You can catch up will all our coverage by visiting the website HERE, or alternatively scroll through the ISSUU links below — from Jason Kokrak and Cam Smith to the Aramco Team Series — or download to your favourite device for later.

Issue No.1 – January 2022

Issue No.2 – April 2022

Issue No.3 – August 2022

Issue No.4 – October 2022

Issue No.5 – January 2023

Issue No.6 – April 2023

Issue No.7 – August 2023

Issue No.8 – October 2023

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Alireza, a former member of the Saudi Arabian national team who represented his country at the Asian Games, brings a wealth of experience in strategic advisory serving some of Saudi Arabia’s most influential entities within the public and private sectors, and he is a lifelong student of the game of golf and a graduate of Brown University, Rhode Island.

As he settles into his new role, Alireza’s remit is to activate and accelerate Golf Saudi’s mandate in creating and serving the growing demand for golf in Saudi Arabia, through mass participation programmes and increasing access to the sport in the country as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programme.

Golf Digest Middle East recently caught up with Alireza to get the lowdown on the man, the hard work and next steps for Golf Saudi

•••

First of all, how are you settling into the role?

Being Saudi as well as a passionate golfer, it is a privilege and an honour to wake up every morning to work on something you love. 

There’s a clear and exciting challenge that lies ahead, which is to convert the major strides already made when it comes to events into accelerating the build up of golf-related infrastructure within Saudi Arabia. 

The most exciting part is that, with Vision 2030, this is one of many streams that are happening in Saudi Arabia when it comes to sports activation, and we have the ability to synergise and leverage each other to achieve unique, original and impactful outcomes. This clarity and the potential impact sports can have on the social, economic, and environmental levels in Saudi Arabia makes this challenge worth devoting every working hour.

•••

How have you found these past two months, especially with the men’s and women’s Saudi Internationals? 

Staging back-to-back events like we have just witnessed are no easy feat, so it is to the credit of our amazing team that delivery of both was, once again, of the very highest standard. 

I have been fortunate enough to be part of these events as a Pro-Am guest in recent years so knew what to expect to an extent, but things are always very different looking from the inside. It is evident how much these tournaments stand as a showcase for the sport in Saudi Arabia. They serve as an opportunity to encourage a burgeoning domestic interest in the sport. Part of the challenge is to channel the outcome of these events from viewership into participation.

•••

There were many clinics and talks during the events, how do you see the growth of the game in Saudi Arabia? 

Despite the incredible progress to date, golf is still a young sport in Saudi Arabia. However, our focus is to have an accelerated growth trajectory. A combination of factors will be crucial to this and mainly revolve around striking the right balance between access and demand.

Ultimately, the courses in development here are the pinnacle for us, and we want as many people as possible to eventually become members of a thriving golf community. 

We also continue focusing on off-course and mobile facilities — such as driving ranges, simulators, and fun mini-golf experiences. 

All of this, and more, helps create a pathway, encouraging people to try the game and, hopefully, make them lifelong golfers. 

Saudi International

•••

What are the immediate and longer-term visions for golf in the Kingdom? 

The overall focus is to develop a thriving golf landscape here in Saudi Arabia, by allowing ease of access to anyone who wants to participate and benefit from the virtues of this game. 

The immediate challenge is turning the current awareness into active golfers and having the correct access points at all incomes and skill levels, from beginner to intermediate to national team to elite — and in the long term, to create new world champions, who in turn create new dreamers, to inspire and feed the cycle. We’ve recently seen this in the World Cup when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina — that was a generational moment that inspired a new wave of interest that will ultimately create future stars. Eventually, with the right balance of demand and supply, the golf industry will become self-sufficient, creating thousands of jobs and serving thousands of recreational players. 

•••

Besides getting players on courses, how are business and college programmes helping Saudis from all walks of life get on the career ladder?

In developing a thriving sector, we must concentrate on all components, and the professional expertise of a workforce in golf is critical. In areas such as golf instruction, facility management and hospitality we require highly skilled individuals who are looking to enjoy a career in this sport. Therefore, we have created partnerships with the likes of Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) and the National Training Centre for Facilities and Hospitality Management (FHM). 

Last year we launched our first Arabic Golf Education Training programme. Several individuals have now progressed from this and are moving into employment within our facilities, which is something we are all terrifically proud of. 

The plan is to continue to develop on these efforts and go further into developing other disciplines within the golf value chain such as agronomy. Our primary focus is to ensure that knowledge in these disciplines is transferred and eventually led by Saudis. 

•••

Othman Almulla was thrilled to welcome Saud and Faisal to the pro ranks at the Saudi International. What are your hopes for them and the inspiration they provide future generations? 

Celebrating the achievements of Othman, Faisal and Saud, three incredible ambassadors for both their sport and their country, will help us grow interest in golf here in the Kingdom. They have shown they can compete with the best on the Asian Tour, with Faisal and Saud both making cuts within their first two events after turning pro, so the future is looking bright. 

We will continue supporting them, celebrating their successes and bringing news of their achievements back to the youth in Saudi, who we hope will be inspired to follow in their footsteps. 

•••

Aramco Saudi Ladies International

We are also seeing massive growth in the region among women thanks to the likes of Chiara Noja winning ATS Jeddah last year and Ines Laklalech getting her first pro win in France, and then there was the flagship Ladies European Tour event — the Aramco Saudi Ladies International — offering equal prize money to the men of $5 million, attracting the likes of world No. 1 and winner Lydia Ko …

The ladies’ game is going from strength to strength, and that is supported by global participation figures which is amazing to see. Our support of events and players on the LET is helping to build this momentum, and we hope it continues to boost interest in golf back in Saudi Arabia among women.  

We know that having some of the stars in the women’s game visiting KSA was crucial in inspiring uptake in our Ladies First Club initiative in 2020 and we already have graduates from that initial programme participating as amateurs in Aramco Team Series events. 

Our aspiration is to have Saudi ladies play golf at an elite level and we will be giving full support in this endeavour.

•••

The ladies return for the Aramco Team Series, but in Riyadh rather than Royal Greens. Is this part of a plan to spread the events to a wider audience across the Kingdom? 

Absolutely it is, yes. Riyadh being the vibrant capital of Saudi Arabia already has three courses with other world-class facilities currently being built. Riyadh Golf Club, which is currently the closest to the city centre, is going through the necessary improvements to ensure that it is a real challenge for the world’s best players. Riyadh is where the majority of golfers in Saudi Arabia are, and we are excited to bring a professional golfing event to the capital city and continue to grow the game here and across the country.

After five years of events at Royal Greens, which will nevertheless remain a key host of other events in the future, everyone at Golf Saudi is very excited about hosting the ATS in Riyadh and we think the ladies are going to enjoy the challenge.

The post Speaking with … Noah Alireza: Golf Digest Middle East caught up with the new CEO of Golf Saudi appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Royal Greens serves up two memorable Saudi International treats to pave way to the future

History was made in Saudi Arabia in February as some of the best golfers in the world — male and female — descended on Royal Greens Golf & Country Club for two of the most fascinating and memorable golfing competitions in the Kingdom.

First up was the Asian Tour’s flagship PIF Saudi International, where Mexico’s Abraham Ancer warmed up for his LIV Golf homecoming at Mayakoba with a thrilling victory over American Cameron Young and Aussie Lucas Herbert in the Red Sea breeze, taking home $1 million for his troubles. It was one of the strongest fields ever assembled on Saudi shores, with the likes of Cameron Smith, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed all teeing it up. None of them could lay a glove on Ancer, however, who registered a wire-to-wire success to follow in the footsteps of Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Harold Varner III as champions.

The week in early February also saw a new dawn for golf in Saudi Arabia as Faisal Salhab and Saud Al Sharif were unveiled as the Kingdom’s latest professional golfers, joining Othman Almulla in the paid ranks and beginning their journey to inspire the next generation of young golfers. Both Faisal and Saud impressed in the Asian Tour’s first two International Series events, making the cut at Oman and Qatar respectively. 

With no time for the dust to settle after the men departed, the Ladies European Tour came to town just outside Jeddah, with no less than 13 major champions in tow as part of a field of 120 competing for the groundbreaking $5 million purse — the biggest prize outside the majors and equal to that of the men in the Saudi International. In Gee Chun, Anna Nordqvist, Lexi Thompson and defending champion Georgia Hall all fought it out with the likes of Ashleigh Buhai, Patty Tavatanakit, Hannah Green, Danielle Kang and Hyo-Joo Kim. But it was a dream return to action for world No. 1 and newly-wed Lydia Ko, who held off the sensational Aditi Ashok (win, third, second in her first three outings of the year) for her second success in the tournament and the $750,000 top prize. 

Ko gave credit to new hubby Jun Chung and a rigorous off-season that included eight (8!) rounds of golf during her 12-day honeymoon in native New Zealand for her ability to hit the ground running in her first competitive outing of 2023. It certainly looks like that devotion and dedication paid off big time. Hopefully Jun got a belated Valentine’s Day gift for his understanding! 

As we delve further into the year, eyes are beginning to look to September and the looming Solheim Cup date between Europe and America, and already things are beginning to take shape with familiar front-runners staking their claim for an automatic spot. 

When it comes to the captains’ picks, however, things are getting really tricky as old favourites such as Anna Nordqvist and Lizette Salas are struggling to find form, while emerging stars like Chiara Noja and Lilia Vu are throwing their hat into the ring.

How both captains would be wishing Ashok and Ko were in their ranks too. 

For all the stardust on show at Royal Greens, it is always refreshing to see the next generation thrive, and the likes of Noja, Vu and Albane Valenzuela grabbed the opportunity on the biggest of stages with both hands, with all three in the mix until Sunday and finishing in the top 15.

The Aramco Saudi Ladies International was about so much more than just the on-fairway action of course, with its groundbreaking prize money, on-site golf clinics and talks setting the foundations and framework for equality and parity throughout the game as more tournaments across the globe are set to follow suit and put up equal purses for men and women. 

During all the thrills and spills at King Abdullah Economic City, Golf Saudi also welcomed its new CEO, Noah Alireza, who was on hand at Royal Greens to oversee the trophy presentations to Ancer and Ko, and set out his vision for the future of the sport in the Kingdom, through mass participation programmes and increasing access to golf in the country.

While the moveable feast departs Saudi until November, that doesn’t mean the drama is done. Not by a long shot. 

The LIV Golf League 2023 is just getting into its stride following its curtain-raiser in Mexico — where the likes of new signings Mito Pereira and Thomas Pieters took their bows — with dates in Arizona and Florida coming up ahead of the highly anticipated bow on Australian shores at The Grange in Adelaide. 

Oh, and the Masters is just around the corner too, where former chums Mickelson and Tiger Woods will meet face-to-face at Augusta in what is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing majors in recent history. 

Watch this space…

The post Editor’s Letter: A fight to remember appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Sometimes we use the phrases ‘brother’ and ‘family’ in a matter-of-fact way. 

Throwaway references to your best chums, the guys you meet at the club or colleagues you tolerate after work. 

Then sometimes you are given a true reminder of what that term actually means when you meet someone like Othman Almulla.

The 36-year-old began his golfing career on the sand courses in Saudi Arabia, using a rubber mat and a set of borrowed clubs, with school grades suffering as he would sneak on to the course whenever he could. 

That dedication and addiction paid off in the long run as he started to turn a few heads in the Middle East and beyond. How could a boy from the sand of Saudi Arabia compete with the best in the world? 

Compete he did, and true to his word and ambition to become a champion, he won the Qatar Open and Saudi Aramco Invitational in 2008 and became the youngest Pan Arab Amateur Golf Tournament champ at 21, sporting his beloved Adidas gear whenever he could on the course.

After years of grafting away, Othman eventually marked his official arrival when he became the first Saudi professional golfer in 2019, aged 32, when the game began its next-generation journey in the Kingdom through Golf Saudi. 

Now a seasoned pro, Othman is not content to rest on his laurels, and has already began nurturing the fruits of his labours — with two little ‘brothers’ ready to carry the torch forward for Saudi Arabian golf.

Not quite old enough to be a ‘father figure’, Othman is content to be the big brother of the Saudi golf family as Faisal Salhab and Saud Al Sharif are emerging as stars in their own making.  

Othman Almulla with his Saudi golfing family Faisal Salhab, left, and Saud Al Sharif. Neville Hopwood

The recent PIF Saudi International saw Faisal and Saud mark their own professional journeys for Saudi golf in a field full of major winners and legendary names such as Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith.

A big stage indeed.

Saudi’s second and third golf stars have one guy to thank and to aspire to, that big brother Othman, who has guided them through a difficult — and a sometimes solitary — path to the top level in the game, having played together flying the Saudi flag in team events.

“Faisal and Saud, they are my little brothers,” Othman told Golf Digest Middle East. “Golf can be a very individual sport and you are with your own team — physios and coaches, whatever — but you find yourself out there on your own a lot of the time. 

“But to be out on tour with them now as professionals will be super special, we will create the best memories together. My favourite memories in golf so far are with them in team events representing Saudi Arabia around the world in some big championships. The camaraderie and brotherhood has been created over these past years. I think I have been playing with them for almost 10 years and these relationships and friendships are not easy to come by. I truly believe that I am an older brother to them — they really are my two little brothers out here now on the pro circuit and to see them out here chasing a passion that we all share is truly uplifting. 

“I think it is easy to sometimes get stuck in one event, but we now have a very fruitful career ahead of us, all three together and I am very excited about that. This is just the first step, after the partnerships with Golf Saudi and the strides we have taken around the world, and I truly believe the best is yet to come.”

Faisal was quick to praise the ‘big guy’ whom he overshadows, literally, with his bulging biceps, a product of the new revolution taking over golf in the Kingdom. 

“This is another exciting step on our journey and where better to turn professional than in our home country at the Saudi International,” he said.

“It has been a long journey to get to this point but the continued support of Othman and Golf Saudi, the Saudi Golf Federation, my coaching team, and friends and family have made all the difference.

“I want to thank them for everything and hope that I can continue my success in the professional game.”

Othman in action at the PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. Neville Hopwood

Saud was equally as excited for the future. “Turning professional has been my goal since I first caught the golf bug as a young kid through guys like Othman, and I am so happy to have the opportunity to fully pursue golf as a career,” he said.

“There are so many people to thank but Othman, Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation have been integral to growing the game within the Kingdom and allowing both of us the opportunity to play golf and reach this point.

“I can’t wait to be on the road with Othman and Faisal testing ourselves against the best players and on the best courses, and hope that our story can help others to see and believe they can do the same and follow in our footsteps. As well as winning on the international stage, we each share the dream of inspiring the next generation, and professional golf gives us the platform to do that.”

Hugging his ‘family’, Othman added: “Life on tour is a pretty demanding one, so I’m hoping that I can help the guys avoid some of my mistakes and to do whatever I can to help them overcome some of the early challenges of turning professional.”

The curtain-raiser for Faisal and Saud was not without its tragedy as Othman has to cut short ceremonies at Royal Greens to return to Dammam as his father-in-law passed away on the Tuesday evening. However, he ensured he was back in Jeddah to support his teammates and tee up for the Saudi International by Thursday, with wife Rana’s blessing and encouragement. 

“It was a tough couple of days, but it was important to me to come back,” an emotional Othman said. “It was important to come back and support Saud and Faisal.

“I told my family it was important to come back and put on a brave face. We need to be role models and an inspiration to the Saudi population and that is keeping me strong. 

“I think golf families are the most unsung heroes. My wife is the most supportive and special person I know.” 

When back on the range and greens, Othman attracted more than a few jealous glances as he was sporting a very special set of shoes — the brand new Adidas ZG23s — something even the top pros in the US and across Europe are waiting to get their hands (and feet) on.

“A few of the guys during the pro-am stopped me and said: ‘Whoa, where did you get them?’ I won’t say who, but these are established guys looking at my shoes and casting envious glances, wanting to check them out. 

“I turned pro in 2019, and the guys in Dubai started a conversation in an unofficial capacity as they saw I was always a massive fan of Adidas gear and the relationship started from there. 

“I started wearing some of the best golf gear available and, around two years ago, we got together with an official partnership.  

“I can’t tell you how much I love being an Adidas athlete, as it’s all I remember wearing.”

As understanding as she is, Rana has her limits when it comes to Othman’s attire.  

Neville Hopwood

“My wife gives me a hard time about it as my whole wardrobe is Adidas, and it’s my lifestyle regardless what we are going out to do,” he admitted. 

“To be honest the gear is amazing and that is why I wear it all the time. The shoes are some of the most comfortable involved in the game and the ZG21s, which were the previous versions of the new one, were one of my favourite pairs of golf shoes. 

“The guys began to tease me: ‘Wait to you see what is coming in 2023.’ I was kinda looking around for snippets and previews and couldn’t find anything. Then these arrived at my house and I was like: ‘Wow.’ 

“There are one of the lightest shoes in golf, just like the previous iterations, and it is nice to feel I can go at it as hard as I want I am going to feel super stable and my feet will still be fresh after a round, know what I mean? 

“I won’t go into the tech but all I know is I know they help me play my best golf.” 

The post Brother beyond: Othman Almulla keeps it in the family as Saud and Faisal make professional debuts at Saudi International appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Abraham Ancer held his nerve to see off the valiant fight from Cameron Young to claim the fifth Saudi International title at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Sunday.

The Mexican made it a historic wire-to-wire victory in the Asian Tour’s flagship event to pick up the $1 million top prize as well as the giant trophy, following in the footsteps of Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Harold Varner III.

Congratulations to @Abraham_Ancer on winning the 2023 PIF @SaudiIntlGolf powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers!???

He has become the first player to win wire-to-wire in the tournament and the second Mexican ?? to win on the Asian Tour since 1995. ?#PIF_SaudiIntlGolf pic.twitter.com/5GLkBnlbTu

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 5, 2023

Despite two birdies on the final three holes, including a sensational 2 on the notoriously difficult 16th, it was not enough for Young, after finding the water on 13 and then a costly three-putt double-bogey on 15 effectively ended his challenge as he dropped four strokes back.

In the end, Ancer won by two on 19-under from Young — equalling the tournament record set by Johnson in 2019 — with Aussie Lucas Herbert taking solo third on 15-under.

The post Abraham Ancer claims historic wire-to-wire win at Saudi International appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Here are the full tee times for Saturday’s third round. 

7:22
Matthew Cheung
El Mehdi Fakori
7:33
Issa Abouelela
Ervin Chang
Takumi Kanaya
7:44
Phachara Khongwatmai
Lee Westwood
Siddikur Rahman
7:55
James Piot
Rashid Khan
Anirban Lahiri
8:06
Joaquin Niemann
Scott Hend
Jazz Janewattananond
8:17
Taehee Lee
Laurie Canter
Todd Sinnott
8:28
Kyongjun Moon
Jediah Morgan
Peter Uihlein
8:39
Richard T. Lee
Wade Ormsby
Yeongsu Kim
8:55
Andy Ogletree
Cameron Tringale
Shiv Kapur
9:06
Nitithorn Thippong
Travis Smyth
Kevin Yuan
9:17
David Puig
Henrik Stenson
Jinichiro Kozuma
9:28
Ian Poulter
Charl Schwartzel
Matthew Wolff
9:39
Sebastian Munoz
Graeme McDowell
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
9:50
Branden Grace
Kosuke Hamamoto
Pat Perez
10:01
Mito Pereira
Matt Jones
Talor Gooch
10:12
Shubhankar Sharma
Brooks Koepka
Cameron Champ
10:28
Bjorn Hellgren
Wenyi Ding
Stefano Mazzoli
10:39
Sanghyun Park
Bernd Wiesberger
Andrew Dodt
10:50
Hennie Du Plessis
Scott Vincent
Sergio Garcia
11:01
Taylor Dickson
Jbe Kruger
Paul Casey
11:12
Patrick Reed
Harold Varner III
Richard Bland
11:23
Ian Snyman
Jason Kokrak
Ratchanon Chantananuwat
11:34
Lucas Herbert
Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman
11:45
Sadom Kaewkanjana
Cameron Young
Abraham Ancer

The post LOOK: Round 3 Saudi International tee times appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

During Thursday’s opening round of the Saudi International, his first competitive tournament of 2023, DeChambeau put in play a TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver. TaylorMade declined to comment on any of the club’s specifics, but the lowest loft listed on the USGA’s list of conforming clubheads for the Stealth 2 Plus is 8 degrees. The club’s adjustable hosel, however, could bring that down as much as another 2 degrees, a potentially important consideration for a player like DeChambeau who has used drivers at that loft and lower in competition.

Another point to note on the club is its shaft. Judging from photos taken at the event, it is clear the shaft is not his normal LA Golf prototype. Rather it appears to be a Project X model.

DeChambeau still appears on Cobra’s website as one of its staff players and is listed as using either the company’s LTD LS model or the King Radspeed. Cobra officials could not be reached for comment as to whether DeChambeau is in violation of his endorsement contract by playing the TaylorMade club.

Among the longest drivers in the game, DeChambeau is known for constantly looking to hit the ball even farther, going so far as to make a bold prediction about driver technology to LIV’s Mike McAllister.

“We’re still on a pursuit to who can make a driver that can work it at 200mph ball speed anywhere and everywhere on the face and still goes in the fairway,” DeChambeau said at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. “When that day comes, that’s going to be eye-opening for a lot of individuals because they will be optimising ball speeds at 195mph, which can fly 360 yards. And that’s going to change the game forever. But we’re not there yet.”

Whether equipment companies will ever get there remains to be seen as making a driver that performs the same way all over the face is currently more fantasy than reality. But that’s not stopping DeChambeau from experimenting in the meantime.

The post A big equipment change for Bryson DeChambeau as he makes his 2023 debut with new TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Abraham Ancer is the man to catch on Day 2 of the Saudi International at Royal GReens Golf & Counter Club near Jeddah.

Sadly, two-time champ Dustin Johnson has had to withdraw, but with the strongest field in history, there will be many big guns looking to take home the trophy.

Here are your full tee times for Friday.

Hole 1
7:15
Taehee Lee
Jack Thompson
Rattanon Wannasrichan
7:25
Hideto Tanihara
Andrew Dodt
Yeongsu Kim
7:35
Wade Ormsby
Steve Lewton
Richard T. Lee
7:45
Pat Perez
Hudson Swafford
Jamal Allali
7:55
Peter Uihlein
Bernd Wiesberger
Marc Leishman
8:05
Kosuke Hamamoto
Jinichiro Kozuma
Chan Shih-chang
8:15
Chase Koepka
Pavit Tangkamolprasert
Rashid Khan
8:25
Taehoon Ok
Veer Ahlawat
Jbe Kruger
8:35
James Piot
Ajeetesh Sandhu
Sanghyun Park
8:45
Louis James Dobbelaar
Stefano Mazzoli
Kyongjun Moon
Hole 10
7:15
Carlos Ortiz
Kevin Na
Mito Pereira
7:25
Sadom Kaewkanjana
Ian Poulter
Jason Kokrak
7:35
Harold Varner III
Bubba Watson
Jazz Janewattananond
7:45
Bryson DeChambeau
Scott Hend
Cameron Smith
7:55
Patrick Reed
Joaquin Niemann
Sihwan Kim
8:05
Anirban Lahiri
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
8:15
Branden Grace
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Othman Ibrahim Almulla
8:25
Saud Alsharif
Trevor Simsby
Shergo Al Kurdi
8:35
Tom Lewis
Siddikur Rahman
Jediah Morgan
8:45
Tomoyo Ikemura
Taylor Dickson
Ding Wenyi
Hole 1
11:35
David Puig
Faisal Salhab
Justin Harding
11:45
Graeme McDowell
Cameron Young
Cameron Champ
11:55
Sergio Garcia
Sebastian Munoz
Scott Vincent
12:05
Brooks Koepka
Phil Mickelson
Abraham Ancer
12:15
Talor Gooch
Bio Kim
Matthew Wolff
12:25
Louis Oosthuizen
Lucas Herbert
Ratchanon Chantananuwat
12:35
Lee Westwood
Charl Schwartzel
Nitithorn Thippong
12:45
Eugenio Chacarra
Phachara Khongwatmai
Takumi Kanaya
12:55
Cameron Tringale
Yuki Inamori
Andy Ogletree
13:05
Minkyu Kim
Ervin Chang
Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra
13:15
Adam Bresnu
Issa Abouelela
Oihan Guillamoundeguy
Hole 10
11:35
Todd Sinnott
Kevin Yuan
Bjorn Hellgren
11:45
Angelo Que
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit
Miguel Carballo
11:55
Ian Snyman
Turk Pettit
Danthai Boonma
12:05
Shubhankar Sharma
Richard Bland
Hennie Du Plessis
12:15
Matt Jones
Hiroshi Iwata
Gaganjeet Bhullar
12:25
Berry Henson
Laurie Canter
Travis Smyth
12:35
Sarit Suwannarut
Shiv Kapur
Sam Horsfield
12:45
Ryosuke Kinoshita
Jarin Todd
Itthipat Buranatanyarat
12:55
Zach Murray
Yikeun Chang
Suradit Yongcharoenchai
13:05
Matt Killen
Quinn Riley
Filippo Celli
13:15
El Mehdi Fakori
Matthew Cheung
Baha Boulakmine

The post LOOK: Second-round tee times for the Saudi International appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Dustin Johnson, the two-time SAudi International Champion, pulled out of the 2023 tournament shortly before his first round of the year at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Thursday.

The 38-year-old American was forced to withdraw after ‘tweaking’ his back during practice for the Asian Tour $5 million event. He also withdrew from Wednesday’s Pro-Am and will now focus on his next event — the LIV Golf 2023 season opener in Mayakoba, Mexico, from February 24-26. He won the 2019 and 2021 editions of the SAudi International. 

The post Two-time champ Dustin Johnson withdraws from Saudi International appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Last November, soon after the end of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series, Bryson DeChambeau underwent a whole body scan.

No golfer is more intrigued by how the body functions and what it’s capable of achieving than the 29-year-old DeChambeau. But part of his motivation for the scan was prompted by what he failed to achieve in 2022. Coming off his first year since turning pro without a victory, DeChambeau -— as he naturally does, being the inquisitive sort — sought answers.

Sure, he could’ve written off the lack of results for a variety of reasons, including surgery in April to repair the fractured hook of the hamate bone in his left wrist, or his dramatic weight loss starting in August to shed the bulky frame he had famously built to gain distance. In less than a month, he dropped 18lbs and his gut inflammation level radically improved. He also took a zoomer peptide test that showed sensitivities to wheat, gluten, dairy, rice, corn and egg products — food products that his chef now avoids while making his meals and snacks.

Throw in the mid-year switch to LIV Golf, and it certainly was no normal year. DeChambeau just wanted to know if anything else needed addressing. The scan at Prenuvo in Dallas provided a revelation.

A retention cyst was found in his left maxillary sinus. Essentially, mucus had fallen into one of the pockets behind his face. Alerted to the problem, DeChambeau then met with Dr.Joseph Wyatt, an ENT specialist in Dallas. The diagnosis didn’t take long.

“In the first minute of looking at it, he goes: ‘Yeah, you’ve got like four or five problems. You should’ve been in surgery yesterday,’” DeChambeau recalled. “It wasn’t an emergency … but he’s like, that’s a big problem.”

It was a matter of air flow in his nasal passage. His vestibular system was being compromised by a chronic sinus infection. He simply wasn’t getting the oxygen he needed, and his nitric oxide levels were negatively impacted, producing his dizzy spells. After nearly two years of seeking the cause for his vertigo that first appeared at the 2020 Masters in November, DeChambeau finally knew why.

On December 15, DeChambeau underwent his second surgical procedure of the year, this time to remove the cyst and optimise his breathing passages. It was a success -— but the first few recovery days were brutal as he mouth-breathed to avoid stress on his repaired nose. The sore throat he developed was anything but ordinary. “Worst three-to-four days of my life,” he said.

But well worth it. For the first time in years, DeChambeau is breathing properly. The most basic of involuntary movements is now functioning properly.

“To get that fixed, it’s been the greatest decision of my life,” DeChambeau said. “My energy level is so much better. My clarity of thought is way better. I don’t know if you can tell, but my speech is a lot more fluent and I’m not stopping as much or pitching as much like I used to last year and before.

“I feel like I’m back to 2018 me.”

The 2018 DeChambeau, you may recall, won four times that year, including back-to-back weeks near Labour Day. It was his coming-out party as a golf superstar. Having started the year ranked 99th, he ended it ranked fifth.

Since then, he has remained one of golf’s most compelling figures, and in the reconstructed 2020 playing schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he captured his first major, the US Open in September. His winning margin at Winged Foot was six strokes over another future LIV golfer, Matthew Wolff. Only eight US Open champs have ever won by larger margins in the 122 years of the tournament.

More domination was expected. But eight weeks later, while playing the Masters, he experienced dizzy spells and was never a factor, finishing tied for 34th. Afterward, he underwent tests on both his ears and eyes, as well as an ultrasound on his heart. He began taking antibiotics, and made some lifestyle adjustments. But it took two more years to accurately diagnose the problem.

“I tried being healthier, eating healthier, working out more, brain training and all that,” he said. “None of it helped until I found out that my nose doesn’t have the proper airflow going through it.”

Had it not been for LIV Golf’s extended off-season, DeChambeau may still be searching for answers. The three months away from competition gave him enough time to have surgery, recover and get back into playing shape.

“I was degrading quickly,” he said. “Now, I’m eating healthier than ever and I’ve got my airflow back in my nose. LIV has allowed me to do all this. Being just completely transparent and upfront, I couldn’t really do it before. I would’ve been playing the Hero World Challenge. I would’ve been playing Kapalua. I’ve never had a good month-and-a-half time off. It was almost impossible for me. So I’m very thankful.

“By the way, for other people out there that don’t really know — having that time off for all of us is only going to help elongate our careers. We know it takes a toll on our bodies, but that’s something that people don’t understand fully. ‘Oh, you’re just playing golf.’ No, no, no. We’re swinging a club at 120mph every day, all day, and walking over eight miles a day. That’s going to take a toll on you. I don’t care if you’re (ultra-marathoner and ultra-distance cyclist) David Goggins, it’s going to take a toll on your body. At some point, you’ve got to recover.”

It wasn’t just addressing the physical side. The long off-season provided a much-needed mental break as well — although it began on a tragic note with the passing of his father Jon, who had battled diabetes for nearly three decades. The elder DeChambeau had required a kidney transplant and the amputation of his left leg in recent years but had managed to travel to Portland, Oregon, to watch DeChambeau’s LIV Golf debut during the summer.

At the memorial following the funeral in early November, Bryson listened intently as multiple people spoke about his father’s impact on the golfing community in California’s Central Valley. “I feel like I’m even closer to him,” he said. “I had my moments after he passed … but all I needed was confirmation that he’s OK, he’s in a better place, and he’s not hurting anymore, which is the most important thing.”

DeChambeau then put away the clubs for an extended time, and focused on other projects, like completing his new house. He also started some new business ventures, looking at his long-range future.

“It’s been six years of nonstop, go-go-go, all golf,” DeChambeau said. “I just needed a bit of a break …

“Last year, I feel like was a reset year. This year is a building year. I feel like it’s an opportunity to show off what I know how to do best, which is play golf at the highest level. I know some people will not believe that playing golf at the highest level is with LIV, but for me it is.

“I still have a passion to be the best player in the world. And however that ranking metric goes is how it goes. That’s for another discussion. But this off-season has been great preparation mentally for me.”

One other significant development for DeChambeau’s game is that he’s no longer chasing distance, at least not as aggressively as before. He’s come to the realisation that current technology in golf equipment limits the ability to maximise ball speed without suffering serious consequences.

“Technology is not up to par with the way golfers can perform at high speeds,” he said. “Anything over 185mph — good luck trying to control it right now.

“We’re still on a pursuit to who can make a driver that can work it at 200 anywhere and everywhere on the face and still goes in the fairway. When that day comes, that’s going to be eye-opening for a lot of individuals because they will be optimising ball speeds at 195, which can fly 360 yards. And that’s going to change the game forever. But we’re not there yet.”

While the distance chase is on hold, DeChambeau is comfortable with his current numbers, such as 230 yards for his 7-iron, 210-15 for his 8-iron, 195 for his 9-iron. And despite all the issues last year, he still led LIV Golf in driving distance average last year at 327.1 yards.

“All awesome stuff to have as part of my tool kit,” he said. “Now, it’s about: ‘Let’s go play some golf and win some tournaments.’”

It’s been 31 starts since his last victory; his best result after joining LIV Golf last season was a tie for eight in Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms. The chase for wins begins this week at the PIF Saudi International, where he is paired at Royal Greens with fellow LIV Golf franchise captains Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith for the first two rounds. Later in the month he’ll be in Mayakoba for the LIV Golf League season opener, resuming his duties as the leader of Crushers.

He enters 2023 in the best shape of his life. Full of confidence. Full of hope. Instead of chasing distance, he’s chasing the past. He wants to perform like the Bryson of 2018.

“I’m getting to a place where I’ve started to feel I can become dominant again like I was in 2018,” he said. “I feel as healthy and clean as ever. I feel like a kid again. I’ve got more energy, more clarity of thought than I’ve had in a long time. That’s a scary combo.”

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