Following a memorable season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the region’s leading developmental golf circuit will culminate in what promises to be an exciting finale at this week’s Aramco Invitational Tournament in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
To be played at the exclusive Rolling Hills Golf Club in Dhahran for the fourth year running, the much-awaited season-ender will bring together the rising stars of the ADT, regional talents and Saudi’s leading players.
With its hefty prize fund of US$250,000, the Aramco Invitational will have a huge bearing on the final ADT Order of Merit standings and the top 10 players who will earn career-changing Asian Tour cards for next season. Further down the pecking order, there is still a lot to play for – the top 20 players get direct entry into the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage, while the top 25 will keep their ADT status for 2026.
And there’s another more immediate and extremely lucrative incentive to do well at Rolling Hills. The top-five players on the final ADT Order of Merit will enjoy an extended Arabian adventure as they will be granted starts at the Asian Tour’s US$1 million Saudi Open presented by PIF, which tees off from December 10-13 at the Dirab Golf & Country Club.
Current ADT Order of Merit leader Tawit Polthai will be keen to keep the Aramco Invitational title in Thai hands. The tournament’s three winners so far are all from Thailand – defending champion Itthipat Buranatanyarat, 2023 winner Denwit Booribonsub, and Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij who triumphed in 2022 and is back to play this year.
Other ADT players to look out for include English journeyman Matt Killen, who is on a great run of form and is currently second on the Order of Merit, India’s Karandeep Kochhar who claimed his first ADT title in Egypt earlier this month, and Filipino sensation Aidric Chan who has already won twice in 2025.
With 25 invitational players and 15 regional exemptions in the line-up, the Aramco Invitational also serves a broader purpose – to help drive the growth of the game in the Middle East and catalyse the creation of home-grown champions.
Among the players flying the Saudi flag this week are the Kingdom’s top professional golfer Khalid Attieh, Faisal Salhab who was last year’s top local finisher in T36 position, and stalwart Othman Almulla who was T28 in 2023 and T18 in 2022.
Nabil Al-Nuaim, Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association (SAGA) and CEO of Aramco Digital Company, said: “One of our main goals is to drive the development of the game among the youth in Saudi Arabia, by providing aspirational motivation and ample opportunities for emerging talents to shine. Our partnership with the Asian Development Tour for the Aramco Invitational Tournament is one of the key initiatives in our quest to achieve that goal.
“We look forward to building on this collaboration in the years to come and, hopefully soon, we will see a home-grown winner of the championship.”
ADT General Manager Ken Kudo is looking forward to a week of thrills and spills at Rolling Hills.
“The Aramco Invitational has been the ADT’s season finale for two of the past three years, producing some amazing golf and unforgettable moments as our players strive to finish the season strong. There is a whole lot to play for this week, and I am sure we will see another worthy champion and 10 deserving ADT players who will progress to the Asian Tour in 2026,” said Kudo.
“One of the most gratifying aspects of the Aramco Invitational is our close partnership with Saudi Aramco, who share our vision to elevate golf in the region and create future champions. We are also privileged to be able to stage the event at Rolling Hills, which is one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the Middle East,” he added.
A private club exclusively for Saudi Aramco employees, Rolling Hills’ history dates back to Saudi Arabia’s oil boom in the late 1940s. Originally a sand course, Rolling Hills was transformed into a championship grass layout in the early 2000s and is now widely acknowledged as one of the premier golfing experiences in the Middle East.
A high-calibre field at a fantastic venue, and all to play for – the stage is set for the Aramco Invitational to deliver a final act to remember.
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Main Image: Jason Butler / Asian Tour
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