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Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson announced as Golf Saudi ambassador 

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson announced as Golf Saudi ambassador 
DJ will help to continue to grow golf in Saudi Arabia as a Golf Saudi ambassador. (SUPPLIED)
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Updated 05 December 2024
Arab News
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Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson announced as Golf Saudi ambassador 

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson announced as Golf Saudi ambassador 
  • Role will involve ‘DJ’ leading year-round coaching for Saudi National Team golfers
  • American will also represent Golf Saudi brand globally
Updated 05 December 2024
Arab News
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RIYADH: Double major winner Dustin Johnson was on Thursday announced as Golf Saudi’s newest high-profile ambassador as the sixth edition of the $5 million tournament entered its second day at Riyadh Golf Club.

In his ambassadorial role, American Johnson — who won Golf Saudi’s landmark men’s event in 2019 and 2021 and is competing in Riyadh this week — will help further drive the growth of golf in Saudi Arabia, working closely with the Kingdom’s national teams to deliver year-round lessons and coaching.

The world’s former No. 1 golfer — known as “DJ” — will continue to be a regular at golf events in Saudi Arabia and wear the Golf Saudi brand logo while competing around the world.




Dustin Johnson has been announced as a new Golf Saudi ambassador.(SUPPLIED)

Johnson said: “Golf Saudi is doing such a great job of promoting the game of golf and trying to get more people involved, here in Saudi Arabia and around the world. Me now being a Golf Saudi ambassador I’m very proud to be a part of that and I really want to help grow the game in Saudi.

“I won the first ever PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers at Royal Greens back in 2019. They do an amazing job of hosting all events out here — it doesn’t matter what kind of event or sport it is. I’ve always really enjoyed coming here and Golf Saudi put on an incredible event, which has gotten better every year — which is why I’ve come back and played every year since the first one.” Johnson also won the event in 2021.




Golf Saudi ambassador Dustin Johnson leads a coaching clinic at the Saudi International. (SUPPLIED)

Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, said: “We are honored to have Dustin taking on this role, which will be at the heart of our ambition to grow golf in Saudi Arabia and deliver our dream of seeing a Saudi champion in the future.

“Our Saudi pro-golfers — a record five of whom are competing in the PIF Saudi International this week — and our national development team will be learning year-round and hands-on from one of the very best to ever play the game. Off course, we’ll work with DJ to co-innovate on the future of golf, leaning on his unrivalled expertise and knowledge of the game to get more Saudis playing golf.




Johnson is a two-time Saudi International champion. (SUPPLIED)

“Dustin was our debut PIF Saudi International champion back in 2019 and has been a huge supporter of our goals in golf ever since. We are delighted to strengthen that relationship and look forward to backing DJ as he continues to compete for the biggest titles in golf.”

The PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers is underway at Riyadh Golf Club, with play ending on Saturday, Dec. 7. Johnson is alongside Tyrell Hatton (England), defending champion Abraham Ancer (Mexico) and Cameron Smith (Australia) as one of the biggest names in the field. There are also five Saudi professionals competing, a record number.

All those who attend the event can sign-up on-site for Golf Saudi’s “Go Golf” world-first free-to-learn golf coaching scheme, which offers three months of free lessons for all new Saudi golfers.

 

Topics: Riyadh Golf Club

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21 players advance in LIV Golf Promotions, led by Korea’s Jeunghun Wang

21 players advance in LIV Golf Promotions, led by Korea’s Jeunghun Wang
Updated 12 December 2024
Arab News
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21 players advance in LIV Golf Promotions, led by Korea’s Jeunghun Wang

21 players advance in LIV Golf Promotions, led by Korea’s Jeunghun Wang
  • This group joins 28 exempt competitors for Friday’s reset second round, with the top 20 advancing to Saturday’s decisive 36-hole finale
Updated 12 December 2024
Arab News

RIYADH: A dramatic opening round of LIV Golf Promotions on Thursday saw 21 players secure their spots in the second round at Riyadh Golf Club, including Jon Rahm’s former college roommate, rising talents from Brazil and Hong Kong, and one golfer using borrowed clubs.

This group joins 28 exempt competitors for Friday’s reset second round, with the top 20 advancing to Saturday’s decisive 36-hole finale. The ultimate winner earns a coveted place in the 2025 LIV Golf League, while the top 10 will gain entry into all International Series events next year.

Korea’s Jeunghun Wang led the pack, finishing with a 7-under 64. His performance, highlighted by long putts and consistent play, put him atop the leaderboard.

“Some lucky shots went in, including some long putts, which helped me play well heading into tomorrow,” he said.

Close behind were five players tied for second on 65, while nine players shot 66. The final six players advanced by meeting the cutline of 4-under 67, leaving 43 others eliminated.

Among the standout players was 24-year-old Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, who carded a 6-under round featuring an eagle on the par-5 15th after a 355-yard drive.

Kho, who also advanced from the first round at last year’s Promotions tournament before being eliminated in the second round, emphasized the need to approach Friday’s round as a fresh start.

“Last year I couldn’t get past the fact that it was a clean reset after round 1,” he said.

“I remember last year I had a great first round as well, and I felt like I carried on some of those thoughts and feelings as I would do a regular tournament going into the second round, going into tomorrow, it’s important for me to just understand it’s a completely new day.”

Germany’s Max Rottluff, who shares a collegiate connection with LIV Golf star Jon Rahm, also shot 6-under. Rottluff credited Rahm for inspiring his career revival after nearly quitting golf in 2022. 

“We still talk quite a bit and whatnot, so it would be a dream come true to join those guys,” Rottluff said.

“I was considering giving it up back at the end of ‘22, and I spent a week with him, and that really kind of straightened out my head and went out and won two times that year on the Challenge Tour, kind of went back on a better trajectory again,” he added.

South Africa’s Ian Snyman, another standout with a 65, relished the opportunity to reconnect with LIV Golf. A former Cleeks GC player, he said: “It’s exciting. It’s something we all want to be part of. I like the team aspect.”

Mexico’s Jose Islas delivered a remarkable 66 despite playing with borrowed clubs, as his own equipment failed to arrive in Riyadh. Islas, who turned professional this year, demonstrated resilience and adaptability, even holing an eagle shot during a practice round. “It’s not about the clubs, it’s more about how I thought the shots I was going to hit,” he said.

Brazil’s Fred Biondi, the 2023 NCAA Individual Champion, and Spain’s Luis Masaveu, a former US Amateur semifinalist, also posted bogey-free 66s.

The opening round fostered camaraderie among players, with Ireland’s Mark Power, Spain’s Borja Virto and England’s David Horsey advancing together after strong performances.

Veteran American players Bo Hoag and Ollie Schniederjans also moved forward, with Hoag expressing excitement about the prospect of joining LIV Golf’s global schedule. “I think it would be fun,” he said.

Topics: golf Saudi Arabia LIV Golf

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LIV Golf’s Iron Heads acquire rising Korea star Yubin Jang

LIV Golf’s Iron Heads acquire rising Korea star Yubin Jang
Updated 11 December 2024
Arab News
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LIV Golf’s Iron Heads acquire rising Korea star Yubin Jang

LIV Golf’s Iron Heads acquire rising Korea star Yubin Jang
  • Danny Lee and Jinichiro Kozuma return to the club for 2025 season after contract extensions
Updated 11 December 2024
Arab News

NEW YORK: Iron Heads Golf Club have announced the team’s finalized roster heading into the 2025 LIV Golf League season.

Following a valiant performance at the 2024 Team Championship in Dallas, the club has re-signed stalwart Danny Lee and budding talent Jinichiro Kozuma.

Rounding out Kevin Na’s team is the external acquisition of 22-year-old star, Yubin Jang, the No. 1 golfer from the Korean Tour.

Jang produced a dominant season finishing as the KPGA Money Leader and Genesis Points Champion, and first in Top 10 Finishes. The young gun is a three-time Korean Tour winner and won gold at the 2023 Asian Games.

“As a promising young talent from Korea, I’ve been following his career for years and have had my eye on him to join the team,” said Na, the Iron Heads captain.

“The Iron Heads needed young talent like his to push our veterans, and I’m confident he has what it takes to become a world-class golfer.

"Yubin’s presence shows young Korean golfers a clear path to competing globally against the best, and with an event in Korea this year, his addition is a major boost for our team. It’s an incredibly exciting time for Korean golf.”

Iron Heads Golf Club scripted one of the most memorable chapters in the short history of LIV Golf when, against all odds, they finished tied for second at the Team Championship in Dallas.

Fueled by both Lee and Kozuma, the unlikely finalists proved to be giant killers, taking down two seeded favorites in Smash GC (quarterfinals) and Crushers GC (semifinals).

Kozuma, the reigning Japanese Sansan KBC Augusta Champion, dropped a 3-meter birdie putt on the 18th hole to extend the match, prior to closing out the victory with a 9.1-meter for par on the first extra hole.

Lee, the 2023 LIV Golf Tucson champion, defeated the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion Talor Gooch and reigning US Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau in back-to-back singles matches en route to the finals.

“We’re thrilled to re-sign Danny and Jini, who were pivotal to our strong finish last season,” said Iron Heads Golf Club General Manager Martin Kim.

“Danny is a proven winner in this league with great energy and Jini’s emerging talent will be essential as we strive to become a contender at every event.

“I’m really loving our roster with the addition of our new young gun (Jang). It’s going to be a fun ride next season.”

This offseason, the team will have a two-week training camp in Palm Springs, California, prior to teeing off the season at LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6 to 8.

Given LIV Golf’s recent market expansion for the 2025 season, the Iron Heads will look ahead to their own “home event” as they play host at LIV Golf Korea from May 2 to 4 at the iconic Jack Nicklaus Golf Club.

Topics: LIV Golf

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Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour Player of the Year for third straight time

Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour Player of the Year for third straight time
Updated 11 December 2024
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Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour Player of the Year for third straight time

Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour Player of the Year for third straight time
  • Cheffler won 91 percent of the vote from players and appeared to be the obvious choice given the victories he piled up, including an Olympic gold medal when he shot 62 on the final day
  • Schauffele became the first player to win two majors and not be voted player of the year since the award began in 1990
Updated 11 December 2024

Scottie Scheffler added another trophy to his awesome display Tuesday when he won the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour Player of the Year in a landslide, joining Tiger Woods as the only players to win the award three straight times.

Scheffler won 91 percent of the vote from players and appeared to be the obvious choice given the victories he piled up, including an Olympic gold medal when he shot 62 on the final day.

His seven PGA Tour wins included a second Masters title, and he became the first repeat winner of The Players Championship. He also won the Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup. His other four wins were all signature events against the strongest fields — Bay Hill and Memorial, Hilton Head and Hartford.

While no one could match that year, there was the question of how players would view Xander Schauffele’s rare feat of winning two majors in one year, at the PGA Championship and the British Open. Scheffler’s standard was too much to overlook.

Schauffele became the first player to win two majors and not be voted player of the year since the award began in 1990. Nick Faldo won the Masters and British Open in 1990, but he was not a PGA Tour member and ineligible for the award.

Rory McIlroy was the third name on the ballot.

Woods is an 11-time winner of the award, winning five straight times (1999 through 2003) and three straight times (2005-2007).

McIlroy is the only other player to win the award three times, in 2012, 2014 and 2019.

Scheffler has wound up in the same conversation with Woods a lot lately — from his statistics, the first to win seven times in a season since Woods in 2007, and the first to hold the No. 1 ranking the entire year since Woods in 2009.

He finds comparisons to “a bit silly.”

“There’s really only one Tiger,” Scheffler said on a conference call. “I’m trying to get the best out of myself and that’s really all I’m focused on. I’m not chasing records or chasing history or anything like that, I’m just trying to day in and day out continue to improve a little bit, just go out there and compete, have fun.”

Scheffler doesn’t rank his wins or much else, though he conceded this was the best golf he played across the year. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in his sixth start of the year, and then never went more than two tournaments without winning.

“Scottie took on challenges from the best players in the world on the biggest stages all season, and being honored as PGA Tour player of the year is the ultimate sign of respect from his peers,” Commissioner Jay Monahan said.

Scheffler also won the Byron Nelson Award for the second straight year for having the lowest scoring average. Overlooked as he kept winning titles was his streak of 28 consecutive rounds under par to start the year.

He was not over par in any round until Saturday at the PGA Championship, the day after he was arrested going into Valhalla as a traffic fatality was being investigated. The charges were dropped a few weeks later, a strange episode in an otherwise spotless season.

The PGA Tour keeps a huge menu of statistics — one of them “distance from the edge of the fairway” — but Scheffler was around the top at most of the big ones involving strokes gained. He was first overall and approach to the green, second off the tee. He was 77th in putting, tried a new “claw” putting grip in the Bahamas last week and won the Hero World Challenge by six.

He shattered the PGA Tour earnings record, somewhat inevitable given the spike in prize money this year with 11 tournaments with prize funds of $20 million or more, not including the four majors.

Scheffler won just over $29.2 million in 18 official tournaments with prize money, along with the $25 million FedEx Cup bonus and the $8 million bonus for leading the regular season.

Scottie Scheffler in a landslide to win PGA Tour Player of the Year for third straight time

 

Topics: Scottie Scheffler PGA Tour Player

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Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge

Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge
Updated 08 December 2024
AFP
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Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge

Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge
  • A victory on Sunday wouldn’t count as a 16th US PGA Tour title, but it would be a welcome payoff for Thomas’s recent work
Updated 08 December 2024
AFP

MIAMI: Justin Thomas fired six birdies in a six-under par 66 on Saturday to grab a one-shot lead over world number one Scottie Scheffler heading into the final round of the Tiger Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge golf tournament.
Thomas, who started the day two strokes behind halfway leader Scheffler, started applying pressure with four birdies on the front nine at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas.
A 47-foot birdie putt at the 14th put him atop the leaderboard at 16-under and he made a three-foot birdie at the 16th to reach 17-under 199 through 54 holes in the unofficial event.
“I’m driving it great,” Thomas said. “I’ve had a lot of confidence with it. I feel like I’ve been able to put myself in some pretty good spots going into the green.
“I’m still not taking advantage of some of them as much as I would like, but that’s golf and we’re always going to say that,” added Thomas, who hasn’t won on the US PGA Tour since he claimed his second PGA Championship title in 2022.
A victory on Sunday wouldn’t count as a 16th US PGA Tour title, but it would be a welcome payoff for Thomas’s recent work.
“I’ve been progressing nicely, been working on all the right things,” he said. “(I) feel like I’ve been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that’s all I can do.”
Scheffler, whose eight titles this year included a second Masters green jacket and Olympic gold, had four birdies and a bogey in his three-under par 69.
His 16-under par total of 200 put him one clear of South Korean Tom Kim, who flirted with a 59 on the way to a 10-under par 62 for 201.
“I think it was decent,” Scheffler said. “I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today.”
With increased winds making things tougher, Scheffler called Kim’s 10-under round “pretty serious golf.”
Kim opened with four straight birdies and rolled in a 19-foot birdie at the seventh and a 23-footer at the ninth.
That was the start of a three-birdie burst, that included a 39-foot putt at the 10th.
A sub-60 round looked possible after Kim made three more birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th — rolling in a 22-foot putt from off the green at 16 to keep a sub-60 round in sight.
But he fell back with a double-bogey at the par-three 17th, where his tee shot found the greenside bunker and his second shot hit the slope and rolled back into the trap.
Kim produced one final flourish, however, holing out from a greenside bunker for birdie at 18.
“I felt like I did a lot of smart things,” Kim said. “Obviously I chipped it really good. I putted really well, did a lot of good things to keep my momentum going.”

Topics: Hero World Challenge Justin Thomas golf US PGA Tour

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Niemann wins three-way play-off to claim $1m PIF Saudi International

Niemann wins three-way play-off to claim $1m PIF Saudi International
Updated 07 December 2024
Arab News
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Niemann wins three-way play-off to claim $1m PIF Saudi International

Niemann wins three-way play-off to claim $1m PIF Saudi International
  • American 20-year-old Caleb Surratt and Cameron Smith of Australia push Niemann all the way in thrilling finale at Riyadh Golf Club
Updated 07 December 2024
Arab News

RIYADH: Chile’s Joaquin Niemann produced a masterclass of golf under the highest pressure to scoop the $1 million winner’s prize in the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers tournament on Saturday for his second win in the Kingdom this year.

Niemann needed two holes of a play-off to secure the title when he birdied the 396-yard par four 18th for the second time in a row while Caleb Surratt, from 10 feet, and Cameron Smith, from seven, both narrowly missed their putts for a three. The trio had all birdied the first play-off hole, also the 18th, minutes earlier.

The play-off win, which follows his triumph in the LIV Series Jeddah event in March, also secured the The International Series Rankings first prize for the 26-year-old Niemann from Santiago, whose magical chip from light rough to three feet finally secured this important victory.

Surratt, 20, who was chasing his first professional victory and shot a final-round 66, ensured it was no easy cruise for Niemann, who converted six birdies in his final round 67 for a four-round 21-below par total of 263.

However, both Surratt and Niemann surprisingly bogeyed their 72nd hole, the 18th, to allow Smith into a play-off following the Australian’s best-of-the-day 62 earlier on Saturday.

Smith, the 2022 Open Champion, had earlier written off his chances of being in the final mix when he spoke to media, but had not reckoned on uncharacheristic errors on the final hole by the leading duo, which saw Surratt’s tee shot finding water and Niemann’s drive landing in thick rough.

After the drama, champion Niemann praised Golf Saudi, the organizers of the event and responsible for the growth in popularity of the sport in the Kingdom, which produced a record five local players in this year’s event.

Niemann said: “I’m seeing golf developing here in Saudi Arabia thanks to Golf Saudi and it’s great to see them taking the game to the next level here. I’m delighted to be part of that and seeing kids here, too, watching us play is a good sign for a bright future.”

Meanwhile, Peter Uihlein had started the day in pole position to finish The International Series Rankings in top spot but the sure touch that had earned him victory in the previous event in Qatar and had taken him into contention after three rounds here completely deserted him when it mattered most on Saturday.

The American dropped three strokes after the turn, suffering a disastrous double bogey six at the 11th having bogeyed the previous hole, and tumbled to joint 29th overall after a three-over 74, 13 under par overall.

It left him second behind Niemann in The International Series Rankings with New Zealander Ben Campbell in third place following his fourth position in Riyadh thanks to a closing 64 for 20 under par overall.

John Catlin, another American, was also in the winner’s circle at the conclusion of the event for finishing top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, which he had secured prior to this tournament where he finished joint 34th at 12 under par following a closing round of 65.

The leading Arab finisher was amateur Adam Bresnu of Morocco, who strung together highly creditable rounds of 66, 68, 67 and 66 to finish at 17 under overall for a share of sixth place.

Topics: golf Saudi Arabia PIF Saudi International Joaquin Niemann

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