Josele Ballester Breaks Through - Two New Players Join LIV Golf League
Josele Ballester wins the 2025 PIF Saudi International at -22, while Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji secure LIV Golf exemptions through the International Series Order of Merit.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
- Dramatic Playoff Victory in Singapore
- Asaji's Career-Defining Moment
- International Series Rankings: The Race Heats Up
- Scott Vincent's Path Back to LIV Golf
- Final Event: Everything on the Line
Standing over a 10 foot slider on the final hole of regulation, Japan's Yosuki Asaji made a confident stroke and watched as the ball dripped into the hole to give him the clubhouse lead on Sunday at the Moutai Singapore Open.
Not long after, Korea's Jeunghun Wang would stand over an eerily similar putt, needing to hole it to tie Asaji. He'd do the same and the two would head to a playoff.
Asaji would comfortably win on the first playoff hole as Wang dropped his second shot into the water and would make a bogey and Asaji played the hole perfectly and made a five footer for a second consecutive birdie on the hole.
Asaji, at 32 years old, has played on the Japan Golf Tour for the overwhelming majority of his professional career, and has always dreamed of winning overseas.
"I think the putt for par on 15 was the most important one. This win means so much to me. It is my first win overseas – something I have always dreamed of."
Talk about peaking at the right time. This win nets him the biggest payday of his career ($360,000), but the opportunity it presents him for in the coming weeks is far bigger than that. He jumps to second place in the International Series rankings, only 40 points behind former LIV Golf player Scott Vincent.
The International Series concludes next week at the PIF Saudi International, and with the leading two players on the IS Order of Merit earning themselves a full time spot on LIV Golf for 2026, a strong performance for Asaji will prove to be life changing.
Scott Vincent finds himself positioned nicely to earn his place back on LIV Golf after facing relegation following the 2024 season, though with the final event being having the strongest field and being awarded elevated points allocations, it's no done deal.
He's facing tough competition with with in-form players like Miguel Tabuena, Ollie Schniederjans, and Wade Ormsby in pursuit.
Everything is going to come down to the final event next week at Riyadh Golf Club.
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