Kieran Vincent leapfrogs International Series Order of Merit with first professional win

  

 

A 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole by Kieran Vincent to win the International Series Vietnam on Sunday at KN Golf Links has rocketed the Zimbabwean into third place in the International Series Order of Merit (OOM) and fourth place in the Asian Tour (OOM).   The 25-year-old was in 42nd position in the International Series OOM and 64th on the Asian Tour merit list before his success last week, which was his first victory in the professional game. He only made the transition to the play for pay game last June.   “Surreal I think that’s the only answer I can come up with right now!” said Vincent, whose brother Scott won the International Series England last year, as well as the International Series OOM, which earned him a place on this year’s LIV Golf League.   “It’s just a cool experience, Vietnam’s been great, I’ve just enjoyed this week and enjoyed my time out here, so it’s just been surreal, and it hasn’t sunk in yet.   “As I was saying to a bunch of guys at the beginning of this week, I am just happy enough to keep my card so to be lifting a trophy at the end of the week I think is beyond my expectations, so I am just loving this moment right now.”

Vincent said his older brother Scott has truly inspired him to record his first professional win by telling him that he must impose trust in his own abilities.   He said: “It’s just been awesome, you know just being able to have him as a friend to call me or a buddy to be able to reach out to whenever it is – last night on the last putt over there (in round three) it snuck past me and he was the first person I got a text from saying ‘hey the stroke and everything was good, whatever you have you’ve just got to trust yourself and go after it tomorrow’, so that’s all I did, was just be able to kind of put that behind me and just go out there and just enjoy the day.”   Entry criteria to the LIV Golf Promotions tournament, a qualifying event for the 2024 LIV Golf League, includes those placed 2-32 in the International Series OOM, with three qualifying exemptions into all the following season’s LIV Golf League events.   The Zimbabwean was joined in the field by 21-time tournament winner Paul Casey and seven-time Asian Tour winner Anirban Lahiri who finished in 27th and 2nd place respectively.   Added Vincent: “It’s a huge bridge, it’s given us the opportunity to play against some awesome guys (on The International Series), Paul Casey is out this week, a guy that I have looked to play against when I was growing up, so just being able to be in the same field as him amongst other guys I think it gives us the opportunity to learn from them and just grow as players I would say.”   Up next for The International Series, the premier events on a rapidly growing Asian Tour, is the International Series England, to be played at Close House in Newcastle, from August 17-20.

Image Caption:   CAM RANH, VIETNAM: Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe pictured with the winner's trophy on Sunday April 16, 2023 during Round Four of the International Series Vietnam at the KN Golf Links, Cam Ranh. The US$ 2 million Asian Tour event is staged from April 17, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.   T