Ortiz holds off Reed to secure second International Series win and Open spot
Mexico's Carlos Ortiz surged to a memorable victory at the International Series Macau, overcoming a strong challenge from Patrick Reed to clinch his second win on the Asian Tour's International Series.
Ortiz, who previously triumphed at the International Series Oman last year, delivered a stellar six-under-par 64 in the final round to finish with an impressive 22-under total. He finished three shots clear of Reed, who had set his sights on adding this title to his victory at the 2024 Hong Kong Open. Reed closed with a 67 to finish in second place.
American Jason Kokrak, also a contender throughout the week, shot a 67 to secure third place, three strokes behind Ortiz. All three players were thrilled to earn qualifying spots for The Open at Royal Portrush, as the International Series Macau was part of the Open Qualifying Series. The top three players who were not already exempt earned their place in golf's oldest Major.
Sergio Garcia came close to joining them, finishing in fourth place after a solid 65. However, a missed three-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole left him one shot behind Kokrak, missing out on a spot at The Open by a slim margin. Garcia's world ranking would have given him the edge in a countback for third place.
Ortiz entered the final day tied for the lead with Reed and quickly made his move with birdies on the first, third, and eighth holes. He turned with a two-shot lead and extended it further on the 12th, where a brilliant fairway wood to five feet set up an eagle putt that increased his advantage to two over Reed and three over Kokrak, who both made birdie on the hole.
A critical eight-foot par putt on the 14th kept Ortiz in control, despite missing a five-foot birdie chance on the following hole. But a final birdie on 18 sealed the deal, leaving Reed with no chance to catch up.
'It was a great week,' said Ortiz, who is a member of Torque GC on LIV Golf. 'I did well keeping the ball in play, which is key on this course. I drove the ball really well and made the most of the par fives and some of the shorter par fours. On a course like this, the tee shots can be tricky, so once you get the driver in play, everything opens up.'
This win marks Ortiz's 10th career victory, adding to his titles on both LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. The 33-year-old also climbs to the top of both the Asian Tour's Order of Merit and the International Series rankings.
Reflecting on his pivotal eagle on the 12th, Ortiz said, 'I was just trying to get the ball on the green, and it ended up being a perfect shot. There's always a bit of luck involved, but I hit a great shot, and it was nice to capitalize on it.'
Ortiz, who played in The Open once before in 2021, will return to Royal Portrush this summer. Reed, a veteran of nine Open appearances, and Kokrak, playing in his fifth, also secured their spots for the Major.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
01-06-2025
- The National
UAE Team Emirates rider Isaac del Toro 'proud and happy' despite Giro d'Italia disappointment
UAE Team Emirates-EXG rider Isaac del Toro insisted he is proud of his efforts at the Giro d'Italia despite being beaten to the title by British rider Simon Yates. The Mexican went into Saturday's penultimate Stage 20 in pole position to become UAE Team Emirates second consecutive winner of the Grand Tour race, following in the slipstream of Tadej Pogacar last year. But Briton's Simon Yates, who started the day third in the general classification 81 seconds behind the leader, produced a magnificent ride on the Colle delle Finestre – the highest point of this year's race – to overhaul second-place Richard Carapaz and Del Toro in the standings. The Visma-Lease A Bike rider finished the stage almost four minutes clear of Del Toro with the Giro crown all but in the bag going into Sunday's ceremonial finale around Rome. Del Toro had snatched the overall lead on Stage 9 when he took charge of the pink jersey which he kept a tight hold on for 10 more stages. But it was not to be for the 21-year-old who came agonisingly close to victory in what was only his second Grand Tour race after last year's Vuelta a Espagna. 'Obviously I am super happy to finish second, I need to be mature with this and, of course, a lot of people are surprised that I can be at this level now,' said Del Toro, whose victory on Stage 17 was his first on a Grand Tour. 'For my team, it's not a big surprise, it's just a question of time. I want to believe it, this is the main problem for me personally, but this week I show I can be a top rider and top contender and I cannot be more proud and happy, to be honest. 'For sure it's always disappointing to lose the leader's jersey, but actually as a team we cannot be more together and more happy about the performance that we did. We cannot manage a victory, but … it's cycling and that's why we love it. 'I was close, and this is a thing, but at the end I didn't win,' added Del Toro. 'I will just keep working and I will come back for sure. 'You need to be a great winner, you need to be a great loser, and I think I am a good loser, and chapeau for them. Congrats.' It was a story of redemption for Yates as he sobbed uncontrollably after crossing the finish lines in third place behind stage winner Chris Harper and second place Alessandro Verre. At the 2018 Giro, Yates was wearing the pink jersey on the penultimate mountain stage only to see his lead snuffed out by countryman Chris Froome on the Colle delle Finestre. Yates would end the day down in 18th place, nearly 36 minutes behind soon-to-be champion Froome with one competitive stage to go. 'When the route was released I always had in the back of my mind to try to do something here and close the chapter, let's say,' said Yates on Saturday. 'I maybe look relaxed but I also had doubts this morning, if I could really do something, but the guys they encouraged me and believed in me, so yeah, thanks to them.' As for Del Toro, he remained upbeat after what has been a breakthrough performance from a young rider. 'My disappointment is split 50-50, half for me and half for the team. They deserved the win,' he said. 'I'm happy in one sense becaus e I showed that I can compete in a Grand Tour and that I'm not lacking anything. Few people thought I could do what I've done before this Giro. I had the legs to win a Grand Tour, I went close to victory. 'I respect the big riders but if I look at all my performances in this Giro, I can start to think I can win a Grand Tour. 'I'll sleep well tonight because I've matured and I've realised that this is also cycling. I'm not smiling because I'm second. But it's still a great result.'
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
27-05-2025
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
How Alexandra Saint-Mleux Became a Formula 1 Fashion Icon
From the F1 paddock to Pinterest boards, Alexandra Saint-Mleux is fashion's newest It-girl If you're an avid follower of social media fashion or Formula 1, chances are you've come across Alexandra Saint-Mleux. The Mexican-Italian beauty caught the public eye when she started dating Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc, and soon enough carved out her position in the F1 scene style stakes. And after this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, her name is on everyone's lips. Fashion and Formula 1 have always been inextricably linked—the glamour is palpable in the paddock— but in recent years the connection has only strengthened. This season, LVMH joined the sport as an official partner in a 10-year agreement, replacing luxury watch brand Rolex. The sport has evolved into a runway of its own, between Lewis Hamilton 's statement-making looks, Yuki Tsunoda's street style—who just launched his own clothing brand—and appearances from A-list celebrities like Rihanna and Gigi Hadid. Style now means as much as speed in this sporting arena. Yet, even in such an exclusive world, 22-year old Alexandra manages to stand out. Here, we round up some of her most statement looks. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alexandra Malena Saint Mleux (@alexandrasaintmleux) With circa 2 million followers, Alexandra's influence has caught the attention of major brands, one of them being Rhode, the skincare label founded by Hailey Bieber. The brand is known for its clean girl aesthetic and saw a perfect alignment in Alexandra—another power couple moment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by rhode skin (@rhode) Australian brand MESHKI also announced a collaboration with the Paris-born beauty earlier this week. This partnership felt all but inevitable— one that fans had long been hoping for. Alexandra has often been spotted wearing the brand, especially during Grand Prix weekends, where her chic-minimalistic looks consistently turned heads. The new collection channels her signature aesthetic with resort wear— modern silhouettes that strike a balance between effortless elegance and a little bit of edge. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MESHKI (@meshki) Alexandra also made headlines at the Chinese Grand Prix in March. She chose an homage to Chinese style and wore a modern interpretation of a Cheongsam, by Hong Kong-based brand Sau Lee. Meanwhile for a dinner event hosted by Nina Ricci, she chose an elegant ivory gown by the brand. Alexandra regularly references her boyfriend's Ferrari pedigree, with nods to the brand's colour and logo, such as this Ferrari red dress by Jacquemus. At the Singapore Grand Prix last year, Alexandra chose a handkerchief dress by Zimmermann, paired with a perfectly matched Bottega Veneta bag. Alexandra chose a Clio Peppiatt Orchid Gown for the Festival des Étoilés in Monte-Carlo, paired with Ferrari motif earrings. Never afraid to shine, Alexandra chose a sunset-hued ombre dress, also by Clio Peppiatt.
Khaleej Times
25-03-2025
- Khaleej Times
Ortiz holds off Reed to secure second International Series win and Open spot
Mexico's Carlos Ortiz surged to a memorable victory at the International Series Macau, overcoming a strong challenge from Patrick Reed to clinch his second win on the Asian Tour's International Series. Ortiz, who previously triumphed at the International Series Oman last year, delivered a stellar six-under-par 64 in the final round to finish with an impressive 22-under total. He finished three shots clear of Reed, who had set his sights on adding this title to his victory at the 2024 Hong Kong Open. Reed closed with a 67 to finish in second place. American Jason Kokrak, also a contender throughout the week, shot a 67 to secure third place, three strokes behind Ortiz. All three players were thrilled to earn qualifying spots for The Open at Royal Portrush, as the International Series Macau was part of the Open Qualifying Series. The top three players who were not already exempt earned their place in golf's oldest Major. Sergio Garcia came close to joining them, finishing in fourth place after a solid 65. However, a missed three-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole left him one shot behind Kokrak, missing out on a spot at The Open by a slim margin. Garcia's world ranking would have given him the edge in a countback for third place. Ortiz entered the final day tied for the lead with Reed and quickly made his move with birdies on the first, third, and eighth holes. He turned with a two-shot lead and extended it further on the 12th, where a brilliant fairway wood to five feet set up an eagle putt that increased his advantage to two over Reed and three over Kokrak, who both made birdie on the hole. A critical eight-foot par putt on the 14th kept Ortiz in control, despite missing a five-foot birdie chance on the following hole. But a final birdie on 18 sealed the deal, leaving Reed with no chance to catch up. 'It was a great week,' said Ortiz, who is a member of Torque GC on LIV Golf. 'I did well keeping the ball in play, which is key on this course. I drove the ball really well and made the most of the par fives and some of the shorter par fours. On a course like this, the tee shots can be tricky, so once you get the driver in play, everything opens up.' This win marks Ortiz's 10th career victory, adding to his titles on both LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. The 33-year-old also climbs to the top of both the Asian Tour's Order of Merit and the International Series rankings. Reflecting on his pivotal eagle on the 12th, Ortiz said, 'I was just trying to get the ball on the green, and it ended up being a perfect shot. There's always a bit of luck involved, but I hit a great shot, and it was nice to capitalize on it.' Ortiz, who played in The Open once before in 2021, will return to Royal Portrush this summer. Reed, a veteran of nine Open appearances, and Kokrak, playing in his fifth, also secured their spots for the Major.
