World No.861 Defeats John Catlin In Playoff To Secure First Asian Tour Title
MJ Maguire enjoyed a superb final round to force extra holes at the Black Mountain Championship before holding his nerve in a playoff to claim what was just the second pro victory of his career


World No.861 Michael 'MJ' Maguire claimed just the second professional title of his career on Sunday after defeating fellow American John Catlin in a playoff at the Asian Tour's Black Mountain Championship.
Maguire - whose best OWGR position is 521st - enjoyed an excellent final round in regulation at the International Series event, carding a seven-under 65 to force extra holes alongside Catlin on 23-under.
Victory could have been brought forward by half an hour or so if an action-packed final hole had played out differently. The St Petersburg, Florida-born player splashed a near-perfect bunker shot towards the flag on the par-5 18th which took a look at the hole but stopped a few inches past.
He tapped in for birdie and then was forced to peak through his fingers as Catlin stood over a mid-range birdie putt of his own. Yet, Catlin's effort somehow stayed above ground and it was over to a playoff in order to decide the champion.
The pair were unable to be separated after one run down the par-5 18th at Black Mountain Golf Club in Thailand, thanks to a gutsy putt off the green by Maguire, and it was the 2023 Q-School graduate who succeeded at the second attempt to spark wild scenes of celebration in the rain.
A post shared by Golf Monthly (@golfmonthly)
A photo posted by on
Although there was disappointment for Catlin after losing in an International Series event playoff for the second time this season, the 33-year-old still extended his advantage in both the Asian Tour's Order of Merit and the International Series Rankings thanks to another fantastic week.
Catlin - who won the International Series Macau but lost in a playoff at the International Series Morocco - now finds himself 1,659 points ahead of New Zealand's Ben Campbell in the Order of Merit and 284 points in front of the Kiwi in relation to the International Series Rankings ahead of the International Series Thailand next week.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Meanwhile, for Maguire, he has now rocketed himself up into contention for the season-long title in both. The 31-year-old is fourth in the Order of Merit and fifth in the International Series Rankings.
Elsewhere in the competition, golf influencer and content creator Luke Kwon endured a relatively disappointing end to his week at Black Mountain Golf Club.
The YouTube star performed admirably to make the cut by two strokes but was unable to sustain his level of play on Sunday, carding a two-over par 74 on his way to ending the event at six-under.
Kwon was one of two influencers in the field this week alongside Taewook Koh - a.k.a. Taco Golf - who finished T144th following rounds of 72 and 80. At next week's International Series Thailand, Canada's Mac Boucher will compete as one of 16 tournament invitations at Thai Country Club.

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.
-
US Open Prize Money Payout 2025
A record-equaling purse is available at the third Major of the year, which comes from Oakmont
-
US Open Green Speeds At Oakmont: How Fast Are Putting Surfaces?
Oakmont Country Club has been set up in an extremely tough way in 2025 with a potential over-par winning score on the horizon - but how fast are the greens?
-
Former LIV Golfer Earns Second Open Championship Start Three Years After Grabbing Surprise Top-15 Finish At St Andrews
Sadom Kaewkanjana picked up the third Asian Tour win of his career on Sunday to book a spot at The 153rd Open Championship via the Open Qualifying Series
-
This Scarily Tight Fairway On The Asian Tour This Week Will Give Average Golfers Nightmares
If a video from commentator Timmy Constantine Low is to go by, players at the Kolon Korea Open will have some incredibly narrow fairways to deal with this week
-
Thrift-Shop Putter Helps LIV Golf's Lucas Herbert Land International Series Japan Title
The Ripper GC man carded the lowest round on Sunday - helped by only 23 putts from a recent purchase - to score his first Asian Tour title by five strokes
-
Carlos Ortiz 'Overjoyed' To Earn Open Championship Spot After Pulling Away From LIV Rivals During International Series Macau Victory
The Mexican finished with a blistering six-under 64 to earn his second Asian Tour prize and clinch a spot at the 153rd Open Championship
-
YouTuber Luke Kwon Makes Asian Tour Cut On The Number After Dramatic Run To The Line
The former Good Good member looked to be missing out on weekend golf at the International Series Macau prior to a late birdie blast coming home...
-
LIV Golf Leaderboard At International Series Macau - Open Spots Up For Grabs As Multiple LIV Pros In Contention Going Into Final Day
After a busy Moving Day at Macau Golf and Country Club, a number of LIV golfers are in contention for the victory and a potential spot at The Open Championship
-
International Series Macau Prize Money Payout 2025
The second International Series event takes place at Macau Golf and Country Club, and there's more than just a $2 million tournament purse up for grabs
-
YouTube Golf Star Luke Kwon Set For Professional Golf Return
Luke Kwon is in the field for the New Zealand Open, with the former PGA Tour China winner and Good Good star set to feature at Millbrook Golf Resort