Saudi International takes place with a star-studded field from February 3-6, clashing with the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am; Asian Tour event part of a big financial commitment to golf in the region
Wednesday 5 January 2022 10:20, UK
Jordan Spieth believes Saudi Arabia's lucrative investment into golf is "a threat" to the PGA Tour but something that can benefit players and the sport going forward.
Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson are among the players to have committed to playing the Saudi International from February 3-6, with the Asian Tour event clashing with the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am the same week.
The PGA Tour only granted its members releases to play on the condition that they add the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to their schedules in future seasons, with the Saudi event part of a big investment for golf in the region.
The tournament has named the Private Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia as their title sponsors, backed by the Greg Norman-led LIV Golf Investments - who last year made a $200m commitment to the Asian Tour for marquee events over the next decade.
"I think certainly it's a threat to the PGA Tour," Spieth said ahead of the Sentry Tournament of Champions, live on Sky Sports. "I think as a player overall it will benefit in that I think that the changes that have come from the PGA Tour have been modernized in a way that may or may not have come about if it weren't there.
"I think for us players on the PGA Tour, I think that so far it's been something that has kind of helped the PGA Tour sit and say, 'hey, where can we look to satisfy our membership and potentially make some changes going forward that, where there's some similarities potentially to a league like that, but while maintaining kind of the integrity that the PGA Tour has.
"I think that going forward, I mean, I guess we'll have to see. I can only say from my point of view I think that it's been beneficial to the players to have competition, and I think the Tour would say that they probably feel that they're in a better position going forward by having to sit back and kind of take a look at things and make some changes."
Spieth is one of 38 players in action in Hawaii for the opening event of 2022, only available to winners on the PGA Tour the previous calendar year, with world No 1 Jon Rahm also in the field and making his first competitive appearance since October.
An eventful 2021 saw Rahm win the US Open and add 13 top-10 finishes, a figure that would almost certainly be higher had he not withdrawn from The Memorial with a six-shot lead due to testing positive for Covid-19.
Rahm could lose his world No 1 status to Collin Morikawa this week, depending on results, although the Spaniard is more concerned about bettering his 2021 return.
"If you asked me when I was switching manufacturers that I was going to have this year [2021], I mean, I would believe you, but I was prepared for the first few months to be a bit of a struggle," Rahm said.
"Changing everything right away, new golf ball, I was confident but still trying to be realistic that it could happen. All the hard work I put on in December paid off and started right out the gate playing great golf and having chances to win.
"Obviously despite what happened the week of Memorial, everything kind of clicking in together and having the summer that I had. So, I'm hoping I can have another quality year this year and hopefully win multiple times.
"My goal is always to do better each year. I've had such a consistent year and had one win, but I could tell you right now I would gladly take a bit more of inconsistency but have more than one win."
Watch the Sentry Tournament of Champions throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage begins with Featured Groups from 8.15pm on Thursday ahead of full coverage from 11pm.
