The LIV Golf League is back for 2025 and there is a special event in Saudi Arabia's capital city to kick things off.
Taking place at one of the country's best golf courses, LIV Golf Riyadh takes over from Jeddah as Saudi Arabia's lone destination this term. To mark the occasion, as well as the circuit's new TV deal with Fox Sports in the USA, the opening tournament of the new season will take place under the lights.
All three rounds will begin after sunset, with the eventual champion crowned just before midnight local time on Saturday.
Several new players will be making their debuts at the event, while many of the biggest stars have returned for a crack at succeeding Jon Rahm as individual champion. Phil Mickelson is out with a minor injury, however, and he is replaced by International Series India champion, Ollie Schniederjans.
Below, check out who we've picked to win LIV Golf Riyadh as well as the pre-tournament odds for many of the leading players.
LIV Golf Riyadh Course: Riyadh Golf Club
Riyadh Golf Club was opened in 2005 and has hosted many a top professional tournament, including the Saudi International and LIV Golf Promotions 2024.
The par-72 can be stretched out to more than 7,400 yards from the tips and features a 689-yard par-5 as well as a nerve-wracking 162-yard par-3 with water surrounding it.
Like many courses in the Middle East, the courses features include wide and undulating fairways flanked by bunkers and strips of desert. The greens at Riyadh Golf Club are generally large and sloped, with various lakes and streams dotted about across the layout.
And - crucially for this week - the course offers floodlight golf all year round, helping LIV Golf Riyadh take place in vastly different conditions than players are used to.
LIV GOLF SAUDI ARABIA PREVIOUS WINNERS
LIV GOLF RIYADH BETTING ODDS
The odds to win outright are via BetMGM.
- Joaquin Niemann (+650)
- Bryson DeChambeau (+700)
- Tyrrell Hatton (+700)
- Jon Rahm (+700)
- Brooks Koepka (+1100)
- Cameron Smith (+1600)
- Abraham Ancer (+1800)
- David Puig (+1800)
- Patrick Reed (+1800)
- Cameron Tringale (+2500)
- Sergio Garcia (+2800)
- Sebastian Munoz (+2800)
- Louis Oosthuizen (+2800)
- Talor Gooch (+3300)
- Dean Burmester (+4000)
- Paul Casey (+4000)
- Lucas Herbert (+4000)
- Anirban Lahiri (+4000)
- Marc Leishman (+4000)
- Peter Uihlein (+4000)
- All other players priced at +5000 or higher
LIV GOLF RIYADH BETTING PICKS
FAVORITE: Bryson DeChambeau (+700)
A number of LIV golfers are turning up this week in Saudi having not hit a competitive shot since August, so I think it’s best to look at the players who have been competitive prior to the season starting.
DeChambeau has only played once, but that was last week and he was very impressive at the International Series India. The double US Open champion finished second to Ollie Schniederjans after a closing, bogey-free seven-under-par 65. He looks to be turning up to the first event in very good form.
OUTSIDER: David Puig (+1800)
Puig looks to be one of the brightest talents in the entire sport and he will be realistically targeting his first LIV Golf win this season after two Asian Tour triumphs over the past two years.
The Spaniard has played twice on the DP World Tour so far this year and he’s finished third in Ras Al Khaimah and T4th in Bahrain, so he should be very sharp this week and able to contend at the top of the pylon.
FAVORITE: Cameron Smith (+1600)
Although the Australian hasn't played a competitive round in 2025, his form at the end of 2024 was superb, with runner-up finishes coming at the Saudi International, Australian PGA Championship and NSW Open, as well as a share of third at the Queensland PGA Championship.
The runner-up finish came at Riyadh Golf Club, the venue of this week's tournament and, looking at his scores, he carded 67, 64, 70 and 62, so knows how to go low here. Throw in the fact he's had time to rest and recover over Christmas, and Smith possesses some great odds to challenge at the top.
OUTSIDER: Branden Grace (+8000)
Grace returns to Stinger GC despite being relegated in 2024 and, going into the first event of the season, I expect the former LIV Golf winner to prove the doubters wrong and have a strong week in Riyadh.
To begin with, he finished runner-up at this week's venue in the LIV Golf Promotions Event and sixth in the Saudi International, so knows the course well and possesses great form around it. What's more, he seems injury free and, crucially, has the support of his teammates so, with all of those details rolled together, I see Grace being great value here.
FAVORITE: Joaquin Niemann (+650)
Niemann has won on his two most recent trips to Saudi Arabia and I'm backing him to make it a hat-trick at LIV Golf Riyadh. He obviously loves the style of golf course the country provides and he is in red-hot form to boot with four top-10s - including a victory at the Saudi International.
While Tyrrell Hatton is also likely to be up among the title challengers this week for similar reasons, I'm hoping the Chilean's expertise in Saudi will see him get the job done.
OUTSIDER: Tom McKibbin (+6600)
LIV's newest signing will want to show what he is capable of immediately, so a high finish might well be on the cards in Riyadh. The Northern Irishman was on a decent run of form before the rumours began surrounding his switch in tours, too, with three top-11 results in the past six starts.
Although his approach play possibly requires the biggest improvement to regularly contend, another top week off the tee and a return to form with putter in hand might well help him to a maiden top-10 in the LIV Golf League.
HOW TO WATCH LIV GOLF RIYADH
USA (ET)
- Thursday, February 6 - Round One: 10:00am - 3:00pm (Fox Sports 2/LIV Golf YouTube)
- Friday, February 7 - Round Two: 10:00am - 3:00pm (Fox Sports 2/LIV Golf YouTube)
- Saturday, February 8 - Round Three: 10:00am - 3:00pm (Fox Sports 1/Fox Sports 2/LIV Golf YouTube)
UK (GMT)
- Thursday, February 6 - Round One: 3:15pm - 8:15pm (LIV Golf YouTube)
- Friday, February 7 - Round Two: 3:15pm - 8:15pm (LIV Golf YouTube)
- Saturday, February 8 - Round Three: 3:15pm - 8:15pm (LIV Golf YouTube)
