It is not only Formula One that grabs the Middle East sporting spotlight this weekend. The Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, situated north of Jeddah, is staging the third LIV Golf event of 2024.
An extra dash of spice was added to the Saudi event, with the shock announcement that Anthony Kim, will be playing.
Embed from Getty ImagesReturn of the Kim
Anthony Kim, a 3-time PGA Tour winner, who finished 3rd at Augusta in 2010, has not played a tournament for twelve years. He withdrew during the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship due to a wrist injury, which would lead to his early retirement. It was soul destroying for the California-born swinger.
The future had looked rosy after the University of Oklahoma star had pocketed the 2010 Houston Open. Becoming only the fifth player in 30 years to win three PGA Tour trophies before the age of 25.
With Kim starting the 2024 LIV Golf League three events in, he will not be assigned to an official team. He is planning to play as a ‘wild card’ for the remainder of the season’s LIV Golf events.
Embed from Getty ImagesCan Jon Rahm Claim His Maiden LIV Tour Victory?
Anthony Kim attracting plenty of media attention this week in Saudi Arabia. However, the bookies are not expecting a return to glory just yet, and he is a 150/1 shot with most firms. Unsurprisingly, Jon Rahm will start as favourite for the Jeddah crown.
The two-time Major winner & PGA Tour star sent shockwaves around the golfing world when jumping ship to LIV in December. Amazingly, it has been reported that sums of up to $500 million were wafted in front of the Spaniard to get him to sign up.
Jon Rahm will be keen to nail his first LIV Tour victory to ease the pressure on him. There were plenty of dissenters who were quick to jump on the Spaniard following his move, including Tiger Woods.
Rahm arrives in Saudi Arabia on the back of top-10 finishes in both of his first two LIV Tour starts earlier in February. He would follow up a tied-3rd spot at the season opener in Mayakoba, Mexico with an 8th place finish in Las Vegas.
Will Dustin Johnson Get the Saudis Swinging?
The opening two 2024 LIV Tour event winners, Joaquin Niemann (Mayakoba) and Dustin Johnson (Las Vegas) will fancy their chances of notching a 2nd 2024 win in Jeddah. Both are LIV Tour stalwarts, who played in the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series.
The Vegas victory was Dustin Johnson’s third LIV Tour career success, and he remains one of the star names of the Saudi breakaway league. He joined a group, containing Talor Gooch, Brooks Koepka & Cameron Smith, who have all won three LIV events.
Embed from Getty ImagesHorses For Courses
Dustin Johnson also has fond memories of playing at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club. He lifted the European Tour sanctioned, Saudi International, trophy aloft twice, when it was staged there in 2019 & 2021.
Other course winners in the field include Graeme McDowell, Harold Varner, Brooks Koepka & Abraham Ancer.
Like DJ, Brooks Koepka, has won twice at the Saudi venue. The Florida swinger held his nerve to clinch both the 2022 & 2023 LIV Jeddah crowns in playoffs. He will be aiming to three-peat this week. Both his previous efforts to accomplish that feat ended in defeat, though his 2nd place finish in the 2019 US Open was a heroic effort.
The action gets underway 08:15 GMT this Friday, Live on DAZN and LIV Golf Plus app.
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