8 minute read
The Dream Team
THE ARAMCO TEAM SERIES DELIVERED ON ITS PROMISES FOR AN EVEN BETTER SECOND STINT
BY MATT SMITH
Bigger and better competitions,
improved purses, a compelling sister act and the emergence of a new star on the golfi ng map: it is fair to say the 2022 Aramco Team Series achieved all it set out to do. ▶ To borrow the famous saying about successful rock stars and that ‘diffi cult’ second album’, the second edition of the ATS signifi cantly raised the standards after its triumphant opening campaign and has now fi rmly established itself as a highlight on the Ladies European Tour circuit.
It all began back in London in July 2021, with little in the way of fanfare, but plenty of questions. Held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many were asking what this new arrival on the scene was all about: Would its new format work? How would the team and individual events he held at the same time? And, perhaps crucially, will it catch on?
A year-and-a-half on from that fi rst event at Centurion in England — where Olivia Cowan claimed the inaugural team title and Marianne Skarpnord went down in history as the first individual champ — as the series, format and prize money have all been enhanced, these questions have all been emphatically answered.
So as the dust settles on 2022’s fi nal ATS tournament at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, let’s take a quick look at how it all works — and how it all worked out.
THE FORMAT
The second edition of the ATS saw the season expanded from four events to five — Bangkok, London, Sotogrande in Spain, New York and Jeddah — and with increased prize money from $800,000 to $1 million for each stop, evenly split across the team and individual events.
The best players in the world from the Ladies European Tour (and LPGA) team up with amateur golfers to compete at each tournament, with the 36 team captains selecting one professional teammate before being randomly allocated a second, with an amateur completing each foursome and a huge field of 144 players.
The 36 teams compete over the first two days of each event, with the best two scores at each hole counting towards the team total. Running concurrently is the individual event, with the best 68 players and ties making the cut for the third and final day, where the individual winner is decided.
FIVE-STAR EVENTS
BANGKOK, May 12-14
It was Manon De Roey who bagged the first ATS individual title of the year at Thai Country Club as Bangkok took its bow on the expanded calendar (a relatively unknown youngster called Chiara Noja also made her own bow, but more on her later). The Belgian marked her first career victory in style in the final round, with a six-under securing the win over local favourite Patty Tavatanakit. “I was waiting for this for a long time,” she said. “I love the ATS!”
Australia’s Whitney Hillier claimed the team title alongside Krista Bakker of Finland, Thailand’s Chonlada Chayanun, and amateur Pattanan Amatanon.
“It’s a great concept to give what is usually an individual sport a team element,” Hillier told Golf Digest Middle East. “It also showcases the level of golf on the LET in a format that is innovative and exciting. To have the support and funding provided by Aramco and Golf Saudi shows their belief in what we do and is bringing the difference between prize funds in men’s and women’s golf closer together.”
LONDON, June 16-18
The event at Centurion will long be remembered for one thing — Bronte Law’s sensational winning putt: the 55foot eagle taking her past leader Georgia Hall and into the winner’s circle on the final hole. “That’s why we play this game — for moments like that. And in front of a home crowd, it doesn’t really get any better,” said England’s Law.
The team event was just as thrilling as the ATS witnessed its first playoff. Team Nicole Garcia and Team Ursula Wikstrom finished on 27-under, meaning the two captains returned to the 18th. When Wikstrom found trouble on the first extra hole, Garcia sent home her putt to begin the celebrations with teammates Madelene Stavnar, Kelly Whaley and amateur Mia Baker — who holed the final putt in regulation to secure the playoff. “Mia really helped us out and that’s what this whole tournament is about,” said Garcia. “It’s all about getting involved with the amateurs and giving everybody the experience of a professional event.”
As the reputation of the ATS grew, so did the strength of the fields and Sotogrande certainly had the celebrity factor, with American superstar siblings Nelly and Jessica Korda signing up to compete in Spain for the first time.
Little sister Nelly — the then world No. 3 — looked out of the running after a costly triple-bogey late on Thursday tumbled her down the table as elder sibling Jessica set about opening up a six-stroke advantage by the end of play on Friday — bagging the team title at La Reserva along the way. But Nelly doesn’t do things like your everyday golfer and she certainly wasn’t going to be upstaged on her Spanish debut. She overturned a seven-shot deficit and clinched victory over her sister.
NEW YORK, October 13-15
Following the Korda show in Spain, it was the turn of another American star to shine — this time on home soil at Ferry Point in the shadow of the Whitestone Bridge, New York. World No. 4 Lexi Thompson overcame some nasty weather to prevail for her first title since 2019, holding off the challenge of Brooke Henderson and Madelene Sagstrom to finish three shots clear on 11-under-par.
Swedish skipper Johanna Gustavsson led Jessica Karlsson, Karolin Lampert and New York college star Jennifer Rosenberg to the team title, and said: “It’s just great to celebrate with the others and have this kind of experience on the ATS.”
JEDDAH, November 9-11
The season finale was all about one player as Noja announced her arrival on the big stage with a sensational win on a dramatic final day at Royal Greens.
The Dubai resident overcame childhood hero Charley Hull on the 20th hole after both players were neck-and-neck by the end of regulation play (turn to page 26 for a full insight into this wonderkid). For the first time on the Aramco Team Series both the individual and team competitions were decided by playoffs with Team Nicole Garcia (Cassandra Alexander, Tereza Melecka, and amateur Sonia Bayahya) claiming victory with a birdie in the first playoff hole against Team Christine Wolf (Laura Beveridge, Alexandra Swayne and Saudi amateur Raghdah Alessawi).
Garcia nominated teammate Alexander to take on the playoff against Wolf’s quartet, and she duly delivered to take the win. Bayahya played a significant part in her team reaching the playoff, and said of the ATS: “It’s a really good experience. I really felt part of the team, the girls were so sweet with me — thanks to them and thanks to all of Aramco Team Series.
With such a sensational second season in the bag for the Aramco Team Series, and with such glowing praise and seals of approval, that third installment shouldn’t be difficult at all.
LEVEL BEST
Players react to Saudi Ladies International 2023 purse matching men’s event at $5 million
By Matt Smith
While the top golfers were fighting it out on the course at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, waves were being made on the sidelines of the Aramco Team Series — Jeddah, with the announcement of a rise in prize money for February’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International.
On its own, that news may come as no big surprise, but when you learn that the purse has gone up from $1 million to a staggering $5 million, you sit up and take notice. More so when you consider it is now the first competition in golf history to offer the same prize money for both the male and female versions (played almost back-to-back with the men up first on February 2-5, before the ladies tee off from February 16-19).
The news from Golf Saudi and Aramco was greeted with wholesale thumbs up in Jeddah, and a little vindication thrown in for good measure.
With the 2023 winner pocketing a cheque for $750,000, defending champion Georgia Hall was first to give the seal of approval.
“It’s incredible,” she said. “Speaking in the locker room, all the players are all really excited to play here in February next year, and we should certainly get a strong field from the LPGA too.
“It is such a strong statement by Golf Saudi, and hopefully other sponsors can continue to raise the bar for women’s golf.
“This really is what women in sport and golfers needed and deserved. We are all so grateful to Golf Saudi and what Majed [Al Sorour, CEO and Deputy Chairman] and Yasir [Al Rumayyan, Chairman] have done for us.
“Both the Aramco Team Series and Saudi International events have gone from strength to strength every time I have come here, and I hope that will continue.”
“It is going to be amazing. The money is going to be great and I am very grateful. The girls will work harder and that’s what happens when you elevate the game.”
Bronte Law, ATS — London 2022 champion
“I like what Aramco and Golf Saudi are doing for women’s golf. It is the right thing and fantastic to see. More tournaments will now hopefully follow this example.”
