The field for the PIF Saudi International is dominated by LIV Golfers, with its players comprising over a third of the 120 players in the final International Series event of the season.
After the first round at Riyadh Golf Club, several of its players, among other notable names, are prominent towards the top of the leaderboard.
Two players from the circuit share the lead – Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt and Adrian Meronk, of Cleeks GC – after the pair carded nine-under rounds of 62 on Wednesday.
Starting from the 10th, Surratt made one bogey in the opening round, but countered that with 10 birdies, including a run of six in a row between the 11th and 16th (his third and eighth), giving him the ideal platform in his bid for his maiden professional title.
As for Meronk, he is looking for his second win at the venue this year. The Pole claimed his maiden LIV Golf win under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club in February, beating Sebastian Munoz and Jon Rahm by two.
Nine months on, his bogey-free round, which saw five successive birdies between the ninth and 13th, will have left him dreaming of a repeat in what would be his first Asian Tour win.
Right behind the leaders is another LIV Golfer, 4Aces GC’s Thomas Pieters, who shot an eight-under 63, while three-time Asian Tour winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat is in fourth on seven under.
As well as Surratt, Meronk and Pieters, five more LIV Golfers are in the top 10 and ties, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey, Munoz, Josele Ballester and Tyrrell Hatton, with the latter four back of the lead with 54 holes to play.
While that sets up an intriguing second round, adding to the drama is the battle for some players to earn a LIV Golf contract, with cards heading to the top two in the International Series rankings at the end of the tournament.
Former LIV Golfer Scott Vincent leads the way in the rankings, and he made a solid start in Riyadh with a four-under 67 to sit in a tie for 16th.
Helped by his recent Moutai Singapore Open victory, Yosuke Asaji is second in the rankings but endured a frustrating opening round, carding a one-over 72 to leave him tied for 91st overnight.
Miguel Tabuena, who won the International Series Philippines in front of his home crowd, is hot on the heels of Asaji in the rankings. Like Vincent, he is also well set after the first round following a 67 to leave him tied for 16th.
Five more players are still mathematically capable of finishing in the top two of the rankings to earn a ticket to LIV Golf.
Ollie Schniederjans, who was a LIV Golf reserve this year and is fifth in the rankings, begins the second round three under in T27 as does Kazuki Higa, who is 10th in the International Series.
Danthai Boonma, who is 11th in the rankings, is tied for 42nd at two under, with the player 12th in the rankings, Jeunghun Wang, tied for 16th on four under.
However, it’s not looking good for Wade Ormsby, who won the Jakarta International Championship in October. He began the week fourth in the International Series rankings but faces an uphill battle to make the cut after a disastrous five-over left him tied for 115th.
Meanwhile, another notable name struggling after the opening round is defending champion Joaquin Niemman. He is tied for 91st after 18 holes following a one-over 72.
