Josele Ballester claimed his first title in professional golf in style at the PIF Saudi International.
The Spaniard began the final round at Riyadh Golf Club one back of fellow LIV Golfers Dean Burmester and Caleb Surratt on 16-under. However, a stunning final round of 65 ensured he won the biggest tournament on the Asian Tour by three.
The 2024 US Amateur champion, who signed for Fireballs GC in June, fired a warning shot to his rivals on the first hole, making the first of six birdies for the day on the opening hole, before following that with par at the second.
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While that set the tone for the 22-year-old, it was a different story for playing partner Surratt, who ensured a nightmare bogey-bogey start. Burmester, meanwhile, made par at the first before taking the solo lead with his first birdie of the day at the second.
Surratt, who was also looking for his maiden professional win, bounced back from his early setback, moving back to even for the day with birdies at he fourth and fifth, while he made the turn at 18-under thanks to another at the ninth.
Burmester was on the same score as he walked to the 10th, but by that point, Ballester was one ahead after further birdies at the third and sixth.
Ballester gave himself some breathing space with another birdie at the par-4 10th to lead by two, and he never looked back, claiming two more birdies at the 13th and 16th as he finished on 22-under.
As for his rivals, they didn’t really get close, with Surratt his nearest contender, albeit going four behind Ballester after a bogey at the 17th, which became a three-shot deficit with a birdie at the 18th as he finished on 19 under.
Caleb Surratt lost by three to Ballester
(Image credit: Getty Images)
By the 72nd hole, Burmester was well out of contention, thanks largely to bogeys at the 11th and 13th on the way to finishing on 17-under in third.
That handed Ballester, who eschewed a Korn Ferry Tour card to sign for LIV Golf, the title by three and prize money of $1m.
Following his victory, Ballester said: “It’s been everything, right? Like at the end of the day, being a young boy dreaming about this moment, winning your first professional career, this is why I worked so hard every day.
“It’s been really cool to finally get this done. It’s going to make me keep working even harder to accomplish all the things I have.”
It wasn’t just the battle for the title at stake in Riyadh, with two LIV Golf cards for the top two in the International Series rankings not otherwise exempt also on the line.
Former LIV Golfer Scott Vincent began the week at the top, and his finish of T42 ensured he returns to the big-money League despite finishing second in the rankings to Ballester.
Ahead of the tournament, Yosuke Asaji held a lead of just over 53 points on Miguel Tabuena for the second card, and that proved crucial. The Japanese star held off Tabuena by just over 25 points despite missing the cut in Riyadh to ensure he will also tee it up for LIV Golf next season.
Yosuke Asaji earned one of two LIV Golf cards despite missing the cut in Riyadh
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Another notable performance came from former LIV Golfer Anthony Kim, who was relegated at the end of the 2025 season.
At the start of the day, the former PGA Tour star had been in contention for his first professional victory since 2010, before a final round of 70 ensured he placed T5, eight back of Ballester, for his first top-10 finish in over a decade.
