Two-time PGA Tour champion Kyle Stanley is seriously considering life on The International Series and the Asian Tour after declaring himself ‘impressed’ with the set up having immersed himself in the Jakarta International Championship, the fifth of nine elevated LIV Golf-backed events on the calendar.
Stanley has real pedigree. The American memorably won the prestigious Waste Management Pheonix Open in 2012 after making up an eight-shot gap in the final round, a week after letting a six-stroke lead slip going into the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. He also won the Quicken Loans National five years later in a play-off against Charles Howell III, now of LIV Golf.
Before turning pro, he was a member of the US Walker Cup team featuring Dustin Johnson and Webb Simpson that beat a Great Britain & Ireland team featuring Rory McIlroy in County Down in 2007.
The 37-year-old was in the field for the fifth elevated Asian Tour event of the season on an invite and has loved the experience from start to finish. So much so, he’s considering a tilt at Asian Tour Q School this year, having received some sound advice from International Series India presented by DLF champion and compatriot Ollie Schniederjans.
He said: “This is only my fourth or fifth event this year, I haven't really played much. I was really excited to have the opportunity to come over here.
“Round one was just a little bit of rusty golf, if you will. I had a poor finish, made a six on my last and it was just kind of a sloppy around. Round two was much cleaner, and I was able to see a few putts going in, and I drove the ball pretty well.
“It is my second Asian Tour event - I played in Saudi a couple years ago. Unfortunately, I had to withdraw through injury during the first round, but I think it's a fantastic tour. I have really enjoyed my time here.
“I talked to Ollie earlier this week. We just chatted about how much bigger the various tours are getting. The Asian Tour seems to be just picking up a ton of steam. I'll go to Asian Tour Q School this fall and try to get through that.
“Having a PGA Tour card for the last however many years it's been, it hasn't really been something I've thought about. But now that I have lost my status out there, I'm looking for other places to play, and this is a great option.
“Golf's getting much, much bigger. There are a lot of other tours emerging and hopefully I can play a couple more out here.”
Stanley found things tough going on round one with just one birdie, three bogeys and a closing double.
Six birdies in round two gave the 37-year-old hope of making the cut, but two bogeys including a closing dropped shot on the ninth scuppered his hopes of making the two under cut and he finished on level par.
The experience was one he was hoping to build on, however. He said: “Hopefully I can play a couple more out here. Gave it a nice run, it was one of my better rounds in a long time. So, I think it'll be something that maybe we can build on moving forward.
“It was my first time to Indonesia. The main tour used to come to Malaysia back in the day, so I played that a few times. This is a great golf course this week, in great condition. I love coming Asia. The people are so nice. The accommodation is second to none and it was a seriously fun week.”
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of a set of elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings Winner & Runner-Up promotion to the LIV Golf League.
