A stellar line up of the best female golfers from 27 different countries will tee it up on Thursday (March 17) for the third edition of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City.
Led by Major-winners and Solheim Cup stars Anna Nordqvist (NOR), Georgia Hall (ENG), Carlota Ciganda (ESP), Bronte Law (ENG) and Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN), a truly world-class international field will compete for the $1million prize-purse and write the next chapter of women’s golf in Saudi Arabia this week.
The event is the second tournament of the 2022 LET season – a year that will supersede all that came before it with a total prize pool of nearly $30million available across the season, the largest in Ladies European Tour history, up by close to $8million on 2021, and more than double the prize-money on offer back in 2019.
With $1million up-for-grabs, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund will offer a good early indicator as to the names to watch out for this season.
A hungry field packed with global talent
As well as its established Major-winners, the field teeing it up at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club this week is stacked with a host of exciting young players forecast to cement their status in world golf this year.
Australian Stephanie Kyriacou is one of them, who at 21-years-old already has three career titles to her name – and is now a holder of both LET and LPGA Tour cards. Ten top ten finishes in 2021, including a tie for ninth at this same event last year, firmly position Kyriacou as a favourite for this week.
Pia Babnik of Slovenia won the R&A Girls Amateur Championship in 2019, joining the LET a year later at just 16-years-old. Last November, she claimed what was the second Tour title of her young career at Royal Greens, with victory in the individual category of the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah. Now, aged 18, she returns to the course, seeking her third professional win.
Defending champion Lydia Ko was forced to withdraw earlier this week after testing positive for Covid-19, but with the tournament’s 2020 maiden champion Emily Kristine Pedersen – plus international stars Angel Yin, Laura Davies and Anne van Dam – all part of the stellar line-up, it’s all to play for.
The most Arab representation in LET history
When the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund was first played two years ago, the field featured only a single Arabic golfer: Morocco’s Maha Haddioui.
This week’s tournament will welcome three Arabic players – the most of any Ladies European Tour event in history, and all from Morocco.
Saudi fan-favourite Haddioui will be joined by countrywomen Ines Laklalech and Lina Belmati, both of whom will be making their professional debuts, and both of whom source the 10-year LET veteran as one of their key inspirations in golf.
All to play for early in the LET season – but with windier weather than usual!
The Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund was last held in November, when Lydia Ko stormed to victory in commanding fashion. The tournament returns less than four months later, with a far earlier spot in the LET’s season calendar, as only the second event of 2022.
It follows February’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open, won by Esther Henseleit of Germany. With plenty of Race to Costa del Sol and official World Ranking points on the table, a strong performance at Royal Greens will allow players to gain an early foothold in the Tour’s most lucrative season yet.
However, the change of season has brought with it a change of playing conditions for the players. Royal Greens Golf & Country Club is renowned for its afternoon winds, especially along the Red Sea coastline where its 15th, 16th and 17th holes lie.
Forecasters are predicting strong winds throughout the entirety of the tournament this week, which will make this year’s tournament the toughest yet.
The perfect weekend escape for all the family – and girls looking to learn golf!
All tickets for this week’s tournament are free and can be secured by registering online via www.golfsaudi.com. With a ticket, all attendees can enjoy the golf from close-up, all the fun that’s to be had in the tournament’s fan village and Aramco Energy Zone, plus the sensational views over the waters of the Red Sea that the course offers.
On Friday, the tournament will play host to a Ladies Day, as part of which, all women and girls are invited along to enjoy complimentary, expert led golf lessons, in the presence of some big-name Saudi YouTube stars, and a host of ladies keen to learn more about the sport.
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