Summary
Saudi Arabia has reached an agreement with American golf, announcing that the LPGA Tour will sanction a PIF Global Series event at the prestigious Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, scheduled for spring of next year. The Aramco Championship will take place from April 2-5, featuring 120 players from the LPGA and Ladies European Tours.
With a $4 million prize, this tournament ranks among the highest outside of the majors. Craig Kessler, the LPGA's new commissioner since July, emphasized that the Aramco Championship "reflects exactly where we're headed in building our tour's global schedule.".
“We frequently discuss routes, courses, and prizes, and this event ticks all the boxes,” Kessler added. “Furthermore, we recognize that partnerships like this, building on the long-standing collaboration between the LET, Golf Saudi, and the PIF, can help strengthen women’s golf globally and elevate opportunities for our athletes.”.
The Aramco Championship is one of five tournaments that make up this series, which was rebranded this year by the Public Investment Fund, also increasing the prize pool. This event has its origins in the 2020 team concept, when it was known as the Saudi Ladies Team International and was later renamed the Aramco Team Series, becoming a regular part of the LET schedule.
Key details
Since 2021, the Aramco Series has been held annually in the United States, beginning in Glen Oaks, New York, and twice at golf courses owned by former President Donald Trump, both in New York and Florida. Nelly Korda and Alison Lee are two-time winners of Aramco events, and several LPGA players have participated. Charley Hull of England, a member of both tours, has won Aramco events twice and finished as runner-up five times.
Marta Figueras-Dotti, chair of the LET board of directors, commented: “We have had a strong relationship with Golf Saudi since 2020, and this new chapter, welcoming the LPGA to Shadow Creek, highlights how far we have come in strengthening the global platform for women’s golf.”.
The PIF is the financial backer behind LIV Golf, which launched in 2022, attracting top players like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, with signing bonuses exceeding $100 million in some cases. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor, signed a framework agreement with the PGA Tour and the European Tour in June 2023, which settled their demands and positioned the PIF as an investor. However, that agreement was never finalized, and negotiations with the PIF broke down after Trump brought both sides together upon returning to the office.
Statements and context
The PIF Global Series is different, as Golf Saudi Arabia has invested in the Ladies European Tour with a series of events that boast the highest prize purses on the LET, though still below those of the majors. “Women’s golf continues to grow, and the PIF has a strong track record of supporting that growth and investing in the future of the women’s game,” Al-Rumayyan said in a statement provided by the LPGA.
“Today’s announcement marks another significant milestone as we work closely with great partners in the LPGA and LET to introduce a co-sanctioned event as part of next year’s PIF Global Series. The future of women’s golf has never been brighter, on and off the course.”.
Kessler mentioned that, while she expects some negative reactions, “I’ve been surprised by the support from the LPGA and LET boards.” She commented that she has spoken with dozens of players about the event in Las Vegas, and the general feeling was, “What took so long?”.
The Aramco Championship is one of five tournaments in the 2026 PIF Global Series. The others are the PIF Saudi Ladies International from February 11-14; the PIF London Championship at the Centurion Club near London from August 6-9; the Aramco Korea Championship in South Korea from October 8-11; and the Aramco China Championship at Mission Hills from November 5-8. The Aramco Series has previously been held in Spain, Thailand, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Only the co-sanctioned event at Shadow Creek, which has hosted LPGA Match Play since 2021, will count toward the LPGA's official purse and Race to CME Globe standings. This will be the fourth co-sanctioned event between the LPGA and the LET, joining two majors (the Women's British Open and the Evian Championship in France) and the Women's Scottish Open.
