A good reason for Saudi Arabia and Golf Saudi to cheer is when the Asian Development Tour will visit the Riyadh Golf Club in December. This is the first visit of ADT to the kingdom.
Boasting a prize fund of US$75,000, Golf Saudi-managed Riyadh Golf Club will play host to the inaugural Saudi Open from December 8-10.
As well as highlighting the ADT’s rapid expansion this year, the event is a further sign of the strengthening of ties between the Asian Tour and Golf Saudi.
Last year, Golf Saudi entered a 10-year partnership with the Asian Tour. As a result of that alignment, the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers has become the opening event on the Asian Tour’s annual calendar.
Managed by Golf Saudi and playing to a par of 72, the Riyadh Golf Club is 20 minutes from Riyadh city center. The course, opened in 2005, is characterized by undulating terrain, wide fairways, and manicured greens.
Asian Development Tour (ADT)
The ADT staged its 10th event of the season at the weekend, the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in Indonesia. Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai took the title in a nail-biting finish, that saw his compatriot Chonlatit Chuenboonngam tie for second and keep the lead on the ADT’s Order of Merit standings.
The ADT visits Vietnam this week for the first time in its 12-year history, for the BRG Open Golf Championship at BRG Da Nang Golf Resort, from August 31 – September 2.
The ADT has been a springboard to the Asian Tour for dozens of players, including reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim of Korea and American John Catlin, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour.
