Saudi PIF Pumps More Cash Into Women's Golf As Title Sponsor Of Revamped LET Series

The Saudi Public Investment Fund has strengthened its standing in women's golf by sponsoring the LET's newly formed Global Series of events

The Saudi Public Investment Fund is sponsoring the LET's Global Series
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has piled more money in women's golf after signing up as title sponsor for a revamped Ladies European Tour (LET) series.

The newly named PIF Global Series consists of five tournaments across three continents for a total prize fund of $13 million.

One of those, the PIF Saudi Ladies International, has already taken place with Jeeno Thitikul winning the event that had a total prize fund of $5m.

The remaining four events, which will all be played for a total purse of $2m each, start in Seoul, South Korea this week before further tournaments in London, Houston and Shenzhen, China.

Centurion Club, host of the first ever LIV Golf tournament, will stage the PIF Championship in August, with the famous Mission Hills in China hosting the concluding Aramco Shenzhen Championship in November.

Replacing the old Aramco Team Series, there will still be a team event during the tournaments, while the state-owned oil giant remains as title sponsor for three of the five.

"This partnership with PIF continues to raise the level of competition and commitment to the women’s game, to ensure our players have the best possible opportunities to develop and succeed on the world stage," said the LET's chief executive Alexandra Armas.

Charley Hull, one of the women's game's biggest stars, added: “The new PIF Global Series is another huge moment for the LET, as it continues to grow and offer more opportunities for players to play and win in amazing events around the world.

“I love playing either as an individual or in a team, so I can’t wait to tee it up at series events throughout the year and hopefully inspire more and more young people into golf around the world.”

A change from the old Aramco Series will see only pro golfers now taking part in 26 teams of four - with a $500,000 team prize fund to play for alongside the $1.5m on offer for the individual competition.

2025 PIF Global Series schedule

  • February 13-15: PIF Saudi Ladies International (Riyadh Golf Club, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
  • May 9-11: Aramco Korea Championship (New Korea Country Club, Seoul, South Korea)
  • August 8-10: PIF Championship (Centurion Club, London, England) 
  • September 5-7: Aramco Houston Championship (Venue TBC, Houston, USA)
  • November 6-8: Aramco Shenzhen Championship (Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China)

Will PIF investment lead to LIV Ladies Tour?

The PIF said in a statement that the investment in the Global Series was a sign it wants to be "a catalyst for the growth of women’s sports" and is hoping to continue "enabling and advancing women’s golf, driving growth of the sport around the world".

That has led some to believe that this deal serves as a sign that the PIF could move towards a LIV Golf style tour for women in the future.

PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan shows no signs of letting LIV Golf fade away despite still being in talks over a deal with the PGA Tour, and that could include expanding into the women's game.

This Global Series deal is with the LET and not the LPGA Tour, but big stars such as Nelly Korda have been regulars in the Aramco Team Series so there is potentially room for a crossover.

There's a world of difference between a couple of events here and there and a LIV Golf style tour though, but some will hope this move is a step towards the best female golfers getting access to the millions that's being splashed out for the men in LIV.

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Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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