'Special Match' Challenge for the Top at Saudi International, Top Rankers DeChambeau and Schauffele Compete, Korea Joins with Kim Bi-o and Moon Do-yeop
Kim Juhyung challenges for victory at the Saudi International, the opening event of the Asian Tour 2022/2023 season.
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘Domestic No. 1’ Kim Joo-hyung (20·CJ Logistics) is set to compete in the opening event of the Asian Tour 2022/2023 season.
The PIF Saudi International (total prize money $5 million), held over four days starting from the 3rd (Korean time) at the Royal Greens Golf Club (par 70, 7,048 yards) in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, is the battleground. Originally held on the European Tour (now DP World Tour), it has moved to the Asian Tour this year. The tournament is backed by Saudi Arabia's massive capital. LIV Golf Investments has invested $200 million to add 10 more tournaments over 10 years.
Top-ranked players including Dustin Johnson (USA), ranked 5th in the world, are participating in large numbers, attracting attention. Kim Joo-hyung is the first player to simultaneously win the prize money titles on both the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour and the Asian Tour. He topped the prize money rankings in the combined Asian Tour 2020/2021/2022 seasons, which were operated as a single season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the fourth Korean player to win the prize money title, following Kang Wook-soon (56), who topped the rankings twice in 1996 and 1998, and No Seung-yeol (31·Zivente) in 2010.
He has competed in eight tournaments during the Asian Tour combined seasons, achieving one victory, two runner-up finishes, and six top-10 finishes. Notably, he showed a sharp upward trend in his recent four tournaments: runner-up at the Blue Canyon Championship in November last year, 7th place at the Laguna Phuket Championship in December, winner of the Singapore International last month, and runner-up at the SMBC Singapore Open. There is growing interest in how he will perform against world-class players.
World No. 5 Dustin Johnson aims for his third victory at the Saudi International, the "special match," following his wins in 2019 and last year.
Johnson is a strong favorite to win. He was the champion of this tournament in 2019 and last year. Other players heading to Saudi Arabia include ‘The Hulk’ Bryson DeChambeau, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson (all USA), Cameron Smith (Australia), Paul Casey, and Lee Westwood (both England). From Korea, Kim Bi-o (32·Hoban Construction), Moon Do-yeop (31), Seo Yo-seop (26·both DB Insurance), Jang Yi-geun (Shinhan Financial Group), and Kim Hong-taek (Volvik·both 29) are joining the field.
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