9 minute read
Global Inspiration
H.E. Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan, chairman of Aramco and Golf Saudi, is encouraged by how the Aramco Team Series is empowering a new generation of golfers in the Kingdom
GLOBAL INSPIRATION
rom players both professional and amateur, to engaged media, to fans around the world, the Aramco Team Series has been an unqualified success. ▶ With $1 million events in London, Sotograde (Spain), New York and King Abdullah Economic City sanctioned by the LET, the innovative series with individual and team components attracted many of the game’s biggest names and produced exciting finishes at each venue. ▶ We caught up with H.E. Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan, the duel chairman of title-sponsor Aramco and Golf Saudi, to review the inaugural year of the series.
Why did Aramco choose to launch the Aramco Team Series?
We were delighted to launch the inaugural Aramco Team Series. By partnering with the Ladies European Tour and being the title sponsor of this series, we hope to elevate women’s golf and extend our commitment to female advancement – whether through sports, in the workplace or society in general. Aramco has a long history of involvement in golf, a sport associated with strong positive values, and we have pioneered its development in Saudi Arabia. Through our involvement in this tournament, we hope to encourage more women to take up the sport, both in the Kingdom and around the world.
How long was the series in the works and how is it structured?
The format for the Aramco Team Series was first trailed last November in Saudi Arabia, during the Saudi Ladies Team International. That event was won by a multi-national team led by Danish star Emily Pedersen, which included her teammates Casandra Hall from South Africa, Michele Thomson from Scotland and amateur golfer Matt Selby. Based on the success of that event, we decided to launch the Aramco Team Series. It is an exciting and unique format, in which 36 teams of four – consisting of three LET professionals and one amateur – competed for cash prizes worth $1 million during each event. Teams compete to shoot the lowest combined score over three days. Captains can choose only one player, and the rest of the team is randomly assigned – including one amateur player, who can enter through the Team Up competition.
How was the amateur golfer chosen?
Amateur golfers can apply to participate by simply creating a post on social media, along with an image or video, that shows why they should be selected. As long as they use the hashtag #ATSTEAMUP, their application to enter will be reviewed by the organisers – who will make the final selection.
Is the new format ATS-specific, or have other series adopted similar formats?
It is ATS-specific which is what makes the ATS so exciting and unique. Amateur players will contribute to the winning teams at these LET events. It provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for amateur golfers to compete at the highest level. And with a total of $4 million in prize money over four events, it is also raising the profile of the women’s game.
What does this really mean for the sport? And for Saudi Arabia?
For the sport, it is providing crucial financial support to the LET and, therefore, female professionals across Europe. Like many, the LET suffered financially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The four Aramco Team Series events, with prizes worth a total of $4 million, account for more than 30 percent of the potential prize money on the LET circuit in 2021. It is also bringing a new dynamic to the women’s game, bringing together pro and amateur players to compete together on an international stage. For Saudi Arabia, it is a demonstration of the country’s evolution. And we hope Aramco’s association with the LET will inspire young Saudi women to take up the sport.
Do you anticipate interest in golf within Saudi Arabia to grow as a result of Aramco’s involvement with the sport?
Without a doubt. Aramco’s backing will shine a spotlight on the sport, particularly for the domestic audience, who place a significant amount of trust in the company, not only as a steward of Saudi Arabia’s large energy reserves but as an employer of choice, an enabler of talent and a driver of national economic development. During the trial run for the Aramco Team Series last November, and the accompanying Aramco Saudi Ladies International, we estimate that we reached a cumulative audience of more than 3.3 billion people globally through media. So we are not only targeting the domestic audience, we are also hoping these events encourage more people to take up golf around the world.
How are these investments in golf helping women in Saudi Arabia?
The past few years have seen women in Saudi Arabia enjoy social progress at home and at work, and golf is playing a part in that through governmentbacked efforts such as last year’s launch of the “Ladies First Club,” which offers free golf memberships and lessons to 1,000 women. Golf is a sport that embodies many of the values that are important to us at Aramco, from integrity and respect to dedication and continuous development. We hope that our involvement in golf will encourage more women to take up golf in Saudi Arabia and highlight opportunities for women to excel in sports. But it goes beyond simply inspiring the next generation of female golfers. Through the Aramco Team Series, we also hope to encourage a spirit of ambition and achievement in our societies, from the UK to the US, from Spain to Saudi Arabia.
Approximately how many women play golf in Saudi today? And how has that changed in recent years?
Golf is still a new sport for the female population in Saudi Arabia. However, with the launch of the Ladies First Cub – which offers free golf memberships and lessons to 1,000 women – as well as other initiatives like our School’s program in which 100,000 children will learn golf over the coming years, we are confident that golf will become one of the fastest growing sports amongst women in the Kingdom.
Do you have an estimate for how many women are active in sports more generally in Saudi Arabia, and how that has changed recently?
Participation in sports among Saudi women has grown significantly since the announcement of Vision 2030. It is estimated that female participation in sports within the Kingdom has increased by almost 150% since 2015 – a remarkable achievement. Additionally, a recent survey found that 70 percent of young female respondents now practice sports in their households to improve their health. One of the pillars of Vision 2030 is to boost health practices among all spectrums of Saudi society.
Do you have a target for the number of women to be active in golf or sports in Saudi Arabia?
Golf Saudi is working toward a goal of having more than 10,000 registered female golfers by 2030. As part of its educational outreach program, Golf Saudi also hopes to introduce golf to approximately 50,000 female school students by 2025, and at the same time reach an equivalent number through its university programs.
Do you have other programs to promote female golf and other sports in Saudi Arabia, e.g., in schools?
The Let it Fly schools program, which introduces golf into the national physical education curriculum, has already secured 21,000 students from co-ed and girls-only schools. This will also include the development of PE teachers, who will be trained to deliver the program.
▶ nice shot! H.E. Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan has played a pivotal role in the rise of the Aramco Team Series, putting the LET on a firmer financial footing and inspiring women the world over as a result.
Golf has traditionally been regarded as a maledominated sport. How does the Aramco Team Series seek to change this?
The Aramco Team Series is an extension of our efforts to empower women and promote gender equality. Like many sports, the men’s game typically offers greater rewards for those at the top of the sport. By helping to narrow the prize gap in men’s and women’s golf, we are hoping to elevate the women’s game.
How has Aramco helped advance women in the workplace and advocate for females in Saudi society?
We understand the impact women have at Aramco, as well as in the industry and the Kingdom, and have cultivated a thriving ecosystem for female empowerment that includes a range of leadership and mentoring programs to develop skills and fast-track advancement. Our women now comprise petroleum engineers working in the field, scientists in our R&D centres conducting futurealtering research, energy traders selling our products to customers around the world, and inventors developing revolutionary new processes and products. We believe that the truly inspirational stories of our female employees have a positive knock-on effect to other women, motivating them to join the workforce and strive for achievement, greatness and to be the next generation of inspirational Saudi women in the workplace. We are also engaging on this issue with other companies. Our iktva program, for instance, encourages female recruitment by our suppliers – and this has risen by around a third since iktva was launched. Aramco is a founding stakeholder of the Leading National Academy, the first Saudi Arabian female training centre to prepare women for technical roles in fields such as electrical, supply chain, safety and quality control. Aramco was also a prime sponsor of the W20 Summit in Riyadh, which aimed to formulate actionable policy recommendations to advance gender equality in G20 negotiations.
Last year, Aramco also became a sponsor of F1 and the Saudi Ladies International Golf Tournament. What other major sports sponsorships do you have planned?
We carefully consider sports sponsorships. We first want to see if Aramco’s values and principles are aligned with the sport - be it the organiser, event, team or player. And we also consider how we would be able to positively impact the sport and its community through our sponsorship. For example, F1 has been at the forefront of automotive engineering – accelerating innovation on and off the track for over seven decades. Aramco is also driving advances in transport technologies, from more efficient engine solutions to future fuels.
What is the future of golf in Saudi Arabia and how does Aramco fit into the picture?
Sponsoring major international sporting events reflects our continued support for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and our ongoing support for Saudi Golf as it continues to grow the sport across the country. Our world-class engineering expertise, our commitment to the well-being of our communities and our own growth ambitions will contribute to the Kingdom’s goal to develop promising sectors, such as tourism, diversify the economy and continue its quest for quality of life. The world of sports has the power to enrich lives and fuel the dreams of the Kingdom’s youth - our most important resource.
