John Catlin shot a round under 60 for the first time ever on the Asian Tour, with an 11-under-par 59 that catapulted him to the top of the International Series Macau. His final birdie on the eighteenth hole made his three-round total 18 under par.

Catlin expressed his astonishment at the feat, having never envisioned such a score. With a two-stroke lead over Jason Kokrak of LIV Golf, who himself had an impressive eight-under-par 62, Catlin tops the leaderboard with just one round remaining in the $2 million tournament.

The 2018 Asian Tour Player of the Year, Catlin began his third round with an impressive six birdies, completing the front nine in just 28 strokes at the Macau Golf and Country Club’s par-70 course. He continued his exceptional performance with additional birdies on the 11th, 13th, and 17th holes, culminating in a remarkable eagle on the 564-yard, par-five 18th.

Catlin, who has faced challenges since late 2022, including losing his DP World Tour card in 2023, acknowledged the significance of this comeback. He expressed gratitude to his coach, Noah Montgomery, for a decade of support.

Jason Kokrak’s bogey-free 62 featured six birdies and an eagle, while Jbe Kruger and Lucas Herbert are three strokes behind Catlin. David Puig, who began the day tied for the lead, now shares eighth place after a round of 68 with four bogeys.