In a landmark development announced today, the 2022 Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers will be sanctioned by the Asian Tour as part of a new 10-year partnership.
The fourth edition of the tournament will continue to be staged at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club near Jeddah and will take place on February 3-6, 2022, featuring an increased purse of US$5 million – up from US$3.5 million. In 2021, the Saudi International boasted one of the strongest fields in golf including then World No 1 Dustin Johnson, with world ranking points behind only the Majors and a select few other tournaments.
The Asian Tour partnership represents a revitalised strategy, intended to elevate the well-established event in significant emerging markets
“Today marks a significant development for our flagship golf event and our vision to strengthen the depth of world-class golf events, both in the GCC and also on the international stage,” said Majed Al-Sorour, CEO of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation.
“The importance and potential of Asia’s role in world golf is undeniable, not least due to its position as a global economic powerhouse. This partnership will unlock many opportunities for players, sponsors and fans of the game. Most importantly, we are eager to help build a more inclusive game for all eligible professional golfers that spans borders and cultures by fostering collaboration with major tours and see this as an exciting first step on that journey.”
The Asian Tour’s sanctioning of the championship will open new commercial prospects and enable a greater number of professional golfers to qualify and compete for life-changing opportunities. The tour’s commissioner and chief executive officer, Cho Minn Thant, noted: “This is an outstanding development for the Asian Tour that will create significant benefits for our membership, key stakeholders, and fans alike.
“The Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers is a world-class tournament which has become truly global. We are thrilled that it will be the showcase event of the Asian Tour’s season, spearheading our expansion into new frontiers.”
Malaysia’s Gavin Green in action at last year’s Saudi International (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
While the Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers will mark the start of a revamped 2022 schedule, the Asian Tour is also in the process of finalising plans to complete its combined 2020/2021 schedule, which will be announced in due course.
The Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers is managed by IMG, a leading golf and sports management group. The tournament was previously sanctioned by the European Tour.
