The UAE’s Joshua Grenville-Wood has been back in Dubai very much in “R&R” mode after his busiest professional season to date, as the 26-year-old is coming towards the back end of his 2024 campaign, having competed across the Challenge Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour this year.
“The last few weeks since I got back from China haven’t been too busy,” he told Golf Digest Middle East. “I’ve spent a lot more time relaxing, chilling out a bit more, spent more time with family and my girlfriend, so it’s been nice to have a bit of downtime after what has been a very busy year.
“I must have played more than 25 events this year, so it’s been long, but I’m pretty tired after that!”
Octavio Passos/Getty Images
The highest-ranked golfer from the United Arab Emirates has gained invites to the two final events on the 2024 Asian Tour — the elevated International Series tournaments in Qatar and Saudi Arabia — with a combined prize purse of US $7.5 million.
“It’s great to be playing in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on the Asian Tour.
“The two golf courses at Doha Golf Club and Riyadh Golf Club I know really well, and I’ve played well on both of them before.
“I’ve played at both courses every year now for the past few years, which helps, and I still hold the men’s course record at Riyadh Golf Club with a 10-under-par score in the Saudi Open, where I’ve finished third and 12th previously.”
Joshua Grenville-Wood (left) alongside his former coach Joe Marshall – Harry Grimshaw
With the likes of recent LINK Hong Kong Open winner Patrick Reed lined up for Qatar, alongside fellow LIV golfers Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Thomas Pieters, Tyrrell Hatton, Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann, and Adrian Meronk the following week in Riyadh, Grenville-Wood is relishing the occasion that lies ahead of him in the upcoming two weeks.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to compete and play again on a high stage with the big guys.
“Obviously, the fields are great and very strong, with guys coming to play from the DP World Tour, Asian Tour, and LIV, so I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I know I can play well around both of those golf courses, so I’m going to go out there, have fun, and hopefully get some good pairings.”
With the penultimate tournament on the Asian Tour getting underway on Wednesday this week, the UAE national player has taken matters into his own hands, and lined up a practice round after sliding into the DMs of a former PGA Tour and Ryder Cup player… Anthony Kim!
“Hopefully we can get it finalised! But I’m looking to play with AK (Anthony Kim) on Tuesday in Qatar, which would be pretty awesome!
“I grew up watching him rip it with Tiger Woods and a young Rory McIlroy, so it will be pretty cool to see him in person, pick his brains a bit, and hear some stories, so that will be amazing!”
The winner of the International Series Order of Merit, come the end of play in Riyadh, earns a spot on the LIV Golf League for 2025.
