This opportunity follows a breakthrough season on The International Series, where the 31-year-old’s rise through the Series’ pathway has been one of the most compelling stories in Asian golf over the past 12 months.

His consistent form earned global recognition after a career-defining victory at his home event, International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus. The win came against one of the strongest fields ever assembled in the region and saw him finish ahead of Johnson, his captain this week, after the pair were grouped together in the first two rounds.

Tabuena will begin his opening round in Riyadh alongside fellow International Series winners Ben Campbell and Yosuke Asaji. The latter having secured his own progression to LIV Golf after finishing second in last season’s International Series Rankings, behind Scott Vincent, further underlining the Series’ role in shaping what comes next for the game’s emerging elite.

Whilst Tabuena narrowly missed out on the overall Rankings title, finishing third in the season-long race, his performances across The International Series proved more than enough to put him firmly on LIV Golf’s radar. That momentum earned him a reserve position for ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh, before Johnson called him up to join the 4Aces GC team.

Reuniting with Johnson this week, just months after competing against him in the Philippines, highlights Tabuena’s rapid rise and the impact of The International Series pathway on his journey to the global stage.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity for me this week,” said Tabuena. “Competing against the best players in the world has always been a dream of mine, and I still can’t believe it’s finally happening.

“Winning in Manila at International Series Philippines and playing well there definitely helped. That tournament had the strongest field I’ve ever won against,” he added. “To come out on top with the expectation and the pressure I had on myself definitely made me realise that I can harness that pressure and use it in a positive way.”

Wearing the 4Aces GC kit this week, Tabuena will experience LIV Golf’s unique team format for the first time, and he is determined to embrace the responsibility of representing both his country and his new team on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

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The camp marked the launch of the AGF’s flagship Elite Sports Scholarship Program, a major initiative designed to support the long-term goal of producing an Arab champion by 2035. Open to players under 18, the program identifies emerging talent and provides them with a fully integrated development pathway, from technical training to academic and mental support.

Delivered in collaboration with IMG Academy, a world leader in elite sports training, the camp featured a full schedule of technical, physical, and psychological assessments. Participants completed high-performance testing at dedicated stations equipped with cutting-edge technologies such as Trackman, alongside structured indoor and on-course training.

RELATED: Arab Golf Federation launches Elite Sports Scholarship Camp with places at IMG Academy on offer 

To assess how players performed under pressure, two official 18-hole championship rounds were staged at Riyadh Golf Club. While winners were crowned at the event, the AGF will use performances across the two days to help determine final selections for the Academy. Players chosen will receive full scholarships beginning in August 2025, covering elite golf coaching, academic support, physical training, mental conditioning, and advanced performance analysis. Final decisions will be communicated to participants in the coming weeks.

On the sidelines, Kevin Craggs, Executive Director at IMG Academy, delivered a session titled “Mastering the Margin: Coaching for Clarity and Competitive Edge.” The talk – attended by players’ families and coaches – highlighted the importance of cultivating an environment that supports holistic player development. Key themes included mental resilience, conscious leadership, and understanding the mindset of the next generation of athletes.

Elite Scholarship Program. Image by AGF

Noah Alireza the Secretary-General of the Arab Golf Federation highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating:

“This camp represents a turning point in our journey to establish a clear competitive pathway for Arab golfers. By combining world-class training, international exposure, and meticulous evaluation, we are laying a strong foundation for young Arab talents to rise to the top levels of the sport.”

He added: “The Elite Sports Scholarship Camp is a genuine launchpad toward realising the Arab Golf Federation’s vision of producing a new generation of Arab champions capable of competing globally.

“Through comprehensive assessment programs and strategic partnerships with leading institutions, the Federation is laying the groundwork for a promising future for golf in the Arab world, built on planning, professionalism, and investment in youth potential.”

Main image: The Elite Sport Scholarship Program athletes take part in the four-day experience hosted at Riyadh Golf Club. Supplied

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In an afternoon of constantly changing permutations, Niemann held his nerve on the second play-off hole to claim the 1000 points for champion, seeing off Caleb Surratt and Cameron Smith after all three LIV Golf stars had birdied the par-four 18th at the first attempt.

The moment Joaquin Niemann emerged victorious in a three-man playoff #PIF_SaudiIntlGolff #ThisISEverything #InternationalSeries #TimeToRise pic.twitter.com/kqQjmnuL1G

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) December 7, 2024

That result put him top of the rankings on the “Pathway to LIV Golf” 1126 points, edging out RangeGoats GC player Peter Uihlein, who had been leading going into the final tournament of the season, by the slimmest of margins with just 13.3 points separating the pair once the dust had settled.

Niemann, captain of Torque GC, was delighted to clinch the rankings title. The season-ending win in Saudi Arabia, with the largest prize fund on the Asian Tour, and a third place in the campaign opener in Oman proved enough to get him over the line. Niemann had finished on -21 after four rounds alongside Surratt and Smith.

Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2024 PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers

The result denied an Asian Tour player a direct route to LIV Golf for the first time, after Scott Vincent and Andy Ogletree played their way onto the roster in 2022 and 2023, but with another golden ticket up for grabs in the LIV Golf Promotions event at the same venue from 12-14 December, the players at the top of the rankings still have plenty to play for.

Niemann, who won twice on LIV Golf this season and finished runner-up to Jon Rahm in the series standings, believes The International Series Rankings race is of real value to the next wave of talent waiting to push on into the big time.

He said: “What I appreciate is it is a big prize playing in The International Series. I feel like they are all waiting, they are all fighting their way for the future, the future of the game, the future of their career, and having a spot to get into LIV Golf is here too.

“It is more than just say thank you for The International Series to have this setup, this platform to LIV Golf, and have that motivation for a lot of kids and young players that dream of playing on the biggest stage.

“I have a lot of friends back home that are trying to make it. I feel like the Asian Tour is going to be a great pathway for them to accomplish their goals.”

Uihlein had started the day in T2 with Surratt, just one behind the Torque GC star Niemann. After winning International Series Qatar last time out following his win in England earlier this season, the RangeGoats GC star was a hot favourite to do enough to claim the rankings title overall.

But after parring the front nine, he dropped four shots on the return, before carding his only birdie of the day on 18 to finish three over in T29, enough to finish second overall.

He said: “Just one of those days. It was a good year, good season. I am not disappointed at all. Just did not go my way today. Putter just abandoned me. Obviously I made my share the first three days, so I think it caught me.”

While the season finale was full of thrills for the many golf fans following on ground and on TV, it only brought heartache for Ben Campbell.

The International Series Morocco champion, sitting third going into the tournament, put together a second consecutive seven-under 64 to force his way into the reckoning, but still fell just one shot short of the three-way play-off.

That result gave the New Zealander 235 points and put him above John Catlin with 1086.55 points. It still left him 40 adrift of a place on the LIV Golf League next season, after a memorable campaign that brought five top ten finishes and the win in Rabat.

He said: “It was close. Obviously disappointing. It always comes down to a few of those putts at the end of the year or those shots. It is what it is, and you can’t do much about it. Golf’s a pretty cruel game sometimes, sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn’t. The difference between a great round and a good round can be millimetres.

“The first round I played really well, then had a bad finish second round. You look back at that. Today I felt like I played really well. The putter went cold in the middle of the round and then I holed a couple coming in, so it was close, wasn’t far away. It always comes down to a few of those putts at the end of the year or those shots. It Is what it is, and you cannot do much about it.”

Catlin, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, had led the rankings for most of the season after winning the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and narrowly losing play-offs in Morocco to Campbell and the Black Mountain Championship to MJ Maguire. But he had to settle for fourth place in the rankings after a six-under 65 took him to T34.

Richard T Lee, the BNI Indonesian Masters champion, finished in fifth with Surratt moving up to sixth, pushing International Series Thailand champion Lee Chieh-po seventh and Maguire eighth.

Those finishes are crucial ahead of next week’s LIV Golf Promotions event, with players ranked two to eight receiving a bye into round two of the four-round tournament, alongside all Asian Tour champions from the 2024 season.

The next best 25 players in the top 40 of the rankings qualify for the first round of the tournament, which offers one golden ticket onto the LIV Golf League for the champion. LIV Golf Promotions takes place from 12-14 December at Riyadh Golf Club.

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Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Attieh only recently turned professional, and he celebrated that new status with a sensational four-under 67 made up of five birdies and one bogey to sit just three shots off the lead set by Chinese Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand.

 

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Compatriot Saud Al Sharif finished a shot further behind after five birdies and two bogeys for his 68.

Attieh was delighted to put in such a good show on home turf. He said: “It was a good round. Hit the ball pretty good, putted good as well. The course is playing great. They have done a great job in setting it up such in a short time with all the events coming up.

“Greens are rolling really nicely. If you hit your lines here, you are definitely going to make some putts. Looking forward to tomorrow (Thursday) and hopefully keep it going. This is my home course, so I know how the greens are a little bit.”

Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2024 PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers

The International Series has a commitment to the development of the game, offering promising players a chance to play with some of the biggest names in the world, and Attieh took full advantage earlier this season, making history by becoming the first Saudi amateur to make the cut in a pro tournament, at International Series Oman.

He followed that up by making the weekend twice more this season, at the Black Mountain Championship in Thailand and the BNI Indonesian Masters.

He was understandably delighted to put in a good first-round display as a pro in front of home fans. He said: “It’s great to have them out here. You don’t get a lot of weeks where you have got home support. It has been a long journey travelling around Asia. With the home support, I think it’s very helpful and acts as a motivation for me.”

Reflecting on the learning curve that the Saudi players are getting this week, he added: “It’s a great opportunity for us. Some great players here, so I am learning a lot. Just watching yesterday a few guys chip, you learn so much. And even playing with all the players today, they have a lot more experience, so it is nice to see how they compose themselves on and off the golf course. I thank Golf Saudi and the Federation for supporting us through this journey.”

Saud Al Sharif – Harry Grimshaw

Saud has not yet made a cut all season, and he was delighted with his first round in Riyadh – an excellent display on a very special day.

He explained: “It was a good day today. I had the pleasure and the privilege to be playing with two awesome players, Brendan Steele and Scott Vincent. So I enjoyed my day. Obviously turning 25 today, it is my birthday too, so that’s icing on the cake.

“It is a bonus to play well. Feels nice obviously to play well on the home course. Looking forward to keeping the form up.”

Saud was delighted with the home support that has turned out to cheer on the five home hopes and some of the best players in world golf. He said: “It’s awesome. Obviously that is our main objective here with the players is to get more people into golf. It is awesome to see – it’s awesome to see those teammates get the chance to play in events like this.”

Promising Moroccan amateur Adam Bresnu, who made the weekend last time out at International Series Qatar, continued his fine form with a five-under round of 66. Bresnu recently won the Pan Arab Golf Championship at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club in Ajman.

Korea’s Yubin Jang and Chilean Joaquin Niemann are in a tie for third place after 65s, while American Peter Uihlein, who currently leads The International Series Rankings, is in a group of 11 players who carded 66.

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On the second playoff hole, Niemann delivered a flawless birdie, sinking a decisive putt after an exquisite lob shot that landed just a foot from the hole. Despite valiant efforts from both Smith and Surratt, who missed their birdie attempts from close range, Niemann emerged as the winner.

The victory earned Niemann a US$1 million prize and, in addition, secured him the top position in The International Series Rankings after a thrilling finish to the season.

Other top players competing alongside Niemann included Tyrrell Hatton, defending champion Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner III (2022 champion), Dustin Johnson (2019 & 2021 winner), 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, and Major winners Patrick Reed and Graeme McDowell (2020 champion). The event marked the debut of the PIF Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club, after five successful years at the acclaimed Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

Here’s the rundown of what each player earned this week.

PIF Saudi International Prize Money Payout

1 Joaquin Niemann $1,000,000

T2 Cameron Smith $412,500

T2 Caleb Surratt $412,500

4 Ben Campbell $235,000

5 Tyrrell Hatton $200,000

T6 Eugenio Chacarra $150,500

T6 Branden Grace $150,500

T6 Adam Bresnu (a) $0

T9 Kevin Na $90,036

T9 Matt Jones $90,036

T9 Cameron Tringale $90,036

T9 Kieran Vincent $90,036

T9 Ratchanon Chantananuwat (a) $0

T9 Thomas Pieters $90,036

T9 Logan McAllister $90,036

T9 Jason Kokrak $90,036

T17 Jayden Schaper $62,600

T17 Ian Snyman $62,600

T17 Patrick Reed $62,600

T17 Travis Smyth $62,600

T17 Louis Oosthuizen $62,600

T22 Sam Horsfield $50,500

T22 Yubin Jang $50,500

T22 Dean Burmester $50,500

T22 Abraham Ancer $50,500

T22 Jak Carter $50,500

T22 Steve Lewton $50,500

T22 Jaco Ahlers $50,500

T29 M.J. Maguire $41,600

T29 Brett Coletta $41,600

T29 Sampson Zheng $41,600

T29 Chang Wei-lun $41,600

T29 Peter Uihlein $41,600

T34 Sarit Suwannarut $36,000

T34 John Catlin $36,000

T34 Jazz Janewattananond $36,000

T34 Wooyoung Cho $36,000

T34 Scott Vincent $36,000

T39 Rupert Kaminski $32,000

T39 Phachara Khongwatmai $32,000

T39 Matthew Wolff $32,000

T42 Sebastian Munoz $27,375

T42 Lucas Herbert $27,375

T42 Sadom Kaewkanjana $27,375

T42 Martin Kaymer $27,375

T42 Gunn Charoenkul $27,375

T42 Chan Shih-chang $27,375

T42 Trent Phillips $27,375

T42 Cristobal Del Solar $27,375

T50 Nick Voke $21,583

T50 Suteepat Prateeptienchai $21,583

T50 Wade Ormsby $21,583

T50 Luis Masaveu $21,583

T50 Richard T. Lee $21,583

T50 Zach Bauchou $21,583

T50 Kalle Samooja $21,583

T50 Ryosuke Kinoshita $21,583

T50 Christian Banke $21,583

T59 Richard Bland $18,500

T59 Taichi Kho $18,500

T59 Jinichiro Kozuma $18,500

T62 Graeme McDowell $16,750

T62 Talor Gooch $16,750

T62 Yuta Sugiura $16,750

T62 Lee Chieh-po $16,750

T66 Kazuki Higa $15,250

T66 Poosit Supupramai $15,250

T68 Tatsunori Shogenji $13,000

T68 Gaganjeet Bhullar $13,000

T68 Bjorn Hellgren $13,000

71 Santiago De la Fuente $11,000

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The final event of The International Series and Asian Tour calendar is the last chance to claim the coveted golden ticket to LIV Golf on offer to the overall rankings champion.

There is currently one stumbling block facing the Asian Tour’s finest however. American Peter Uihlein is the current rankings leader on 1,071 points after overtaking compatriot John Catlin – the leader for most of the season – thanks to his emphatic five-shot win at International Series Qatar.

Peter Uihlein pictured with The International Series trophy at Doha Golf Club during International Series Qatar, the ninth of 10 events on The International Series in 2024. Picture by Asian Tour

That was Uihlein’s second title of the season, after a superb victory at International Series England in August, and he also has a T2 to his name after losing out on the final hole to Lee Chieh-po at International Series Thailand at Thai Country Club in October.

As a LIV Golf League player, Uihlein will not claim the berth on the LIV Golf League roster that goes to the champion. However, the golden ticket does not pass down to second place so his nearest challengers will need a big week to secure top spot.

Although the Range Goats GC player is in pole position to win the race, there are plenty of potential outcomes with 1000 points up for grabs to the champion at Riyadh Golf Club. Catlin, only 143.65 points behind, has already shown superb form with one victory in Macau, two agonising play-off defeats and seven impressive performances as an alternate on LIV Golf.

Ben Campbell, Richard T Lee, Lee Chieh-po and MJ Maguire will all feel they can have a say after all recorded victories this season, and the race is effectively still wide open.

The race is still effectively wide open and in-form Englishman Tyrrell Hatton is one who could make a charge.

Tyrrell Hatton celebrations – Icon Sportswire

The Englishman is making his first appearance on The International Series after a stellar season in which he won one individual title at LIV Golf Nashville and contributed to four victories for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII in the Team Championships, as well as the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour.

Hatton played with Catlin when the American filled in for Rahm in the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship, and he is rooting for his temporary team mate this weekend.

Hatton said: “The winner gets a spot on LIV Golf for next year, right? Pete’s already on the team so I guess in that sense, you would quite like John to finish in the top spot. For him this is an important week.

“Someone like me, I don’t have the added pressure of playing this week. It is kind of just see how we go. But for those guys trying to earn a spot on LIV, it certainly gives them an added incentive.

“They’re both fantastic players. Pete was the number one amateur player in the world when I was playing amateur golf. He has certainly played a lot better over the last couple of years, which is obviously good for him.

“John has played really well when he has had the opportunity on LIV Golf this year. I know he’s won a few times on the DP World Tour as well. They’re both fantastic players. I’m sure it will be an interesting week for them.”

Abraham Ancer of Mexico receives the trophy from Noah Alireza (L), CEO of Golf Saudi, after winning the PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on February 05, 2023.

It is the first edition of the tournament to be played at Riyadh Golf Club, with Abraham Ancer of Fireballs GC winning last year’s edition at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah.

At the pre-tournament press conference, Ancer couldn’t pick a winner but felt the top three on the rankings all had a great chance. He said: “That’s a tough question. They are all great competitors and good buddies. I have played a lot with Catlin since college. I know he has been all over the world. He’s played everywhere, and he has had a lot of years that he struggled, and then he just rose and played good at the right time. He is a gamer. I feel like he figures out a way to just get it done.

“Same with Peter Uihlein. He just won last week. He is one of those players that he can win any week at any given time.

“Ben, that is probably the guy I know the least, but I feel he’s a good buddy, and we have a lot of things in common we like to do outside of golf. I haven’t ever played with him actually, so I don’t know exactly what his game looks like, but obviously he is extremely good at what he does.

“I think it is going to be really cool to see who ends up winning that. Obviously for Ben and for John, it is extremely important to lock up a spot. It’s huge, it is life changing. It’s really cool to have that much excitement, but I’m not going to pick a player.”

Johnson, a two-time champion in the tournament and a two-major winner, felt Uihlein was the man in the driving seat.

He said: “Pete won last week, so I would have to say he’s probably playing the best coming into here, coming off a win. So obviously he has got a lot of confidence. It is tight (at the top of the rankings) and it should be an interesting week.”

The PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers takes place from 4-7 December at Riyadh Golf Club.

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An in-form Tyrrell Hatton heads the field for the upcoming US$5million PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, taking place between 4 and 7 December at Riyadh Golf Club.

In a field awash with major champions, Hatton is currently ranked No 16 on the world rankings. He recently triumphed at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships on the DP World Tour, having won LIV Golf Nashville in June. Now looking to close out his year in style, Hatton recently commented, “I am really excited to visit Riyadh for the first time and to be part of the Asian Tour’s season-ending event. I’ve been playing really well the last couple of months as my results are showing, so I really want to keep the momentum going through to the end of the year. I finished tied 6th when I played in PIF Saudi International in 2021, so I am hoping to be able to improve on that and finish my season on a high.”

Richard Heathcote Getty Images

Becoming the first player to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship three times, Hatton shared how special the week was to play alongside his father in the unique pro-am format and seal the victory, “It’s been awesome. We are pretty fortunate. This is the third time we’ve been able to play this tournament together, and I think finally this year, my dad sort of settled down and he actually played some good golf. He played unreal yesterday, which was nice to see. I know that it made it more special if we were able to win the team event, as well, but ultimately these are memories that neither of us will ever forget, and for me to win today the individual event, that’s the first time that I’ve won with my dad at a tournament. That makes it more special, and it was pretty cool that he had a front row seat for it.”

With a win under his belt in Nashville earlier in the summer, Hatton was delighted to have been able to carry the momentum on to his return to the DP World Tour, explaining, “It feels amazing. My last win was Abu Dhabi ‘21 on the DP World Tour. So that was a long time ago. And I knew when I came back to play the British Masters and the Spanish Open last week, that I really wanted to earn enough points to be able to play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from a World Ranking points perspective, a Ryder Cup points perspective. I’ve been fortunate to play the DP World Tour Championship every year that I’ve had my tour card. Winning today secures my spot there. I’m really excited that I can compete in those two events at the back end of the year.”

Tom Shaw/R&A/Getty Images

Hatton took a well-earned break following his October triumph in Scotland, before returning to competitive golf in the Middle East during the DP World Tour’s Play-Off events as he builds up to the PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Playing in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, he finished runner-up and sixth place respectively and is now looking to seal a final win of the season before his winter break against another stellar line-up in Riyadh.

His challengers will include defending champion Abraham Ancer, 2022 champion Harold Varner III, winner in 2019 and 2021 Dustin Johnson, and 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, along with Major winners Patrick Reed and Graeme McDowell, the 2020 champion as the tournament makes its debut in Riyadh after five successful years at the acclaimed Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

Other stand-out names include Adrian Meronk, a four-time winner on the DP World Tour, David Puig, currently lying seventh on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Joaquin Niemann, winner of the 2024 LIV Golf event at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City earlier this year, Peter Uihlein, winner of the recent International Series England in August and Dean Burmester, champion at the 2024 LIV Golf Miami.

Scott Taetsch/PGA of America Getty Images

Also set to compete are all of the winning members of the Ripper GC team who claimed the 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship: Lucas Herbert, winner on the PGA and DP World Tour, and Matt Jones, a two-time PGA Tour Champion, Marc Leishman, six-time PGA Tour winner and the aforementioned, Cameron Smith.

Smith is another star player looking to end the season with a win. When asked at Troon earlier this year, how he had changed after winning the 2023 Open Championship, he was thoughtful in his response explaining, “I think the person is the same. I think my old boy would give me a clip around the ears if he was any different. I think as a golfer, I think I’m actually a better golfer now than what I was last year. I think the stuff that I had to clean up is progressing. It’s still a little bit of a work in progress.”

Whether it’s defending his Open title or trying to win for the first time in Saudi Arabia, Smith explained fans can always expect the same approach, “I’m determined to try my best every week and just try and be a better golfer than I was last week. I never really expect too much of myself. The thing I expect are doing everything 100 percent, ticking all the boxes early in the week, making sure I’m prepared, and then just go out there and give it my all. That’s all I can really do. I think I’ve done that fantastic this year and especially last year. It was such a good year last year, you almost expect to win. I think that’s not really a good way to look at golf. Just expect to do all the things that you’re meant to do 100 percent and then go out there and give it a crack, and if you win, you win.”

Riyadh Golf Club. Supplied

Of the week ahead in Saudi Arabia, the Australian added, “I am really looking forward to visiting Riyadh for the first time. From what I have read, there is so much going on there with some great sports facilities for grassroots and professionals being put in place. We have also heard lots of good things about the Championship course at Riyadh Golf Club. Looking at the design and reputation of the course, I reckon it is going to provide us with a real test as we try to stay both out of the water and out in front of what will be another world-class field at the PIF Saudi International.”

Having moved from the beginning of the year into the season-ending tournament slot for both the Asian Tour and The International Series, there is so much to play for and no end of storylines to whet the appetite of the many regional and international fans expected to flock to watch so many of the world’s best players in Riyadh this year.

Tickets are still available for purchase at saudiinter-national.com

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Since its formation in 2018, Golf Saudi has created opportunities for more people to experience the benefits of golf.

Closing in on his two-year anniversary as CEO of the newest powerhouse in global golf, Golf Digest Middle East was given the opportunity for an exclusive one-one-one with one of the world’s most engaging CEOs, Noah Alireza.

It’s coming up to a couple of years since we’ve caught up in person Noah, how has the journey for Golf Saudi been in what is a relatively young lifespan?

It’s been incredible. It’s an honour and a privilege to be serving Saudi Arabia and doing so while doing something I truly love, which is golf. So, these two intersecting makes the job a lot easier on a personal level.

I think that the passion for golf is starting to grow, even though we are at I would say, a humble base, right now in terms of where we are with participants. But the plans are big.

We have an incredible opportunity with a relatively empty canvas to be able to innovate. In Saudi Arabia, we don’t want to just be playing catch-up, we want to be playing leapfrog.

This comes across not only in the sports sector, but across all sectors, and golf is one of those. So, we’re lucky to have the support and we’re lucky to have the vision in a country that inspires all of us by its leadership and we’re excited for what’s to come.

I think everyone is very excited to see that. Do you feel a sense of pride knowing that you’re such a key part in this development of golf in both the professional side and participation across the whole Kingdom?

Without question. It’s a true motivator. It enables a new type of thinking in golf.

As a lifelong golfer, having had the privilege to see and experience golf in different countries, I think there’s an important element that we want to introduce in Saudi Arabia and the golf landscape, which is first and foremost, authenticity.

The second element is innovation. We want to invite the world and the best minds to help us define innovation within the game by using Saudi Arabia as a canvas and to deploy what future golf will be like.

This comes in all of its aspects, whether it’s golf course design, agronomy, the way a player experiences a round of golf or on the practice facility and everything that comes with it.

I guess it helps being a fan of golf. How much do you love it?

Immensely. And I’ve been playing, less and less as I am busier and busier. That’s because I’m falling in love with other aspects which I never took note of before. Such as agronomy, design, respecting the immense operation of what it takes to get a golf event ready and really appreciating that. I have to say, it’s helped my own game, because the less you play, the less you think. But there’s so many exciting aspects to this job.

How was it that you fell in love with golf?

I was super lucky to have hit my first ever golf shot at the driving range at Pebble Beach in California. It was with my father, my mother and us seven siblings, and by the end of the hour, there were only two of us left… me and my father. And as is the case with golf, if you catch the bug, it becomes an obsession, a chase and a pursuit for perfection. Which for a long time, when you have bad round and a bad shot, you say, why am I wasting my time?

But then you realise later on, when you connect the dots backwards, you’ve learned so much from this journey. Patience, resilience, determination, these are all important seeds in anybody’s character development and I’d like to contribute a lot of what I’ve learned in life from rounds
of golf.

Again looking back, golf as a game helped me in my life, and I truly feel that that resonates with almost everybody that plays the game. I think it’s a game for the hardheaded in a positive way.

When you meet a young golfer, they’re often beyond their age because they experienced so much from golf and that’s how I started golf. It’s a lifelong game as we all know and it gives you an advantage to play late into your life, so as long as I’m standing on two feet, I’ll hopefully be swinging a club!

As we briefly touched on, away from the professional side of the game, it seems to be that there are numerous strategies and developments being put in place for golf here in the Kingdom?

100%. Everything that we are doing now, is in one word “access”. I recall in my first interview for Golf Digest Middle East that “access” was the main focus, and it still is the main focus.

We are building a viable and sustainable golf economy. As we all know, golf is an economy.

In the US both directly and indirectly the annual golf market is a $225 billion dollar market. It’s sustainable and driven by the private sector and it’s commercially viable. Our goal at Golf Saudi is to achieve just that: commercial viability and sustainability. In these early stages we are acting as a catalyst, an incubator and an accelerator for the various components of the golf value chain. We want to enable all different stakeholders to become participants in the creation of this viable ecosystem and we know in the beginning there are a lot of things we need to do ourselves to help create a vibrant, multi-stakeholder, ecosystem. That includes the private sector, the public sector, local investors, global investors, real estate developers, the whole lot.

Everything that we are doing links up to the overall vision of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. We are currently finalising our strategy where we quantify all of our initiatives, contribution to GDP, job creation, participation, quality of life, the environment and sustainability and hopefully in another interview down-the-line I can reveal those numbers to you of what we will be contributing in our goals by 2030.

We recently announced a partnership with Topgolf in Saudi Arabia where we are launching three facilities, one in Riyadh, one in the Eastern Province and one in Jeddah. Topgolf, as we’ve seen around the world, is a major contributor to any golf economy. 10% of new golfers in the US come from Topgolf.

If you look at it all as steps in creating the ecosystem, Topgolf is at the beginning of demand creation.

We’re also working in parallel on other types of driving ranges and chip and putt facilities, so things that are accessible to inner city people.

I don’t think the rest of the world realises what the scale of the plans are for Saudi Arabia?

Exactly! There are things that I would love to be talking about that we’re working on too, but until they’re at the stage of going from ideation to near creation, I can’t reveal just yet.

But what I could say is that we are using as much as possible from available technologies, to make the game of golf much more enjoyable, not for only the local population but also on a global level too.

What role does the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Aramco’s sponsorship play in elevating the game of golf?

They play a massive role, both across the sports sector in general and more specifically golf.

They’ve been incredible partners in all of the events that we have conducted, locally and globally. We continue to foster the relationship and ensure that this relationship is also reciprocal.

We’ve introduced recently in the Aramco Team Series a business to business platform, by linking up with the Future Investment Initiative at all of our events, as well as with the Saudi Ministry of Investment.

We have taken this from the US to the UK to China as well as to Korea and we’ve had important stakeholders attend these events to give speeches and talks.

There’s an uncaptured element for inward and outward foreign direct investment. We hear anecdotally of deals being made as a result of an introduction from one of our golf events. And we’re able to play that role.

We are truly making golf live up to its status as a connector and as a bridge for business, culture, sports and for the environment. These components are great for all our supporters, whether it’s Aramco, PIF or the rest of our partners.

Is there a dream for Golf Saudi, or are we living it now? What does the end look like?

In this journey we have a certain clarity on the destination, but the most important part of it is to be thinking differently and building differently.

Going back to the leapfrog concept, it’s important as an organisation and ecosystem to make sure that everything that we do is challenging the current status quo and bringing about innovation along the way. Again, just to tie it in with the two important factors authenticity and innovation, where we’re sitting today at Riyadh Golf Course and hosting this international event, we’ve just gone through a 90-day transformation of the clubhouse and the infrastructure.

I’m super proud and honoured to be working with a team that was able to do this from start to finish. From the interior to the exterior architecture to the landscaping to the agronomy. It was all done by Saudis. And for us to be able to develop and execute that should give you a glimpse of what we are able to achieve in the future.

Main Image: Golf Saudi

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Othman Almulla, Faisal Salhab, Saud Al Sharif, Khalid Walid Attieh and Shergo Al Kurdi will take part in the competition, marking a groundbreaking moment for Saudi golf on a global stage.

No Stopping Saudi – The Kingdom is fast becoming the next golfing heavyweight in the Middle East

Saudi player Othman Almulla confirmed for PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers

Almulla, Saudi Arabia’s first professional golfer, has paved the way for the game’s growth in the Kingdom and remains a key ambassador for the sport. Before turning professional in 2019, he became the first Saudi golfer to win the Qatar Open and qualify for two professional events, the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2008 Qatar Masters.

Othman Almulla added, “It’s an honour to be part of this milestone for Saudi golf, competing alongside my fellow countrymen on such a prestigious stage. The PIF Saudi International is a testament to the incredible progress golf has made in the Kingdom and the bright future ahead. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without Golf Saudi’s support, and I’m proud to represent Saudi Arabia while inspiring the next generation of golfers to elevate the game even further.”

Faisal Salhab and Saud Al Sharif will join the elite field in Riyadh

Salhab turned professional last year and has represented Saudi Arabia at various international tournaments, including the Pan Arab Golf Championships. Attieh, meanwhile, made history in February 2024 at the International Series Oman when he became the first amateur player from Saudi Arabia to make the cut.

Almulla, Salhab, Al Sharif and Kurdi also serve as Golf Saudi ambassadors with a mission to elevate the game in the Kingdom.

Shergo Al Kurdi

This record-breaking participation highlights the growing strength of Saudi golfers, who will be competing alongside global superstars such as Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, reflecting one of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which aims to establish the Kingdom as a global golf destination.

Local fans will have the chance to cheer on their national athletes at one of the most highly anticipated tournaments, which is being held in Riyadh for the first time.

Golf Saudi continues to grow the game and inspire golfers around the world by bringing together the best players on the planet to compete. The Saudi International not only showcases the best of professional golf, but also aims to encourage more individuals, particularly young Saudis, to take up the sport.

Through its ‘Go Golf’ initiative, Golf Saudi offers three months of free lessons for all new golfers in KSA, followed by 12 complimentary rounds, along with discounted memberships and coaching. Golf Saudi is committed to expanding access to the sport for players at all levels and building a vibrant golf community in the Kingdom.

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The Swiss rookie, who is in pole position to claim the LET Order Of Merit, becomes the first captain in the series to win the team event in successive events, following her win in Shenzhen at the start of October.

Tamburlini was keen to heap praise on the team spirit in the group, particularly their amateur Mr. Tenniel Chu, Vice-Chairman of Mission Hills Group – the host of the previous event in Shenzhen – who was prophetic on the first tee.

“Tenniel was incredible,” said the victorious captain. “I had met him in China at Mission Hills, and we were joking about the trophy. He said, ‘I don’t see your name on there yet, but it’s fine, they can just do it twice back-to-back’, and he was right!”

Her group, made up of English starlet Mimi Rhodes and France’s Anne-Charlotte Mora, set an additional record – the largest margin of victory in the team event, an incredible ten strokes.

“It feels pretty cool to have done something that no one has done before,” said Tamburlin. “I just love this format. I think it’s so much fun to play for a team. It’s easy to keep pushing and the format of counting birdies, it’s really motivating. I think it suits my game well to play aggressive and go for the pins.”

Pia Babnik – LET

Consistency has been the name of the game for Slovenian Pia Babnik, as back-to-back bogey free rounds of seven-under-par sees her atop the leaderboard of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Riyadh.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for Babnik, who just last week finished up +19 on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in India at the Hero Women’s Indian Open.

Her round at the Golf Saudi-organised event included a sensational 18 greens in regulation round Riyadh Golf Club, marking a performance to be proud of for the winner of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF in Jeddah in 2021.

The round of the day, however, went the way of Fatima Fernandez Cano, who carded a blemish free 10-under-par score of 62 – even going close to equaling the course record of 61, set by Alison Lee in 2023.

Fernandez Cano struggled with injuries last year and almost called it quits and, if not for the help of her doctor, would certainly not be celebrating today’s stellar round.

“In the end, it was just two nerves that were trapped in my right forearm,” explained the Spaniard. “The only problem is I took forever to figure out what was wrong with it, because it would only happen when the muscle was contracted.

“I almost stepped away from the game, I was ready to quit. But I went to see one final doctor, and luckily, he knew what to do. It’s been a roller coaster.”

Despite a bogey early on in her round, England’s Charley Hull rebounded to record a five-under-par score of 67 – aided by a brilliant back nine in which she sunk five birdies to keep her in touching distance of the top.

Elsewhere, German Helen Briem moved into contention with a second straight day of five-under-par, tied in fifth behind Luna Salbron, who sits in third place on 11-under-par.

This is the final of this season’s five $1million Aramco Team Series presented by PIF tournaments on the Ladies European Tour, all organised by Golf Saudi, who seek to grow the game of golf domestically and around the world by hosting elite-level golf events.

Main Image: LET

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