Staff WriterThe PIF Saudi International delivered another twist today as Caleb Surratt, the 21-year-old American still hunting his first pro win, surged to the top after a steely birdie at the last.
The young Legion XIII player has put himself in pole position heading into the weekend at Riyadh Golf Club, showing again why the PIF Saudi International keeps producing storylines you couldn’t script if you tried.
Surratt posted a bogey-free 66 for a 14-under total, edging ahead of Thomas Pieters, who matched that 66 but couldn’t quite keep pace with the kid who seems determined to erase last year’s playoff heartbreak against Joaquin Niemann.
Pieters sits one back, while Anthony Kim—yes, that Anthony Kim—rolled back the years with a swaggering 64 to jump into third alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Spain’s Josele Ballester, both in with 65s. Dean Burmester’s 63 was the round of the day, while former co-leader Adrian Meronk slid to a 70 but remains tied for sixth with Korea’s Seungbin Choi.
Surratt looked calm, almost cold, despite the heat and the weight of knowing he’s been here before.
“Very pleased. It was a good day,” he said. “You know, I think some of the hardest rounds in golf are honestly ones that have to follow up great ones, so to go out there today, kind of fight my thoughts at times, getting ahead of myself, I was still able to play well. That was good that I showed that to myself, and hopefully use this same momentum.”
Momentum is exactly what the American needs. He hasn’t lifted a trophy since turning pro, but three podium finishes on The International Series suggest the door’s been knocking for months. Today he kicked it.
His pinpoint tee shot on the drivable 18th stopped short of the green, and the up-and-down that followed looked like something a seasoned winner would produce, not a second-year pro still working out how to sleep on a lead.
Pieters Finds His Stride Again
Standing 1.96 metres and striking the ball like he’s trying to perforate the ozone layer, Pieters looks reborn this season. His switch to Miura irons seems to have injected fresh confidence—if not fresh yardages—into his game.
“Pretty similar to yesterday,” he said. “Played really well. I made loads of 10 to 15 footers. Only difference is I missed a couple shorter ones. Overall, super happy, obviously. Yeah, just really looking forward to the weekend and I enjoy this golf course a lot.”
His form backs up the talk: two top-tens in Hong Kong and Singapore on The International Series, plus strong showings in Korea and Virginia on LIV Golf. Not bad for a man who last won in 2022.
“I am just putting in the work,” he added. “Short game has been good, and I practice a lot on my wedges in my simulator at home and that’s been paying off.”
A man, his simulator, and a well-timed iron switch—golf remains a simple game made complicated by everyone except Thomas Pieters.
Anthony Kim Turns Back the Clock
Perhaps the day’s biggest jolt came from Kim, who finally looked something like the force he once was. The seven birdies and spotless card weren’t just a nostalgia trip—they were a warning that he’s starting to believe again.
“My wife told me that if I make less bogeys than birdies my score will be good, so I followed that direction well today,” Kim said, as blunt as ever.
“Yeah, I’m finally starting to see some of the work show… it’s starting to show up and starting to feel more comfortable out here.”
A man who once climbed to number six in the world has spent more than a decade wandering outside the ropes. Today he walked straight back into the spotlight.
Race to the LIV Golf League Heats Up
Further down the board, Scott Vincent tightened his grip on The International Series standings with another 67. Filipino contender Miguel Tabuena is lurking too, firing a 68 to keep the battle for the two LIV Golf League spots alive, especially after Japan’s Yosuke Asaji shot 72 to miss the cut and hand the chasers a chance.
As for Niemann—the defending champion is gone. His 69 left him one short of the weekend, proving that golf doesn’t care about reputation, past glories, or who lifted the trophy 12 months ago.
The Weekend Is Set
What lies ahead is simple: Surratt chasing redemption, Pieters chasing revival, Kim chasing relevance, and the rest chasing them. If today’s charge was anything to go by, the next two rounds of the PIF Saudi International won’t so much unfold as detonate.
