Saudi Arabia isn’t just testing the waters in global sports—it’s going all in.

With LIV Golf, the oil-rich kingdom has shaken up one of the world’s most traditional sports, sending a clear message: Saudi Arabia wants to be seen, visited and heard.

When the country launched LIV Golf in 2022, many dismissed it as a flashy stunt — big contracts, star players leaving the PGA Tour, and jaw-dropping prize money. But as the tournaments unfolded, it became clear this was about more than golf. It’s about putting Saudi Arabia on the global map.

The Kingdom, long associated with strict traditions, is pushing Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify its economy beyond oil.

Hosting major sports events — golf in particular — has become part of that strategy. By bringing in world-class golfers like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith, and hosting events that rival some of the sport’s most historic tournaments, Saudi Arabia is saying: Come see us, come experience us, come engage with us.

For fans and players, LIV Golf offers something different: shotgun starts, music on the fairways, and prize purses that forced the traditional golf world to rethink how it treats players.

But for Saudi Arabia, it’s bigger than the fairways.

Cities like Jeddah and Riyadh, once absent from international sports conversations, are now on the calendar alongside Augusta, St. Andrews and Pebble Beach. It’s tourism, global exposure, and business all rolled into one.

Questions remain. Will golf purists accept this new era? Can fans separate the sport from the politics behind it? Or will LIV Golf be remembered as a bold, billion-dollar experiment that shook the game but never fully landed?

For now, one thing is clear: Saudi Arabia has made its presence felt. The doors are open, the tee times are set, and the world is watching.