DOUBLE MAJOR-WINNER KO ADDED TO SUPERSTAR-PACKED FIELD

Lydia Ko

Two-time Major-winner Lydia Ko has been confirmed for next week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF, further boosting an already stellar cast Kingdom-bound for the country’s back-to-back Ladies European Tour golf events.

The New Zealander will be in good company on the Jeddah coast, with big-name Australasians Minjee Lee and Steph Kyriacou – plus the likes of fellow Major-winners Georgia Hall, Anna Nordqvist, and Dame Laura Davies.

Defending champion Emily Kristine Pedersen returns to the scene of her triple victory in 2020, while Britain’s Charley Hull seeks back-to-back Aramco victories after claiming the individual prize from the Aramco Team Series – New York. Fellow European Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda also features in the stellar field all going head-to-head at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, near Jeddah.

Starting a week today, the four-day Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF (November 4-7th) will be the first of two $1million LET tournaments taking place in the space of nine days.

The Aramco Team Series – Jeddah, the final of four ATS team events on this year’s LET calendar, follows, November 10-12th, and completes a fortnight being dubbed Women in Sport Season.

“It sounds like it’s going to be a really awesome week in Saudi Arabia,” said 24-year-old Ko, the world #8.

“This will be my first visit to the Kingdom but having watched some of last year’s debut Saudi events, the Aramco Team Series tournaments this year, and having heard only good things from the girls on Tour, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF is an event I am really excited to be part of.

“Being able to play in different countries around the world and inspire more young people and young girls especially into golf is something that I never take for granted. I know the impact this event had with Saudi girls last year – with more than 1,000 signing-up to learn to play – so it sounds like I’ll be playing in somewhere that’s really starting to fall in love with golf!”

Minjee Lee is Saudi Arabia-bound after an awesome year, which saw her bag her maiden Major title with a dramatic final-day surge to victory in the Evian Championship.

Perth-born Lee said: “It’s been a good year for me – and I’m excited to keep it going with my first visit to Saudi Arabia.

“I’ve had success in the region before, winning the Dubai Moonlight Classic in 2020, so hopefully my luck in the Middle East will continue with a strong finish in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.

“It’s a strong field but I’m playing well and hopefully I can take that with me to Jeddah.”

Free tickets are available now for both the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund (Nov 4-7) and the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah (November 10-12) via the Aramco Team Series website (www.aramcoteamseries.com) and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International website (www.golfsaudi.com/en-us/asli-2021).