13 major champions to compete at next month’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International
The Aramco Saudi Ladies International, presented by the Public Investment Fund, has confirmed that a total of 13 major champions will compete in this year’s event, with a prize pool of $5 million.
Major winners include three-time champion and last year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner In Ji Chun, multiple major champion Anna Nordqvist, world No. 7 Lexi Thompson and defending champion Georgia Hall.
These 13 reigning champions, with 18 major titles between them, are part of a star-studded field that is the event’s strongest-ever lineup, with more top stars to be announced in the coming weeks.
The Aramco Saudi Ladies International is the third leg of a record-breaking 2023 LET season, featuring $38 million in total prize money across 30 events in 21 countries.
The groundbreaking event made waves around the world last year after announcing its commitment to women’s golf by offering a $5 million prize, the largest outside the majors and matching the men’s event, the PIF Saudi International. Has an account.
World No. 8 Chun claimed her third major title of her career when she claimed the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last year, winning by one stroke over Lexie Thompson and Minjie Lee. It was an impressive performance, especially in the first round of the tournament, as the South Korean shot an eight-under-64 to equal the largest first round lead in women’s golf history.
She also performed well at the 2022 AIG Women’s Open, narrowly losing the title to Ashley Bouhai – who would also compete in the tournament – in a four-hole sudden-death playoff.
The 28-year-old claimed his last major title in 2016 by winning the Evian Championship. He captured the title with a score of 21-under-par, the lowest ever winning score in a major tournament in golf.
This will be the first time Chun will compete in Saudi Arabia, where she will hope to make a solid start to her 2023 season.
“I am excited to finally be going to Saudi Arabia. I am also looking forward to hosting an event that is expected to promote women’s golf in all parts of the global community. It is certainly a very strong field for beginners with competition. Will be a big challenge of the season.
Another major winner and top 10 player competing in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF is Thompson of America. The world number 7 ended her three-year title drought by winning the LET’s Aramco Team Series individual title in New York. In addition to the win in his home country, the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship title holder also has seven top 10 finishes in 2022.
As a player who has openly expressed her views on equality in the sport of golf, Thompson said: “Equal pay in golf is something all of us in the women’s game have wanted for so long, so seeing “That huge prize purse has increased. The Aramco Saudi Ladies International competing with the men’s tournament has been extremely encouraging. For us, it has always been about feeling equal and we all want to make the game a better place for the future generation of women golfers.” But focusing on moving forward to quit.
Crowd favorite and defending champion Hall also returns to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, where she made many great memories last year by winning the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.
The world number 24 and 2018 Ricoh Women’s British Open winner said: “It was great to win at the start of the season last year and I look forward to defending my title this year. I am a fan of this venue and enjoy playing on this course as it suits my game.
“Playing in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East gives me a lot of confidence as I have done well in previous competitions. The treatment we receive during event week is absolutely top class and makes it very easy for the fans to see the great on the course.
On the prize purse boost, the 26-year-old said: “It’s a big boost for the women’s game, and it goes beyond golf because women in the sport deserve it. We are all grateful to Golf Saudi for this.
“I have personally seen how the Aramco Team Series and the Aramco Saudi Ladies International event have grown and developed every time I am here, and I am confident that it will continue on this path.”
Other major champions who are competing in the event are:
Ashley Buhai (2022 AIG Women’s Open)
Patty Tavatnakit (2021 Coming Inspiration)
Kim Ae-Lim (2020 US Women’s Open)
Hannah Green (2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship)
Jeong Un Lee 6 (2019 US Women’s Open)
Danielle Kang (2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship)
To Lydia (2016 ANA Inspiration; 2015 Evian Championships)
Hyo-joo Kim (2014 Evian Championships)
Ji Un-hee (2009 US Women’s Open)