ReigningAsian Tour Order of Merit champion targets early Rankings momentum atInternational Series Japan
The hunt for the 2026 International Series Rankings crown begins now. Local hero Kazuki Higa leads a star-studded contingent and a host of previous Asian Tour Order of Merit champions into the Series opener at the formidable Caledonian Golf Club from 2-5 April.
Higa became the first Japanese player to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season and will be joined by former champions John Catlin (2024), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (2013) as The International Series opens its 2026 season just outside Tokyo.
Higa enjoyed a career-defining 2025 campaign, securing consecutive victories at the Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC to surge to the top of the Asian Tour standings. He also finished tied for second at International Series Philippines, capping a standout season.
Those performances elevated him to second among Japanese players in The International Series Rankings, trailing only compatriot and LIV Golf League player Yosuke Asaji, who is also confirmed to compete at International Series Japan 2026.
“Coming so close to an International Series win last year made me realise how clear my goal is this season,” said Higa. “I want to capitalise on the form I’ve built, win on The International Series, and give myself the best opportunity to compete at the top of the Rankings race. To begin that push at home in Japan makes it even more special.”
American Catlin arrives with equally strong credentials. The six-time Asian Tour champion captured the 2024 Order of Merit title after a standout season that included back-to-back victories at International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
Kim, the 2022 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, also boasts winning pedigree on the circuit. He claimed his maiden title at the first-ever International Series event in Thailand in 2022 before adding further silverware at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge the following month.
The 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and winner of International Series Morocco in 2022, Janewattananond, arrives in Japan on the back of multiple near-misses last season, including third at the Bharath Classic and runner-up at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. He also narrowly missed securing a full-time LIV Golf League card after finishing tied-eighth at the LIV Golf Promotions event earlier this year.
Fellow Thai star Aphibarnrat, the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and three-time Asian Tour winner, was a consistent performer across the closing International Series events last year, underlining his form with a tied-16th finish at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
International Series Japan returns to Caledonian Golf Club for the second consecutive year following a successful debut in 2025. The acclaimed venue once again promises championship conditions befitting a world-class international field and will be a landmark first stop in The International Series calendar.
Tickets for all four days of International Series Japan are now available here. Admission is complimentary on Thursday and Friday, with free entry for children across all tournament days.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of a set of elite tournaments co-sanctioned by LIV Golf and the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings Winner & Runner-Up promotion to the LIV Golf League.
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