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Lynch: a pga tour-saudi deal is closer, but opportunists will have time to take advantage while real fans wait, share this article.

“There are four types of men in the world: lovers, opportunists, lookers-on and imbeciles,” wrote the 19th-century French philosopher Hippolyte Taine. “The happiest are the imbeciles.” All are well represented in the chaos prevailing in men’s professional golf.

The imbeciles — usually more irate than happy — can be found in the drool-speckled ranks of LIV Golf’s social media trolls, but not exclusively. How else to explain a decision to hold the most recent meeting between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund in New York City on September 11? PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan wasn’t present, and so didn’t face the fraught question of whether to attend the 9/11 memorial ceremony that his government contributed so much to bringing about.

What of the lovers, opportunists and lookers-on?

The latter is the largest group, the PGA Tour’s journeymen, veterans and staff who aren’t deemed important enough to be updated on matters that will greatly impact their working lives. (There’s arguably a subcategory of lookers-away, former fans who are disengaging from golf, due at least in part to the division and diluted product.) Opportunists, meanwhile, are laboring to exhaustion.

Strategic Sports Group has been opportunistic — not in the pejorative sense — by investing $1.5 billion in a sport that is under-leveraged. The Saudis too, by identifying what makes golf penetrable for sportswashing: players who don’t have contracts but do have a delusional notion of their market worth. The DP World Tour can also be included. It benefitted from a lucrative alliance when the PGA Tour needed to scope the rising Saudi tide, and now does little to quash speculation that it might be an alternative for the PIF if a deal isn’t reached with the Americans. And of course, Greg Norman, who finally roped a dope willing to finance his grievances, and whose insistence that LIV is thriving has as much credibility as tales of canine suppers in Springfield, Ohio.

More from Eamon Lynch: Jay Monahan won’t talk about a Saudi deal, but one comment showed how things have shifted in his favor

But none have been more opportunistic than PGA Tour golfers. They’ve secured previously unimaginable pay for working in an underperforming product, grabbed control in a governance shakeup amid the aftershocks of the Framework Agreement, and are playing power games by creating their own marketing events, safe in the knowledge that the Tour lacks the leverage over members that it enjoyed during the imperial commissariat of Tim Finchem.

The game is ripe with the stench of every man for himself.

So what of the lovers? That’s you, golf fans. And right now, the thing you love is making it awfully tough to maintain your affection, even for those who aren’t overly troubled by the prospect of Saudi investment being mainstreamed. How long before a new normal is established and the political and economic narratives diminish in this sport?

Talk to enough people familiar with the state of negotiations between the PGA Tour and the PIF and it’s clear progress is happening, but uncertainty remains. Not least the timeframe governing a Department of Justice review of any agreement. Assuming that the presidential election doesn’t lead to a stubby Cheeto thumb being placed on the scale, that process could take more than a year. In hopes of hastening it, the Tour has constantly updated Justice officials on what they’re considering and addressed any concerns raised. But it’s unclear if the parties could seek some manner of preliminary green light from the DOJ in advance of an announcement, nor even how detailed deal terms must be to pass muster. Two things can be assured: players will not go backward on what they’re earning and LIV will be repackaged rather than retired, since regulators would likely see the alternatives as anticompetitive.

Despite Rory McIlroy’s public suggestion that the onus is on PGA Tour officials to get moving, it’s the PIF that will most impact whether a deal is realized. A Justice Department review will almost certainly involve requests for discovery materials similar to those the Saudis refused to submit during antitrust litigation, and which they’ve declined to hand over to a U.S. Senate committee for a year. Sources close to the negotiations say there’s clear intent by the PIF to avoid establishing a transparency precedent that might shine a light on its other investments in the U.S., known and stealth. So what level of compliance will prove sufficient for the U.S. government? It won’t get 100 percent, but how far shy of that will it settle for?

Which is to say that even if deal terms emerge in the coming weeks — not implausible, based on people I’ve talked to — a long and bumpy road lies ahead. Which promises to leave lovers waiting, imbeciles slabbering and lookers-on idling, all while giving opportunists more time to better angle themselves to the trough.

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Simon Yates delivers at AlUla Tour

Highlights of the alula tour 2024, extended highlights - stage 5, landscape of the day - stage 5, 2024 rankings.

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Jayco-AlUla with their Tour de France team

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Saudi Tour 2023

All you need to know about the Saudi Tour, with race results, rider updates and general information

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Where : Saudi Arabia

When : 30 January - 3 February 2023

Distance : 830km

Rank : Asia Tour

The Saudi Tour is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's foray into hosting a professional bike race, following the likes of the UAE and Oman. This is its third edition, and the second that is centred around AlUla, which is close to UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

“The general desire is to highlight all the sites of the AlUla region designated by UNESCO," route director Jean-Marc Marino said.

Phil Bahaus (Bahrain-Victorious) won the opening edition in 2020, before Lotto-Soudal's Maxim van Gils won last year. Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco AlUla) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) won sprints on the way to Van Gils' overall win. 

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Saudi Tour route

Stage one is a largely flat affair, from AlUla International Airport to Khaybar. The 180.5km stage is set up to finish in a sprint, with two intermediate sprints and a bonus second sprint en-route to the finish.

Stage two, north of AlUla, heads from the Winter PArk to Shalal Sijlyat Rocks; at 184km long, this again is one for the fast men,

Stage three will offer the puncheurs something to race for, as they ride from Al Manshiyah Train Station to Abu Rakah. The new course features a 1.5km slope at an average of 8.5% followed by a flat kilometer to finish, different to the similar finish where Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) won last year.

The penultimate day, stage four, will again be a punchy finish, as the riders race 163.4km from Maraya to Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid. The final consists of a 2.8km long ascent at 12% with a section at 22% preceding the final 7km, on a plateau offering a lunar landscape.

Stage five, from AlUla Old Town to Maraya features gravel, a first for the Saudi Tour, through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra. The 7.5km long section could prove decisive. 

Stage details

Stage 1: AlUla International Airport - Khaybar (180.5km)

Stage 2: Winter Park – Shalal Sijlyat Rocks, (184 km)

Stage 3:Al Manshiyah Train Station - Abu Rakah (159.2 km)

Stage 4: Maraya - Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid (163.4km)

Stage 5: AlUla Old Town - Maraya (142.9 km)

Recent winners

2020: Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-McLaren)

2022: Maxim van Gils (Lotto-Soudal)

Watch the Saudi Tour

It is expected Eurosport and GCN Race Pass will broadcast the 2023 Saudi Tour.

You'll find the TV guide here when details become available.

Official race links

Saudi Tour official website

Saudi Tour official Twitter feed

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Adam is Cycling Weekly ’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.

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PGA Tour Meets With Saudi Fund in Hopes of Getting Closer to Deal

More than a year has passed since the tour agreed to a deal with LIV Golf, but there is some hope an in-person gathering in New York could create momentum.

By Lauren Hirsch

More than a year after the PGA Tour announced plans to combine forces with the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund’s upstart LIV Golf league, the two sides met in Manhattan on Tuesday in hopes of — finally — making headway on getting to a deal.

Given a series of starts and stops in talks aimed at a proposed deal, an accord remains far from certain. But executives from the tour and the Saudi wealth fund, which backs LIV Golf, alongside their advisers, were focused on hammering out details of an agreement, three people familiar with the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

Also involved in the talks is at least one executive from the consortium of U.S. investors that has already committed to investing in the tour, the people said. The meeting is expected to continue on Wednesday, and could also spill into additional days, they said.

The flurry of activity demonstrated an eagerness by both sides to get a deal done. The standoff between the PGA Tour and its Saudi-backed rival has divided the sport, frustrating fans and players alike.

No players attended the meeting, the people said, though several have been in other meetings about the deal. A report that Tiger Woods was in New York spurred speculation about his presence, but one of the people said Woods was in town for a golf event supporting his foundation.

Plans for the meeting came together within the past week, with the hope that an in-person gathering would generate some momentum, the people said.

When they met in June , the PGA Tour and Saudi wealth fund signed a nonbinding letter of intent that effectively laid out the broad strokes of a potential deal. In a bid to head off potential antitrust concerns, the sides have shared a draft of that document with the Justice Department, two of the people said. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department declined to comment.

The two sides have discussed a deal that would call for the Saudi wealth fund to invest $1.5 billion in a commercial arm created by the PGA Tour and a U.S. investment group. That is the same amount initially committed to the tour by the U.S. investors, which include Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club; and billionaires like Steven Cohen, the New York Mets owner.

But other major questions about the agreement have held talks up, and the two sides blew through an initial deadline to complete it by the end of last year. The issues include how to combine tournament schedules, the role of the Saudi wealth fund on a PGA Tour board and how to craft a deal that would bypass regulatory scrutiny. The latter matter is particularly thorny because of the fact that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are rivals, raising significant concerns that a merger could be anticompetitive.

Political scrutiny of the deal has also not abated. The talks have provoked outrage from many politicians and critics who say it is an attempt by the Saudi government to distract people from its human rights record.

The fact that Tuesday’s meeting was held in New York the day before the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center also spurred criticism.

“It is disgusting, unacceptable and incredibly painful” that the PGA Tour “would do this — especially now,” 9/11 Justice, a group of survivors and their supporters, said in a statement Tuesday .

The timing was a coincidence resulting from the quick manner in which the meeting was scheduled, the people familiar with the matter said.

Despite the lack of an agreement, there have been signs of progress. Two of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, are set to face two of LIV’s best players, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, in a match in December.

“In a way, hopefully it is a sign for things to come,” McIlroy told ITV News of the event. McIlroy was named to a transaction committee tasked with negotiating the deal in May. “For golf to be as strong as it can be, we need all the best players competing against each other more often, and not just four times a year at the majors.”

Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour commissioner, said in Atlanta last month that the tour and the Saudi fund were in “regular dialogue” and that they were “the right people at the table with the right mind-set.”

At the time, he said he was “hopeful” about the direction of the talks.

Lauren Hirsch covers Wall Street, including M&A, executive changes, board strife and policy moves affecting business. More about Lauren Hirsch

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ATP Tour in talks over new Saudi Arabia Masters 1000 event

The ATP Tour could be the latest major sports league to embrace Saudi Arabia, with a new Masters 1000 event potentially added to the calendar.

Leagues expand all the time, selling new franchises from tens of millions of dollars to the NBA charging possibly billions of dollars for prospective expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. It’s less common pro in tennis, which has a cluttered schedule that consumes 10-11 months of the year, leaving little room for major new entrants. Nevertheless, the ATP Tour is in talks to sell one of its most coveted sanctions to Saudi Arabia for a price that would set a record for a tennis tournament.

The men’s Tour is in advanced talks with the kingdom, sources said, to create a new Masters 1000 event. Those are the currently nine ATP events that are the most premium on the tour, residing just under the prestige of the four Slams. The ATP did not immediately reply with a comment.

“The ATP is really in heated discussions with them (Saudi) today, and we should know in a month,” said one of the sources close to the ATP. This source said the tournament would start in 2026 or 2027, either in January or February. This source placed the price at between $400 million and $500 million, but others in the sport said the number could be double that. In 2002, Ion Tiriac sold the Madrid Open , a 1000, to Endeavor for 360 million Euros (currently $397 million). And also in 2022, Ben Navarro spent roughly $300 million to buy the Cincinnati Open from the USTA, also a 1000.  

Putting a new 1000 in early- to mid-January, just before the Australian Open, would wreak havoc on the Australian summer series of tournaments leading into the year’s first Grand Slam. Putting the event in February, a month filled with lower level events, seems a more likely landing place if the new 1000 comes to fruition.

It’s uncertain if the WTA Tour would be part of the new event. Of the nine current 1000s (the figure represents the ranking points won by the victor) five are combined with the women (the ATP and WTA stops in Canada are 1000s and staged in different locations but presented as the same media package.

The Saudi talks to land a 1000 is just the latest push by the kingdom into big time sports . It has lured top soccer players, like Cristiano Ronaldo, to the domestic league with eye-popping nine-figure contracts. The Saudis also fund LIV Golf, and have staged F1 races, WWE premium live events, and boxing matches in the kingdom. And biggest of all, the Saudis are set to host the 2034 World Cup.

In tennis, the WTA Tour in November is staging its season-ending championships in Saudi Arabia , and the ATP has had its Next Generation Finals–a season ending showcase for younger players–in Jeddah since last year.

Critics of doing business with the kingdom over its human rights record – and Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert are among those – depict the Saudi embrace of pro sports as sportswashing . This is a term applied to authoritarian regimes that use sports to soften their images.

But it’s also true sports is a key part of the Kingdom’s massive push to diversify its economy so as not to rely solely on oil. And the Kingdom has invested heavily in many sports, and encourages female participation. The Tours obviously publicly embrace this narrative rather than the sportswashing version. It of course helps the prize money for the WTA Finals is $15.25 million, triple the levels of previous years.

The 1000s series of tournaments are so valuable in tennis because the top players, largely, are required to play them as a condition for membership on the Tours. That means these events do not need to pay appearance fees, which lower-level tour events do. 

About Daniel Kaplan

Daniel Kaplan has been covering the business of sports for more than two decades. A proud founding reporter of SportsBusiness Journal, he spent the last four years at The Athletic.

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Rory McIlroy Says New York City Meeting Between PGA Tour, Saudi PIF Is 'Peculiar Timing'

Bob harig | sep 11, 2024.

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Rory McIlroy expressed surprise Wednesday at the timing of meetings taking place between the leaders of golf’s divided factions, but said the reason behind a December exhibition between players on both sides was to try and show the world the possibilities going forward.

Speaking ahead of the DP World Tour’s Irish Open at Royal County Down, McIlroy discussed the match he disclosed last week that would see him and Scottie Scheffler of the PGA Tour play against LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.

Specific details have yet to be officially announced and the PGA Tour—which would need to approve McIlroy and Scheffler's participation due to media rights issues—has yet to comment.

“I wouldn't say it's meant to send a message. It's more we wanted to do something that, I guess, all golf fans could get excited about,” McIlroy said. “You've got the best player in the world. You've got two guys in Bryson and Brooks that have won majors in the last two years. You've got me in there who—I haven't done what those guys have done the last couple years but I've definitely been I feel one of the best players in the world.

“It's a way to show golf fans in the world that this is what could happen or these are the possibilities going forward. I've been saying this for a long time. I think golf and golf fans get to see us together more than four times a year.

“I think that's what we've tried to do. It's in the middle of December. There's not a lot going on in the game of golf. So trying to get people excited about something before the season starts again. I think we all thought it was a good idea and something that hopefully is a sign of things to come in the future.”

McIlroy expressed frustration two weeks ago at the Tour Championship over the lack of progress in talks between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which funds LIV Golf.

The two sides resumed talking this week although details about who is involved have not been disclosed.

The meetings are reportedly this week in New York City and Wednesday is the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that occurred at the World Trade Center. The alleged Saudi Arabian involvement in those attacks— 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi Arabia —has been among the uneasy issues facing LIV Golf in the United States and elsewhere.

“It's certainly peculiar timing,” McIlroy said. “I don't know much about the talks that are going on. I know that there is but that's not something that I'm a part of.

“I think we are all in the game of golf trying to look for a solution to all this and try to move forward. So we'll see, yeah. I know as much as you do at this point, and I'm sure news will start to trickle out here in the next few days.”

McIlroy is no longer a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, but he was named earlier this year to a “transaction” committee along with Tiger Woods and Adam Scott that includes PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan along with others who were to be negotiating directly with the PIF.

Neither Woods nor Scott attended the meetings in person.

DeChambeau, who is playing in the LIV Golf Chicago event this week, was asked about the December match and said that he did not speak with McIlroy directly, that his representatives handled the talks, and that he is only aware of two potential venues in Las Vegas in December.

“We are just hoping to have fun and show people what things could look like going forward,” he said. “We’d like to see the game come back together in some way and we’ll see if this helps at all.”

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. Harig is a regular guest on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and has written two books, "DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods" and "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry." He graduated from Indiana University where he earned an Evans Scholarship, named in honor of the great amateur golfer Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Harig, a former president of the Golf Writers Association of America, lives in Clearwater, Fla.

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What you need to know about the 2022 Saudi Tour

The international cycling event will take place in AlUla from February 1 to 5 over five stages…

A year after the pandemic cancelled the race in 2021, the Saudi Tour is back on the calendar for its second edition in February.

? Discover the 3D route of the 2022 #SaudiTour ! pic.twitter.com/AztYhRWrOA — Saudi Tour طواف السعودية (@thesauditour) January 16, 2022

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The tour, organised by the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Cycling Federation, will be held from February 1 to 5.

This year’s location will take riders on an incredible five-stage journey through the beautiful landscapes, wondrous heritage sites and challenging desert terrain of AlUla.

The track for the five stages

The route is expected to be more demanding than in 2020 due to a gradient climb towards the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid.

The first stage will be launched from Winter Park and is 198 kilometres long. The Saudi Tour’s longest and most scenic route – made up of primarily flat course – brings riders right in front of the Unesco World Heritage Site, Hegra. This opening stage is dedicated to the fastest men in the peloton, and the first leader of the Saudi Tour will be a sprinter.

The second stage starts from Taibah University and reaches Abu Rakha with a distance of 163.9 kilometres. Punchers will love this uphill finish after a leg-breaking second stage on the Saudi Tour.

The third route starts from Tayma Hadaj Well, Tayma, one of the biggest wells of Saudi Arabia, to AlUla Old Town, covering 181.2 kilometres. Cyclists will end this stage in front of the castle, at the end of a one-kilometre-long straight line.

The fourth stage begins from Winter Park to Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid and is 149.3 kilometres long. Riders can expect some dreadfully difficult kilometres just before the finish.

The race will conclude in the fifth stage, taking riders on a large circuit around AlUla Old Town with a distance of 138.9 kilometres.

A race full of stars

There are 16 international teams that are competing for a chance to win the prestigious title.

⭐A race full of stars! ⭐ ✅ 8⃣ UCI WorldTeams ✅ 5⃣ UCI ProTeams ✅The 3⃣ best Asian Continental Teams Here are the 16 teams that will take to the start of the #SaudiTour 2022! pic.twitter.com/X3OZgNMEgX — Saudi Tour طواف السعودية (@thesauditour) January 16, 2022

Other events will take place alongside the Saudi Tour, including a mass-participation race (Saudi Tour Ride), a women’s race (Saudi Tour Women Ride), a junior race organised by the Saudi Cycling Federation (Saudi Tour Challenge) and a dedicated race for children (Mini Kids Race, at every finishing area of the five stages).

Riyadh held the inaugural Saudi Tour in February 2020, when the German cyclist Phil Bauhaus from Bahrain-Victorious claimed the title.

2022 Saudi Tour, AlUla, Feb 1 to 5, starts at 7am. Register here for the side events. 

Images: Saudi Tour

Rory McIlroy Shares His Opinion On The PGA Tour And Saudi PIF Holding Meetings In NYC Week Of 9/11

The PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sole funder of LIV Golf , have reportedly been holding meetings this week in hopes of coming to terms on an agreement that would shrink the divide in professional golf. The two sides meeting with one another isn't necessarily a noteworthy story given that's what happens during negotiations, but the timing and location of these meetings have raised everyone's eyebrows.

As first reported by ESPN , the meetings are being held over the course of a few days in New York City this week, the week of the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. Fifteen of the 19 terrorists involved in the attacks in 2001 were from Saudi Arabia, therefore it's understandable as to why 9/11 families are enraged with these meetings taking place this week in New York.

"Tomorrow, we commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, yet here we are today, in New York City, down the street from Ground Zero, and the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods are negotiating with them," said Brett Eagleson, who lost his father John on 9/11 and now serves as President of 9/11 Justice, in a statement on Tuesday.

Initial reports suggested that Tiger Woods was expected to attend the meetings in person this week, but it was later reported that wouldn't be the case.

Despite previous reports, Tiger Woods did not attend the PGA Tour - Saudi PIF meetings in person this week in New York City. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy is most certainly not attending the meetings given that he is playing in this week's DP World Tour's Irish Open, but did share his opinion about the discussions taking place in New York.

"It's certainly peculiar timing," McIlroy said. "I don't know much about the talks that are going on. I know that there is but that's not something that I'm a part of."

"I think we are all in the game of golf trying to look for a solution to all this and try to move forward. So we'll see, yeah. I know as much as you do at this point, and I'm sure news will start to trickle out here in the next few days.

McIlroy is not a member of the PGA Tour Policy board, but was named to a newly-formed ‘transaction committee’ that also includes Adam Scott and Woods who were to be negotiating directly with PIF representatives.

As for the Tour and PIF coming to any sort of terms this week, based on McIlroy's further comments, that outcome sounds unlikely.

"A solution is hard to get to because there are different interests and people want different things. There's going to have to be compromise on both sides but hopefully they're the things they're talking about in those meetings," he told BBC.

The only public-facing updates shared by the PGA Tour over the past year-plus have been generic talk of ‘we’re continuing negotiations,' which is probably what you can expect to hear later this week after these latest meetings wrap up.

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Saudi Arabia: The Complete - Escorted Tour in 3 or 4* Hotels

“This is a great way to experience the major highlights of Saudi Arabia. Issues and bumps aside, I would happily recommend this package to anyone.” Jordan Rolfes, traveled in June 2024

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year
• Discover ancient petroglyphs in Jubbah
• Tour the Nabatean tombs in Hegra
• Explore Riyadh's National Museum

Saudi Arabia Explorer Riyadh, Al Ula, Tabuk and Jeddah

“Discover Saudi Arabia Tour was an unforgettable, unique experience. We had a very authentic experience.” Carlos Ortiz, traveled in April 2022

• Explore the National Museum of Saudi Arabia
• Stroll through AlUla Old Town and market
• Discover Jeddah's historic Al-Balad district

Behind the curtain of the spiritual Islam: A glance of Saudi Arabia

“Considering this was a budget tour, the hotels, clean, comfortable rooms and bathrooms with good breakfasts.” Jane Vogels, traveled in February 2024

• Visit King Fahd's Fountain, the world's tallest
• Explore Jeddah's historic Al-Balad district
• Hike to 'The Edge of the World' for stunning views

8 Days Riyadh, Edge Of The World & Jeddah Tour

“Hotels were all high standard and close to attractions. Highly recommended.” duane voigt, traveled in April 2022

• Experience a desert safari and Bedouin camp
• Visit the oldest mosque and local markets
• Tour Riyadh's National Museum and palaces

Highlights of Saudi Arabia - Escorted Tour in 4* Hotels Bed and Breakfast Plan

“We had the most exciting day in Saudi Arabia. Thank you, Abdul!” Marina Pollard, traveled in December 2023

• Visit the UNESCO site of Ad-Diriyah
• Discover Hegra, a Nabataean archaeological site
• Tour Al Ula's ancient Old Town

Very uncomfortable small bus did not have enough room for our 9 guests, 3 translators, guide and driver, even on excursions where we only brought day-bags (rather than entire luggage); uncomfortable seats and NOT ENOUGH LEG ROOM for taller non-local Westerners, worthless torn cloth blinds on the windows that could not be securely open or closed. Each of our 3 translators (who also served as guides for the tour overall) was GREAT! Consistently helpful, capable and personable; very positive attitudes and considerate individuals: 5+ stars for them! Local guides were also consistently great, although there was an ugly scene between our Jeddah(?) guide and our driver, leading to a verbal argument and the guide stomping off the bus.

Saudi Arabia is a fabulous part of the world and the tour makes the most of scenery and local culture. There is quite a lot of travelling, but well worth it to see the highlights. The small group environment and excellent guide were typical of other holidays we have had with Explore, and likely to keep us coming back. I would recommend others to book same trip and to Explore Saudi Arabia

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Considering this was a budget tour, the hotels, clean, comfortable rooms and bathrooms with good breakfasts. As we were only a group of 4 we travelled by car with a guide/driver. Salman in Riyadh was exceptional. What I appreciated most was the availability of Neis via WhatsApp or email. We had the odd hiccup which could be easily resolved. Great customer service. If opting for the Bahrain extension and traveling across the border by road, its very easy to obtain the visa at the border and you can even pay with Saudi currency – which is widely accepted in Bahrain. Tours in Bahrain are limited or quite costly, but we found it easy to get around to the places we wanted to see with Uber – efficient and reasonable prices. As I didn’t have global roaming I purchased an Esim in both of the countries – also simple and cheap.

Find the perfect tour for your family, catering to all ages with over 61 family tours available in Saudi Arabia.

An Explorer tour in Saudi Arabia promises thrilling adventures and diverse landscapes. Saudi Arabia's vast and varied terrain offers great opportunities for hiking, biking, and discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations, ensuring an exhilarating and unforgettable journey.

Fully Guided

Select from our extensive range of 61 fully guided tours to enjoy a worry-free experience through Saudi Arabia with our expert guides leading the way.

Partially Guided

Find the right partially guided tour for you in Saudi Arabia. There are 61 trips to choose from, that range from 3 days in length, up to 16 days. The month with the most departures is November, making it the most popular time to visit Saudi Arabia.

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"This was a great experience that I would certainly recommend to anyone (I did have a few issues, though, more on that below). The main tour guide, Naveed, did a solid job running the tour. In each city, we had a separate guide that led us through the area and every one of those presenters did a fabulous job. This is a great way to experience the major highlights of Saudi Arabia. A good chunk of the tour consists of driving from one city to the next, a distance that usually took about 4-6 hours to cover. The van we traveled in was comfortable, and I loved seeing the more remote parts of the country. I did have a few problems on my tour, however. I was scammed by a taxi driver when I first arrived in the country: long story short, the scammer was the first person I saw right after I exited customs, and he claimed he was my transfer to the hotel sent by the tour company. I told him I needed to find someone with the sign that had my name, but this individual wouldn't not leave me alone: he aggressively followed me through the arrival area, eventually handing me a cell phone with an English speaker on the other end, who said that the tour company had sent that driver and that I would be reimbursed. Sure enough, this driver had nothing to do with the tour, and come to find out, my actual driver was waiting at the complete other end of the terminal. THE ACTUAL DRIVER FOR KURBAN TOURS NEEDED TO BE MORE OBVIOUS. There were also issues regarding dinner reservations at the hotels, namely, the tour company said that the dinner was included, but the restaurant and reception desks had no idea that the meals were purchased. This is probably not the fault of the tour company; this is more than likely a growing pain for Saudi Arabia's fledgling tourist industry. While the itinerary was, overall, well-planned, there were a few spots that need refining. In Al Ula, we had over two hours of free time... but there was nothing to do in the area we were dropped off at beside hanging out at Kudu (the Saudi Arabian equivalent of Burger King). On our day tour of Jeddah, a good chunk of time was wasted due to the Friday prayers (I'm not sure how they could solve that one, but the squandered moments were certainly unfortunate). Overall, though, this was a great tour with great leaders operating it. Issues and bumps aside, I would happily recommend this package to anyone.

GrayLine UAE and Oman is an expert in:

"It was extremely difficult once I paid for the trip to get accurate information from the company, to include verification of hotels, guides, etc. Initially, the dates were wrong on the site and I struggled to get the correct ones I paid for listed. It was not until about a week before the trip that the company understood I had paid for an extra day. The whole process was the most challenging for any trip I have ever taken. I notified the company I did not have WhatApp and asked for information via email. I emailed prior to leaving the US and while in transit asking who was picking me up - no answer. When I arrived in Riyadh, no one was there, I looked around, asked information, waited and waited, then paid myself to get to the hotel. Apparently, the company sent me a text (I told them my email was my only communication method) with the name and contact number which I asked for well in advance and this was NEVER provided. I was not reimbursed for this taxi I had to pay for even though the package included airport transfer. Also, as noted below, there was sites that were closed, and I was not reimbursed for these even though the tour fee included entrance to these sites. I definitely would not recommend this company. I sent the following to the company while there:  Riyadh - on Oct 6, I was to be picked up at 05:00 hours, at 05:05 I called Abdullah and he had not left home. He arrived 05:30 hrs and drove 110-120 kph to get to the airport by 06:05 hrs, the alarm on his car for high speed went off several times. I never received a refund for the taxi I had to pay for - will this be credited to my account? Abdullah was on his phone a lot during the tour and did not seem to know when Souq opened, we were there early and it was closed. We did wait until some of it opened. Abha - the itinerary could not be followed since almost everything is closed (long term, not just the day) and Mohammed said he told you and company this several times. We just drove around and could not visit almost anything. As part of my tour package, I paid the entrance fees and could not participate. This whole stop was a waste of my time and I was really looking forward to this stop. I am not sure if there are other things to see, but this should be changed on the itinerary. Will I get a refund since I could not visit sites that may have had entrance fees? - cable cars - closed (optional items listed) - Shada Castle - closed - Muftaha Village - closed - El Sahab Park - closed and fenced off since the government is going to make a tourist area Jeddah - Saad was an EXCELLENT guide and today was a great day! He explained things we drove by (the guides in Riyadh and Abha did not), we walked a lot to see things especially in the old town and along the Corniche and stopped for pictures, etc. He answered my questions. Today made the trip to Saudi Arabia worth it. I understand tourism is new to Saudi Arabia and I have now been to 86 countries so I know everything does not go correctly on a trip. My biggest complaint is the agenda is Abha which could not be followed and it is not fair to people to publish an agenda that is not valid.

Saudi Group is an expert in:

"I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Considering this was a budget tour, the hotels, clean, comfortable rooms and bathrooms with good breakfasts. As we were only a group of 4 we travelled by car with a guide/driver. Salman in Riyadh was exceptional. What I appreciated most was the availability of Neis via WhatsApp or email. We had the odd hiccup which could be easily resolved. Great customer service. If opting for the Bahrain extension and traveling across the border by road, its very easy to obtain the visa at the border and you can even pay with Saudi currency – which is widely accepted in Bahrain. Tours in Bahrain are limited or quite costly, but we found it easy to get around to the places we wanted to see with Uber – efficient and reasonable prices. As I didn’t have global roaming I purchased an Esim in both of the countries – also simple and cheap.

Penguin Travel is an expert in:

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• Itineraries between 6 days and 20 days
• Starting from €134 per day

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Saudi Arabia Travel Guide

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Best Time of Year to Visit Saudi Arabia

6 Reasons Why Saudi Arabia Should be Your Next Travel Destination

Guide to Visiting Hegra (Madain Saleh) and the Al Ula Valley

Saudi Arabia Culture Guide

What to Do in Saudi Arabia

'Disgusting, unacceptable' massive Tiger Woods, PGA Tour update met with strong criticism

Tiger Woods and PGA Tour officials met with representatives from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in New York on Tuesday, and 9/11 Justice group is 'disgusted' about it.

Tiger Woods and PGA Tour officials met with representatives of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in New York today, according to ESPN, and the latest update has been met with heavy criticism by the 9/11 Justice group. 

Woods , 48, and PGA Tour officials are attempting to thrash out a deal that would pump $1 billion from the PIF into PGA Tour Enterprises, a new for-profit entity that was launched by the circuit last year alongside Strategic Sports Group (SSG).

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour signed a framework agreement with LIV Golf 's bankrollers PIF last June, but all parties failed to reach an agreement by a previous deadline for the end of 2023.

BREAKING NEWS: DP World Tour drop bombshell update on Jon Rahm's Ryder Cup plans

That deadline was then extended until further notice and the PGA Tour and PIF have been trying to hammer out their deal ever since. 

While all that was going in the background, the PGA Tour struck a deal with SSG, who are led by Liverpool FC's owners Fenway Sports Group.

SSG made an initial investment of $1.5 billion in the PGA Tour, and that figure could soon increase to $3 billion should a merger with PIF eventually happen as planned. 

Report: Tiger Woods 'fought tooth and nail' to hide damning PGA Tour docs

Woods is currently negotiating with Saudi bosses alongside former Masters champion Adam Scott , who like Woods sits on the board of player directors at the PGA Tour.

Scott and Woods are also joined by PGA Tour Enterprises chairman Joe Gorder and Fenway Sports Group owner John W. Henry. 

According to ESPN , the PGA Tour and Woods have jetted over to New York for showdown talks with PIF representatives this week. 

An X flight tracking account - @radaratlas2 - noted that private jets owned by Woods, the Saudi oil and natural gas company Aramco and the PGA Tour arrived in New York on Monday. 

The first meeting took place on Tuesday, per ESPN, and further meetings are scheduled for the rest of this week.

The update comes two weeks after the end of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup race, and two days before the start of the FedEx Cup Fall .

There is anticipation in the golf industry that a deal between the PGA Tour and PIF is needed in order to sort out the huge divide in the professional game right now as a result of the breakaway LIV Golf League - bankrolled by PIF.

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman dropped 10 bold claims about his league last month while also hitting out at the sport in the process .

Norman believes LIV Golf is "here to stay". 

LIV Golf has acquired a number of the world's best golfers from the PGA Tour including Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith , Bryson DeChambeau , Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson .

There are rumours LIV Golf is going to try splash out on at least one more big name from the PGA Tour ahead of next season.

The first four events of the 2025 LIV Golf League season were officially announced last week. 

Related: Identifying LIV Golf's top PGA Tour targets for 2025

But back to the top of the story, and not everyone is impressed to hear that Woods and the PGA Tour have decided to meet up with PIF representatives in New York this week.

Far from it. 

Tiger Woods, PGA Tour, PIF update draws heavy criticism

9/11 Justice - the group of 9/11 survivors, first responders and family members of those killed in the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 - has strongly hit out at the PGA Tour and Woods following today's latest update.

The group, which accuses the Saudi Arabian government of supporting the terrorists, states it is 'disgusted' to learn Woods and the PGA Tour have decided to meet up with PIF representatives in New York this week. 

Tomorrow - 11 September - marks the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy in New York. 

"Tomorrow, we commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, yet here we are today, in New York City, down the street from Ground Zero, and the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods are negotiating with them," 9/11 Justice president Brett Eagleson said in a statement. 

"As has been confirmed in the last few weeks by CBS reporting, the Saudi Arabian government played a role in the horrific attacks of 9/11. It is disgusting, unacceptable, and incredibly painful that the Tour and Woods would do this -- especially now."

More than 3,000 family members of 9/11 victims are also demanding both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris oppose any Middle East peace deal with Saudi Arabia unless the kingdom acknowledges and is held accountable for its involvement in the attacks.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said talks with PIF had "been enhanced" when last revealing details to the media in August. 

It remains to be seen whether talks get advanced any further with Woods' help in New York this week. 

Woods recently turned down the chance to become 2025 United States Ryder Cup captain because of "too many other commitments". 

Keegan Bradley got the captaincy instead. 

On top of helping the PGA Tour on its merger with PIF, the 15-time major champion is also gearing up to host his new TGL alongside Rory McIlroy in early 2025. 

Woods claimed after missing the cut at The Open in July that he would unlikely compete again until the PNC Championship with his son Charlie Woods just before Christmas.

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