The Ladies European Tour is heading to Saudi Arabia for its second tournament of the season. This particular event is sponsored by Aramco and is the first of six tournaments supported by the company. Notably, it is also the most lucrative tournament on the circuit, excluding the major championships, with a prize purse of five million dollars.
Taking place from February 15th to 18th, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF will be held in Riyadh. The tournament will consist of 72 holes of golf. Among the participants are Alessandra Fanali, who recently had an impressive performance, finishing in second place in the Magical Kenya Open. Additionally, Virginia Elena Carta will be making her debut in 2024.
The field at the Riyadh Golf Club includes several players who also compete on the LPGA Tour. Some notable names include Charley Hull and Georgia Hall from England, with Hall being the winner of the tournament in 2022. Other players to watch out for are Carlota Ciganda from Spain, Aditi Ashok from India (who finished second last year), Linn Grant from Sweden, Ashleigh Buhai from South Africa, Lexi Thompson from the USA, Ayaka Furue from Japan, and Ariya Jutanugarn from Thailand. These players are considered to be favorites in the competition.
However, there are also many other competitors who have the potential to make a significant impact in the tournament. Some of these players include Trichat Cheenglab from Thailand, who was the leader of the 2023 order of merit, Anne Van Dam from the Netherlands, Esther Henseleit from Germany, Johanna Gustavsson from Sweden, Ana Pelaez Trivino from Spain, and Gabriella Cowley from England.
One young newcomer who is attracting attention is Shannon Tan, a 19-year-old athlete from Singapore. She is the only player from Singapore to have earned a LET card and recently secured victory in her first tournament in Kenya. Alessandra Fanali, who had an impressive performance in the Ladies Italian Open in 2022, is also starting her second season on the tour with high hopes for the future.
Virginia Elena Carta will be making her 45th appearance in this tournament. She had a mixed year in 2023 but still managed to achieve three top-ten finishes in individual competitions and two in team events. This will be her third full year on the LET, where she has consistently displayed strong gameplay.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org