The Saudi International del Tour Europeo, in its third edition, and the Open de Phoenix, en Scottsdale (Arizona), both in contention from this Thursday to Sunday, polarize all the attention of the world of golf with two events where registration is huge. Saudi stands out again for its powerful cast of players, the closest thing to a Grand Slam, and this 2021 brings together twenty players from the world’s top 50 and forty from the top 100. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, five of the top 10 meet of the world ranking, with Jon Rahm (# 2 and with 44 top 10s in 97 PGA Tour tournaments) at the helm and the first participation of Rory McIlroy, 6th player in the world, in the tournament, famous for its 16th hole Stadium, with stands on both sides although this year the attendance of the public has been reduced considerably due to the pandemic.
The most attractive of all those enrolled in the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club of King Abdullah Economic City, scene of the Saudi tournament, is the nº1 world Dustin Johnson, champion of the first edition and second in the second. It goes without saying that the amount in ‘fixed’ output is considerable and also the financial endowment in prizes: 3.5 million dollars. In Phoenix defends title Webb Simpson (world No. 9) and in addition to Rahm and McIlroy compete Justin thomas (nº3), Xander Schaffele (nº4) y Brooks Koepka among others.
The European Tour concludes the Desert Tour with this Saudi International, an event that will have a wide participation of Spanish golfers. The tournament can be followed live on Movistar Golf, this Thursday, February 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Spanish mainland time) for the morning shift and from 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the afternoon shift, the same times that the Second round on Friday 5. The third, on Saturday 6 February, and the fourth and last, on Sunday 7, can be followed live on television from 11 am to 3 pm.
The departure times and groups for the first two days are also known. The best matches have been concentrated in the morning schedule this Thursday: Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood and Bernd Wiesberger (7.40, local time, two hours less in mainland Spain); Sergio García, Tony Finau and Shane Lowry (7.50); Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Wallace and Justin Rose (8.00), and Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood and Tyrrell Hatton (08.10).
On Thursday afternoon they have framed Rafa Cabrera, Aaron Rai and Abraham Ancer (12.10); Henrik Stenson, Patrick Reed (winner Sunday of the Farmers) and Rasmus Hojgaard (12.20); Ian Poulter, Danny Willett and Viktor Hovland (12.30) and Graeme McDowell, Paul Casey (winner Sunday in Dubai), Robert MacIntyre (12.40).
Continuing with its tour of the west coast of the United States, the PGA Tour moves this week to TPC Scottsdale, a tournament with 7.5 million dollars in prizes. The event can be followed live on television at Movistar Golf. The broadcasts will start this Thursday, February 4, from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Spanish peninsular time), same time in which the second round will be broadcast on Friday 5. The Movistar Golf weekend will connect with the Waste Management Phoenix Open from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. hours, both for the third round on Saturday February 6 and for the fourth and last on Sunday 7.
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