Who Is John Catlin? Meet the American Pro Who Made Asian Tour History

At the International Series in Macau sanctioned by the Asian Tour, a new face shone in the last round. In the field of 144 at the Macau Golf and Country Club, John Catlin emerged as the first golfer to shoot a round of 13 under 59, making history on the Asian Tour. Catlin shot seven birdies in the front, followed by three in the back, and finished 18 under 192 overall, leading the field.

The incredible third round of Catlin allowed him to outshine LIV pros like Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, and Jason Kokrak, who are 2 strokes behind Catlin. While it isn’t the first mojo of Catline, little is known about his coming to golf and becoming a known face on the Asian Tour.

John Catlin’s journey to golf 

John Catlin hails from Sacramento, California, and was born on November 15, 1990. As a child, he was intrigued by the idea of sports and played many but his eyes settled on golf, and he started playing. From a young age, Catlin had tasted success in golf. When he was an amateur, he had back-to-back wins at the NCGA State Match Play Championship (2010 and 2011).

Moreover, in 2011 and 2012, the 33-year-old won the Memorial Amateur Championship, and following the first time, he was admitted to the University of New Mexico. Before graduating in 2013, Catlin was named Academic All-American for three consecutive years, that is 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Additionally, in his second year at college, he won his first intercollegiate event (Arizona Intercollegiate) and earned the UNM Student-Athlete of the Year award. Right after finishing the university, Catlin turned professional and started coaching under Class A PGA instructor Noah Montgomery.

In his initial years, he played on the Mackenzie Tour, but after not finding any success, he moved to the other side of the ocean. Catlin started his run on the Asian Tour, where he eventually earned many titles.

John Catlin’s victories on various Tours

After traveling to Asia, John Catlin got his Asian Tour card in 2015 via Q-School. Three years later, he got his maiden victory at the Asia-Pacific Classic. In the same year, Catlin also won the Sarawak Championship and the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship. In 2019, he won the Thailand Open by winning the playoffs against Shiv Kapur and Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

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After being ranked 6th in the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, Catlin received a membership for the European Tour in 2019. Catlin shifted his focus to making a name for himself on the DP World Tour. In his second year on the European Tour, Catlin earned his breakthrough victory at the 2020 Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters. In the same month, he went on to win his second title, the Dubai Duty-Free Irish Open. His latest win on the DP World Tour was when he won the 2021 Austrian Golf Open.

Now, Catlin moves back and forth on the European and Asian Tour. As he charts the leaderboard at International Series Macau, John Catlin is on the way to earning his fifth victory on the Asian Tour, but will he be able to attain this title? Stay tuned to find out.

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