New Zealander joins Minjee Lee, Georgia Hall, Charley Hull at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
Two-time Major-winner Lydia Ko has been confirmed for this week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International, further boosting an already stellar cast 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 Laura Davies.
Defending champion Emily Kristine Pederson 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 on Thursday, the four-day Saudi Ladies International will be the first of two $1 million 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 from November 10 to 12.
“It sounds like it’s going to be a really awesome week in Saudi Arabia,” said 24-year-old Ko, the world No. 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 Saudi International 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 has had a great 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 Saudi Ladies International. It’s a strong field but I’m playing well and hopefully I can take that with me to Jeddah.”
