AN EXCITING NEW CHAPTER

The Aramco Team Series adds a new dimension to this year’s Ladies European Tour, offering the top female professionals, plus a number of amateurs, four innovative and eye-catching events

Few things get the juices flowing like a team event in golf and this year we have four new ones courtesy of the groundbreaking Aramco Team Series. The idea came about following the success of the Saudi Ladies Team International in November 2020, which provided a highly entertaining follow-up to the inaugural Saudi Ladies International a few days previously.

Breaking away from the usual strokeplay format, the Saudi Ladies Team International was the first of its kind to pair three professionals with one amateur in a team event. At the end of the three days, Emily Pedersen led a team that included Scotland’s Michele Thomson, Cassandra Hall of South Africa, and amateur Matt Selby to a one-stroke victory, with Selby securing the win with a birdie on the 18th.

It was like nothing else; the team captain picking a player to join her before a third pro was added, and then an amateur holing the winning putt in a professional event. “It’s been unbelievable, I was absolutely delighted when I heard that Emily had picked me,” explained Thomson. “She’s one of the best players I think I’ve ever played with and we just wanted to make some birdies out there. Although I’m about ten years older, I’ve learnt a lot and gained a great friend.”

This year Pedersen, who incredibly won all three titles in Saudi last November (the team and the two individuals), will again be a team captain for the four events. All four carry a spectacular $1 million prize fund which, away from the Majors, sits only behind the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf. Collectively, the series represents around 40 per cent of earnings available on the LET this year.