American sensation Alison Lee breaks all records to win Aramco Team Series – Riyadh

The 28 year-old from California has a remarkable 29 birdies for the 54-hole three round LET tournament played at the Riyadh Golf Club

By Team KT

Published: Sun 29 Oct 2023, 8:02 PM

Golf Saudi Ambassador Alison Lee continued her brilliant form with a final round of seven under par 65 to win the Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Riyadh.

The 28 year-old from California, US, claimed her second individual title of the Series having won the Sotogrande event in August 2021 with rounds of 65, 65 and 71 for a five stroke victory from Ashleigh Buhai (RSA).

Currently holding the No 41 slot in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings Lee won the Riyadh Golf Club showpiece by eight shots.

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She started the final day with a six shot lead but after a few holes the lead was as close as just three. However, after a front nine holes of 32, Lee reclaimed the six shot margin from Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who was also playing in the same final group.

Spain's Carlota Ciganda won the Team event. - AP File

On the back nine Lee kept her foot on the pedal with further birdies on 11, 13, and 15 to finish on 29 under par.

The Ladies European Tour (LET) event is the first ladies’ professional golf tournament held in the Saudi capital.

This is also the fifth and final Aramco Team Series event of the season, each of which boast a prize purse of $500,000 for the Team Event and the equivalent for the Individual Event.

The previous Aramco supported events were hosted in: Singapore, West Palm Beach, Florida (US), London and Hong Kong.

Alison Lee’s statistics for the 54-hole three round week make remarkable reading. She had 25 pars, 29 birdies and no bogeys.

She becomes only the second ever player in LET history to reach 29 under or better in a one round, two round, three round or even four round tournament.

Lee could have even done better but she missed makeable putts on the last two holes to make the record all her own.

Lee has been on the LPGA Tour for nine years and is still seeking her first Tour victory. This dominant performance should give her the confidence to go to the next level on the global golf stage.

Ciganda had to settle for second place in the Individual Event but won the Team Event, which was played over 36-holes, along with her as Team Ciganda members, Sara Kouskova (Czech Rep), Allesandra Fanali (It) and Saudi amateur Lujain Khalil, all of whom collectively shot an impressive 43 under par in this best two from the team of four on each hole.

Six of the Top 50 players on the Rolex Women’s World Rankings finished on the first page of the leaderboard as the talent rose to the top at the end of this birdie fest week.

England’s Bronte Law, winner of the 2021 Dubai Moonlight Classic at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai made a big move on the Race to Costa del Sol with a tied fourth place finish to move up to number 87 on the season long Merit Table.

History in the making as Riyadh hosts first women’s professional golf tournament

Some of the planet’s best women golfers set to shine in Saudi’s Aramco Team Series

Two better than one as Alison Lee makes LET history twice to lead Aramco Team Series – Riyadh

The next LET event on the 2023 calendar is the €400,000 Mallorca Open from November 16-18 an is followed by the final tournament on the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol – the €650,000 Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana, from November 23-26,, 2023. This event features a field of 64 players from the LET Order of Merit plus 11 sponsor invites.

Results

(Par 72, 6,406 Yards).

A. Lee (US) 61. 61. 65. 187.

C. Ciganda (Spain) 65. 63. 67. 195.

C. Hull (Eng) 65. 67. 66. 198.

B. Law (Eng) 69. 65. 65. 199.

T. Cheenglab (Thai) 67. 64. 68. 199.

M. Lee (Aus) 63. 70. 67. 200.

P. Lindberg (Swe) 65. 65. 70. 200.

G. Hall (Eng) 69. 65. 67. 201.

L. Vu (US) 68. 64. 69. 201.