RIYADH: LIV Golf’s 2026 season opener closed under the lights in Riyadh with more than just a champion crowned — it delivered a statement of intent about where the league stands globally, and how it aims to grow amongst the local crowds.
Riyadh Golf Club hosted the first 72-hole event in LIV history, blending elite competition with entertainment, fan activations and Saudi cultural elements. For Faisal Al-Jedea, regional managing director of LIV Golf in Saudi Arabia, the event represented much more than just a successful tournament.
“It is a fantastic feeling to see the event finish off in the way that it did,” Al-Jedea told Arab News. “We had excitement in the fan villages, elite athletes playing the greatest game of golf possible, as well as a host of world-class entertainment and family-friendly partner activations that kept fans engaged.”
Beyond the spectacle, Al-Jedea pointed to tangible signs of growth within LIV’s audience.
“If you walk around and take a look at the audience and the people engaging with LIV, you can see what is happening,” he said. “Thirty percent of our ticket buyers are new to the game of golf. Half of them are under the age of 45, of which a large share of that being women.
