KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY (Saudi Arabia) — Golf Saudi has increased the prize money for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International by $1 million to $5,000,000, two years after it made its first investment in womens Golf. This makes it equal to the men’s prize fund and the seventh highest in all of women’s golf.
The Ladies European Tour also includes the Saudi Ladies International, which has the Saudi Arabian sovereign money fund as a presenting partner. The total prize pool of 27 tournaments on LET will be $750,000.
The purse of the Saudi International, now part the Asian Tour, was increased to $5 million for the tournament won Harold Varner III.
Alexandra Armas (LET commissioner) said Thursday that it was a bold statement for women to have a prize money equivalent to men. It has a huge impact on highly talented athletes who have the chance to compete for very substantial money.
Armas spoke at the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah, the fifth and final event in the series. The Aramco Team Series winners this year include Lexi Thompson in New York and Nelly Korda from Spain.
LIV Golf also relies on the Public Investment Fund to fund its eight-event inaugural season, which offered $25 million in prize money for 48-man teams and $50 million for the team finale.
Greg Norman, LIV Golf chief executive, spoke to The Sydney Herald & The Age in Australia Last month If theres an opportunity to have an open discussion and dialogue with women, then Im very much at that forefront.
Georgia Hall, a former Womens British Open Champion, won the Aramco sponsored Saudi Ladies International in March. Next years tournament will be held February 16-19.
Hall stated, Its such an amazing statement. I think itll encourage other companies, hopefully to also set the bar for future events.
The $5 million purse follows only the five major championships as well as the CME Group Tour Championship, which will be played next weekend at Florida with a $7million purse. The $2 million payout is the largest in womens golf history.
The LPGA Tour is now part of LET, a joint venture that was established in the fall 2019. Atthaya Thitikul is currently the No. 1 player in womens golf. Lydia Ko won the Saudi Ladies International 2021. Womens golf is the No. 1 player.
