https://arab.news/5u64q
- Defending champion Abraham Ancer expected to play
- Tourney moved from Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
The $5 million PIF Saudi International will debut in December at Riyadh Golf Club after five years at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.
The tournament, backed by SoftBank Investment Advisers, takes place from Dec. 4 to 7, moving into the coveted season-ending position for both the Asian Tour and The International Series, a statement from the organizers said.
Opened in 2005, Riyadh Golf Club is the capital’s premier golf course. Its par-72 championship course is set across 6,976 meters of undulating fairways. It has played host to many of the Kingdom’s leading tournaments including the Saudi Open presented by PIF, the Aramco Team Series Riyadh and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.
Those who are confirmed to play are defending champion Abraham Ancer, 2022 champion Harold Varner III, 2019 and 2021 winner Dustin Johnson, and 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith.
For the first time this year, the PIF Saudi International will finish on Saturday to align with the Kingdom’s weekend as players aim for the $1 million first prize.
The tournament is the last of 10 events on the Asian Tour calendar that offer a direct pathway for players into the LIV Golf League.
The champion of the season-ending International Series Rankings will secure a spot in the 2025 LIV Golf League.
In 2023, over 30 top-ranked players were eligible to play in the innovative LIV Golf Promotions event, where an additional three players qualified for the LIV Golf League.
The same will apply for this year, as the tournament will be the last opportunity for players to qualify for the LIV Golf Promotions event and, therefore, for LIV in 2025, the statement said.