KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia: Dustin Johnson’s bid for a third victory at the Saudi International began with the American shooting 5-under 65, leaving him three strokes off the lead held by Matteo Manassero after the first round on Thursday.
Johnson is one of a slew of high-profile players from the US PGA Tour and European tour on big appearance fees at the opening event of the Asian Tour, and is looking to back up his titles from 2019 and last year. He also finished second in 2020.
The No. 5-ranked Johnson was 6 under after 11 holes at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club. He bogeyed No. 13 and parred his way home to be in a six-way tie for seventh place.
Manassero, a one-time prodigy in European golf who fell off the main tour and now competes on the second-tier Challenge Tour, covered the front nine in 29 after making six birdies, and picked up more shots at Nos. 11 and 12. He was bogey-free in his round of 62.
Manassero was two shots clear of a group of five players — including Americans Bubba Watson and Harold Varner III — who were tied for second.
In a field that had the feel of a top PGA Tour event, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed and Tommy Fleetwood were among those shooting 66s, with Xander Schauffele and Phil Mickelson a further stroke back.
Bryson DeChambeau opened with a 3-over 73 that contained a triple-bogey 7 at the seventh hole.
Johnson makes another strong start in Saudi; Manassero leads
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Johnson makes another strong start in Saudi; Manassero leads
- Matteo Manassero, a one-time prodigy in European golf who fell off the main tour and now competes on the second-tier Challenge Tour, covered the front nine in 29 before carding a 62
- The No. 5-ranked Dustin Johnson was 6 under after 11 holes at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club — he bogeyed No. 13 and parred his way home to be in a six-way tie for seventh place
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
