Saudi Arabia’s amateur golfer Faisal Salhab is looking forward to playing in the 2022 PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers in what will be his third appearance at the tournament.
Salhab deservedly earned his spot after claiming victory in the 54-hole Saudi Open, following an intense battle that saw 88 professional and amateur golfers from 27 Middle Eastern and North African countries compete at the Riyadh Golf Club.
Rubbing shoulders and competing against the world’s best golfers during the star-studded $5 million Saudi International tournament at the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is not something that the 25-year-old takes for granted.
Faisal Salhab of Saudi Arabia at the 2020 Saudi International. (Photo by Andrew Redington/WME IMG/WME IMG via Getty Images )
“It means a lot to take part in the Saudi International once again, especially considering I received the invite after winning the Saudi Open. I will never forget the reaction when we first saw the names announced for the tournament this year. Some of the national team players and I started jumping up and down, we were so excited. It is incredible to think how far Saudi Arabia has come in the world of golf and to now see these players compete in our country,” said Salhab.
Taking place at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, the February 3-6th 2022 event will be the Saudi International’s first edition as part of the Asian Tour, following the announcement of a ten-year partnership between the Tour and Golf Saudi. Global superstars confirmed include the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson – the strongest line-up ever in Saudi Arabia’s history.
Saudi’s National Team golfers are in a rich vein of form, which saw them convincingly clinch the title of the 40th edition of the Arab Golf Championship over ten countries by a comfortable nine-shot margin. Saud Alsharif also bagged a trophy earlier this month at the Jordan Open, with events like Saudi International inspiring the Kingdom’s most promising talent in the region.
In addition to his recent title wins, Salhab has made significant career strides this year, having gained valuable experience in numerous Asian Tour tournaments, most recently alongside Saudi Arabia National Team teammates Othman Almulla, Alsharif and Abdulrahman Almansour at Thailand’s Laguna Phuket Championship.
Faisal said, “Winning the Saudi Open is a great testament to the importance of more regular competition. With just over one month to go till the tournament starts, I will hopefully be in an even better form this year compared to other years where I perhaps lacked the desired playing time. I already feel ready more than ever after taking part in the Saudi International over the last two years.
I think my newly gained experiences will be the real difference this year as they didn’t just develop my golf skills but also enabled me to grow as a person. There’s absolutely no doubt it will be another tough challenge, but my main goal is to make the cut and not let any nerves get the best of me,” he added.
Faisal Salhab of Saudi Arabia plays from a bunker on the 4th hole during Day Two of the 2020 Saudi International. (Photo by Andrew Redington/WME IMG/WME IMG via Getty Images )
Playing on his home turf and in front of a local crowd is something that Faisal especially looks forward to. He’s calling on fans of all ages to join in the fun and watch him take part alongside the world’s elite against the stunning backdrop of the Red Sea.
“I encourage all Saudis, despite their level of interest in golf, to come out and support the players and the events that everyone in Golf Saudi works tirelessly hard in organising. The quality of the tournament is incredible and not to be missed. Seeing the world’s elite golfers compete in the Kingdom is something that every Saudi should cherish,” he concluded.
Fans can watch Faisal Salhab and fellow National Team teammate, the Kingdom’s first professional golfer Othman Almulla, take to the course against the world’s best golfers by purchasing tickets for the Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers by clicking here.
