Staff WriterBen Campbell might still hear the echoes of last year’s thunderous victory at International Series Morocco, but he’s not one to get caught dancing in the past.
As he returns to the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s formidable Red Course this week, the Kiwi star has made one thing clear: he’s here to win again — not to reminisce.
“It’s obviously great to reflect on last year,” said Campbell, who made headlines in 2023 with an unforgettable eagle-birdie finish to force a playoff before calmly birdieing the 18th once more to snatch the title.
“But for me, the here and now becomes the priority. So I have to put last year’s results behind me and focus on what I have to do.”
Ben Campbell, now 33, arrives in Rabat not just as defending champion, but as a man reborn. Since that clutch performance — which saw him storm from three shots back in the final two holes to reel in John Catlin — Campbell has used the momentum to secure a spot on LIV Golf’s RangeGoats GC, led by none other than Bubba Watson.
“It had a lot to do with it,” Campbell admitted, speaking of last year’s breakthrough. “I think it got me right up there in the International Series rankings, and it helped me a lot. I also played with Bubba at the Indonesian Masters as well, which also helped for sure. But yes, it had a lot to do with it.”
And it’s not just name recognition that Campbell’s gained — he’s brought results with him too. A season-best third-place finish at LIV Golf Singapore, plus solid showings in Riyadh (T15) and Virginia (T19), prove he’s more than earned his RangeGoats stripes.
As for this week, Campbell knows what it takes. “Obviously, around here, that means trying to hit a lot of fairways and finding the greens,” he said. “Yes, it is great reminiscing on the win last year, but it is time to flip the switch and get ready for the event.”
He’ll tee off at 12:50 in a marquee group alongside South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel — a Masters champion — and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana. With temperatures climbing and the Red Course as demanding as ever, Campbell knows it’s time to move from memory lane to mission mode.
But he’s not the only one trying to revive old magic.
Enter Jazz Janewattananond — seven-time Asian Tour champion and winner here in 2022 — who is also seeking to rekindle the fire on Moroccan soil. Like Campbell, Jazz pulled off an eagle-birdie finish for his victory two years ago, but last year? He finished a disappointing T49, 16 shots off the lead.
“I had a little slump last year,” Jazz said candidly. “And I would say I have just been trying to dig my way out of that over the past year and a half.”
To do that, he went full ‘Project Rebuild’: swing coach, short game coach, the whole toolbox. “I think I can win again,” he said. “I went to see a specialist for my swing and a specialist for my short game… hopefully I can perform and show the potential I have and close out this week.”
There are encouraging signs: a T8 finish at International Series Macau and a close-run T2 at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open show his hard graft is bearing fruit. Jazz tees off at 7:50 alongside American LIV golfer Peter Uihlein — himself a two-time International Series champion — and the Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena.
Now 29, Jazz is not just hopeful about his own form, but bullish about where the International Series is heading. “So I won here on the first year of the series, and I think it has been great.
Every year so far, we have a mix of new countries and established destinations. Morocco is always going to be a staple in the series. That’s great for me, because it is one of the tournaments where I have good memories!”
This year’s International Series Morocco is the third time the event has been staged at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the past four seasons. It’s a jewel in the crown of a campaign that has already explored new territory in India and Japan — with Cambodia and the Philippines still to come.
As for Ben Campbell, there’s no room for nostalgia. “It is great being back,” he said. “But it is time to flip the switch.”
And if history has taught us anything, it’s that when Ben Campbell flips that switch — the lights come on for everyone else, too.
International Series Morocco runs from July 3–6 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat. Entry is free for all spectators.
