The International Series makes its highly anticipated return this week with the Jakarta International Championship marking the first event back after the mid-season break. With valuable Rankings points on the line, the Swedish duo of Charlie Lindh and Björn Hellgren are both eager to make their mark as the journey towards the end of the season intensifies and the season-long race heats up.
Lindh comes into Jakarta eager to rediscover the form that saw him post back-to-back top-10 finishes earlier this year at International Series India presented by DLF and International Series Macau presented by Wynn. After a challenging stretch on Asian Tour duty in Korea and Taiwan, the 28-year-old believes the break provided the perfect opportunity to reset and recharge.
“I’ve been home during the break and I took some time away from golf, but now I’m excited to get back and start what I think is the real fun part of the season,” said Lindh.
“This is one of the events that counts towards the LIV Golf pathway, so of course there’s more to play for. That makes it even more exciting – the higher the stakes, the more motivated I feel coming into the tournament.
“The hard work has already been done in practice before the event week. For me, it’s now about switching into that competitive mindset and being ready to go this week.”
Hellgren, meanwhile, is looking to build on his own steady form, having finished T12 at The 41st Shinhan Donghae Open and T18 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. With his Asian Tour card for 2026 now secured, the 34-year-old says his full focus is on making a push in the second half of The International Series season - starting with Jakarta.
“These events mean everything to me because they provide a direct pathway into LIV Golf,” said Hellgren. “Now that I’ve secured my Asian Tour card for next year after solid performances in Korea and Taiwan, I can go full throttle in these tournaments. The key is keeping my body healthy, conserving energy in the heat, and being ready to peak when it really counts on the weekend.”
With the season heating up, Hellgren has set his sights at the very top of the Rankings.
“I’m not fixated on the number. For me, it’s about winning. If I can get one or two wins, that changes everything and puts me right in contention for automatic entry onto LIV Golf as the end-of-season Rankings champion. That’s the goal.”
With marquee stops in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Riyadh still to come, Hellgren says he’s focused on consistency and giving himself chances to contend.
“I’m not thinking too much about a specific ranking - it’s about putting myself in position to win. If I can do that, the results will take care of themselves. We’ve got some really strong fields ahead, and I know I can compete with the best. It’s about playing the course for four solid days and giving myself a chance to be in the mix.”
The Jakarta International Championship takes place from 2–5 October at Damai Indah Golf (PIK Course), where global stars, Asian Tour contenders and local Indonesian talent will battle for crucial ranking points, prize money and a coveted place on the LIV Golf League.
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.
