JEDDAH: A world-class field of 108 women golfers from 26 countries will contest this weekend’s Aramco Team Series in Jeddah.
Previous winners are back, including Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Olivia Cowan and reigning individual champion Pia Babnik.
They will be joined by this year’s Aramco Team Series London individual winner, Bronte Law, and 2021 Aramco Team Series Sotogrande individual winner, Alison Lee.
Solheim Cup Captain Suzann Pettersen is also among the names, as are Moroccans Maha Haddioui and Lina Belmati.
The event will include an individual 54-hole stroke play tournament and a 36-hole team contest. Each has a prize pool of $500,000 (SR1.9 million).
Maha Haddioui. (Supplied)
Speaking in Jeddah on Tuesday, Georgia Hall, the English winner of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International held in the city in March, said: “I am very excited to be back to one of my favorite golf courses and looking forward to another challenge.”
Meanwhile, German golfer Cowan said she was looking forward to replicating her recent success as winner of this year’s Hero Women’s Indian Open
“I don’t think I am under any pressure after my win In India. I had a good weekend there and came up on the top,” she said. “What I want to do this weekend here in Jeddah is just enjoy playing and see what happens.”
Both Hall and Cowan said that Saudi Arabia was doing great things promoting golf in the region.
Haddioui, the first Arab woman with playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour, said she was looking forward to her fifth consecutive year in Jeddah.
“To be part of the Aramco Series Challenge is incredible. I’m always happy to play in Saudi Arabia and hope to make a good result this weekend,” she said, adding other players were looking forward to competing in the Kingdom.
Lina Belmati. (Supplied)
Her fellow countrywoman Lina Belmati, who is returning to Jeddah for the second year in a row, said that she was ready for an exciting weekend.
“This is my second year and it has been a great experience to play among the best in Europe,” she said. “Hopefully I and Maha Haddioui, the only Arab golfers to play, will make a good impression and make our Arab world proud.
“I am very happy with the development of golf in the Arab countries. I hope for a better future and for Arabs to participate in golf. I thank the Aramco Team Championship Series for giving us this opportunity and providing the best possible organization for the championship.”
The Aramco Team Series is a new concept and the first team event series on any professional tour, where the world’s best compete in concurrent team and individual contests. This year’s event takes place between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11 at the Royal Green Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Jeddah.
