Ben Campbell roared into The International Series Rankings race in emphatic style with an incredible play-off victory in Morocco on Sunday, and the New Zealander is hoping that quality time with some of the biggest names in world golf will help him claim the title and a place on the 2025 LIV Golf League roster.
The New Zealander is in Spain as an alternate for LIV Golf Andalucia this weekend, and the 32-year-old’s confidence will be sky high if he is required as a stand-in, after seeing off Rankings leader John Catlin in a thrilling sudden-death play-off on Sunday to claim the International Series Morocco trophy at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s testing Red Course.
The tournament in Morocco was the third elevated event of 10 on the Asian Tour offering a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the Rankings champion, and additional golden tickets for others including players placed highly on The International Series Rankings.
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Victory lifted Campbell up to second in the standings behind Catlin, with both players leapfrogging Oman champion Carlos Ortiz. With seven events left, there is still plenty at stake as the Asian Tour’s best chase top spot and that lucrative place on the LIV Golf League.
Last season, Campbell also snatched victory from 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the last at the 2023 Hong Kong Open, a victory on The International Series that led to his invite to travel with the LIV Golf League.
This season he has travelled for all nine events as an alternate in between competing on the Asian Tour, gaining invaluable experience along the way.
So far, Campbell has filled in for Ripper GC captain Smith on the final two rounds in Miami, shooting 71-73, and replaced Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm in the final round in Houston, producing an impressive five-under final round of 67.
He said: “Hopefully next year I can get a full card out here, through either The International Series or the LIV Golf Promotions event.
“I think the good thing (about being an alternate) is it gives you motivation to get out here, once you have experienced it. I am trying to get my game into the best possible place for those events on The International Series. It is an amazing opportunity for the Asian Tour.”
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Campbell gained some incredible on-course experience at the weekend in Rabat. With 70 holes already played, and three shots back, he produced a sensational eagle-birdie finish on 17 and 18.
That effort drew him level with in-form Catlin, the leader for all three rounds and a back-to-back champion at International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF earlier this season.
A play-off birdie with just his fourth putt in the last five holes played was enough to claim the spoils against the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit leader, who had recently earned a place as a LIV Golf League stand-in for Charles Howell III on the Crushers GC team thanks to his incredible form in 2024.
Away from the white heat of the competition, he has enjoyed the learning process on LIV. He explained: “It is quite an interesting process to be here and to learn the set-up of some of the players. I have taken a couple of invaluable takeaways from it.
“Golf is a funny game, just seeing some of the best players in the world and what they are doing and how they are training, playing with them on practice rounds can give you little things that you can take and put into your own game.”
Campbell admits the big names have surprised him in many ways off the course. He said: “The one thing that surprised me is just how hard these guys are working. You can go to the gym at 6:30 in the morning and there are already three of four guys in there.
“When you go to dinner, you could end up at a dinner with five or six of the guys you have looked up to your whole life.
“They are telling stories, and you learn from them. You can learn more sitting at a dinner than you would watching on a range or putting green. That has been really valuable, and even hanging out with the caddies, you can ask questions, and learn a bit.”
Campbell is next in action at International Series England, the fourth event on the series and the ninth event on the Asian Tour which takes place from 8-11 August on the Longcross Course at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey.
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
