American John Catlin earned himself invitations to next years Masters and 155th Open Championship after his impressive Link Hong Kong Open triumph.
Catlin was never headed over the final round after back-to-back birdies at the 10th and 11th holes ahead of birdies also at the 13th, 14th and penultimate holes in a closing round six-under 64 for a five shot success at 20-under on the host Fanling course.
The win is the 35-year-old Catlin’s seventh Asian Tour win and his 16th pro career victory.
Catlin’s victory will now ensure a maiden Masters tee time and his fifth start in golf’s oldest major next July at St. Andrews where he missed the cut in 2022.
AUGUSTA & ST. ANDREWS BOUND IN ’27 …
As John Catlin @JohnCatlin59 @oakley earns a triple victory treat in storming his way to a five shot success in capturing @TheHKOpen
The is Catlin’s seventh @asiantourgolf success & his 15th pro career title
Catlin will be making a maiden @TheMasters appearance and his fifth at golf’s oldest major @TheOpen
Read: https://t.co/dPZrNwQGdX
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✅ @TOURMISS
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) October 25, 2026
Local Hong Kong hero Matthew Cheung shareed second with Finland’s Kalle Samooja and each posting 67s for 15-under totals.
Impressive is Catlin’s last two Asian Tour victories capturing the 2024 Saudi Open by seven shots and now storming his way to a five-shot success in Hong Kong.
It was also back in March that year Catlin became the first player in Asian Tour history to shoot a round of 59 catpturing the International Series Macau, beating recently married David Puig in a sudden-death playoff.
“‘It’s like a dream come true,” Catlin said.
“I remember when I was five, seven, 10 years old, practising, hitting putts to win the Masters; it’s been a long time coming, a lot of hard work, a lot of times when I wasn’t sure what was coming, but you just kind of held the faith.
“To finally be at the Masters, speechless.”
Catlin is also making a habit of winning national opens, Hong Kong was the sixth in a collection that also includes victories in Ireland, Austria, England, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Maybe he can make that seven in heading to the Home of Golf next July.
“Anytime you can win a national open, I think it just adds a little bit of extra prestige,” Catlin added.
“It’s amazing for this to be my sixth. If you’d told me that 10 years ago, I probably would have laughed at you. So, it’s truly special.”
It was a Samooja final hole bogey that handed a delighted Cheung a share of second and a pro career best effort.
While the 31-year-old may yet look back on his struggles in the third round and wonder what might have been, his finish is the best a local player has ever managed in the tournament.
The Hong Kong golfers proud walk to the 18th green in the group ahead of Catlin would have been worthy of a winner, and Cheung said it sent “a chill down my spine”.
“I played really good today, unfortunately John [Catlin] played really well as well,” Cheung said. “But I’m really happy overall.”
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