Asian Tour Postpones $5M Saudi International Over Security Fears

The Asian Tour has postponed the $5 million PIF Saudi International, citing security concerns in Saudi Arabia after an Oct. 10 attack on Riyadh's international airport. The tournament had been scheduled for Nov. 18-21 at Riyadh Golf Club.

Why was the Saudi International postponed?

In a statement, the Asian Tour said the event would not proceed following "an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament." The Tour had already been monitoring the security situation after the Iran-backed Houthi group struck Riyadh's airport on Oct. 10, an attack that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 300. No new date was announced, and the Tour said it remains in contact with players about next steps.

The Saudi International carried the largest purse on the Asian Tour schedule and was set to follow the DP World Tour's season-ending Tour Championship in Dubai. Both that event and the preceding Abu Dhabi Championship remain on the calendar, with organizers naming Sotogrande, Spain, as a contingency site should either need to relocate.

Asian Tour commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant called the Saudi International "one of the most important events on the Asian Tour calendar."

The postponement adds to a difficult year for the Asian Tour, which lost its funding partnership with LIV Golf and had to cancel its remaining International Series events as a result. The Tour has since signed a co-sanctioning agreement with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour covering select national opens, leaving the scope of future Saudi-backed funding unclear.