Caleb Surratt and Adrian Meronk made an impressive start at the PIF Saudi International, each shooting nine-under-par 62s. Their performance at Riyadh Golf Club placed them in the lead after the first
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Anirban Lahiri, the sole Indian participant, began with an even par 71. His round included three birdies and three bogeys, placing him tied for 81st. Lahiri will need a strong second round to improve his standing and make the cut.
Surratt and Meronk's scores put them ahead of Belgium's Thomas Pieters, who carded a 63. Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat followed closely with a 64. This tournament is crucial as it marks the final event of The International Series season and one of the last stops on the Asian Tour calendar.
The competition serves as a final opportunity for players aiming to secure a top-two finish in The International Series Rankings. Achieving this would earn them a spot in the LIV Golf League.
Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe leads The International Series Rankings with 325.59 points. He is followed by Japan's Yosuke Asaji with 285.3 points and Filipino Miguel Tabuena with 232.28 points. Vincent and Tabuena both shot 67s, while Asaji managed a 72.
Surratt has fond memories of this course, having set a record score of 61 here last year before losing in a playoff. Meronk also has history here, having won the LIV Golf Riyadh title earlier this year.
Course Familiarity
Surratt started his round on hole 10 and played an impressive back nine in seven-under-par 29. He birdied six consecutive holes from hole 11 and added another birdie on hole nine to close his round strongly.
"It was a great day," Surratt commented. "I've been working really hard these past weeks. " He expressed satisfaction with his performance but acknowledged that it's just the beginning of the tournament.
Meronk's Consistency
Meronk shared his thoughts on playing at Riyadh Golf Club: "I don't know. It just seems like it suits my game. " He enjoys playing here due to his familiarity with the course layout and greens.
Pieters finished strong by birdying his last two holes. His recent form includes top-10 finishes at both the Link Hong Kong Open and Moutai Singapore Open.
Other Notable Scores
Kiradech Aphibarnrat expressed satisfaction with his play over recent months despite not always finishing strongly over weekends. He praised the course conditions during his third appearance here.
South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, England's Paul Casey, Korea's Seonghyeon Kim, and Colombia's Sebastian Munoz all shot rounds of 65 to tie for fifth place.
Defending Champion's Challenge
Defending champion Joaquin Niemann faces challenges after posting a score of 72 in his opening round. Australian Cam Smith, who was also part of last year's playoff, finished with a score of 71.
