JEDDAH: Major-winner Georgia Hall will play with the Ladies European Tour’s first and only Arabic golfer Maha Haddioui in Saudi Arabia this week at the $1 million Aramco Team Series – Jeddah after choosing the Moroccan from the event’s unique draft.
Hall was paired with Haddioui for Saturday’s round of last week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund, where she was impressed by her play.
The pair will now unite as part of an innovative four-person team that includes Indian star Diksha Dagar, part of the winning team at the ATS London event and an amateur – against 35 other teams starting tomorrow at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City. Hall, 25, is hoping they can make history and provide a first win for any female Arabic golfer in the professional game.
“I played with her last week, and I said to my caddie before she is the person to pick and luckily no one picked her yet,” said Hall.
“She’s a really nice girl and playing well. It will be fantastic for us to win and for her to achieve that first win, hopefully she makes a lot of birdies out there and we have fun at the same time.”
Haddioui, 33, is equally relishing the chance to team up with Hall and learn from one of the stars of the women’s game.
Maha Haddioui, the Ladies European Tour’s first and only Arabic golfer. (LET)
“I was really happy that she picked me. I think we turned pro at the same time, but she’s a very experienced player and just by playing with her last week I learned a lot. I was doing my stats after the round with her and saw how the short game made a huge difference,” Haddioui said.
Elsewhere in the draft, England’s Bronte Law – who won last month’s Dubai Moonlight Classic – once again opted for her 2019 Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, as she did in the Aramco Team Series’ Spain event earlier in the year.
Law said: “She’s just a good player. I’m good friends with her and I know we’ll have a laugh together, so I’m looking forward to it. I obviously picked her for my team in Sotogrande (Spain) and we had a good week, so hopefully we can have the same again this week.”
Another player to select a LET veteran was American Alison Lee who won the individual Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande, and who picked Laura Davies.
“In New York I also picked two veterans and having them was awesome. Laura had a good week last week and she’s a legend with more than 80 victories, so it’s a no-brainer to have her and to have that amazing experience on the team,” Lee said.
Charley Hull went for a full English, choosing compatriot Gabriella Cowley. The five-time Tour winner – who won the solo title in the ATS – New York – said: “I thought Gabs would be good. She won on the Rose Series this year, so I thought I’d pick her. My advice to the team would be ‘play your own game’. It should be a good few days.”
Emily Kristine Pedersen is the defending ATS champion in Saudi Arabia, from the format’s debut event in what was then the Saudi Ladies Team International.
The 25-year-old Dane said: “Obviously I really like it here and I have a lot of good memories here, it’s good to be back. I know if I find my game, I’m good enough to win and that gives me confidence.”
The Aramco Team Series – Jeddah is the last of four new $1 million team tournaments added to the LET this season taking place on Nov. 10 to 12 following events in London, Sotogrande, and New York.
