KAEC: World number seven Lexi Thompson and defending champion Georgia Hall will compete in their first tournament of the 2023 season when they play in this week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The $5 million event returns to the world-renowned Royal Greens Golf & Country Club this week, and both Thompson and Hall expect a tough challenge over the next few days after yesterday’s practice rounds.
In addition to the trickier-than-usual course conditions at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club this year, both players are part of the event’s strongest field to date. They will have to take on some of the world’s best, such as world number 1 Lydia Ko and world number 4 Atthaya Thitikul if they are to capture the title and the biggest slice of the $5million prize fund.
Thompson, who will be competing in Saudi Arabia for the first time, said: “’I’m really happy to be here first off.
“It’s an amazing golf course and layout. I’ve heard that it plays quite a bit different in the afternoon, especially if it gets super windy and the course maybe dries out a little bit. But I played in the morning yesterday; get nine in probably today. But probably if it gets windy, flighting your shots properly and just to start it off getting in the fairway is always number one. The greens are a little tricky. There are quite some hills in them, so getting in the right sections and really thinking about those second shots going into the greens with the pin placements.”
Defending champion Georgia Hall is bracing for the challenge ahead – both the windy conditions and the stellar competition she’ll be up against: “I think it’s going to be very windy again, one of the windiest weeks that I’ve been here, which is nice. I think it’s a good test. Definitely work on my low shots, especially off the tee as well. It’s a very strong field this year. Much stronger than last year. I think obviously be harder to win for anyone. Really excited to get going tomorrow.
“I think this week is actually the best I’ve seen the condition of the course. And also, some tees have been pushed back, so I think scores may not be as good as previous years.”
Thompson, who has always been a strong advocate of equality in the game of golf, was delighted upon hearing the news when it broke last year of the event’s prize purse boost to $5 million, which is the largest prize purse in the Ladies European Tour outside of the majors and matches the men’s event, the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
The 28-year-old remarked: “It’s amazing news, first off, being an athlete and just to see the game grow and move in the right direction. But I think we’re all just so grateful to have these partnerships and to have people to support women’s golf and that we’re moving in the right direction gaining these partnerships and raising these prize funds. That’s what we want to see, and I think we’re moving in the right direction. To be here this week, to be playing for the same prize fund as the men did, it’s quite the accomplishment, and I think it’s just showing that the women’s game is moving in the right direction for us.”
World number 23 Hall echoed Thompson’s sentiments and said: “It’s massive, for women’s golf especially, to have equal prize fund with the men at the same course, same venue. It’s amazing. I know that us players are very grateful to Aramco for helping to put this event on, and I think it will just help especially for other sponsors and companies going forward to hopefully do the same for us.”
