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New Post: Season-Ending Switch for Saudi Showpiece - https://lnkd.in/g52VEuiR, Saudi Arabia: The US$5 million PIF Saudi International will move into the season-ending position for both the Asian Tour and The International Series.  Riyadh Golf Club will stage the season-ending PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, in December. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The US$5 million PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, will move into the coveted season-ending position for both the Asian Tour and The International Series.  To take place from December 4-7, the tournament will make its debut at Riyadh Golf Club after five successful years at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City. “We are delighted to be taking this prestigious event to Riyadh Golf Club. Securing this key date and being positioned as the finale to the Asian Tour and The International Series adds to the significance of the PIF Saudi International, powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, as we see it grow in stature with each edition,” said Noah Alireza, CEO at Golf Saudi, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation. Opened in 2005, Riyadh Golf Club is the capital’s premier golf course. Its par-72 layout is set across 7,434-yards of undulating fairways and has played host to many of the Kingdom’s leading tournaments, including the Saudi Open presented by PIF, the Aramco Team Series Riyadh, and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. The first players to be confirmed for the December event are defending champion Abraham Ancer, 2022 champion Harold Varner III, winner in 2019 and 2021 Dustin Johnson, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Smith, who finished runner up to Mexican Ancer in 2023, said: “I am really looking forward to visiting Riyadh for the first time. From what I have read, there is so much going on there with some great sports facilities for grass-roots and professionals being put in place. “We have also heard lots of good things about the championship course at Riyadh Golf Club. Looking at the design and reputation of the course, I reckon it is going to provide us with a real test as we try to stay both out of the water and out in front of what will be another world-class field at the PIF Saudi International.” For the first time this year, the PIF Saudi International will finish on the Saturday in order to align with the final two days with the weekend in the Kingdom as players take aim at the US$1 million first prize and what is considered the most prestigious title on the Asian Tour. The tournament is the last of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar that offer a direct pathway for players from all over the world onto the LIV Golf League. The champion of the season-ending International Series Rankings will secure a spot on the 2025 LIV Golf League roster. In 2

New Post: Golf Saudi Set for Shenzhen Showcase - https://lnkd.in/gsBJeT-p Golf Industry FederationShenzhen, China: China’s top talents will lock horns with LPGA Tour stars at the Golf Saudi and China Golf Association-organised Aramco Team Series presented by PIF. Yin Ruoning will make her Aramco team Series debut in Shenzhen next month. Picture by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images. Shenzhen, China: China’s top talents will lock horns with LPGA Tour stars at this season’s Golf Saudi and China Golf Association (CGA) organised Aramco Team Series presented by PIF. Headlining the event at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen from October 4-6 will be Yin Ruoning, Lin Xiyu, Alison Lee, Muni He and Angel Yin. At the age of 21, world number five Yin Ruoning, China’s top golfer, already boasts a remarkable career. With a Major title win at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the record for most consecutive wins on the China LPGA Tour, Yin is a force to be reckoned with. Fresh from her victory at the Dow Championship, where she teamed up with Thailand’s Atthaya Thitkul, Yin is eager to compete in another team event, especially in front of a home crowd. “I’ve heard a lot about the Aramco Team Series from other players on Tour who say how much fun it is to play as part of a team,” said Yin. “It’s a unique event, and after enjoying the team format at the Dow Championship, I’m excited to debut in this series. I can’t wait to play before a home crowd and feed off their energy.” Joining Yin in the starting line-up will be Lin Xiyu, bronze medallist at August’s Paris Olympics. She returns as the defending champion. After the final day of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Hong Kong was called off due to bad weather last year, Lin triumphed in a play-off against Ko Jin-young. Now, Lin is looking for her first win since that event and hopes to leverage her experience to defend her title. Lin said: “Playing in Hong Kong last year was a great experience, even with the shortened tournament due to the rain. I’m hoping we’ll get to play all three days this time around! “Returning as the defending individual champion, I always strive to do my best. Still, I’m especially excited to see such a high-calibre tournament being brought to mainland China and the talented field it attracts.” Organised by Golf Saudi, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF contributes an annual prize fund of US$5 million to the Ladies European Tour (LET), bringing its unique and exciting team format to players and fans across three continents throughout the year. This Shenzhen edition, organised in partnership with the CGA, marks the fourth stop in the 2024 series, and will bring together 28 teams of three professionals and one amateur to compete in a team competition over two days. Additionally, a three-day individual stroke play competition will see players battle for the in

New Post: Golf Saudi Set for Shenzhen Showcase - https://lnkd.in/gNbvZJXB Golf Industry FederationShenzhen, China: China’s top talents will lock horns with LPGA Tour stars at the Golf Saudi and China Golf Association-organised Aramco Team Series presented by PIF. Yin Ruoning will make her Aramco team Series debut in Shenzhen next month. Picture by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images. Shenzhen, China: China’s top talents will lock horns with LPGA Tour stars at this season’s Golf Saudi and China Golf Association (CGA) organised Aramco Team Series presented by PIF. Headlining the event at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen from October 4-6 will be Yin Ruoning, Lin Xiyu, Alison Lee, Muni He and Angel Yin. At the age of 21, world number five Yin Ruoning, China’s top golfer, already boasts a remarkable career. With a Major title win at the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the record for most consecutive wins on the China LPGA Tour, Yin is a force to be reckoned with. Fresh from her victory at the Dow Championship, where she teamed up with Thailand’s Atthaya Thitkul, Yin is eager to compete in another team event, especially in front of a home crowd. “I’ve heard a lot about the Aramco Team Series from other players on Tour who say how much fun it is to play as part of a team,” said Yin. “It’s a unique event, and after enjoying the team format at the Dow Championship, I’m excited to debut in this series. I can’t wait to play before a home crowd and feed off their energy.” Joining Yin in the starting line-up will be Lin Xiyu, bronze medallist at August’s Paris Olympics. She returns as the defending champion. After the final day of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Hong Kong was called off due to bad weather last year, Lin triumphed in a play-off against Ko Jin-young. Now, Lin is looking for her first win since that event and hopes to leverage her experience to defend her title. Lin said: “Playing in Hong Kong last year was a great experience, even with the shortened tournament due to the rain. I’m hoping we’ll get to play all three days this time around! “Returning as the defending individual champion, I always strive to do my best. Still, I’m especially excited to see such a high-calibre tournament being brought to mainland China and the talented field it attracts.” Organised by Golf Saudi, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF contributes an annual prize fund of US$5 million to the Ladies European Tour (LET), bringing its unique and exciting team format to players and fans across three continents throughout the year. This Shenzhen edition, organised in partnership with the CGA, marks the fourth stop in the 2024 series, and will bring together 28 teams of three professionals and one amateur to compete in a team competition over two days. Additionally, a three-day individual stroke play competition will see players battle for the in

New Post: Reed Dominates at Hong Kong Golf Club - https://lnkd.in/gVqvBy4W Golf Industry FederationHong Kong SAR, China: Patrick Reed stormed to a runaway victory in the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open, registering his first victory in four years. Patrick Reed raises aloft the Link Hong Kong Open trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour. Hong Kong SAR, China: Patrick Reed stormed to a runaway victory in the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open, registering his first victory in four years. After his off-the-charts 11-under-par 59 in Saturday’s third round at the Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC), the American signed off with a 66 to finish on 22-under, giving him a convincing three-stroke victory over New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, the 2023 champion. Campbell ended his excellent defence with a 65, while Japan’s Kazuki Higa shot a 63 to claim third, another shot back. Australian Wade Ormsby, a winner here in 2017 and 2020, shared fourth with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana. They both fired 65s. Hong Kong’s top golfer Taichi Kho returned a 66 to tie for sixth – his best result of the year, and his best finish in an event which means so much to him. Any concerns that Reed, who started the day three ahead, would have difficulty shooting another low round following yesterday’s heroics were quickly dispelled when he birdied four in a row from the third for a six-shot cushion. At the turn he had a gaping seven-shot advantage to be in complete control. Dropped shots on 15 and the last while his nearest challengers were making birdies closed the gap, but it remained a foregone conclusion. “Nothing like coming to a place that I know pretty well and love the golf course,” said the 34-year-old Texan, who plans to play in the final two events of the season: next week’s International Series Qatar and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, the week after. “I love how it makes me think about golf shots and you have to be creative around this place. So, to be able to come out and play the way like I did on the weekend. It always helps shooting 59, but the biggest thing, the hardest part, was today.” It is his maiden title on the Asian Tour and also his first victory since the Farmers Insurance Open success on the PGA Tour in 2021 – not including his two team wins with 4Aces GC on the LIV Golf League in 2023. He added: “Kind of going out there and forgetting about the 59 and going out, even though I had a three-shot lead, to try to expand on that. The goal was to go out there and make a couple birdies early, get up on top, so then on the back nine I could just kind of hit fairways and middle of the greens. “When I was able to birdie 13, then it just kind of got into really boring golf which led to two mistakes. But the last one, I was not ever going to take that on.” Campbell had a phenomenal back nine, making five birdies, but Reed was

In the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship, five Japanese players finished in the top ten, with Yuka Saso claiming victory and Hinako Shibuno securing second place. We spoke to Hitoshi Takakuwa of the golf media outlet ALBA Net to uncover the secrets behind this impressive performance. - https://lnkd.in/gfpFzZPf TOKYO, Jun 04 (News On Japan) - In the U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship, five Japanese players finished in the top ten, with Yuka Saso claiming victory and Hinako Shibuno securing second place. We spoke to Hitoshi Takakuwa of the golf media outlet ALBA Net to uncover the secrets behind this impressive performance. The first secret lies in the 'Three Brilliant Generations.' This concept refers to three distinct generations of Japanese golfers. The 'Golden Generation' includes players like Shibuno, who were inspired by the achievements of Ai Miyazato. Following them is the 'Platinum Generation,' featuring players like Ayaka Furue, motivated by the successes of the Golden Generation. The youngest, the 'Diamond Generation,' includes players such as Reo Takeda, who are striving to excel in the sport. The five players who made it into the top ten at the U.S. Women's Open belong to these generations, showcasing the depth of talent across these age groups. The second secret is found in 'Domestic Tournament Reforms.' Historically, domestic tournaments in Japan were three-day events. However, they have recently been extended to four days, aligning with international standards. Additionally, more challenging courses are now being used to help players enhance their skills, preparing them better for international competitions. Source: ANN https://lnkd.in/gaKTeVyT Source

In the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship, five Japanese players finished in the top ten, with Yuka Saso claiming victory and Hinako Shibuno securing second place. We spoke to Hitoshi Takakuwa of the golf media outlet ALBA Net to uncover the secrets behind this impressive performance. - https://lnkd.in/gfpFzZPf TOKYO, Jun 04 (News On Japan) - In the U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship, five Japanese players finished in the top ten, with Yuka Saso claiming victory and Hinako Shibuno securing second place. We spoke to Hitoshi Takakuwa of the golf media outlet ALBA Net to uncover the secrets behind this impressive performance. The first secret lies in the 'Three Brilliant Generations.' This concept refers to three distinct generations of Japanese golfers. The 'Golden Generation' includes players like Shibuno, who were inspired by the achievements of Ai Miyazato. Following them is the 'Platinum Generation,' featuring players like Ayaka Furue, motivated by the successes of the Golden Generation. The youngest, the 'Diamond Generation,' includes players such as Reo Takeda, who are striving to excel in the sport. The five players who made it into the top ten at the U.S. Women's Open belong to these generations, showcasing the depth of talent across these age groups. The second secret is found in 'Domestic Tournament Reforms.' Historically, domestic tournaments in Japan were three-day events. However, they have recently been extended to four days, aligning with international standards. Additionally, more challenging courses are now being used to help players enhance their skills, preparing them better for international competitions. Source: ANN https://lnkd.in/gaKTeVyT Source

New Post: Reed Dominates at Hong Kong Golf Club - https://lnkd.in/gaKXisnA Golf Industry FederationHong Kong SAR, China: Patrick Reed stormed to a runaway victory in the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open, registering his first victory in four years. Patrick Reed raises aloft the Link Hong Kong Open trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour. Hong Kong SAR, China: Patrick Reed stormed to a runaway victory in the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open, registering his first victory in four years. After his off-the-charts 11-under-par 59 in Saturday’s third round at the Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC), the American signed off with a 66 to finish on 22-under, giving him a convincing three-stroke victory over New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, the 2023 champion. Campbell ended his excellent defence with a 65, while Japan’s Kazuki Higa shot a 63 to claim third, another shot back. Australian Wade Ormsby, a winner here in 2017 and 2020, shared fourth with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana. They both fired 65s. Hong Kong’s top golfer Taichi Kho returned a 66 to tie for sixth – his best result of the year, and his best finish in an event which means so much to him. Any concerns that Reed, who started the day three ahead, would have difficulty shooting another low round following yesterday’s heroics were quickly dispelled when he birdied four in a row from the third for a six-shot cushion. At the turn he had a gaping seven-shot advantage to be in complete control. Dropped shots on 15 and the last while his nearest challengers were making birdies closed the gap, but it remained a foregone conclusion. “Nothing like coming to a place that I know pretty well and love the golf course,” said the 34-year-old Texan, who plans to play in the final two events of the season: next week’s International Series Qatar and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, the week after. “I love how it makes me think about golf shots and you have to be creative around this place. So, to be able to come out and play the way like I did on the weekend. It always helps shooting 59, but the biggest thing, the hardest part, was today.” It is his maiden title on the Asian Tour and also his first victory since the Farmers Insurance Open success on the PGA Tour in 2021 – not including his two team wins with 4Aces GC on the LIV Golf League in 2023. He added: “Kind of going out there and forgetting about the 59 and going out, even though I had a three-shot lead, to try to expand on that. The goal was to go out there and make a couple birdies early, get up on top, so then on the back nine I could just kind of hit fairways and middle of the greens. “When I was able to birdie 13, then it just kind of got into really boring golf which led to two mistakes. But the last one, I was not ever going to take that on.” Campbell had a phenomenal back nine, making five birdies, but Reed was

New Post: International Series’ Passage to India - https://lnkd.in/gEmJ9kQk Golf Industry FederationDelhi, India: The International Series will make its first entry into the sub-continent next year, bringing the stars of the LIV Golf League and Asian Tour to the DLF Golf and Country Club. Delhi, India: The International Series will make its historic first entry into the sub-continent next year, bringing the stars of the LIV Golf League and Asian Tour to International Series India presented by DLF. It will be the opening tournament on a ground-breaking 2025 calendar for the LIV Golf League-backed set of 10 Asian Tour events. The high-profile US$2 million event will take place at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, on the outskirts of Delhi from January 30 to February 2. It is the first of 10 events on a carefully curated schedule that offers a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the end-of-season rankings champion. In a special launch event on the sidelines of last week’s PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, Indian Anirban Lahiri (pictured above) confirmed he will compete in the 2025 curtain-raiser, accompanied by other LIV Golf League stablemates. Aligning with an over-arching LIV Golf League schedule, next year’s event is positioned just before the season-opening LIV Golf Riyadh in Saudi Arabia from February 6-8, bringing some of the biggest names to the Gary Player-designed course. DLF’s joint Managing Director and Chief Business Officer Aakash Ohri said: “DLF consistently represents the best-in-class across property development and real estate in India, and this ground-breaking partnership with LIV Golf and The International Series fits our outlook, bringing a best-in-class sporting event to India and showcasing our offering in and around DLF Golf and Country Club. “We are confident the course will offer the world’s best a stern test, and we are looking forward to welcoming India’s golf fans – and sports fans from all over the world – to experience Gurugram and India.” Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “It is no secret that India is a key market in world golf, and partnering with DLF to bring this tournament to the sub-continent is a landmark for The International Series. “It is further compelling evidence of the strength of The International Series as we enter our fourth season. We look forward to making further exciting announcements in due course that will bring our brand of golf to a number of key territories around the world.” Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The International Series events are blue chip events on our calendar which are hugely popular with our players. Bringing the Tour to India, and the unique DLF Golf and Country Club next year, is a major milestone which will offer something new and different for th

New Post: International Series’ Passage to India - https://lnkd.in/g5zHUU3u Golf Industry FederationDelhi, India: The International Series will make its first entry into the sub-continent next year, bringing the stars of the LIV Golf League and Asian Tour to the DLF Golf and Country Club. Delhi, India: The International Series will make its historic first entry into the sub-continent next year, bringing the stars of the LIV Golf League and Asian Tour to International Series India presented by DLF. It will be the opening tournament on a ground-breaking 2025 calendar for the LIV Golf League-backed set of 10 Asian Tour events. The high-profile US$2 million event will take place at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, on the outskirts of Delhi from January 30 to February 2. It is the first of 10 events on a carefully curated schedule that offers a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the end-of-season rankings champion. In a special launch event on the sidelines of last week’s PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, Indian Anirban Lahiri (pictured above) confirmed he will compete in the 2025 curtain-raiser, accompanied by other LIV Golf League stablemates. Aligning with an over-arching LIV Golf League schedule, next year’s event is positioned just before the season-opening LIV Golf Riyadh in Saudi Arabia from February 6-8, bringing some of the biggest names to the Gary Player-designed course. DLF’s joint Managing Director and Chief Business Officer Aakash Ohri said: “DLF consistently represents the best-in-class across property development and real estate in India, and this ground-breaking partnership with LIV Golf and The International Series fits our outlook, bringing a best-in-class sporting event to India and showcasing our offering in and around DLF Golf and Country Club. “We are confident the course will offer the world’s best a stern test, and we are looking forward to welcoming India’s golf fans – and sports fans from all over the world – to experience Gurugram and India.” Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “It is no secret that India is a key market in world golf, and partnering with DLF to bring this tournament to the sub-continent is a landmark for The International Series. “It is further compelling evidence of the strength of The International Series as we enter our fourth season. We look forward to making further exciting announcements in due course that will bring our brand of golf to a number of key territories around the world.” Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The International Series events are blue chip events on our calendar which are hugely popular with our players. Bringing the Tour to India, and the unique DLF Golf and Country Club next year, is a major milestone which will offer something new and different for th

New Post: Golf Participation Continues to Grow - https://lnkd.in/g2gWb5AU Golf Industry FederationSt Andrews, Scotland: The R&A has announced new participation figures that show an increase of more than three million adult golfers playing the sport.   Golf participation is continuing to grow. Picture by The R&A. St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A has announced new participation figures that show an increase of more than three million adult golfers playing the sport.  According to new research undertaken for the governing body, there are now 42.7 million on-course golfers (nine and 18-hole) in R&A affiliated markets (outside the USA and Mexico).The research figures for 2023 indicate a growth of 3.1 million on-course golfers since 2022. The growth trend began before the onset of Covid-19 and is now accelerating faster than the 2020-2022 pandemic period when there was an average of 2.5 million new on-course golfers per annum. The sport continues to increase in popularity, now up 44% from 29.6 million on-course players in 2016.The new data is provided by national federations in The R&A’s affiliated markets in Asia, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania.The research also shows that 62.3 million adults (outside the USA and Mexico) consume the sport in some format, an increase of 1.1 million since 2022. It’s just the second time an estimate has been made beyond on-course activity to include alternative-only formats, such as pitch and putt, indoor simulator golf and driving range use.Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said: “Golf’s popularity continues to grow with a significant increase in the number of people playing the sport both on and off the course.“There are now 13 million more golfers playing on the course since 2016 in R&A affiliated markets, while there are also millions of others enjoying alternative formats of golf, such as driving ranges, adventure golf and simulator golf, which are vital to the growth of the sport.“New golfer participation programmes with appealing propositions, promotion and imagery are important for encouraging more people into the sport and retaining them in greater numbers. This is why we continue to work collaboratively with our affiliated national federations and stakeholders to build on this momentum and ensure golf continues to thrive.”The top five on-course adult golfer markets overall reported are in: Japan (11.4 million), Republic of Korea (8.7 million), Canada (6.3 million), England (4.2 million) and Germany (2.4 million).Asia is the leading region for people engaging with golf among R&A affiliated regions, with total adult engagement in golf of 26.2 million. Europe is next highest with 19.7 million adults having some form of golf engagement.The number of adult registered golfers (those members of a golf club within their