Staff WriterBy all rights, John Catlin should’ve been sulking somewhere on a driving range, wondering where his game went after a patchy start to 2025.
Instead, on a course that might as well have his name on the welcome sign, the American bulldozed his way into a share of the lead at the International Series Morocco with a rousing five-under-par 68.
It’s a venue that’s both haunted and inspired him. Last year, he was blindsided by Ben Campbell’s sorcery—a closing eagle-birdie finish and a playoff dagger that robbed Catlin of the title. But on Thursday, the 34-year-old from Sacramento came out swinging, carding six birdies in his opening nine holes and reminding everyone why he topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2024.
“Yeah, it was very solid,” Catlin said, flashing the kind of calm that suggests he’s not here for revenge—just results. “Wish I could have played the third hole a bit better… Outside of that, I played pretty much flawless golf. Very happy with the start, but three more rounds to go. Let’s see.”
He wasn’t alone in the spotlight. Peter Uihlein, built like a linebacker and armed with a driver that ought to be licensed, matched Catlin’s 68 after a rocky start gave way to a fireworks show of four consecutive birdies from the 15th to 18th.
“It was a bit of a mixed bag with the start,” Uihlein admitted. “Really ugly… but then I kind of got going, made a bunch of birdies in a row.” The 2024 International Series Qatar and England champion clearly isn’t done adding stamps to his title collection.
As the sun baked the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout and the afternoon wind added a layer of mischief, no one from the later tee times could touch the morning benchmark set by the American duo. The greens firmed up, the pins tucked in mischievous spots—classic tournament-day conditions.
Maverick Antcliff, the softly-spoken Aussie with a swing smoother than a glass of McLaren Vale shiraz, flirted with the lead and finished one back on 69. His bogey-free card was one of just four handed in all day.
“I just tried to stay patient out there,” said the Brisbane native. “Got out of position a couple of times and made some nice up and downs… a lot of good from all parts of my game. So, happy with the day.”
He was joined in third by Korea’s Hongtaek Kim, the GS Caltex Maekyung Open winner, and Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, who holed a long bunker shot at the par-three second and didn’t drop a shot.
Over in sixth, China’s Sampson Zheng deserves a medal just for making it to the first tee. After securing his Open Championship debut on Tuesday, he touched down in Morocco on Wednesday and still managed to post a bogey-free 70. Jet lag, evidently, is afraid of Sampson Zheng.
But back to Catlin, who has just one top-10 this year and was beginning to look like a one-season wonder. Morocco, though, seems to speak his golfing language.
“I love the golf course,” he said. “I think it really suits my game. You have to put it in play off the tees… very precise with your irons… short game is going to be important. I feel like it really favours my game.”
It shows. The man birdied his way to six-under through nine, stumbled slightly with a three-putt bogey and another dropped shot on the fifth, before bouncing back with a birdie at the par-five eighth to close.
The International Series Morocco, now four events deep into its 10-stop run, isn’t just a high-purse slugfest. It’s a proving ground, a LIV Golf audition, and a platform for redemption stories like Catlin’s to flourish.
With three rounds left and plenty of firepower lurking just behind the leaders, the stage is set. But for now, John Catlin has the bit between his teeth again—and Morocco just might be where he reminds the world he’s not done winning yet.
