Royal Greens Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

LIV Golfers in a battle to avoid the dreaded drop

Matt Smith — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 14:03:12 +0000

Royal Greens near Jeddah will be the final stop on the LIV Golf League 2023 season. Matt Smith

The end is in sight for the 2023 LIV Golf League, and for four players it could also spell the end of their time in the lucrative series.

As we head to Chicago next week for the penultimate event of the year, of the 48 players competing on 12 teams, the bottom four in the points standings will be cut from the series for 2024, to make way for four lucky guys on the Asian Tour — think Premier League relegation and promotion.

As it stands ahead of the Rich Harvest Farms tournament, Sihwan Kim (0 points), Chase Koepka (1), James Piot (1) and Jediah Morgan (3) are the quartet who have a lot of work to do before the final standings are determined in Jeddah next month at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

Teetering on the brink just above the drop zone are Bernd Wiesberger (8), Laurie Canter, Sam Horsefield (8) and Charl Schwartzel (13).

Who makes it to safety? #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/SyLrewmc6f

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) September 11, 2023

But with 80 points potentially still up for grabs for each player, anything could still happen in the closing stages. And knowing LIV Golf, it probably…

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Wedded bliss: Lydia Ko off and running at Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Matt Smith — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 14:38:14 +0000

Married life is certainly treating Lydia Ko well, after the former champion got her 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International campaign off to a flying start at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

The Kiwi got married in Korea just after Christmas and confessed to playing “a lot — maybe too much” golf on her honeymoon in her native New Zealand.

Ko won this title back in 2021, and now the she is right on target to reclaim the famous trophy after an opening eight-under gave here the joint lead alongside Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand.

The two-time major winner and world No. 1 was delighted to get a strong first round under her belt amid benign conditions after strong winds hit the course earlier in the week.

“I knew today was the day to take advantage of the calmer conditions,” she said after her opening 64.

“When I came last here, it was November and the wind picked up in the afternoon, and I think this time of the year and with the forecast, it’s only going to be stronger and probably some of the strongest winds I’ve seen out here. So I knew that today with some of the pin positions I needed to be a little bit more aggressive.

“All in all, I putted really well out there. Most of the opportunities I had I was able to take advantage of that, so it was that kind of a day and a nice start to the season.”

With her first campaign as a married woman now under way, she joked: “It’s cool to see I have an officially under-par round as a Mrs.

“There are plenty of holes, especially when the wind is calmer, that you can reach a couple of par-5s and be a little bit more aggressive to pin positions. The wind is such a big factor on this golf course, so when it’s playing to your advantage you kind of want to use that.”

That honeymoon, where Ko also admitted she made a hole-in-one during eight rounds in 12 days, has allowed the 25-year-old to hit the ground running this campaign.

“I had a few weeks to prepare for this one, but I played a lot of golf, maybe a bit too much golf, on my honeymoon,” she said. “But my husband loves golf and that’s something that we can mutually do together, so we took advantage of that. Actually thanks to him it made my transition into off-season practice a lot easier.

“If somebody said: ‘Hey, you’re going to play eight rounds of golf over two weeks on your honeymoon, I probably would’ve laughed at that person, but it became reality and I had so much fun.

“Honeymoon is only once in a lifetime, so we really enjoyed it. To say I had a hole-in-one, I’m not sure many people can say that.”

Anannarukarn was delighted with her performance, which mixed eight birdies with two bogeys and a sensational eagle on the par-5 fourth hole.

“I was actually really in the zone from the first hole,” she said, referring to her flying start, reeling off four straight birdies from the 10th. “I did not expect the first birdie, then I just kept the momentum going forward. To make four straight birdies, at was a really good start.”

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Georgia Hall and Olivia Cowan ready for the big Aramco Team Series finale in Jeddah

Matt Smith — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:13:32 +0000

By GolfDigestME.com
Star female golfers Georgia Hall and Olivia Cowan are in confident mood and excited to tee it up at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club this week in the final Aramco Team Series event of the year.

Hall returns to Jeddah following incredible recent success in King Abdullah Economic City after winning the Aramco Saudi Ladies International here in March, while Olivia Cowan is in the form of her career after winning her first Ladies European Tour title in the Hero Women’s Indian Open two weeks ago.

Both are relishing the opportunity to be back in Saudi Arabia this week with Hall saying: “I love coming back here. I really like this golf course. It is one of my favourites to play in my season and it is always in great condition. The weather is always good, and the wind can get up quite a bit in the afternoons which makes the course have a linksy feel which I really enjoy.

“There are some tough holes out there, but I can also reach pretty much every par 5 which is nice so that gives me some really good eagle opportunities and the chance to try and shoot some low rounds. Every time we come here as players, we also get really well looked after, so it’s just a really fun week.”

Olivia Cowan. Golf Saudi

Cowan echoed the sentiments of Hall and added: “I feel really confident about my game at the moment coming off the back of that first win in India. I’m just really looking forward to playing this course, I really love playing it and being back here in Jeddah. It’s challenging and fun to play in, and the team event makes it a bit more relaxing. I just love coming back here and can’t wait for the week to get going.”

The tournament draft took place on Wednesday evening where the teams for this week’s event were selected. Each of the 36 captains have one individual pick, before they are allocated a random player at the draft, with the team element of the tournament being decided after day two of the event. Individual player scores are then carried over to the final day as an individual winner is crowned.

Hall will be joined in her team by young compatriot Lily May Humphreys, as well as French golfer Anais Meyssonnier. Cowan used her pick to select young English star Cara Gainer, while Team Cowan will be completed by another English player in Rachael Goodall.

Other standout teams are Team Charley Hull with the highest ranked player in the field selecting Isabella Deilert, and being allocated Moroccan star Maha Haddioui, while Team Alison Lee will be completed by Camilla Lennarth and Diksha Dagar.

Defending individual champion Pia Babnik will be joined by Kristyna Napoleaova and Lauren Taylor for the first two days of competition as she looks to start her title defence in the best way.

All teams will be completed by a championship amateur which differentiates the Aramco Team Series as unique and innovative and both Hall and Cowan believe golf’s global series as been an extremely welcome addition to the Ladies European Tour schedule.

Hall said: “It is fantastic to get this support from Aramco and Golf Saudi and having the five events on the calendar of the Ladies European Tour has really boosted the Tour. I know speaking to a lot of players, they are really grateful for that support.

“All the players just really enjoy coming to these events, it’s something different and just brings a different aspect to the game.”

Cowan emphasised Hall’s opinion adding: “The set up and everything they do for the players is amazing. The weeks are set up like a major and the Aramco Team Series puts a lot of effort into the event and looking after the players for the week. We really appreciate that and hope other companies continue to show the same support for growing women’s golf.”

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No ‘I’ in ‘Team’ as LIV golf enters the home stretch in Jeddah: All you need to know

Matt Smith — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 11:43:49 +0000

By Matt Smith
The players have barely caught their collective breath after Eugenio Chacarra’s historic victory in Bangkok, but already eyes have turned to Saudi Arabia as the LIV Golf inaugural season reaches its finale.

The season-long Individual Championship winner shall be confirmed at Royal Greens on Sunday — with Dustin Johnson uncatchable after Branden Grace’s sad withdrawal from the lead in Bangkok — while the all-important seedings will be decided for the Team Championship showdown in Miami at the end of the month.

With Chicarra and his Fireballs teammates (Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carloz Ortiz) dominating the team leaderboard at Stonehill in Thailand to shoot a collective — and staggering — 45-under over three rounds, they ended the four-tournament winning streak by Johnson’s 4 Aces and thrust themselves into the top-four spots.

The season-long points race for each four-man team determine their seeding for the knock-out finale over three days from October 28-30 at Trump National Doral Miami, with the top four earning a bye from Day 1 while the best of the rest go head-to-head.

The will be massive attention paid to the team leaderboard in Jeddah as those seedings are finalised and every player can make a difference, regardless of their spot on the individual leaderboard.

On ? in Bangkok #LIVGolf #LIVGolfBangkok pic.twitter.com/OYptjnuAwd

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) October 10, 2022

Fireballs look like the ones to watch in Saudi after producing all nine counting scores in the 60s last time out, and winning by seven clear shots from nearest rivals Crushers. Cleeks made up the podium spots in Bangkok, finishing third by one shot over Iron Heads.

“It’s an amazing week,” Garcia said after the Stonehill triumph. “Four Aces were coming off four wins in a row, so we knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. But we had a lot of faith in each other We’ve been playing really, really well, and been quite close a couple of times.

“We felt like we just needed to click a little bit here and there, and that was going to make the difference — and that’s what happened this week.”

TEAM LEADERBOARD

In Bangkok and Jeddah, the best three scores in all rounds will combine to produce the team score. The previous counting-score format was 2-2-3.
There is a $50 million purse on the line in Miami .
Teams have received points for their finishes in each event, and the top four teams in the points standings after next week’s event in Jeddah receive Day 1 byes in Miami.

The breakdown in points is as follows:
1st 32 points
2nd 24
3rd 16
4th 12
5th 8
6th 4
7th 2
8th 1

Here are the standings ahead of the final race for seedings in Jeddah:
4 Aces 140 points
Crushers 80
Stinger 72
Fireballs 69
Majesticks 59
Torque 34
Iron Heads 32
Smash 30
Hy Flyers 29
Cleeks 20
Punch 16
Niblicks 13

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That’s (almost) a wrap! A dozen reasons why the 2021 Desert Swing was (and still is) a doozy

Kent Gray — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 07:55:45 +0000

Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

By Kent Gray

Tyrrell’s a treat
Given his giddy run of form over the past 16 months – victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship triumph was his fourth in 20 starts – has Tyrrell Hatton surpassed Tommy Fleetwood as Europe’s chief major champion in waiting? Perhaps. The Englishman unquestionably crept above Rory McIlroy to fifth in the OWGR. The only European above him? Jon Rahm, also the owner of four Rolex Series gold stars. You’ve got to love the ball-striking, the icy-calmness closing out events and the honest self-assessments, both during rounds and afterwards.

“Definitely pinching myself. It’s just very surreal to be that high in the world rankings. I don’t look at myself or — I don’t know how to sort of word it. I guess I’m very — yeah, I’m struggling to find the words how to put it across but I’ll just say it is very cool to be where I am at the moment.”

“Hi, I’m Tyrrell…and I’m an angry golfer”
“If you’re feeling glum, pop up a thumb”. The European Tour’s social media team always seem on point but how about the timing of having eventual champion Tyrrell Hatton front their latest ditty, #AngryGolfers? “I’m not quite sure why they chose me,” Hatton drolly told on-course commentator Tim Barter a round after previewing the soon-to-be-released viral video with a double thumbs up to mock a rare wayward drive on the National layout. Classic stuff and a fun new go-to to help us all defuse potential on course meltdowns.

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What’s the story, Rory?
Rory McIlroy, welcomed back to the UAE capital for the first time since 2018, complied one of those uniquely Rory rounds on Thursday in Abu Dhabi that makes golf look easy. But almost inevitably after the 64 – “a lovely way to start the year” – and two further mostly stress-free rounds to snare the 54-hole lead, the Northern Irishman found a way to let the title slip. Again. A fourth third placing to go with four bridesmaid finishes means the Falcon remains almost as elusive as a certain green jacket for Rors. Here’s hoping he’ll be back next January.

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What next for Abu Dhabi?
Speaking of the 17th Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, anyone else excited to see what the Desert Swing opener will be like co-sanctioned by the mighty PGA Tour? Yup, us too. Nothing’s official yet but it seems Abu Dhabi, the Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship and DP World Tour Championship at JGE will get the full U.S. treatment in 2022. McIlroy might find it even tougher to snare the fabled Falcon.

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2021 Lev-ity
How good was Alexander Levy’s reaction to his ace (a 9 iron from 177 yards) on the 15th in the third round in Abu Dhabi? It was peak 2020 (rolling into 2021) as the Frenchman looked around for affirmation from the galleries to be greeted by near silence. Damn you COVID. As Levy rolls on into 2021 behind the wheel of a new BMW X850i, here’s hoping there will be even fewer gallery restrictions next year.

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Casey can
If Abu Dhabi champion Tyrrell Hatton is Europe’s new chief major champion in waiting, then countryman Paul Casey is firmly back in the conversation as the best player without a big, with all due respect to Lee Westwood. Casey’s effortless power and a smiling jaunt to the Dallah Trophy ensured the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic has another worthy name on its stellar roll call of champions and leaves us to wonder how he hasn’t landed a major. Yet.

“I think a lot of good stuff [is still to come], honestly I feel like I’ve regained my youth. I mean that sincerely and, yeah, I’m so happy.”

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Majlis makeover
You had to feel for the hard-working team at Emirates Golf Club as patchy pictures of the Majlis’ normally pristine greens were beamed around the globe during the Desert Classic. The great news is it won’t be long until those images are a distant memory with the course to close May 2 for a complete rebuild of the putting surfaces to USGA specifications. The greens had come to the end of their lifespan – roughly 20-25 years in the harsh desert environment – but will be rolling smoothly once more when the course is reopened in late September.

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No.1 for a very good reason
How good is Dustin Johnson, even when he’s not at his best. The most impressive aspect of the world No.1’s second Saudi International win in three years was his unflappable response to a catalogue of miss reads on the tricky Royal Greens putting surfaces. The only time the reigning Masters champion did get angry – if you could call a light slap on his own thigh after bogeying the 16th in the final round “angry” – Johnson responded by very nearly driving the next. A par 4. Job done.

“I’ve been playing some really good golf the last six months. Hopefully, I’m going to continue to play this kind of golf. I’m seeing a lot of the same things each and every week, and that’s what I do… I’ve got a great team around me that helps me kind of stay in that form so that I can perform at the highest level each and every week.”

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The dirty D word
With distance almost a dirty word in golf nowadays, Bryson DeChambeau finds himself the game’s new anti-hero, with all due respect to Patrick Reed. Thankfully, Saudi was another reminder that ridiculous length off the tee doesn’t guaranteed fairways in reg, much less trophies (Dustin Johnson’s victory notwithstanding). In the clamber to dial back the ball, we should remember that and the fact the next-gen love seeing athletes hit bombs. Are we trying to lure newcomers to the sport or tell them that improved athleticism isn’t really wanted? Remember too that Kevin Na contended. As DeChambeau (T-18) said himself, a distance advantage will always be a distance advantage no matter how long the course is or how far the ball flies. But that doesn’t mean the big boofers will always win. This is golf after all. The only guarantee is that you’ll never beat this maddeningly brilliant game.

The course Jack is building
The Kingdom might be home to the youngest of the Desert Swing events but boy, aren’t Golf Saudi in a hurry to make up for lost time. Even before one of this year’s strongest fields (it was only early Feb.) teed it up at Royal Greens, the governing body announced Jack Nicklaus has put his name to a new private course in the Qiddiya megaproject 40 minutes south-west of the capital Riyadh. And that Saudi Aramco was backing a four-event, $4 million series of Ladies European Tour events in New York, London, Singapore and KAEC. Talk about Kingdom come. It’s going to be fascinating to see what the golf landscape looks like in a decade’s time.

Enough already COVID
Just when we all thought the horrors of 2020 were behind us… Here’s hoping the cancelled Oman Open can be rescheduled for later in the year because Greg Norman’s Al Mouj Golf design in Muscat is one of the courses that give Middle East golf tourism a great name.

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Qatar Quality?
Anyone else surprised a year has passed since the European Tour put its 2020 season on ice following Jorge Campillo’s victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters? Yeah, it feels much longer than that to us too. With the coronavirus-enforced demise of the Oman Open a timely reminder to take nothing for granted, the return to Education City is our last chance to enjoy some top-level desert golf before the long haul to the Race to Dubai decider at JGE in late November. The quality of the field in Doha, now that a potential two-tourney Middle East detour has become a one event hit and run mission, will be telling. Whatever happens, at least it looks like we’ll all play on after Qatar. What a year – and a Desert Swing – it has been.

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