Winners on the Ladies European Tour: Team Hillier in an interview. (Photo: Twitter/@LETgolf)
The Aramco Team Series 2022 includes five tournaments, on which there is both a team ranking and an individual ranking. The first of the season’s five tournaments takes place this week in Bangkok at Thai Country Club. The players have already completed 36 holes and the winning team has been determined: Chonlada Chayanun, Krista Bakker and amateur Pattanan Amatanon win the team classification together with team captain Whitney Hillier. Tomorrow’s third and final day will see the top 60 and stroke ties play for their placements in the individual standings.
Highlights of the second day of play
Interview with the winning team Hillier
Best of the day: Scotland’s Catriona Matthew after the round
The Jutanugarn sisters Ariya (l) and Moriya (r) with fellow Thai star Patty Tavatanakit (middle). (Photo: Aramco Team Series)
Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn will partner with Solheim Cup icon Catriona Matthew in one of the headline fourballs at this week’s Aramco Team Series. The hometown hero used her captain’s pick in last night’s pre-tournament draft to recruit the Scot, an 11-time Tour champion and Major-winner, but perhaps most revered for her back-to-back roles captaining Team Europe to Solheim Cup success. Spanish Ladies European Tour rookie Paz Marfa Sans will complete the professional side of the team, which will be completed with the addition of an amateur golfer, before play gets underway at Thai Country Club tomorrow.
The choices of the Jutanugarn sisters
“Playing in my home country is very exciting,” said Jutanugarn, who will be making her second appearance in an Aramco Team Series event. “I wanted to pick the legend Catriona as she’ll make me feel a lot more calm – maybe I can learn from her, as well. I’m really happy with my team. For us, I think it’s just a case of going out, enjoying it and having fun. If we do, I’m sure we’ll be good!” Asked if her captain for the week, the world #50, was a player she respected, Matthew said: “Oh, absolutely! I’ve played a lot with Moriya on the LPGA over the years. I haven’t seen her in a wee while, so I’m delighted to be playing together and being able to catch up.” Jutanugarn was one pick earlier in the draft than her younger sister, Ariya, who is also competing in the Aramco Team Series, an event added to the LET calendar for the first time this year.”
Like her sister, Ariya too used her captain’s selection to recruit a Scot – Laura Beveridge. Anne-Charlotte Mora of France was the third addition to the team. Asked about her captain’s pick, the two-time Major-winner said: “I’ve not known so much about Laura, but I had been looking at all the stats before picking her, so I’m pretty sure she’s going to help the team. Already we’re having so much fun, talking about what we’re going to eat today and where the good Thai food is! I’m pretty sure we’re going to be a good team.”
For the first time: Aramco Team Series in Bangkok
This week’s debut Bangkok leg will be the first of five 1 million Dollar Aramco Team Series tournaments on the LET calendar for 2022 – and the first with the three-day event’s new format. Updated from last year’s inaugural Series, the teams will now compete over only 36 holes – the Thursday and Friday of the tournament – with 500,000 Dollar prizemoney being split between the lowest scoring fourballs. Saturday’s final day of play will see only the lowest scoring 60 players and ties from the opening two days return to the course to battle it out for a share of another 500,000 Dollar, this time in individual earnings.
Big names set to compete with the likes of the Jutanugarn sisters include fellow Thai superstar Patty Tavatanakit, who selected Finland’s Noora Komulainen as her captain’s pick – and who returns home to compete ranked as the world #13. England’s Charley Hull has a blistering Aramco Team Series record, with three top ten team finishes and a solo victory in last year’s New York event. She chose good friend and fellow English golfer Lauren Taylor as her teammate for the week’s fourball action. Australia’s Whitney Hillier leaned on her mother’s Thai heritage to recruit Chonlada Chayanun, whose home course is this week’s host course, Thai Country Club. The Aramco Team Series – Bangkok kicks off 2022’s run of ATS events, and will be followed by four more 1 million Dollar tournaments in London, Sotogrande, New York and Jeddah.
Georgia Hall wins on Ladies European Tour. (Photo: Saudi Ladies International)
England’s Georgia Hall delivered a measured final round 71 to win the $1million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund by five shots at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, on the Jeddah coast.
After being congratulated on the final green by Solheim Cup team member and good friend Emily Kristine Pedersen, a clearly delighted Hall showed how much the win – her first on the Ladies European Tour since her only other Tour victory, the 2018 Women’s Open – meant. “It’s fantastic to win in March, so early in the season,” said the world #25. “I really love this place and love the golf course. I was fine after 18, and then Emily started crying, and it made me cry. I was just really proud of the way I played today.”
Ladies European Tour: Georgia Hall seals the win
Hall’s one-under-par round started with two birdies in the first three holes to extend her overnight lead to seven shots, from where she never really looked back. “That was the plan in my head,” said the 25-year-old. “The front nine is a little bit easier, a little bit less wind than we’ve had, so I tried to take advantage and hit some really good shots on the front nine to get me further ahead, and that kind of settled me.”
Despite four bogeys – on five, 10, 15 and 16 – the chasing pack never got closer than four shots. Hall – a runner up at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in 2020 – sealed things with a birdie three on 17, rolling in a 15-foot putt. She continued: “Even on 16, I thought it was a pretty good shot. It just didn’t come back. It was so tough. It was windier than yesterday, and 15, 16 can be very tricky, so I tried a few damage limitations there. Obviously really happy with the birdie on 17.”
“To lead all week is very special. I think the first round really was very important for me. I played incredible that round. It really set me up for the rest of the week. Sometimes it’s not always easy with a five-shot lead into the last day, it’s a little bit more pressure on you, but I was really happy with the way I conducted myself today.”
Napoleaova an Gustavsson in joint second place
Joint second place went to the former Czech Republic international footballer cum LET rookie Kristyna Napoleaova, and Johanna Gustavsson of Sweden. It was fairy tale stuff for 25-year-old Napoleaova, who was competing in only her second event as an LET professional, and who had shared the Day Two lead with Hall. “To be honest, it’s kind of like a dream,” she said. “I didn’t expect even to get into the event. Golf Saudi provided me with an invite, which was incredible. What happened this week is like a fairy tale. It’s been an absolutely incredible week. I’m so grateful to have been here and can’t wait to come back again.”
Napoleaova picks up $75,000 USD, a cool $71,300 more than her maiden LET event. She said: “To be fair, I had no idea what the prize money is. I’m glad I didn’t look because then I would have been like slightly nervous on the last hole, which I was anyways, so better not to know!”
Kelly Whaley carded record-breaking round
The best round of the day came from breakout US golf star Kelly Whaley, who set a new Ladies European Tour record with an incredible eight birdies in a row, to finish joint sixth. The 24-year-old went -8 from the fourth hole through 11, en route to equaling Royal Greens’ course-record 63. It was the first time in history any player has bagged more than seven consecutive birdies in a regular season LET event.
Whaley – who turned pro in 2019 and was competing in her first ever event outside the States – said: “It is the best round I’ve ever had in a tournament. My whole goal today was to just enjoy it and have fun, being my first international professional event. I’ve never had eight birdies in a row. That’s something memorable for anyone!”
“Once I made about four or five, I said, ‘Okay, you’re in it now – you can’t stop!’. So, I just kept giving myself opportunities and it was a lot of fun. I think in these situations pressure can get to you, and it becomes almost daunting, but I really approached today trying to just enjoy every shot and find something about every hole that I loved, whether it be the view or just something else. It was just a really memorable day.”
Hole 18 and 9 at Vipingo Ridge. (Photo: Twitter/@LETgolf)
The Magical Kenya Ladies Open is taking place in Kenya this week. After Moving Day, Sweden’s Linnea Strom is in first place. Her 3-under-par gives her a two-stroke lead over second-placed Luna Sobron Galmes. The third place is shared by the two Germans Esther Henseleit and Sophie Hausmann with even par. Everything is still open for tomorrow’s final.
Catriona Matthew captained Europe to victory twice at the Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)
The captain of the winning Solheim Cup team, Catriona Matthew, was awarded for her achievements as a player and captain.
Catriona Matthew has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Confederation of Professional Golf (CPG). The Scot received the award for her achievements in her long career as a player and captain.
Catriona Matthew: “Very prestigious”
The Lifetime Achievement Award, which was introduced in 2011, has been given to Seve Ballesteros (posthumously), Alison Nicholas, Bernhard Langer and José María Olazábal, among others. “It is very prestigious to be following on from these fantastic names” commented Matthew, as she received the award at her home club, The North Berwick Golf Club. “I am delighted and honoured to be given this award. It is fantastic recognition for how I have played and performed over the years.”
The 52-year-old has had a successful career on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, and recorded her greatest success of her singles career in 2009 when she won the British Women’s Open. As a player on the European Solheim Cup team, Matthew claimed victory over her American counterparts on three occasions. Most recently, the four-time LPGA Tour winner captained the women’s continental competition in 2019 and 2021, leading Europe to victory each time.
“We are delighted to be able to recognise Catriona with this award for the significant achievements she has had as a player and more recently as a captain” commented CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell. “This year’s Solheim Cup success for Europe was one of, if not the, highlight of the golfing year and Catriona’s leadership of a team that contained 8 different nationalities from across Europe was truly outstanding. The fondness and respect that Catriona commands across the game is there for all to see and I could not think of a more deserving recipient of this year’s award.”
The financial gap between the male and female sports is sadly still obvious, and it affects to most of the disciplines, not to say all of them. To analyze the situation within the world of golf, it is important to compare the equal leagues. It would not make sense to compare the Symetra Tour with the PGA Tour.
However, the European Challenge Tour for men, and the Symetra Tour for women are equal in terms of categories. They are both the leagues just below the Main Tours, but yet the differences are prominent. Summing up the traveling, accommodation, lessons, training, equipment, entry fees and so on, the annual expenses cost go up to about $40,000.
If you look at the purses on the development tours like the WAPT (Women’s All Pro Tour), which is the highest paying feeder tour, the average winner walks away with $5-$7,000. With that been said, only those players who finish within the top 3 at every tournament will make a profit by the end of the year. It is insane to think that is doable, because also the best players on Tour miss cuts. That is golf, and that should never be punished with red numbers in your bank account.
Why many talented golfers quit before they even start.
There are promising female college golfers who stand out breaking records, but yet they end up giving golf up due to lack of financial support. Q-school is the first step for any lady that turns pro, because it is the way to earn the credentials to enter the Tour, wether she makes it to the LPGA already or to the Symetra. The Q-school is the most expensive fee, and not every girl can afford it, therefore they tend to quit before even starting.
To go beyon
The European ladies did it again! They proved once more that women’s golf can get as wild as the men events. Hundreds of people witnessed the Andalucia Spanish Open, and surrounded the fairways of Los Naranjos Golf Course, following their favorite players. The Spanish Open doubled its money prize from the previous year in 2019. The winner, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) pocketed a total of 90,000€. Ciganda started with a round of 70(-2), but she never let the guard down. The Spaniard shot rounds of (70-66-70-67) and took the trophy home with a total of 15-under par, finishing with a birdie on Hole 18 and having all the eyes on her.
Head Vs. Heart.
Carlota Ciganda feels loved at home but always returns to the LPGA Tour.
The Ladies European Tour struggles to offer high monetary rewards due to the lack of external support. The audience increased a little more since LPGA players take part in the Saudi Arabia events in New York that are part of the LET Tour. The sponsorships also reflect the big gap between LET Tour and LPGA.
The women players in Europe find it harder to find sponsors than the American players. The winner, Carlota Ciganda studied in the United States, and as much as she loves her country and to play for Spain, Ciganda remains in the LPGA leaderboards because of the economic benefits, among other things.
The leading players overcame all obstacles to finish on a high note.
Los Naranjos welcomed us with sunny days but yet some strong wind came through during the third round specially. Not to mention the perfomance of one of the referees towards the leading group. He made the time the protagonist instead of the players. Regardless, the scores didn’t show much red numbers except for Jessica Karlsson(SWE) who shot 68(-4), the best Scandinavian score of the day.
The last round started off calm and steady, until the wind picked up again half way through. However, the players faced it as what they are, professionals. Ursula Wikstrom(FIN) played in the second to last group fighting for the podium. Wikstrom had a strong long-distance game throughout the tournament, however her putting was not on her side and it hurt the scores by few strokes. The Finnish golfer finished 4-under par for a 7th position.
The Swedish, Maja Stark was 5-under par after round three, and she slipped into the leading group of the Andalucia Spanish Open. Stark was only 1 shot ahead from the fourth player, the Spaniard Fatima Fernandez Cano. At the end, Stark sped up and finished with a total of -11, only four shots behind the lead, and a 3-shot advantage over the third position. The Spaniard, Fatima finished strong in a 4th place after a great performance. She recently earned the LPGA card, but yet Cano behaves as if she had been competing in the Main Tour for many years now.
Ladies European Tour
Andalucia Costa del Sol – Open de España
Course
Los Naranjos Golf ClubMalaga, Spain
Prize Money
600,000€
Defending Champion
Carlota Ciganda (ESP)
Focus players
Alice Hewson, Felicity Johnson, Gabriella Cowley, Hannah Burke, Maja Stark, Ursula Wikstrom
Lydia Ko of New Zealand
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The Ladies European Tour was in Saudia Arabia last week where Lydia Ko took home the win with a five shot victory. She fired a final round of 65 to triumph by five shots at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund.
“When I was out there, I was just trying to play the best golf that I can. I knew a lot of the top names were playing really well and this is a golf course where there’s a fair amount of birdies, so I was just trying to have my fair share of them and have fun out there,” said Ko on the official LET website
Atthaya Thitkul came in second after a final round of 66 (-6). Despite the heat the ladies gave it their all for one of the last tournaments on this year’s tour. Check out below what each player earned for their winnings.
Position
Player
Earned money
1
Lydia Ko (NZL)
129,680.70
2
Atthaya Thitikul (THA)
77,808.42
3
Carlota Ciganda (ESP)
45,388.25
T3
Alice Hewson (ENG)
45,388.25
5
Olivia Cowan (GER)
28,962.03
T5
Whitney Hillier (AUS)
28,962.03
7
Alison Lee
22,910.26
T7
Nuria Iturrioz (ESP)
22,910.26
9
Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS)
19,452.11
T9
Georgia Hall (ENG)
19,452.11
T9
Tvesa Malik (IND)
19,452.11
T9
Sanna Nuutinen (FIN)
19,452.11
13
Lindsey Weaver (USA)
16,426.22
T13
Linnea Strom (SWE)
16,426.22
T13
Aditi Ashok (IND)
16,426.22
16
Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG)
15,129.42
T17
Anna Nordqvist (SWE)
14,048.75
T17
Liz Young (ENG)
14,048.75
T17
Minjee Lee (AUS)
14,048.75
T17
Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN)
14,048.75
T21
Kim Metraux (SUI)
12,795.16
22
Gabriella Cowley (ENG)
11,267.81
T22
Hannah Burke (ENG)
11,267.81
T22
Laura Davies (ENG)
11,267.81
T22
Nobuhle Dlamini (SWZ)
11,267.81
T22
Bronte Law (ENG)
11,267.81
T22
Pia Babnik (SLO)
11,267.81
28
Michele Thomson (SCO)
9,250.56
T28
Becky Brewerton(WAL)
9,250.56
T28
Caroline Hedwall(SWE)
9,250.56
31
Morgane Metraux (SUI)
7,910.52
T31
Manon De Roey (BEL)
7,910.52
T31
Chloe Williams (WAL)
7,910.52
T34
Johanna Gustavsson (SWE)
7,910.52
35
Lina Boqvist (SWE)
6,916.30
T35
Tiia Koivisto (FIN)
6,916.30
T35
Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)
6,916.30
38
Maiken Bing Paulsen (NOR)
6,267.90
T38
Cara Gainer (ENG)
6,267.90
40
Lejan Lewthwaite (RSA)
5,244.87
T40
Leonie Harm (GER)
5,244.87
T40
Laura Beveridge (SCO)
5,244.87
T40
Chiara Noja (GER)
5,244.87
T40
Becky Morgan
5,244.87
T40
Camille Chevalier (FRA)
5,244.87
46
Elia Folch (ESP)
4,257.85
T46
Nicole Garcia (RSA)
4,257.85
48
Ursula Wikstrom (FIN)
4,257.85
T48
Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)
4,257.85
50
Maha Haddioui (MAR)
3,803.97
T50
Carmen Alonso (ESP)
3,803.97
T50
Agathe Sauzon (FRA)
3,803.97
53
Manon Gidali (FRA)
3,342.88
T53
Noora Komulainen (FIN)
3,342.88
T53
Jessica Karlsson (SWE)
3,342.88
56
Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP)
2,896.21
T56
Emma Nilsson (SWE)
2,896.21
58
Emma Cabrera Bello (ESP)
2,766.52
59
Agathe Laisne (FRA)
2,680.07
60
Laura Gomez Ruiz (ESP)
2,593.61
61
Trish Johnson (ENG)
2,507.16
62
Harang Lee (ESP)
2,420.71
63
Amy Walsh (AUS)
2,334.25
? GO GO LYDIA KO ?
After a final day score of 65 (-7) Lydia Ko is the @aramcoladiesint Champion ?
QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 06: Oliver Wilson of England plays his second shot into the 11th green during the third round of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on November 06, 2021 in Quarteira, Portugal. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
PGA Tour: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba
Hovland came to defend his title this weekend and succeeded. He scored four rounds of 67-65-62-67. With a new tournament record of 23 strokes under par, the shooting star wins his third title on the PGA Tour at the age of 24. He was not stopped by adverse circumstances, such as a broken driver , and relegated Carlos Ortiz to his home game and the Ryder Cup players Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler to places 2, 3 and 4.
English golfers didn’t even make it in the top 5 in this tournament. The first lad in line on the board is Aaron Rai at T15. Danny Willet came disappointingly behind at T27 playing four rounds of 68-68-68-69.
PGA Tour
World Wide Tech Championship
Course
Riviera Maya, Mexiko at the El Camaleon Golf Club.
Prize Money
7,200,000 US-Dollar
Defending Champion
Viktor Hovland
English players
Ian Poulter, Danny Willet, Tyrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald, Aaron Rai
Georgia Hall came in this week to represent the English women golfers. Hall came in at T9 scoring four rounds of 75-69-66-68. Alice Hewson came right under the winner at T3. The winner, Lydia Ko scored 23 strokes under par. The event’s runner-up was 18-year-old Thai Atthaya Thitikul, this year’s LET Race to Costa del Sol champion. Her final day 66 placed her five shots ahead of Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Hewson, who held the 36-hole lead.
LET Tour
Aramco Saudi Ladies Tournament
Course
Royal Greens Golf Club – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Prize Money
1 Million Dollars
Champion
Lydia Ko
English players
Georgia Hall, Felicity Johnson, Laurie Davies, Liz Young, Bronte Law
Matt Wallace headed into the game with confidence only to be cut after the second round. Better performances included Matthew Jordan who finished at T5 with four rounds of 70-68-67-66. Oliver Wilson also had a great performance scoring one an eagle on the third round and ending at T12. The final round winner was Thomas Pieters of Belgium hitting 19 strokes under par.
EU Tour
Portugal Masters 2021
Course
Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course – Vilamoura, Portugal
Prize Money
1.5 Million Euro
Champion
Thomas Pieters
English players
David Horsey, Matthew Southgate, Jordan Smith, Matt Wallace, Ross, Mcgowan
The Challenge Tour Grand Final was played in Mallorca, Spain at the T-Golf & Country Club. The Challenge Tour Grand Final is part of the Challenge Tour in the season 2021. Only two Englishmen were on the field this week. Their performance overall was pretty good. Andrew Wilson ended at T12 finishing with four rounds 75-67-71-68. Alfie Plant also scored quite well with 70-72-72-72 and finishing at T26.
