ET player Amy Boulden teaching a young girl ahead of the Saudi Ladies International, which is being staged at the Royal Greens G&CC, in King Abdullah Economic City

THE inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International – the first female professional golf tournament to be played in Saudi Arabia – has been rearranged for October.

The switch following its postponement last month due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the announcement was made by the Ladies European Tour and Golf Saudi to move it to October 8-11.

The $1million event will take place at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club where some of the world’s finest golfing talent are set to arrive on Saudi shores for the historic occasion in the autumn.

Royal Greens hosted the European Tour Saudi International for a second time in February when Graeme McDowell picked up his first European Tour win in nearly six years.

Yasir O Al-Rumayyan, chairman of the Saudi Golf Federation and Golf Saudi, said: “It gives me great pleasure to confirm we are working towards a new date of October 8-11 for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund.

“We will, of course, continue to work closely with health authorities both domestically and across the region in the interim, but are hopeful we will be able to bring this momentous occasion to Saudi Arabia in six months’ time.

“As we focus upon the necessary precautions, we would like to pay particular thanks to all of our sponsors, partners and players, who have shown unwavering commitment through these unprecedented times.

“And it is due to their support that we are now able to announce a revised date for this landmark occasion.”

The October tournament will be a watershed moment for the country.

The LET reiterated its commitment to visiting Saudi Arabia after the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, and echoed Golf Saudi’s calls to ensure the inaugural tournament lives up to its billing.

LET chief executive Alexandra Armas said: “Postponing the inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International – originally scheduled to take place in March – was a difficult decision.

“However we have been extremely impressed by Golf Saudi’s commitment to working through the challenges and making this historic event happen.

“We would like to thank all stakeholders for their incredible support, and I am sure this fantastic new tournament will be one of the major highlights of 2020.”

One of the richest tournaments on the LET schedule, the hosting of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International was part of a move to increase golf participation significantly through a very ambitious development programme in the kingdom.

The country has staged a number of high-level sporting fixtures, including football, boxing, motorsport and equestrian events – countering criticism of the Saudi regime’s human rights record.

•More information about Golf Saudi and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International can be found at https://www.golfsaudi.com/en-us/ladies-international/

For information on the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club visit: https://royalgreens.net/

Graeme McDowell – winner of the 2020 Saudi International at Royal Greens G&CC. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

The post New October date set for LET Saudi Ladies International at Royal Greens appeared first on Golf North.

The pair, who have fond memories of living together at the University of New Mexico, will go head-to-head in the final group in Saturday’s third round, with pacesetter Perez one shot clear of his old college friend.

“I am very pleased the with the second round. I think it was important to keep the hammer down after obviously a 65 in the wind yesterday.

“I think they were definitely the tougher conditions, and it’s one of those days where you hope to stay a couple under.

Perez, who is based in Dundee where his girlfriend is studying, has proved very adept at links golf after his spell living in Scotland.

“I was able to play really well yesterday, and obviously coming out this morning,” said 27-year-old Perez.

“This is the round where you have to try to take as much advantage as you can and put some points on the board.

“Obviously I’m in a very good position for tomorrow,” said the rising star of French golf and the European Tour.

And recalling his time on the New Mexico team, Perez said: “We were roommates in college for four years and we are obviously very close.

“He played very well yesterday and I’m looking forward to playing together. Being on Tour together makes it really easy to catch up.

“He’s a great talent and he has been coming up and a long time so it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through.”

Perez – who claimed the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews back in September, posted his second consecutive round of 65 to move to 10-under par,

Meanwhile Malaysia’s Green carded a round of 67 for a nine-under total at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

Green was looking forward to playing with his old college team-mate.

“Playing with Victor tomorrow, I think it will be fun,” said Green. “It’s just like college days again. We’ve been friends since college and it will be great fun.

“I’m sure we will talk about some stuff. It’s been a couple years. I think played with him probably last year, so it’s been a while. I know he’s been playing really good. Just have fun with him tomorrow.

“I’m excited just to be in the mix. I’ve been there a couple times and just try to put myself in the position a couple more times and see what happens.”

McDowell rolling back the years

FORMER US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, who shared the first round lead with Green, is a shot further back on eight-under.

The 40-year-old, who claimed his sole Major at Pebble Beach 10 years ago, added a round of 68 having been joint leader with Green on six-under, on Thursday.

McDowell said: “It’s always hard to come out right after a good round like I shot yesterday and try and keep the pedal down.

“I felt like I played pretty loose today. It was obviously better conditions this morning.

“I three-putted the 11th – my second hole of the morning – which sort of derailed me a little bit.

“I continued to hit fairways which is key on this golf course. I hit some really quality iron shots.

“I think the back nine in particular is quite difficult on this course,” added McDowell, whose last win on the European Tour came in his successful defence of his French Open title, at Le Paris National, in 2014.

McDowell was not thinking about winning after making a slow start to round two, but is pushing to be in the mix come Sunday.

“It was tough to get going,” GMac added. “A couple of birdies on the front were very pleasing and it was nice to hang in there coming in.

“All in all, very happy the way I hit the ball today and looking forward to being in position going into this weekend.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson signed for a round of 68 and is five shots back in a share of eighth place on five-under.

•For live scoring and to follow the head-to-head between Victor Perez and Gavin Green in the Saudi International, click here.

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Graeme McDowell produced an excellent 64 thanks to three closing birdies in a row to share the first round lead in the Saudi International. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FORMER US Open champion Graeme McDowell birdied his final three holes to take a share of the lead with Malaysia’s Gavin Green after the opening round of the Saudi International.

The Northern Ireland ace, who holed the winning putt at the 2010 Ryder Cup, also birdied four consecutive holes from the second in a superb six-under par round of 64.

The 40-year-old based in Florida, who grew up playing links golf around Portrush, battled the increasingly windy afternoon conditions at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, to catch the early leader at the top of the leaderboard.

McDowell, who has nine other European Tour titles, including back-to-back French Opens in 2013 and 2014 – the last time he won this side of the Atlantic – was delighted with his start.

“I got off to a fast start which was huge, before the wind got up,” said McDowell, who was almost upstaged by playing partner Phil Mickelson’s nine birdies.

“It was inevitable out here in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi is similar – in that you get flat-calm mornings, but you know it’s going to blow in the afternoon.

“It was nice to get out of there with six-under par because I felt like I played great today.

“It would have been a horrible round to let get away,” added McDowell, who has seen Ryder Cup team-mate Lee Westwood become the second most successful player in his 40s on the European Tour, after his win in Abu Dhabi, which also propelled him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings.

“But to finish birdie, birdie, birdie was nice, just feeding off Phil finishing with seven birdies on the back nine,” added Graeme McDowell, who played with three-time Masters winner Mickelson.

“It was Phil the thrill out there,” said GMac. “It was fun to watch him and fun to play with him.”

Five-time Major winner Mickelson bounced back from a double bogey on the second hole, posting nine birdies and three more bogeys in a characteristically entertaining round of 66.

The American is two shots back in a share of eighth position on four-under par, while compatriot and pre-tournament favourite Dustin Johnson, the defending champion, is a further shot back after opening with a 67 to sit on three-under.

Mickelson, who turns 50 in June, two days before the start of the 2020 US Open, said: “It was a great back nine.

“Part of the challenge for me is that I feel like I’ve been playing well but mentally I haven’t been as sharp.

“I haven’t been visualising and I haven’t been seeing the shot clear,” said the San Diego legend, who has 44 victories on the PGA Tour to his name, only second behing Tiger Woods, among current players across the world.

“It was certainly evident early in the round where I made a couple of shots that weren’t that hard that I made difficult.” added Mickelson.

“But the back nine, things really started to come together. Meaning I hit a lot of good shots.

“I started making the putts, and made a lot of birdies, and it was just a good back nine that gave me a good chance heading into tomorrow.

“I feel like my game is a lot sharper than I’ve been scoring, so it was nice having that back nine.

“Going into tomorrow’s round with hopefully less wind in the morning, I can get off to a good, aggressive start and see if I can continue making birdies.

“I feel like I can,” said Mickelson, who won the 2013 Open at Muirfield, a week after claiming the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

Green posted five birdies on the front nine and mixed three birdies with two bogeys after the turn to take the early clubhouse lead with the second wave of starters to come.

Green said: “I played solid. Only a few mistakes here and there, which is pretty normal.

“A couple of pretty big par saves, and a couple of mistakes, a couple of three-putts, which was tough to take in because I was playing well and I was playing solid.

“Just a couple slipped off. You know, it’s the nature of the game,” said 26-year-old Green, who has just one Asian Tour win under his belt.

“You just have to live with it and move on, and that’s what we did. We closed off strong, birdied 16, 17. Had a look at 18.

“Had a nasty little lip-out but it is what it is. I’ll take it, added the 2017 Taiwan Masters winner now in his third full year on the European Tour.

Swedes Stenson and Soderberg’s Saudi shift

SWEDEN’S Henrik Stenson, a Ryder Cup team mate of Graeme McDowell and a fellow Major Champion, is part of a five-way share of third place on five-under par,

Stenson is alongside compatriot Sebastian Soderberg, Spain’s Adri Arnaus, France’s Victor Perez and Venezuela’s PGA Tour winner Jhonattan Vegas.

Stenson said: “I attributed most of it to the putting today. It was still a struggle off the tee at times and the rough is pretty thick.

“I had to scramble well on a couple of holes, but the approach shots that were close I converted into birdies and kept it together nicely, so very pleased with that.”

•To follow live scoring during the second round of the Saudi International, click here.

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Why Shane Lowry is looking forward to a second crack at Saudi International title

OPEN Champion Shane Lowry is aiming to extend his strong record in the Middle East when he makes his debut as part of a strong field looking to claim this week’s Saudi International title.

The Irishman won the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and is a former runner up in the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

He began his 2020 calendar year by finishing runner-up in Hong Kong, in the rearranged Asian Tour event.

And – after missing the cut by one shot in Abu Dhabi – Lowry finished tied 11th in last week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Lowry believes Royal Greens Golf and Country Club is comparable to some of the other courses he has performance well at in the Middle East.

And the Claret Jug holder is looking forward to teeing it up for the first two rounds alongside World No.1 1 Brooks Koepka and former Masters Champion Sergio Garcia.

Both return to Saudi Arabia after playing in last year’s inaugural event, which attracted some criticism of players who took part in the event, over the Saudi’s human rights record.

The controversy came in the wake of the horrific killing of American-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey, in October 2018.

The Saudi government is committed to a huge investment programme, including staging top international cultural and sporting events in a bid to boost tourism and develop a post-oil dependent economy.

But the leading players were all focused firmly on the golf and claiming that Saudi International title.

Lowry said: “It’s very much a Middle East-style golf course, and something that I like the look of it straightaway. It’s in great condition.

“Hopefully I can go out and play well, but I do really like the look of the golf course and it’s in perfect condition.

“I’ve done well in obviously Abu Dhabi, in the DP World and I  played okay in the Desert Classic the last couple of years.

“It’s the type of golf that I like. The wind picks up here in the afternoon, which would suit me a little bit, as well.

“It is a type of golf that I do enjoy playing. It’s perfect weather and perfect condition golf course.

“I got off to a great start in Hong Kong after a long break and didn’t know what to expect.

“Then came to Abu Dhabi, and I sort of had a mental error on the last hole and missed the cut out of nowhere.

Lowry got to practice with fellow Irishman Cormac Sharvin, who graduated via the European Challenge Tour, finishing 11th on the Road to Mallorca in 2019.

And Lowry admitted after his practice round that while a tad disappointed by his week in Dubai, he was still taking the positives from the week which saw a much tougher Emirates GC course awaiting the European Tour’s finest.

“Last week I finished 11th and probably would have liked to finish better,” he said.

“But any Sunday morning you’re sitting there eating your breakfast and feel like you have a chance to win the tournament is a good day.

“I feel like my form is okay, and I’m hoping to do all right this week and pick up a few more World Ranking points and Ryder Cup points.”

Defending champion Dustin Johnson is also in the field and he is grouped with Lee Westwood, winner of the 2020’s first Rolex Series event in Abu Dhabi, and another Middle East specialist, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

Johnson will be looing to add to his solitary US Open win in 2016 when it comes to the 2020 Majors.

“I’m feeling good. I’m really pleased with how I played last year,” said Johnson, “and I’m excited to be back in Saudi Arabia for this tournament.

“Any time you’ve won somewhere you’re looking at it, but every event that I go to – whether I’ve won there or not – I’m always trying to win it.

“It’s more like the process. Like I want to get myself in contention. I just want to give myself a chance to win on Sunday,” added Johnson, who will also be keen to close the gap on his buddy Brooks Koepka, who is being chased by Rory McIlroy for the World No. 1 accolade.

Dustin said: “I feel like if I can put myself in a position to have a chance to win going into the back nine on Sunday, then I’ve done what I wanted to do that week, and you know, just see what I can do those last nine holes.”

And a second Saudi International title can’t be ruled out for the bookies favourite.

Koepka to crack on after Dubai practice week

BROOKS Koepka, who returned after a three-month lay-off to allow his knee injury to heal in Abu Dhabi, will be looking to build on a fast start that faded in his European Tour return.

“The course has gotten a lot better than it was last year,” claimed Koepka who admits he still has some work to do if he is to be in with a shout of claiming his first Saudi International title come Sunday.

“Any time you can give a course an extra year to really develop, you’re going to see the progression of it,” said Florida-based Brooks.

“The greens are a lot faster. The rough’s a lot thicker. It’s settled in nicely.

“It looks incredible shape just as it was last year, just a little more settled in, which will be different.

“You never know what the scores could be. A few greens are a little firmer and faster, and if the wind gets up like it usually does in the afternoon, it might be a different story this year.

“You don’t know,” added Koepka, whose journey to the top of world golf began when he played for two seasons on the Challenge Tour – winning three times in 2013 after his debut win in 2012.

“Last week I practised all week. I had three months off, so there was no point in having a holiday or a vacation.

“It was more of a work thing. Just got the game ready. Felt good in Abu Dhabi. Felt good in Dubai. Feels good here.

“It’s just a matter of going out and executing. I played just fine, great shots in Abu Dhabi. Just didn’t score and that’s my own fault.

“Just coming here to try to figure it out and put some scores together, put some rounds together, and try to eliminate some mistakes.”

•For live scoring in the Saudi International click here.

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