Historic New Ladies European Tour Event Announced in Saudi Arabia
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2019-12-13
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia has become renowned at breaking boundaries in sport, a trend which continues with the announcement of a fully sanctioned Ladies European Tour (LET) event set to take place in the Kingdom on March 19-22, March 2020. The tournament, which will carry a USD$1 million prize fund, will be staged in collaboration with Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation.
The event is a watershed moment for the country, and will mark the first time that professional female golfers have played competitively in the country, breaking new ground in its ongoing transformation as part of Vision 2030.
The 72-hole stroke play competition, which will be broadcast domestically and to more than 340 million homes across more than 55 countries worldwide, will inspire a new generation of golfers throughout the Kingdom. A field of 108 LET professionals will contest for one of the richest prizes on the LET Schedule at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, near Jeddah, on the country’s stunning Red Sea coast.
Commenting upon hosting the event for the first time and setting new precedents within the sport, His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of the Saudi Golf Federation and Golf Saudi, said: “We are delighted to be creating history by hosting the inaugural ladies professional tournament in March. I hope the tournament will inspire many women to take up the great game of golf and awaken their interest in this wonderful sport. We warmly welcome all the players to the Kingdom and wish everyone a rewarding experience in our magical country.”
Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, which is set within King Abdullah Economic City, also plays host to the European Tour’s Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers. At the first staging in 2019, Major champion Dustin Johnson emerged victorious and the former World #1 will return to defend his title against a world-class field that also includes the likes of Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Tony Finau and Henrik Stenson, in January.
“I am incredibly excited by this announcement and it is an honour for the Tour to be part of history in bringing the first-ever professional women’s golf event to Saudi Arabia,” said Ladies European Tour, CEO, Alexandra Armas. “Confirmation of adding Saudi Arabia to our schedule for 2020 is an exciting prospect for everyone at the Ladies European Tour and having seen the quality of the event staging for the Saudi International, I am sure this will be a fantastic experience for our players.”
As well as confirming the historic tournament, Golf Saudi today announced it is working with several LET stars in order to promote golf to domestic audiences and to enhance the visibility of Saudi’s golf development programme and its golf tourism offer internationally. The UK’s Carly Booth, Amy Boulden and Rachel Drummond, and Swedish pair Camilla Lennarth and Isabella Deilert will each wear the Golf Saudi logo as ambassadors of the programme.
Looking ahead to the inaugural LET event, three-time Tour winner and Golf Saudi Ambassador, Carly Booth said: “I’m looking forward to being part of history with the other ladies on the tour and of course to competing over the Royal Greens course. I have visited Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions and been lucky enough to spend some time teaching local women and girls how to play; they have been so enthusiastic and I am sure that seeing professional golfers compete in their country will inspire them to take up the game and strive for their dreams.”
The 2020 event will showcase Saudi Arabia’s natural assets, as well as prioritising the country’s drive to increase golf participation significantly in the years to come. The Kingdom already has a strong track record when it comes to staging high-level sporting fixtures, including major football, boxing, motorsport and equestrian events.
For information about Golf Saudi and the event, please visit www.golfsaudi.com.
For information on the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, please visit royalgreens.net.
About Golf Saudi
Golf Saudi facilitates uptake and participation in golf through the delivery of world-class facilities, operational excellence and the implementation of industry best practice to position the Kingdom as an exceptional golfing nation. Combined with grass roots training and education programmes that introduce people to the game at the earliest opportunity and with the greatest ease, Golf Saudi is committed to delivering a dynamic national development programme that transforms the golfing landscape.
Twitter: @Golf_Saudi
Instagram: @Golf_Saudi
Facebook: @GolfSaudi
About the Saudi Golf Federation
The Saudi Golf Federation is the governing body for golf in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, responsible for handicapping, the development of golf as a sport and for delivering national tournaments. Based in Riyadh, the Federation is a full member of the Council of National Golf Unions and is committed to fully developing the game for all its citizens and residents.
About The Ladies European Tour
The Ladies European Tour (LET) is headquartered at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club near London and celebrates women’s golf on a global stage. Since its formation in 1978, the Ladies European Tour has crowned more than 250 different winners and 700 championship trophies have been lifted as players from 28 different countries have won on the Tour. The LET operates tournaments across six continents and The Solheim Cup, which has been played 16 times biannually since 1990, has become one of the biggest female sporting events in the world. The LET Access Series is the official developmental tour and bridges the gap from amateur to professional golf, giving young players the opportunity to gain valuable competitive experience and progress onto the main professional tour. The Board of Directors are the guardians of the tour and along with the Players Council ensure the tour continues to grow and improve for players, fans and all associates. The tour is also proud to have bestowed Honorary Membership to Mark Lichtenhein, Louise Crozier Solheim, Helena Alterby Nordström and Roland Specker.