…… Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Knowing him as well as I do, it was nice to shake the hand of Steve Lewton earlier this week and for a first time since the English-born golfer captured last September’s Mandiri Indonesia Open.
It had been 10 years and a month since his inaugural taste of Asian Tour success when he broke through to claim the 2014 Mercuries Taiwan Masters while Lewton’s win in Jakarta was a seventh pro tour triumph since making his pro debut in 2008.
And after posting a second round 65 to be just a shot from the lead at 10-under heading to the closing two rounds of the PIF Saudi International, I caught-up ‘formally’ with Lewton and sat down with him to look back on his win, his season and going forward into 2025 and now carrying the luxury of a two-year Tour exemption.
“It was just unreal to win again this year”, Lewton said.
Steve Lewton wins 2024 Mandiri Indonesian Open (Image – Asian Tour)
“At the start of the year it was my goal to win again so to achieve that has been amazing.
“Though when I won, I was not in a good spell of form as I missed a couple of cuts leading up to the win even though I had a really solid start to the year but then everything that week in Jakarta just fell perfectly into place.
“Tee-to-green my game was strong. I putted well and just took full advantage how good my game was that week.
“My expectations have changed a little bit since the win and I’ve tried to go back to how I kind of was before and there’s also been a few weeks where I have put in a lot of hard work coming into the last stretch of the Tour – Hong Kong, Qatar and here in Saudi”.
Indeed, Lewton missed the halfway cut in the two events leading up to his victory and then sat out the weekend rounds in the following three while he’s now assured of three pay cheques in as many events in making the cut here in Riyadh.
And while earning the assurance of a two-year exemption in winning in Indonesia, the 41-year-old Lewton also has another focus as he’s engaged and looking to tie the knot sometime in the ‘back end’ of the New Year.
“There’s much to look forward to in 2025 and being a winner again on the Tour, there’s a real spring in my step when I do arrive at tournaments knowing you are a winner”, he said.
“Winning the Indonesian Masters gave me a lot more confidence but the frustrating thing was that I was missing those cuts by a shot, and just not doing what I needed to do.
“Anyway, after this week we have a good break over Christmas and ten New Year but then I know what I will do and that will be to go and hit balls. Not every day as I will take maybe a good week off”, he said.
“Also, we have a holiday booked at the start of January for nine days in Barbados so that’s going to be a good break”.
The fourssome of Aussie Cam Smith (64), Joaquin Niemann (66) and the American pair of Peter Uhilein (65) and Logan McAlister (63) head to the weekend leading at 11-under
Uihlein is coming off a maiden Tour victory last week at the International Series Qatar.
Well done, Stephen and enjoy Barbados.
