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LONDON: With immersive tech, visionary course design, and a bold ambition to shape the next chapter of global golf, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and Golf Saudi officially launched PIF Future Fairways in central London on Tuesday — a preview event blending innovation with sport to highlight ������Ƶ’s emergence as a world class golf destination.

The event at Urban Golf in Smithfield unveiled an interactive 3D digital version of three flagship Saudi golf courses — Shura Links, Laheq Golf Course, and Trojena Northern Golf Course — designed to position the Kingdom at the heart of golf’s next era.

These next-generation venues will anchor Saudi’s broader ambitions to triple its number of golf courses by 2030 and build a holistic sports and tourism ecosystem.

Attendees, including pro golfers, designers and industry leaders, explored virtual replicas of the new courses, demo-played signature holes on high-tech simulators, and took part in a “closest to the pin” challenge — all while engaging in off-the-record discussions with PIF stakeholders and Golf Saudi executives.

“For me, every experience that I have with Saudi, it’s been amazing,” said Carlota Ciganda, one of Golf Saudi’s ambassadors. “I know what they are capable of doing. These courses look amazing, a lot of fun to play — they’re going to attract a lot of people, a lot of tourists. I would love to go, play, and be part of this.”

Her sentiments were echoed by fellow ambassador Marianne Skarpnord, who said: “I definitely see ������Ƶ becoming a golf tourist destination. ������Ƶ’s landscapes are tailor-made for golf — from coastal settings to dramatic desert terrain. As we’ve seen here today, there are some amazing courses being built — it’ll be an easy choice for many people coming from the outside.”

Beyond new courses, the event also highlighted Golf Saudi’s long-term commitment to growing the sport from the ground up.

Dedicated programs and academies are now being developed throughout the Kingdom to nurture young talent and embed golf within the local culture — a critical step for any emerging golf nation.

������Ƶ’s new courses — including the coastal Shura Links on Shura Island, the desert-framed Laheq Golf Course along the Red Sea coast, and the alpine-inspired Trojena Northern Golf Course in NEOM — are being designed not just for playability but for global competition. Each is expected to host future tournaments, including events on the PIF Global Series, which resumes this weekend with the PIF Championship at London’s Centurion Club.

The fusion of golf and tourism is at the heart of the vision. By integrating world-class design with environmental sensitivity and destination appeal, ������Ƶ is not only building venues but offering experiences tailored to the modern golfer.

“The goal is to reimagine how golf is experienced, shared, and celebrated — both locally and globally,” said one stakeholder during the event. “This is not about copying what exists elsewhere. It’s about creating something distinctly Saudi, with universal appeal.”

PIF Future Fairways will continue to appear at all PIF Global Series tournaments through 2025 and into 2026, serving as a traveling exhibition of ������Ƶ’s golf transformation.

For now, Tuesday’s London event delivered a clear message: ������Ƶ is not just joining the global golf stage — it’s setting the direction for its future.

PORTHCAWL, Wales: England’s Lottie Woad endured a frustrating start to the AIG Women’s Open as Japan’s Eri Okayama and Rio Takeda topped the first-round leaderboard at a sunny Royal Porthcawl on Thursday.

An astonishing July, which culminated in Woad winning the Scottish Open in her first event as a professional, had made the 21-year-old favorite for the year’s final major.

But the former Florida State University player found the going tough on the south Wales coast as she ground out a level-par round of 72 thanks to a birdie at the last.

Okayama’s five-under 67 gave her the lead before she was joined by Takeda after she birdied the 18th.

Japanese players dominated the opening day with Miyu Yamashita at four-under ahead of a large group on three-under that included Chevron Championship winner Mao Saigo, Shiho Kuwaki and Chizato Iwai.

Reigning champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand and world No. 1 Nelly Korda, like Woad, failed to take advantage of relatively calm conditions.

Ko finished on one over, while American Korda was two-under par.

World No. 139 Okayama bogeyed her opening hole but birdied five of the next eight and was rock solid on the way back with another birdie at the 17th moving her ahead.

Takeda recovered from a double-bogey seven at the ninth with four birdies on the back nine, putting her joint first.

By far the largest galleries assembled just after lunchtime to watch Woad in a group alongside Ko and American Lilia Vu.

Despite it being her first major as a professional, Surrey-born Woad’s win at the Irish Open and then missing out by one stroke at the Evian Championship just before turning pro meant she arrived in Wales with sky-high expectations.

Woad was a cumulative 55-under-par for her last three tournaments and the crowd did not have to wait long for a glimpse of her quality as she rolled in a birdie at the first.

A bogey at the third and another at the fifth followed but she then had the crowd cheering as a long putt from the edge of the sixth green disappeared for another birdie.

Woad struggled to gain any momentum though and scrambled for a par-five at the ninth.

A bogey on the 11th put her one over for the round but she got back to level with a birdie three at the 14th after a majestic approach shot.

Another mistake at the par-three 15th cost her shot though before a birdie at the 18th made sure she finished the way she had started.