For the first time in history the Ladies European Tour (LET) headed to Riyadh for the fifth and final Aramco Team Series presented by PIF event of 2023.
America’s Alison Lee was victorious as she broke numerous LET records en route to clinching a second LET title. Elsewhere, the 27th event of the season proved to a be a memorable one for several rookies looking to end the year on a high.
With team and individual titles up for grabs in Saudi Arabia, the Draft kicked off proceedings as Alexandra Försterling was afforded the first pick of the night.
Having selected Italy’s Alessandra Fanali in Hong Kong last time out, the German once again went for close comforts opting for fellow rookie and good friend Emma Spitz from Austria.
“I think this time it was a no brainer!” Försterling said. “I really wanted to have Emma [Spitz]. We’re obviously rooming and travelling a lot together so have become really close friends.”
Further down the order, Major winner Minjee Lee selected Scotland’s Louise Duncan with France’s Nastasia Nadaud completing the Aussie’s professional trio.
Still buzzing after her Solheim Cup heroics last month, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda picked fellow Arizona State University (ASU) alumni Fanali. Another rookie, Czechia’s Sara Kouskova, also made the Spaniard’s team.
On a low scoring opening day, both Försterling and Sweden’s Sara Kjellker continued their fantastic form carding rounds of 66 (-6) to sit T11.
“I had so much fun out there with the Swedish crew,” Kjellker said, who teamed up with compatriots Lisa Pettersson and Camilla Lennarth. “We just fed off each other, lots of smiles and laughs. And I played very solid golf so it was fun.”
Round two brought the conclusion of the Team competition, and it was a dream day for Fanali and Kouskova as Team Ciganda stormed to a three shot victory.
“It’s incredible,” Kouskova said. “I’m having a hard time trying to soak it all in. Playing with a team like this, especially with Carlota [Ciganda] leading, is essentially a dream come true. We had a blast and I think we were lost in the moment sinking birdies.”
Over in the Individual competition, and buoyed on by Kjellker’s low scoring, Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab fired a phenomenal 64 (-8) to leapfrog her Rookie of the Year rival and soar into fourth position.
“I saw Sara [Kjellker] in the lead [yesterday], and I actually I got quite nervous!” Cheenglab said. “She’s playing pretty hot. I knew maybe I had to do something, so I tried to do my best to stay on top.”
After two rounds of action, 10 rookies made the cut which stood at two-under par. This included Cheenglab, Kjellker, Försterling, Spitz, Fanali, Kouskova, Nadaud, April Angurasaranee, Polly Mack and Kirsten Rudgeley.
On to the final day, and as Lee cruised to a historic victory on 29-under par – a 54-hole record on the LET – Cheenglab kept her cool playing alongside superstars Lilia Vu and Charley Hull to shoot a 68 (-4) and finish T4.
Now third in the Race to Costa del Sol, the Thai rookie said: “I was so happy to have a chance to play with Lilia [Vu], because in Hong Kong I was supposed to play with her in the final round but it was cancelled. But today I got to play with two LPGA stars in my group. It was so great to watch them play. I concentrated on my game and putted very good.
“I’m very happy with the result. Let’s see if I can now finish top three [in the Race to Costa del Sol].”
Elsewhere, Germany’s Mack fired the round of the day 64 (-8) to make a massive move finishing T11. She was joined by Spitz, who made only one bogey all week to cement her spot in the final two events of the season.
Försterling and Kjellker finished in T19 on 12-under par, with Kouskova one further back from the duo in T23.
In the Rookie of the Year race, Cheenglab now sits on the edge of glory having extended her lead over Kjellker to 470.62 points. Försterling remains third on 1,048.09 points, with Angurasaranee fourth and Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt in fifth.
All rookies inside the top-64 of the Race to Costa del Sol move onto the Mallorca Ladies Open next followed by the season finale at the Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana.
Those entered include Cheenglab, Kjellker, Försterling, Angurasaranee, Schmidt, Rudgeley, Nadaud, Kouskova, Spitz, Norway’s Renate Grimstad and Japan’s Yuri Onishi.
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