Max Kennedy’s final competitive start of 2025 ended in a disappointing one-over-par 73 but it was glory for Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren who claimed a maiden pro victory at the Saudi Open presented by PIF.
Kennedy, playing on a tournament invitation to the Asian Tour’s season-ending event, birdied two of his opening nine holes after three consecutive rounds of 70 had him starting on the 10th and tied for 41st at -6.
But his final nine holes at Dirab Golf and Country Club proved to be costly, as he bogeyed two and eight, and doubled the par-5 fourth, before closing with a birdie on the last, finishing tied for 53rd and earning just shy of $4,000.
At the head of affairs, Hellgren emerged on top after after a gripping duel with Jack Thompson.
Having played together in the same group all week, Hellgren edged it by a shot after closing with a five-under-par 67 to finish on 23-under.
Thompson, tied with Hellgren at the start of the day, shot a 68 in the season-ending event on the Asian Tour.
The Swede led by one playing the par-five 18th, where Thompson just missed his eagle putt from 30 feet. He made four meaning Hellgren needed to draw on all his experience to hole his birdie putt from six feet, which he duly did – for his maiden victory on the Asian Tour.
Malaysia’s Ervin Chang and Charles Porter from the United States tied for third three behind Thompson. Chang shot a 68 to complete a remarkable week that saw him move from 75th to 41st on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, which sees the top-65 keep their cards for next year. Porter, a graduate from this year’s Qualifying School, closed with a 69.
The other big winner today was Japan’s Kazuki Higa who wrapped up the Asian Tour Order of Merit title. He closed with a 68 to finish seventh, to ensure he ended comfortably ahead of Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe in second place. Vincent tied for 15th following a 68, having needed to win or finish second today in order to topple Higa. The diminutive Japanese star becomes the first player from his country to claim the prestigious Merit title.
Victory for Hellgren atones for what has been a testing few seasons playing on the Asian Tour.
He arrived in Asia in 2020 with an impressive resume that included multiple wins in Scandinavia as an amateur and professional. He’d also roomed with American Brooks Koepka when playing college golf at Florida State University.
He finishing tied ninth at Qualifying School in 2020 but only competed in one event before play was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When play resumed on Tour he did not quite make the impression that was expected of him, with his best result tying for third in the 2022 Yeangder TPC.
Even before this week he admitted to being exhausted after a long stretch on tour and behaving badly on and off the course. He said a holiday with his family in Spain over the past few weeks helped kept him get back on track and that was most definitely the case this week.
“Super happy,” said the winner.
“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.”
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