MIXED AND TEAM EVENTS ARE HELPING TAKE THE WOMEN’S GAME OUT OF THE SHADOWS, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, SAYS OLIVIA JACKSON
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golfdigestme.com
june 2022
the importance of mixed events such at the Dubai Golf Trophy in helping female golfers share an equal spotlight with their male counterparts. Jackson is thrilled to see more and more mixed events such as the recent back-to-back Trust Golf events cosanctioned between the Asian Tour and Ladies European Tour, where male and female players contend for the same trophy and prize money. Alongside this is the expanded Aramco Team Series, which is now up to five events a season — with a new venue and bigger purses — where female golfers compete in an innovative simultaneous team and individual competition format. Jackson believes that the changes are slowly being put in place to help the female golfers, and it is not before time.
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livia Jackson, the Emirates Golf Club pro, had just stepped off the 18th green, where the Pros finally reclaimed the Dubai Golf Trophy from the Ams after six years. “That’s what I am talking about,” she said with a huge grin after becoming the first-ever female to contend in the Ryder Cup-style event last month. The two-day event at Dubai Creek Golf Club and EGC saw the 16 top amateurs take on the leading pros, with Jackson contributing to the latter’s points total in a nail-biting finale that came down to the last putt. Stepping away from the celebrations, England’s Jackson spoke to Golf Digest Middle East to reflect on her landmark achievement and also stress
MAIN IMAGE : MATT SMITH
STEPPING OUT
LEFT : JACKSON WITH DUBAI GOLF TROPHY PRO CAPTAIN MIKE MAJOR : EGC
BY MATT SMITH
