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The Asian Tour has postponed its season-ending PIF Saudi International owing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. A nearby airport was struck in an attack a matter of days ago, and tournament organisers have now confirmed that the PIF Saudi International has been put on hold as a direct result of the continuing unrest in the region.
The competition was initially scheduled for November 18-21 at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia, but the £3.76million season-ending Asian Tour event has been delayed indefinitely following an assessment of the logistical and organisational difficulties involved.
"The Asian Tour remains in direct contact with its players and members regarding the schedule and next steps," the tour said in a statement. "Golf Saudi thanks players, partners, and fans for their understanding. Further details will be announced in due course."
King Khalid International Airport, situated approximately 30 minutes from Riyadh Golf Club, was struck on 11 October, following an attack the previous day that left at least 13 people dead, according to Saudi Arabian officials.
The disruption extends beyond the Asian Tour. The DP World Tour playoffs, the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, and the DP World Tour Championship are all scheduled for November in the United Arab Emirates, and players have already voiced serious reservations about travelling to the tournaments.
Those concerns may now be revisited. Nevertheless, there have been no strikes in the UAE since mid-May, and the DP World Tour continues to closely monitor the situation to safeguard player welfare.
"As things stand right now, I would say I'm not that comfortable. No, I wouldn't be that comfortable," said Matt Fitzpatrick. "A few things have obviously changed for me, perspective and stuff. I had a child in August, and that obviously kind of changes things, I guess, a bit more.
"I think just in case -- in the case of what you read on the news, I know the news, where you get your news isn't always -- can be very one-sided, particularly in the U.S."
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Rory McIlroy ultimately convinced Fitzpatrick to reconsider his position, explaining that he has complete confidence in the DP World Tour to ensure player safety and welfare.
"Not for me," McIlroy said regarding any Middle East concerns, "If the local governments feel like it's safe to put on these events, they are not going to put their citizens or people visiting in harm's way, I imagine.
"I love the Middle East. I have a lot of friends there, and I'm looking forward to going back for sure."
McIlroy confirmed that he planned to compete in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. "The Abu Dhabi Championship is always one of the tournaments I look forward to, and it's great to see Aldar come on board as the new title partner," McIlroy stated in a press release unveiling new title sponsor.
"Abu Dhabi is a fantastic place to visit, Yas Links is always in immaculate condition, and the atmosphere throughout the week makes it a special event."
Whether everyone shares his enthusiasm as uncertainty continues in the region remains to be seen. There has previously been speculation that the tournament could move to Spain.
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