Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji clinched the two coveted 2026 LIV Golf League spots on offer through The International Series, sealing their places after the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in Riyadh. The pair finished first and second, respectively, on the International Series Rankings—Asia’s premier pathway to LIV—and underlined the growing impact of the elevated events introduced in 2022.
Created by the Asian Tour, with investment from LIV Golf, The International Series features upgraded purses, deeper fields and its own independent Ranking system. While results also count toward the Asian Tour Order of Merit, only the International Series table awards direct LIV Golf access: two automatic spots and additional berths through LIV Promotions.
Vincent, winner of the inaugural 2022 International Series Rankings, earned his return to LIV after a strong season highlighted by victory in Morocco and a runner-up finish in Jakarta. A closing 75 in Riyadh did not threaten his top spot as his challengers failed to produce the required finishes. Asaji, who surged with victory at the Moutai Singapore Open, held on to second place despite missing the cut in Saudi Arabia. Filipino Miguel Tabuena fell agonisingly short—one stroke away from the top-six finish he needed.
For India, the promise remains but the breakthrough hasn’t yet come. Gaganjeet Bhullar remains the country’s most consistent performer, with top finishes of 13th (2022), 8th (2023), 38th (2024) and 41st (2025) on the International Series Rankings. He remains the only Indian to win an elevated International Series event—a dominant five-shot victory at the BNI Indonesian Masters 2023, where Karandeep Kochhar finished second.
Anirban Lahiri came closest in 2022, finishing runner-up to Sarit Suwannarut at BNI Indonesian Open; Kochhar added another runner-up in 2023 at the same event.
The opportunity is clear: one sustained season across six elevated events can change a career. India’s top pros have shown flashes—now they must convert consistency into contention in the 2026 race.
