RIYADH: The Asian Development Tour (ADT) comes to Saudi Arabia for the first time, next week, with the playing of the seventh edition of the PIF Saudi Open, managed by Riyadh Golf Club in Golf Saudi.
The ADT event will offer prize money of $200,000. As well as ADT players, professional and amateur golfers in the Middle East and North Africa who are registered with a golf club will participate in the tournament.
As a result of Golf Saudi entering into a 10-year partnership with the Asian Tour, the tournament is expected to receive widespread interest from golf fans inside and outside the Kingdom. The fact that the PIF Saudi Open is being played on ADT for the first time is further confirmation of the strengthening relationship between the Asian Tour and Golf Saudi. As the 2023 edition of the $5 million PIF Saudi International exclusively handled by SoftBank Investment Advisors has now officially become the opening event on the Asian Tour’s annual calendar.
The PIF Saudi Open will also see participation from up-and-coming players from the GCC and Arab countries, in addition to Saudi Arabia’s rising domestic talent from the national team, all of whom have gone from strength to strength in recent years. Part of the Golf Saudi Comprehensive Collective Partnership program to develop the sport of golf in the Kingdom.
Majid Al-Sorour, deputy chairman and CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation and Golf Saudi, said: “All of us at both the Saudi Golf Federation and Golf Saudi are incredibly excited about next week’s seventh edition of the PIF Saudi Open. Every year we host the tournament, it gets bigger and better. I am particularly proud of how each edition provides Saudi and Arab golfers with the opportunity to participate in a top-tier competition in their own country and be able to develop not only their skill level but themselves He is also able to test and go face to face against them. Players from various countries in Middle East, North Africa and now Asian development journey in a competitive environment.
Managed by Golf Saudi and playing a par of 72, the Riyadh Golf Club is 20 minutes from Riyadh. The course, which opened in 2005, is known for its rough terrain, wide fairways and manicured greens.
Al-Sorour continued: “By hosting tournaments such as the PIF Saudi Open, we hope to provide greater encouragement and facilitation to the sport and give our elite golfers the chance to compete against the best. We must thank our strategic partners from the Asian Tour for helping us achieve our objective, as their participation will mean the strongest player field in the history of the PIF Saudi Open.
The tournament, which begins on 8 December, will witness the participation of the most prominent Saudi players, including Othman Almullah, the first and only Saudi professional player, as well as other national team players: Abdulrahman Al-Mansour, Faisal Salhab and Saud Al- Huh. Gentry. There will be a lot at stake for those players competing, as the PIF Saudi Open also represents a qualifying opportunity for the 2023 PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisors, to be held next February.