Saudi International (golf) explained

PIF Saudi International
Location:King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia
Establishment:2019
Course:Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
Org:IMG
Par:70
Yardage:7010yd
Tour:European Tour
Asian Tour
Format:Stroke play
Month Played:February
Aggregate:261 Dustin Johnson (2019)
261 Abraham Ancer (2023)
To-Par:−19 as above
Current Champion: Abraham Ancer
Coordinates:22.4492°N 39.097°W
Map:Saudi Arabia
Map Label:Royal Greens G&CC
Map Relief:yes

The Saudi International, currently titled as the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament that is held at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2019 as an event on the European Tour,[1] in 2022, it became the flagship event on the Asian Tour with a new title sponsor, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a Saudi government sovereign wealth fund.

History

Established in 2019 as a European Tour event, it was the first European Tour event to be played in Saudi Arabia and was one of six European Tour events staged in the countries on the Arabian Peninsula. The event has drawn criticism due to the involvement of Saudi Arabia's government in the event, based on their record of human rights within the country and their ventures of sportswashing. This included paying large appearance fees to some of the world's top players.[2]

The tournament ceased to be a European Tour event after the 2021 edition, and later that year it was announced that as a result, the PGA Tour would not allow their members to compete in future editions, with the European Tour expected to do the same.[3] [4] In September 2021, it was announced that it would become part of the Asian Tour's schedule. This involved a ten-year deal starting in 2022, with an increased prize fund of .[5] In October, it was announced that the event would become the flagship event of the Asian Tour.[6] In December, the PGA Tour revealed that they would grant their members releases to play in the event in 2022; on the condition that they committed to play in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in some form in the following years.[7]

In January 2022, it was announced that the Saudi Public Investment Fund had become the new title sponsor of the event.[8]

Winners

YearTourWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upPurse
(US$)
Winner's
share ($)
PIF Saudi International
2023 261 −19 2 strokes 5,000,000 1,000,000
2022 267 −13 1 stroke 5,000,000 1,000,000
Saudi International
2021 Dustin Johnson (2) 265 −15 2 strokes 3,500,000 572,778
2020 268 −12 2 strokes 3,500,000 583,330
2019 261 −19 2 strokes 3,500,000 583,330

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Inaugural Saudi Arabia Golf event. PGA European Tour. 28 April 2018. 2 November 2018. 23 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181223164029/http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/news/newsid=346396.html. live.
  2. Web site: Golf is just tip of the iceberg in West's dealings with Saudi Arabia – so why the sudden outrage? . inews . Kevin . Garside . 31 January 2019 . 29 July 2021 . 29 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210729083421/https://inews.co.uk/sport/golf/golf-saudi-arabia-justin-rose-criticism-jamal-khashoggi-252543 . live .
  3. Exclusive: PGA Tour will deny stars permission to play controversial Saudi International . Golfweek . USA Today . Eamon . Lynch . 28 July 2021 . 29 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Leonard . Tod . Report: PGA Tour will deny players permission to play in Saudi International . Golf Digest . 22 September 2021 . 28 July 2021 . 27 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210927140519/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga-tour-european-saudi-international-deny-waivers-to-players . live .
  5. Web site: Saudi International and Asian Tour confirm historic 10-year partnership . Asian Tour . 20 September 2021 . 20 September 2021 . 20 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210920212808/https://asiantour.com/saudi-international-and-asian-tour-confirm-historic-partnership . live .
  6. Web site: Greg Norman officially announced as head of Saudi-backed golf series . Golf Channel . 29 October 2021 . 1 November 2021 . 1 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211101145306/http://secure.golfchannel.com/news/greg-norman-officially-announced-head-saudi-backed-competing-tour . live .
  7. News: PGA Tour allows players to compete at Saudi International . Irish Times . 21 December 2021 . 21 December 2021 . 21 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211221081855/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/pga-tour-allows-players-to-compete-at-saudi-international-1.4760879 . live .
  8. Web site: Saudi International attracts more stars . Asian Tour . 3 January 2022 . 3 January 2022 . 3 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220103102413/https://asiantour.com/saudi-international-attracts-more-stars . live .