Bjorn Hellgren of Sweden captured the Saudi Open presented by PIF, edging out Jack Thompson in a tense final-round battle at Dirab Golf & Country Club.
The pair had been grouped together throughout the week, and Hellgren prevailed by one stroke, firing a stellar five-under-par 67 to reach 23-under overall. Thompson, who started the day level with Hellgren, carded a 68 in this Asian Tour season finale.
Hellgren held a one-shot lead heading to the par-five 18th, where Thompson narrowly missed an eagle attempt from 30 feet, settling for birdie. That left Hellgren with a six-footer for birdie, which he sank using every bit of his experience to secure his first Asian Tour victory.
Malaysia’s Ervin Chang and American Charles Porter shared third place, three shots back. Chang posted a 68, climbing dramatically from 75th to 41st on the Asian Tour Order of Merit—enough to retain his card for next season among the top 65. Porter, a fresh Qualifying School graduate, closed with a 69.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Kazuki Higa clinched the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown with a seventh-place finish and a final-round 68, pulling well clear of Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, who ended second. Vincent tied for 15th with his own 68 but needed a win or runner-up to overtake Higa. The compact Japanese player becomes his nation’s first Order of Merit champion.
Hellgren’s triumph redeems a challenging stretch on the Asian Tour. He arrived in Asia in 2020 with a strong background, boasting multiple amateur and pro wins in Scandinavia and having roomed with Brooks Koepka at Florida State University.
He placed tied ninth at 2020 Qualifying School but saw his momentum stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic after just one event. Results were underwhelming upon resumption, with a tied third at the 2022 Yeangder TPC as his career highlight. Even recently, Hellgren admitted to fatigue from a grueling schedule and poor behavior on and off the course. A family vacation in Spain recently helped him refocus, and it paid off handsomely here.
“Super happy,” the winner said. “I mean, finally. I’m not gonna say I was doubting myself, but I’ve been leading tournaments before in this past five years, and never got it done before. I couldn’t have done it without Graham, my caddie. He kept me calm and present for especially today. So, I’m very proud of myself, my team, and especially my family that keep pushing me.”
They were even at the turn until Thompson missed a short putt on the 10th, yielding the lead. On the next par four, Hellgren escaped trouble off the tee with a layup, then watched his approach shot hit the pin after flying long, leaving a seven-footer for par that he converted to maintain his edge.
He followed with a brilliant approach to a foot on the next hole for birdie, stretching his lead to two after Thompson missed from 10 feet. Thompson birdied 17 to cut it back to one, setting up a near-playoff on 18.
Hellgren, who finished sixth on the Merit list, added: “We had an amazing four days. I mean, his (Thompson’s) caddy is a good friend of mine who stayed with me this week, Adrian. I’m really happy for Jack also, because he had a good week, kept his job and I said when we were signing scorecards, I couldn’t have done it without him. And I was pretty sure if he made that putt on 18, mine would have been way longer. So yeah, very fortunate to play with him.”
Hellgren is the eighth Swede to win on the Asian Tour since 2004 and the first since Malcolm Kokocinski’s 2018 AB Bank Bangladesh Open victory.
Thompson, sitting 62nd on the Merit and focused on card retention, surged to 21st. “Yeah, it’s a tough one,” he said after birdieing three straight early to grab the lead. “Obviously, I started off pretty well. I didn’t hit the ball anywhere near good enough today, but just scrambled so well, made some good birdies, holed some good putts. Also missed a couple putts. So yeah, I mean, at the end of that, I can’t really complain. I think if you told me I’d finished second at the start of the week before, when I needed to keep my card, I would have been pretty happy. But we obviously want more. Always want more.”
Chang celebrated his career-best Asian Tour result. “Honestly speaking, to be very honest, I woke up at 3am couldn’t go back to sleep after that,” said the former SEA Games gold medalist. “I think because just kind of knowing what’s at stake, and knowing a top 10 finish guaranteed me a card for next year. And coming to this week, I didn’t buy an air ticket to go home yet, and I’m about to buy my air ticket to go home.”
Other players barely clinging to top-65 Merit status included Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao (60th), Philippines’ Justin Quiban (61st), Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (62nd), and Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit (64th).
Photos by Ian Walton/Asian Tour.