A run of 10 events with prize purses ranging from US$1.5 to 2 million, the International Series will be played across Asia and England in 2022, with this week’s event in Thailand the inaugural event.

The Tour returns to Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, a successful hunting ground for Australian players, and 14 of our pros will try and add their names to the list of past Aussie winners at the venue and take the first International Series trophy home.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Inaugural event.

COURSE: Developed by a group of European investors, Black Mountain Golf Club is the work of Australian course designer Phil Ryan who as well as creating courses in his homeland has done extensive work throughout Asia.

RIGHT: Queenslander Scott Hend is a former winner around Black Mountain and will be hoping lightning strikes twice in Thailand. PHOTO: Ian Walton/Getty Images.

The East and North nines make up the championship course near the popular Hua Hin beach holiday destination, and although primarily a resort style layout to cater to visitors to the area, the par-72 is a tough test of golf for the professionals in the field this week.

Incorporating plenty of meandering water hazards throughout, large relatively flat bunkers shouldn’t pose too much trouble for the players this week, with the length of the course its greatest defence at 7,492 yards.

Ryan utilised native grasses and the black rocks of the surrounding mountains to create visual contrast throughout the former pineapple plantation that opened for play in 2007 and was the host of the Thailand Classic won by Aussies Scott Hend and Andrew Dodt.

PRIZEMONEY: US$1,500,000

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Rising star and last season’s Order of Merit winner Joohyung Kim is a player on the rise and after winning The Singapore International earlier this year is among the favourites this week.

The Korean, currently ranked No.84 in the world, was 17th at last week’s Royal’s Cup and has amassed a number of wins across a variety of Tours at just 19 years of age.

A variety of good lead in form and history at the host venue means that a significant number of the Australians teeing it up at Black Mountain have a good chance to contend this week.

Scott Hend has struggled since returning to tournament golf following a recent procedure, but you can never count the Queenslander out. Hend will continue to show up for events and work hard at his game, and some of his 10 Asian Tour wins have come after some less than ideal form in the proceeding weeks.

Although his play of late isn’t where he would like it to be, Hend loves Black Mountain and won here in 2016 when he claimed the Thailand Classic.

Black Mountain Golf Club, designed by Australian Phil Ryan, is the site of the first ever International Series event. Ian Walton/Getty Images.

The 48-year-old’s fellow Thailand Classic champion, Andrew Dodt, is another who will like his chances.

Dodt was the best of the Aussies at the Royal’s Cup where he shared 23rd and was the distant runner-up at the recent Australian PGA Championship held at Royal Queensland.

A winner in late 2021, Chan Shih-chang won again last week on the Asian Tour and has a clear affinity for playing golf in Thailand. Chan scored exceptionally well winning wire-to-wire last week and will again be a threat at Black Mountain.

Another player to win recently, Todd Sinnott appears to be really enjoying his return to full time tournament golf and his length off the tee will be a serious asset on this venue, while his compatriot Wade Ormsby has shown some decent form of late across the Asian and DP World Tours. The South Australian has no issues playing in humid conditions like those the players will face here.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Wade Ormsby, Andrew Martin, Scott Hend, Andrew Dodt, Todd Sinnott, Travis Smyth, Jake Higginbottom, Josh Younger, Daniel Fox, Will Heffernan, Scott Strange, Ben Eccles, Cory Crawford and Kevin Yuan.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 6:30pm – 9pm)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 6:30pm – 9pm)
Round 3: No listed coverage.
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 503 Highlights 8pm-9pm)
*AEDT, check local guides