LIV Golf League's Fireballs GC will be out in full force at International Series Macau presented by Wynn for the second stop on The International Series in 2025, and captain Sergio Garcia emphasised the importance of the tournament for the quartet, with three Open Championship spots on the line.
The LIV Golf Hong Kong winner and his three teammates are coming into the event at Macau Golf and Country Club in fantastic form after LIV Golf Singapore at the weekend, with David Puig finishing fourth, Abraham Ancer in T10, youngster Luis Masaveu in T14 and Garcia in T32 – resulting in a third successive Team Championship win.
Fireballs GC are the first team to win three times on the spin since the league expanded to a full 14-tournament schedule in 2023, and all four are in form going into the second of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour.
The team’s timing couldn’t be better, with three qualifying spots available for The Open at Royal Portrush in July this weekend.
Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, said: “The next thing for us and for me is a little bit of rest the next couple of days, and then we play International Series in Macau.
"It is an important tournament for all four of us because if we play well, we have the possibility of not only winning on the International Series but also qualifying for The Open. It is another big week.
“Then a week's rest and get back on the horse in Miami and just give it everything we have to perform as well as we are performing and give ourselves a shot at winning four in a row. Hopefully we will keep it going. To see the performance that my teammates put in to be able to get this win was pretty impressive.
“Obviously super proud to achieve something like that. It is not easy to do. Even though it looks like we made it look easy, it is definitely not. So many things have to go right with all of us playing well at the same time on tough conditions.”
John Catlin will return to Macau Golf and Country Club as the reigning champion having beat Puig in a thrilling play-off. It was a victory that kicked off his dominant 2024 season, culminating in the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
Catlin said: “I have loved playing there. I think the first Macau Open I did was 2015, I am very familiar with the golf course, it suits my game and has some good vibes, good memories, I think it is going to be a mega week again.
"Anytime you return to a place you enjoy it makes a big difference. Knowing the surroundings and having your favourite spots to eat always makes a big, big impact."
This week’s 156-man field boasts a wealth of talent, including Major champions Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, and Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open winner.
Other proven contenders include seven-time Asian Tour winner Anirban Lahiri of Crushers GC, 11-time winner Gaganjeet Bhullar and Scott Hend, a 10-time champion.
All three have previous on the Macau Golf and Country Club course, with two wins apiece for Bhullar and Hend, and one for Lahiri.
Entry to the International Series Macau presented by Wynn is free, but registration is required.
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
