Bumper crowds, stellar field, Lauren Coughlin’s wire-to-wire win in Las Vegas marks the first PIF Global Series event co-sanctioned by the LPGA-LET
Choice of iconic Shadow Creek rewarded by memorable week of action from world’s best women golfers
LAS VEGAS – For a competition noted for breakthrough moments, the first PIF Global Series event in Las Vegas did not disappoint with large crowds, a power-packed field and a riveting climax to the Aramco Championship that will live long in the memory.
Having already hosted events in New York, Tampa and Houston, the Series made its first appearance in the west of the US and in partnership with both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA, a collaboration not seen before on American soil outside the Majors.
Add to that Lauren Coughlin’s ruthless wire-to-wire victory, an eye-catching prize fund of $4m and all of the world’s top 20 competing in a non-major for the first time since 2017, and you had a heady cocktail which put women’s golf across the sports pages the world over.
England’s Charley Hull, winner of the opening PIF Global Series event in Riyadh in February, summed up the mood of players fired up by the Shadow Creek venue and the quality of the field.
“It’s really important that this PIF Global Series event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET. We are very grateful for what PIF and Golf Saudi have done in giving the opportunity to both LPGA and LET players, especially with the prize fund being pretty big this week. It has attracted a really good field, so credit to them for choosing such a great golf course, as well.”
World No 1 Jeeno Thitikul from Thailand said: “I love it that this PIF Global Series event is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET. It’s a good opportunity for the LET fields to be able to combine and play alongside us (on the LPGA). I’d like to see more tournaments coming like this.”
The other star of the week was Shadow Creek, the picture-perfect course just 20 minutes from the famous Las Vegas Strip with the Aramco Championship adding to the city’s vibrant roster of global sporting events.
Golf Saudi’s Chief Investment Officer Thomas Rudy said there were many aspects to the decision to come to Vegas, and he was delighted the event had been a success.
“To be here at Shadow Creek, working in co-sanction with the LET and LPGA, has just been a really phenomenal story for us. But when the opportunity came to come to Shadow Creek, specifically an iconic, beautiful course, and combine that with Las Vegas and its great infrastructure for hosting events, it made a lot of sense.
“We’ve been lucky to establish a great relationship with Craig Kessler, the new LPGA commissioner. Early in his role, he came out and met with us and the LET at our tournament in London. It was really about getting to know each other. As we talked, the idea developed: we should do something together. What about a co-sanctioned tournament?
“We spent the following months ideating, evaluating courses, players, formats, and what we could do. We’re really happy we got it done.”
Next stop for the Series is Centurion Club on the outskirts of London in August followed by October in Seoul and November in Shenzhen.