Padraig Harrington says Saudi Arabian European Tour event could be a 'positive force' for the country

The European Tour will take the first golf event to the country during the circuit's desert swing

Padraig Harrington defended the new event in Saudi Arabia (Getty Images)

Padraig Harrington says that the European Tour’s decision to stage an event in Saudi Arabia can be a “positive force” despite scrutiny over sporting events situated in the country since Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

European Tour officials announced that they would take the first golf event to the country during the circuit's desert swing last March, which was confirmed yesterday as the official schedule for the 2019 season was released.

"It's a difficult decision, I'm sure it was not taken lightly," Harrington told Press Association Sport. "The European Tour, like a lot of people, are trying to build relationships around the world and looking to move forward.

It will be the first time a European Tour event has come to Saudi Arabia (Getty)

"Then, of course, the question comes when you go to something like this - are you helping by going or by not going are you pushing them away and making society poorer and weaker and less open by shutting them out?

"It's an age-old question and probably for a lot more qualified people than me to know if it's a good or a bad thing.

"There is no doubt by us being there it opens up society all the more, obviously that's what the Saudis would like. They are trying to open up tourism, their society and the European Tour and other sporting occasions are part of bringing the world to them."

Paul Casey is set to take part in the Saudi Arabian event (Getty)

Ryder Cup stars Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Thomas Bjorn and Paul Casey are all set to take part in the event which will take place from January 31 - February 3 at the newly built Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in the King Abdullah Economic City.

"If we went back 50 years in any of our societies we needed to open up so it's not 100% clear, it's not a black or white question or answer to say are we helping or not," the three-time major champion continued. "Let's hope we are."

"I've played a lot of golf in different countries and if you started to get down to the nitty-gritty at times you'd go 'Well there have been questionable places we've gone to'. But on the other side you are opening up society in those countries and helping.

"This is a situation that obviously has to be monitored and looked at and is certainly not something that is taken lightly. Let's hope it's a step forward rather than backwards.

"I think the European Tour have taken the attitude at this stage they can be more of a positive force than a negative one."