Bubba Watson to make international series debut at BNI Indonesian Masters

TWO-TIME Masters champion Bubba Watson is the latest big-name player to confirm he will play in the BNI Indonesian Masters later this month.

The US$2 million Asian Tour tournament will be played at Royale Jakarta Golf Club from October 31-November 3, and it will mark the first time that the charismatic American has played on The International Series.

Watson, currently captain of RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League, will headline the event along with John Catlin, the runaway leader on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, plus other LIV Golf League stars Richard Bland from England, and New Zealand’s Danny Lee.

Defending champion Gaganjeet Bhullar from India, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and China’s rising star Ding Wenyi, who has just turned professional after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last week, have also entered the tournament – helping to ensure one of the event’s strongest-ever fields.

It will be Watson’s maiden tournament appearance in Indonesia and the ninth time he has competed on the Asian Tour. He has finished runner-up on the Asian Tour twice, at the Thailand Golf Championship in 2012, where he tied for second, and the PIF Saudi International two years ago.

Said the 45-year-old lefthander: “As everyone knows I have really enjoyed playing in tournaments overseas and so I am really excited about playing in Indonesia for the first time. I enjoy coming to Asia and soaking in the sights and sounds and also seeing the diverse mixture of players out here.

“The BNI Indonesian Masters plays a big part in The International Series, which provides a pathway onto the LIV Golf League. I’m a big believer in LIV Golf and I’m proud of the impact it has had on the game of golf worldwide.”

Watson won the Masters in 2012 and 2014, and has triumphed 12-times on the PGA Tour, including two World Golf Championships: the 2014 WGC-HSBC Champions China, and the WGC-Matchplay in 2018. He has also played in four Ryder Cups.

BNI Corporate Secretary Okki Rushartomo explained that having a big name like Watson at the BNI Indonesian Masters will have a huge impact: “This aligns with BNI’s commitment to offering innovative services that cater to customer needs, as reflected in our digital wholesale banking service, BNI Direct. With this service, we are ready to keep pace with the dynamic business environment, in line with the competitive spirit exemplified by world-class players like Bubba Watson. We hope that the presence of Watson, along with other world-class players, will fulfil the expectations of golf fans in Indonesia.”

The BNI Indonesian Masters is the seventh of 10 stops on The International Series this year and the 17th leg of the Asian Tour season.