Straight Talk presenter Eugene Chan (right) interviews CEO of Golf Saudi Noah Alireza on TVB, Oct 10, 2023. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
We have two guests on Straight Talk this week.
In the first half, Noah Alireza, chief executive officer of Golf Saudi, talked about whether teaming up with Hong Kong is a winning formula. He said the objective of Saudi Arabia is to make the country a leading golf destination. Noah also said the significance of bringing the Aramco Team Series to Hong Kong is that the sport could create a platform for business.
In the second half, we talked to Ian Gardner, general manager of Hong Kong Golf Club. He agreed that golf provides a conduit for business development. He said the Aramco Team Series was broadcast to over 100 countries around the world and that would help put HK on the map again. Ian added the events attract local players, spectators and people from the Greater Bay Area.
Check out the full transcript of TVB’s Straight Talk host Dr Eugene Chan’s interview with Noah Alireza and Ian Gardner.
Chan: Good evening! I am Eugene Chan, and welcome to Straight Talk! Our guest today is Noah Alireza, the CEO of Golf Saudi. And we are very excited to be here on the grounds of the Hong Kong Golf Club at Fanling, where the Aramco Team Series, a professional women's golf competition, was held over the weekend. Since Noah became the CEO of Golf Saudi, we have seen golf in Saudi continue to grow and solidify its position amongst the world’s golf nations. So, welcome, Noah, to Hong Kong!
Alireza: Thank you for having me.
Chan: Right, for that we had a few days of golf in Hong Kong. I know it’s raining heavily, but we have done it in high notes.
Alireza: Absolutely.
Saudi Arabia having had strong relationships with Hong Kong from a business perspective for such a long time – it's only natural to have such a tournament in such a setting.
Noah Alireza, CEO, Golf Saudi
Chan: How happy are you so far with Hong Kong?
Alireza: We've had a typhoon of a finish.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: And it was not the ideal full event, but we had an exciting finish actually. So, congratulations to our champion – Xiyu Lin. We had a playoff sudden-death this morning and finishing with thunderous was quite an incredibly exciting one.
Chan: Yes. I was there watching the putt going in, and it was so exciting.
Alireza: Absolutely.
Chan: Right. Noah, I mean Hong Kong is so happy to have you bringing the Aramco Team Series here to Hong Kong because we got to see all the top players, and it’s such an excitement for Hong Kong and also the GBA, the Greater Bay Area residents, that we get to see top class golf. How do you find Hong Kong so far in terms of supporting this in the future for your series?
Alireza: If I tell you a bit more about more about the Aramco Team Series.
Chan: Yes.
Alireza: It’s an extremely unique format. So first of all, it's all about having an elevated event for women in golf. And women in sports is the heart and the core of the Aramco Team Series. And from starting the series, it is a 5-series event and generally taking place in financial capital cities of the world. So, we've had one in Singapore this year, we’ve had one in London, we are having one in Hong Kong, one in Riyadh. That’s if you see the theme, it's of where we select those cities, it’s, generally speaking, financial capitals. And Saudi Arabia having had strong relationships with Hong Kong from a business perspective for such a long time – it's only natural to have such a tournament in such a setting.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: And to be honest with you, everybody here has been extremely gracious and welcoming.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: And it's been a really great event that everyone enjoyed.
Chan: Right. Noah, I've got some very good friends actually playing amongst the pro in the team competition. This is something new and unique to your series, isn't it?
Alireza: Absolutely. Not only that, we have also managed to have the honour of having world number one with us in the series – Lilia Vu, who joined us. And so the Aramco Team Series, as you just said, is a unique format, where unlike a normal tournament where you have a pro-am and then a tournament, here there's a pro-am where you have amateurs teaming up with professionals. You also have amateurs playing in the actual tournament itself ...
Chan: Right.
CEO of Golf Saudi Noah Alireza attends an interview on TVB, Oct 10, 2023. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Alireza: … contributing to the team score. So, you have one amateur playing with three professionals, providing an extremely unique experience. I had the privilege and honor of playing in Aramco Team Series before I took on the job. And, I have to say as a golfer, that was the best experience I've ever had. And I'm not selling, I'm actually telling you the truth.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: Because as a golfer, when you hit a good shot, you always feel like, one day I can become a professional.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: This is the closest feeling of becoming a professional because you're inside the ropes, playing with the fence around you, and feeling the real pressure.
Chan: I can see that by listening, even as a golf fan, you want to play better with the golf and be able to be playing out there one day.
Alireza: For sure, for an once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Chan: Noah, I also understand that there is a new partnership with FII, Future Investment Initiative, and they will be hosting the first Priority Asia Summit in Hong Kong in December. Can you tell us the significance of that and the Aramco Team Series?
Alireza: Absolutely. So, the relationship between the FII, or Future Investment Initiative, with the Aramco Team Series was one that was born almost naturally. If you look at golf and business, there is an intrinsic link between the two. That in general in golf events is touched upon but not really fully integrated. While the Aramco Team Series’ objective is the growth of women in sports, there is also potential of events becoming a platform for business. And with the unique format that I just described of having amateurs integrated into the event what we are trying to achieve here with this partnership with the FII is where golf meets business, and that platform when going around the world, what ends up happening is you create a multiplier effect.
Chan: Right, I see.
Alireza: That multiplier effect can mean building meaningful relationships with different countries and different individuals. That can create from those meaningful relationships in a four and a half hour around golf, a business opportunity that leads to job creation, that leads to local content, that leads to inward outward investments, and that also can hopefully contribute to GDP growth in both countries.
Chan: I think that explains why our chief executive, John Lee Ka-chiu, has sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia and had this Aramco Team Series coming to Hong Kong. I am sure Hong Kong’s golf fans would love to know what the vision and mission for Golf Saudi is.
Alireza: The vision and mission of Golf Saudi is an extension of Vision 2030. We have, in Saudi Arabia, an extremely elaborate program that is extremely ambitious, led by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that has had an incredible transformation that we are witnessing in Saudi Arabia. Now with everything in Saudi Arabia that is transforming, the sports sector, which is led by the Ministry of Sports, is also transforming almost every single sports across the spectrum.
Chan: I see.
Alireza: Golf Saudi being one of them. So, being also led by the Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud, there is multiple federations that are under the Saudi Olympic Committee. One of those federations is the Saudi Golf Federation, and the federations are NGOs that are actually allowed to own commercial companies that execute. So, Golf Saudi, led by the Chairman, His Excellency Yasir AI Rumayyan, has a very ambitious objective of two things basically. Number one is to make Saudi Arabia a leading golf destination; while number two is to be a catalyst for the growth of golf, locally and globally. Now you may ask …
Chan: Why globally?
Alireza: Why globally? The reason for the global aspects of the growth of the game is it being reciprocal. So by, as with other sports, creating star or having star athletes being influencers can always grow the game back, just like we having football. In Saudi Arabia today, we have the Cristiano Ronaldos, we have the Karim Benzemas, those are creating very big followings and a big impact on that sport. Eventually what we're trying to do is create champions. By creating those champions, when you have that threshold moment of, for example, Saudi Arabia beating Argentina, that is a generational moment.
Chan: Exactly.
Alireza: That ends up creating the whole cycle of the game. And “why golf?” is another question. Golf is an unique sport in the sense that just like every other sports, it gives you discipline, gives you ambition, gives you focus, and has attributes that if you don't make it as a professional in the sport, there is a very good chance of you having the ingredients of becoming a professional in life. So, it is a character building game.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: So, going back to the overall, as your question is, what is our ambition? What are we trying to do? In order for us to build, so I talked about the demand perspective, from a supply and building leading golf destination, is as it is with everything Saudi today. We are not necessarily playing catch-up, we are playing leapfrog. And in order for us to play leapfrog, we got to ask the question – what does golf look like 100 years from now? And start building it today.
Chan: Right. Noah, I read that since you became CEO, you have like 50,000 more people playing golf in Saudi, is it correct?
Alireza: I wish it was correct. Fifty thousand have been reached, we have a long way to go.
Chan: Right.
Alireza: The honest answer to that is we have a supply, current supply shortage in infrastructure. So, when going out to market and trying to build up the demand, when you don't have the supply, it's difficult to go from awareness, which is the 50,000 you were talking about it that we touched, and convert them into acquisition and actually golf clubs in people's hands. The focus right now is pretty much one word – access. Once we develop the infrastructure, we are able to get, hopefully, the 50,000 number that you are talking about.
Chan: Right. So, Noah, I am very happy to hear that you have the leapfrog concept, and I am sure Hong Kong will welcome you guys to come back and we will definitely leapfrog with you. Thank you very much for coming.
Alireza: Thank you.
Chan: Thank you.
Straight Talk presenter Eugene Chan (left) interviews Ian Gardner, general manager of Hong Kong Golf Club on TVB, Oct 10, 2023. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Chan: Thank you for staying with us. We had Noah Alireza of Golf Saudi in the first part, telling us whether Hong Kong is a good team player for success, for winning formula. Now we have invited Ian Gardner, the General Manager of the Hong Kong Golf Club, to tell us more about this Aramco Team Series. So, welcome, Ian, to the show!
Gardner: Thank you!
Chan: So we had this wonderful three-day event in Hong Kong. You being the manager for the last 9 years, how do you find this event any different to the past events we have had in Hong Kong?
Gardner: Well, first of all, the format of the event was very different from the other international events that we have held here at the club. Usually the international events that we play are individual format type of events, where players play individually, whereas this was a team event and very specially, I think, this event included amateurs playing with professionals. So, it was a completely different atmosphere, and I think it was very popular with the players, especially for our amateur players, having the opportunity to play with some of the very best lady players in the world. And also for the spectators and our members, it was a really great atmosphere, I think everybody really enjoyed it.
Chan: Right. In his interview, Noah said that this is a very unique experience for any golfer.
Gardner: Yes.
Chan: To be able to play with these great players. I am sure, even the amateurs will feel a lot of pressure when they do that. Do you agree?
Gardner: Absolutely. We had, I think, 13 of our club members playing as amateurs in the event. And I spoke to several of them during the event and afterward, and they all said how exciting it was and how nervous they were before they went out, but having crowds of people, TV cameras, being on the big screen, and not usually taking your game to that level was quite a different experience. So, they were very excited.
We have done it for many years, and in fact that is one of our main missions at this club – to develop the game of golf for all people.
Ian Gardner, General Manager, Hong Kong Golf Club
Chan: And I believe that with the Aramco Team Series, they have a very wide television coverage, compared to the events we had before. I mean this goes quite far, doesn’t it?
Gardner: Yes, I believe this event was broadcast to over 100 countries around the world, and many hundreds of millions of households. So, it was a huge reach and wonderful opportunity, I think, to help put Hong Kong on the map, especially after the recent times that we've been through in Hong Kong with COVID, not being able to play events, and then being able to really showcase what Hong Kong can do as an events capital in Asia.
Chan: Right. See, apart from the storm that we had, the typhoon that we had on the final day, the first few days, I am sure, we had many spectators. I understand there is also a “Fam” Village. Can you tell the viewers what exactly is a “Fam” Village? And what is the aim of the ‘Fam’ Village?
Gardner: Well, you know, people who come to watch golf tournaments like to do other things apart from just watch the golf, and we tried to deliver an experience for all members in the family. So, we had some activities in the spectator village which included catering as well as some events and experiences that all members of the family could enjoy and participate in. Unfortunately, it was impacted by the rain and the storm on the second day. But on the first day, we saw a lot families getting out there, a lot of school children coming out and getting a first experience of golf. But just enjoying to be in the atmosphere of the club was a very good chance for them.
Chan: Yeah, being a golf person yourself, you were in Africa before, you told me. What is so special about Hong Kong? Why are we now put on the map with the Golf Saudi Aramco Team Series? It’s made up of 5 cities – from Singapore, London, Florida, Hong Kong, and back in Saudi. What made Hong Kong so special to be able to be part of that league?
Gardner: Yeah, well, our club at Fanling has a huge history of hosting events. There are very few clubs in the world that have hosted a single international event for as many years as we have had the Hong Kong Open. We have done the Hong Kong Open now for 63 years.
Chan: Wow!
Gardner: So, it is … we got a lot of experience in running these events, and we know from the feedback that we get, that the players love coming here themselves. They really enjoy the unique layout of our golf course, I think our golf course shows really well on TV too, so sponsors and organizers really enjoy running events here. And I think it's just the environment in Hong Kong, the activities, both on the course, and then in the club, and also in the city, are provide a pretty unique opportunity for participants in the event, players, as well as spectators.
Chan: I think apart from the actual venue, I am sure the players that you can attract to the competition will make a big difference to the sort of attraction to spectators. I understand that there are residents from the Greater Bay Area, they travel to Hong Kong to watch this. So, I believe we had the number one and number three seed player in the world in Hong Kong.
Gardner: Yes.
Chan: Is it a normal thing for Hong Kong to have such luxury?
Gardner: One of the benefits of running the Hong Kong Open is we've had some great players that play in that event too. In fact, in the 63 years that we've played the Hong Kong Open, it’s been won on 14 occasions by a major champion in the world. So, we are very used to having the very best male players in the world playing in that event, but to have three of the top four lady players in the world playing in this event, and really the first time that we've been able to showcase what we can do for ladies golf, in terms of international events, was a really unique opportunity for us.
Chan: Yes. And I saw that the admission was free on the Friday, and the tickets for Saturday and Sunday was just HK$150. And there were shuttle buses being organized from the closest MTR stations. So, I think the club has done a lot to facilitate the public to be able to see all these great players. So, how have you … what are comments you have heard from the local golfers or even fans that you have met so far?
Gardner: I think we've heard from some of the fans that came to watch from the Greater Bay Area about how much they enjoyed coming here. Some of them hadn't been to Hong Kong before and I think they realised, after coming to watch this event, that there is a lot more to see and do in Hong Kong than perhaps they were aware of. So, it was really good to see people coming from other parts of the world and experiencing what we can offer here at Fanling.
Ian Gardner, general manager of Hong Kong Golf Club, talks during an interview on TVB, Oct 10, 2023. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Chan: Yeah. You know our Hong Kong government is trying the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign to boost local spending. And I am sure hopefully with more such events in Hong Kong, we will definitely put us back on the map.
Gardner: Yes, and our club is really keen to help in any way we can. We have got the Hong Kong Open coming back again in less than a month from today. And other events planned for next year, we hope that the Aramco Team Series, although it's not confirmed, will return for a second playing of the event next year. But other very exciting events, including LIV event, which will be huge for Hong Kong, and by far the biggest event that we would ever have done when it comes in March. So, there is a lot coming, and we plan to do whatever we can to help Hong Kong to really put our best face forward around the world, and show Hong Kong as the wonderful place that it is for hosting international events.
Chan: Right. Ian, one of the missions of Golf Saudi that Noah has shared with us is they want to not only promote the sport locally but also promote it globally. And they really want to have local idols and stars that can unite the people. And looks like in Hong Kong, we are actually on that track as well with the recent success in the Asian Games.
Gardner: Yeah, for many years we have put a lot of effort into developing the game from the grassroots level, also supporting the elite players once they reach the standard of representing Hong Kong internationally. We have done it for many years, and in fact, that is one of our main missions at this club – to develop the game of golf for all people. And so it was wonderful, a huge result for us in the Hong Kong Golf Association, to see the Hong Kong team performing so well in the recent Asian Games, and a fantastic result with Taichi Kho winning the gold medal and the men's team a bronze medal, which was simply the best result we could ever have expected, and wonderful to see. And a great inspiration for other young players coming up, who, you know, look at these results and are really inspired to achieve the same kind of thing themselves. So, we expect to see a big uptake in interest in the game, and we will do whatever we can through our outreach activities into schools and all of the work that we do with the Hong Kong Golf Association to further develop the game and inspire other children to achieve great results.
Chan: Right. Ian, there is often a comment that we hear that a lot of business is actually done on the golf course. Do you agree?
Gardner: Absolutely. It is well known around the world that golf provides an opportunity for people to relax in each other's company. They are together for 4 hours on the golf course and have an opportunity to really be relaxed and have a good interpersonal relationship. So, we know that it's used a lot by our members to entertain business clients, and also a lot of members of the public come together with their friends to play here during the week at Fanling and used for the same reason. So, it's a great conduit, I think, for business development, the game of golf.
Chan: I am going to ask you one last question: how do you anticipate Hong Kong’s golf and also sports development to what extent with what has happened so far? I mean we had great result at the Asian Games, and we have international events coming back, what do you think is going to happen, in short?
Gardner: Really I think the sky is limitless. You know this is just a foothold, what has been achieved. And I think with the support of the Hong Kong government, supporting our national sports association, the Hong Kong Golf Association, and us providing the facilities, I think we can really take it forward and do more and more for golf at all levels, from the grassroots up to the elite national team players.
Chan: So, thank you, Ian, for your valuable insights. And I’d like to leave you all with a quote from journalist Nury Vittachi: “You can leave Hong Kong, but it will never leave you”. We hope that the magic of Hong Kong will never leave all of our Aramco Team Series visitors. Have a good evening and see you next week.
