Ian Snyman is making waves on the golf circuit, with his recent top 10 finish at the International Series Qatar pushing him up the rankings and giving him a shot at his ultimate ambition: a place in the LIV Golf League alongside his fellow South Africans on Stinger GC.
Snyman, who was ranked 47th going into Qatar, has been showing signs of his prowess throughout the season.
His performance at the Black Mountain Championship and consistent top finishes at the New Zealand Open and the Mandiri Indonesia Open have all highlighted his talent and determination.
In Qatar, Snyman’s quest to rise through the rankings saw him taking the lead with an impressive seven-under in the first round.
He wrapped up the tournament at the Doha Golf Club with a ninth-place finish, which vaulted him up 13 spots to 34th in the rankings.
This performance didn’t just elevate his status; it secured his place in the upcoming season-ending PIF Saudi International, where a whopping 1000 ranking points are on offer for the winner.
This pivotal finish also nearly guarantees Snyman a spot in the LIV Golf Promotions event, where he and potentially 32 other top players from the rankings will vie for a “golden ticket” into the LIV Golf League.
Snyman is no stranger to the LIV Golf environment, having participated in the LIV Golf Invitational in London back in 2022, where he first sampled the league’s unique style and camaraderie.
Reflecting on his experiences and aspirations, Snyman shared, “It is definitely the goal (the LIV Golf League).
I obviously had a taste of LIV Golf two years ago and I always want to try and get back to that.
It is just a different ball game – you travel in style, the caddies are taken care of, and there is a bunch of great guys out there, great golfers.”
He added, “I played with Charl (in the final round at Qatar) and it’s the best display of fighting I’ve ever seen, honestly, hands down, nothing comes close to what I saw in these conditions, with the wind and how firm the greens are, and the big slope, it was phenomenal.
Honestly, that is why he is a Major champion, I guess. I was rooting for him. He was rolling it so nice, and he would get in trouble.
He would make these 10, 15, and 20-metre putts and I was just dumbstruck every single time because he didn’t do it once he did it about six times.
All of the guys are enjoying it (the LIV Golf League) and it is fun that they are an all-South African group. So, makes it even better.”
Snyman had been in danger of missing out on a place in the top 40 and a spot in the LIV Golf Promotions field up until his top 10 finish last week, and he said, “I must say this was big for me.
This was the most comfortable I felt on the golf course, I think the whole year.
Definitely the swing changes that me and my coach have been working on has been helping tremendously and I think I’ve shown that the thing for me was trying to get consistency, and that’s what I’ve been getting the last couple of months, these high finishes especially in the big events.
So this is a nice boost, and we are running the putter nicely. So, we will see what happens next week. Hopefully we can keep those doubles away, because I have had a couple.”
As Ian Snyman prepares for the PIF Saudi International from December 4-7 at Riyadh Golf Club, his journey can be followed on www.internationalseries.com for updates on his progress and the broader dynamics of The International Series.
