternate this season?
Not according to the 33-year-old. He said: "I grew up living in a place where there was always a lot of wind. So, I'm looking forward to this. I think Thursday, Friday it’s looking like the wind's going to get up.
“So yes, I feel like I normally play pretty well in the wind, driving the ball all well. So, I'm looking forward to it. The course is in amazing shape, the rough is pretty long. But the greens are rolling amazing, so it's going to be glass. I'm looking forward to it."
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
