The PGA Tour is deciding if it will allow at least 25 of its members to play next year’s Saudi International. The Asian Tour released on Monday a proposed field list for the Saudi event, which included a number of high-profile Tour players. The PGA Tour told GolfChannel.com that it has not yet granted players permission to compete.
“We have not granted any conflicting-event releases for the Saudi International tournament,” a Tour spokesperson said. “Per PGA Tour regulations, a decision on conflicting-event releases can be made up until 30 days before the event’s first round.”
Among the players listed to compete Feb. 3-6 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club near Jeddah are world No. 3 and defending champion Dustin Johnson, No. 4 Xander Schauffele and seventh-ranked Bryson DeChambeau.
Players are required to obtain a conflicting-event release to play tournaments that aren’t sanctioned by the Tour and there was speculation that when the European Tour dropped the Saudi International from its schedule earlier this year the PGA Tour might deny the releases.
Earlier this fall, the Saudi International was added to the Asian Tour schedule along with a 10-year investment into that circuit by LIV Golf Investments, the largely Saudi-backed fund that’s behind a proposed start-up super league that’s being led by Greg Norman.
Here’s a look at notable players the Asian Tour listed to participate, according to its tournament release:
- Abraham Ancer
- Paul Casey
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Jason Dufner
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Sergio Garcia
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Dustin Johnson
- Jason Kokrak
- Shane Lowry
- Graeme McDowell
- Phil Mickelson
- Kevin Na
- Joaquin Niemann
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Ian Poulter
- Xander Schauffele
- Adam Scott
- Henrik Stenson
- Harold Varner III
- Jhonattan Vegas
- Bubba Watson
- Lee Westwood
This article was updated from its original version with additional information.