Every single one of these eight golfers featured on Monday’s list of confirmed players for the 2022 tournament, which will be held from February 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.
A Pebble Beach champion five times over One of the greatest golfers of all time: Phil Mickelson Johnson, Dustin (2020) is the champion Golfers such as Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia will join Abraham Ancer and Lee Westwood in Saudi Arabia in 2022, along with Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Paul Casey, Jason Dufner, Shane Lowry, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Xander Schauffele, Henrik Stenson and Harold Varner III.
Golf’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is the backdrop for this tournament. In the past, the PGA Tour had said that its members would not be granted waivers to participate in the Saudi International. Prior to this year, when the Saudi International was a European Tour event, Tour members were allowed waivers for the first three rounds of the tournament. The PGA and European Tours declared a strategic collaboration last summer, which was largely perceived as a combined effort to stifle any competing tour.
The 2022 Saudi International will feature the strongest field in the history of the Asian Tour when it debuts as part of the calendar. When the Asian Tour was founded, the Saudi Arabian government made a $100 million investment in it.
Saudi International and Golf Saudi’s cooperation with Asian Tour “helped usher in a new generation of professional golf,” said Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant in a statement. As long as the sport is given the appropriate guidance, it will benefit the most, with more top athletes from across a broader geographic spectrum and greater interest from a more diversified and devoted collection of stakeholders.
Critics have accused the government of Saudi Arabia of trying to “sportswash” its human rights violations by launching a new golf enterprise financed by the Public Investment Fund, which acts on behalf of Saudi Arabia’s government.
The PGA Tour has not granted releases for members to play the Saudi International. The Tour has until 30 days before the first round to decide on waivers. Per previous reporting, players who compete without a waiver would likely only face a fine.
— Eamon Lynch (@eamonlynch) November 29, 2021
It’s impossible to deny that the finest players in the world have a significant impact on developing multi-generational interest in the sport. The Saudi Golf Federation and CEO Majed Al-Sorour made this point in a statement to the media, saying, “This is why we lay such enormous emphasis on securing the strongest field possible each and every year.” However, we will not allow ourselves to be sidetracked from our long-term goals by any external voices, we have been encouraged by the strengthening discussions about the significance of fresh competition and innovation in the professional game.
As strong proponents of this idea, we believe that it is the only way to maximize golf’s global potential and unlock its enormous potential. It’s better for the sport if the competition is healthy and courteous, rather than aggressive, as all parties strive for new ways to improve this beautiful game.”
