THE WORLD SERIES

Aramco Team Series returns, bringing the innovative concept to whole new audiences across the globe

By Matt Smith

The Aramco Team Series provided ladies golf with a whole new ball game in 2022 — quite literally — introducing five $1 million events across the globe where some of the world’s top golfers compete in individual and team events at the same time.

Such was its popularity, the Ladies European Tour has brought the innovative concept back for 2023, with different destinations on the cards to allow new audiences enjoy the experience.

Last year saw top names such as Nelly and Jessica Korda and Lexi Thompson compete alongside Ladies European Tour stars like Georgia Hall, Charley Hull, Bronte Law, Olivia Cowan, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, Anne van Dam, Maja Stark and rising star and ATS Jeddah winner Chiara Noja.

The first event of 2023 in Singapore had world No. 1 Lydia Ko and No. 14 Danielle Kang fight it out in the field of 78 at Laguna National, where Paulin Roussin prevailed in the individual event and Christine Wolf skippered the winning quartet in the team event.

The new venues are Singapore, Florida, Hong Kong and Riyadh — joining mainstay London on the schedule. Singapore replaced Bangkok, while American fans can enjoy the Florida sunshine in May after a stormy time at New York’s Ferry Point last year. Hong Kong arrives to step in for Sotogrande in Spain (where the Korda sisters won both the individual and team events), and Saudi Arabia has a change in venue with Riyadh Golf Club staging this year rather than Royal Greens near Jeddah.

If Singapore is anything to go by, fans across the globe are in for a treat as they track their favourite teams and players, with both leaderboards ever-changing throughout the weekends.

Laguna National saw French youngster Roussin upstage the stardust provided by Ko and Kang,

Schedule

March 15-17

ATS — Singapore

Individual winner: Pauline Roussin

Team winner: Team Wolf (Christine Wolf, Cassandra Alexander, Eleanor Givens, Katsuko Blalock)

May 19-21

ATS — Florida Trump International, United States

July 14-16

ATS — London Centurion Club, England

October 6-8

ATS — Hong Kong

Hong Kong Golf Club

November 3-5

ATS — Riyadh

Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia singapore win Pauline Roussin captured the title with a blistering Sunday showing allowing her to soak in the plaudits on the 18th fairway on her way to a four-stroke victory, with Kang and Ko second and third respectively.

Roll on the Sunshine State!

How it works

The format is the same as in 2022, with two competitions happening side by side — the individual strokeplay competition alongside the team event.

Each team will contain three professionals and one amateur. The team captains are selected based on their Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings ahead of the events.

The 26 captains pick one player from the remaining field of 78 professionals in reverse order — the 26th ranked captain will pick first with the top-ranked picking last, while the third pro and an amateur in each team are decided by random draw to complete the quartet.

The team competition will conclude after 36-holes, with the final day being the final round of the individual strokeplay competition.