PGA Tour To Ban Players From Competing In Saudi International

The PGA Tour will refuse its players access to compete in the event according to a Golfweek report

PGA Tour To Ban Players From Competing In Saudi International

The PGA Tour will deny its players access to the Saudi International from next year, Golfweek are reporting.

PGA Tour members must receive a waiver to compete on events on other tours, and with the European Tour no longer sanctioning the Saudi International, the PGA Tour is set to refuse its players to compete.

Previously a European Tour event that included some of the PGA Tour's biggest names, Golfweek are now reporting that the Asian Tour could sanction the Saudi event instead.

A PGA Tour spokesperson confirmed to Golfweek that the Tour won't allow players to play at the Saudi tournament.

"This follows a PGA Tour longstanding policy of not granting releases to unsanctioned events.”

Golfweek also claim that two senior figures from the European Tour confirmed their players won't be granted waivers permitting them to play at the Saudi International, despite sanctioning the first three editions of the tournament.

PGA Tour members could receive a monetary fine should they play the Saudi International without receiving a waiver, subjecting them to disciplinary proceedings.

While this just focuses on the Saudi International, the battle between the PGA Tour and the Premier Golf League for golf's best players wages on.

The PGL has long attempted to attract players away from the PGA Tour, with reported paydays of up to $30m on offer in some instances.

Meanwhile, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has previously stated that players who commit to the PGL would risk a lifetime ban from the PGA Tour, meaning they may forego the opportunity to play in golf's Majors.

Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, in King Abdullah Economic City, hosts the Saudi International.

Since the first Saudi International event in 2019, some of golf's biggest players have played in the Middle East for lucrative sums of money.

World No. 2 Dustin Johnson has won the tournament twice, while Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, among others, have also competed at the Saudi International.

However, Golfweek are also reporting that the Asian Tour is the main contender to sanction the 2022 Saudi International, meaning the event would retain its global tour status with access to the Official World Golf Ranking.