PIF SAUDI INTERNATIONAL AT ROYAL GREENS CLUB 2023

PIF SAUDI INTERNATIONAL AT ROYAL GREENS CLUB, SAUDI ARABI Feb 6, 2023

Feb 2-Feb 5 2023 Royal Greens G.C. PURSE $5,000,000 same as last year PAR 70 

Fifth edition of the Asian Tour event                                    

THIS TOURNAMENT WILL BE THE FIRST IN THE LIV PORTION OF MY BLOG.  

It is not sanctioned or sponsored by LIV, PGA or DP World Tour.  It is part of the Asian Tour and will have 30 of its members participating, along with payers from LIV, DP World Tour and PGA players who have obtained a release.  This event is funded by the Public Investment Fund which funds the LIV and has invested $200m in the future of the Asian Tour.

Harold Varner III won this tournament last year.  The winners share was $1,000,000. 

As it was last year, the tournament runs the same week as the AT&T Pebble Beach which has a purse this year of $9,000,000 up $300,000 +3%.  Tom Hoge defeated Jordon Spieth by 2 strokes at Pebble Beach and won $1,556,000.

PGA players who played last year were Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Matt Wolff, Ian Pouter, Lee Westwood, Joaquin Niemann, Abraham Ancer, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na, Patrick Reed, Jason Kokrak, Henrick Stenson, 

Harold Varner III, Bryson DeChambeau who withdrew after the opening round due to an injury.

All of these players defected to LIV.  Tony Finau, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood competed but remained with the PGA. 

All 48 LIV players who competed in last years Team Championship in Miami were scheduled to be in the field. Dustin Johnson withdrew after tweaking his back.  Bubba Watson will be playing for the first time in 8 months due to a knee injury.  He was one of the Captains of the 12 teams, but due to the injury, Harold Varner III was acting Captain.

PGA players granted a release to play are; Cameron Young, Sebastian Munoz ranked #90 and is expected to join LIV, Cameron Champ, Lucas Herbert.

FIRST ROUND

#1 Abraham Ancer-7

#2 Sebastian Munoz-6

#3 Garcia, Oosthuizen, Young-5

#9 Reed, Bland, Horsfield

#38 Mickelson E, #111 Watson+6

SECOND ROUND 2 PGA players in top 20

#1 Ancer-13

#2 Young-10

#3 Oosthuzien-8

#11 Reed-5

#19 Cameron Champ, Brooks Koepke-4

CUT LINE E Notables missed; Mickelson+1, Watson+2,(#2 last year) DeChambeau+7

THIRD ROUND

#1 Ancer-17 Shot 2nd lowest  round 64 5 birdies no bogies.  

#2 Young-15 Shot 65 7 birdies 2 bogies

#3 Herbert-10 Shot 67 4 birdies 2 bogies.  Australian, one of the PGA players.

#3 Wolf-10 Shot low round 63 8 birdies 2 bogies

#14 Reed-6 Shot 5 birdies but 2 bogies and a double bogie on Par 4 #9.

#19 Oosthuizen,  Champ & Koepka-5. #45 Varner III-2

FINAL ROUND

#1 Ancer-19 261 $1m Led wire to wire, 6 strokes better than 2022 winner 

#2 Young-17 263 $525K Double bogie on 15 cost him chance at playoff

#3 Herbert-15 265 $315K Birdied 18 to shoot lowest round and finish 3rd

#4 Kaewkanjana-14 266 $250K Two time winner on Asian Tour. OWGR #108

#5 Casey-13 267 $205K At 45, also finished in top 6 at 3 LIV events in 2022