LIV Golf players eagerly scout Riyadh Golf Club ahead of next year’s season opener
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Joaquin Niemann has two primary objectives at this week’s PIF Saudi International.
No. 1, of course, is to win the tournament. He’s in good shape to achieve that objective as one of four co-leaders through 36 holes.
No. 2 is to get familiar with Riyadh Golf Club. Like many of the LIV Golf players in the field, Niemann is using this week as a de facto scouting mission for the 2025 LIV Golf Riyadh season opener set here for Feb. 6-8.
“It’s a good combination,” said the Torque GC captain. “I can work on the lines I’m trying to see, the different conditions, different winds, see how the ball reacts out of the rough and the bunkers.
“It’s a good week to learn for what’s coming in February.”
Of the 120 golfers in the field, 43 played full-time on LIV Golf in 2024, and most are scheduled to return next year. Few had seen the 7,246-yard par-71 Riyadh Golf Club until this week. The three previous LIV Golf tournaments held in Saudi Arabia were at Royal Greens outside Jeddah.
But with this week’s PIF Saudi International, next week’s LIV Golf Promotions and next February’s LIV Golf Saudi Arabia all held in Riyadh, the course – which opened in 2005 – will have a huge impact on how things shake out in terms of field makeup and tournament results. It’s no wonder so many LIV Golf players made the trek here.
“Most of the guys want to see the course before we start the 2025 season,” said Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer. “It doesn’t really change the way we approach the tournament but it’s always good if you have seen a golf course before. We have only 14 events and we can’t really afford to go to a course and just see how it goes. You’ve got to be as ready as possible.”
“It’s a great field this week,” said Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith, who traveled from Australia to play his fifth event in the last six weeks. “It’s basically like a LIV field with some extras.”
Despite his jet lag, Smith is tied for the lead after Thursday’s 7-under 64 left him at 11 under with Niemann and another LIV Golf player, Peter Uihlein, along with Logan McAllister, a Korn Ferry Tour player this year.
All of Smith’s Ripper teammates are in the field, with Matt Jones just two shots off the lead and Lucas Herbert also making the cut. In fact, seven LIV Golf teams had their full roster in action – including 4Aces GC, which actually had five representatives after trading for Thomas Pieters this week. All of Pieters’ former RangeGoats teammates are also playing.
There was at least one representative from each of the 13 teams, along with both Wild Card players, Anthony Kim and Hudson Swafford.
“Amazing,” Pieters said. “Just the fact that all these guys made the effort to come over and play here – there’s something to be said for that.”
Most of them will have all four rounds to learn the course, as 28 LIV golfers were among the 72 players who made the cut. That includes seven of the top 10 players on the leaderboard. Besides the co-leaders, Legion XIII’s Tyrrell Hatton and Smash GC’s Jason Kokrak are tied for fifth at 10 under, while Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen and Jones are tied for ninth at 9 under.
What they’ve found thus far is a course that offers plenty of scoring opportunities despite greens that have been challenging to figure out due to a variety of factors. The pros expect greens conditions to improve and firm up by February.
“This course, there are no blind spots,” said Hatton, who matched the low round on Thursday with an 8-under 63. “It’s all in front of you. So for all of us, we kind of know our lines now.
“I guess when we came back in February, we all hope the course is in its best condition. With that being said, I think scoring will still be pretty low. Should be an interesting way to start the LIV season.”
There will be comparisons to Royal Greens.
Said Smith: “I think the course itself is actually really similar to the one we play in Jeddah. Feel like the conditions as far as the wind and stuff like that are a bit more enjoyable to play (in Riyadh) because it just blows so much there.”
Legion XIII's Caleb Surratt compared Riyadh to another kind of course.
"It reminds me of the courses in Arizona," said the 20-year-old. "It feels very similar to the way the courses are maintained and built. It's just like desert golf. I love it."
No matter what the players learn this week, a championship remains the biggest prize. For those in contention entering the final two rounds, scouting reports will take a backseat to chasing the trophy.
“You have to give the tournament its due respect,” said Crushers GC’s Anirban Lahiri, speaking before he missed the cut by one shot. “If I was to say I’m here just to take a look at the course, that’s awful. But that’s not the case. I’m here to try to play my best golf and try to contend – which does not seem to be happening thus far.
“But it did serve a purpose in coming here to take a look and familiarize yourself with the course to come.”
(Cameron Smith image by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour)