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Saudi Arabia has become one of the biggest backers of golf's Ladies European Tour (LET) with the launch of the Aramco Team Series.
The four events will each have a prize fund of US$1 million and be staged in New York, London and Singapore before a season finale at King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah.
They will form part of the LET’s 2021 schedule, which is yet to be announced.
Teams of four will compete in the 54-hole events, with captains recruiting a fellow professional through a draft system while another professional is added at random. Each team will also include an amateur player.
LET chief executive Alexandra Armas said: “Today marks the beginning of a new journey in the history of the Ladies European Tour. This brand new Aramco Team Series takes golf and the sport to a whole new level and I am incredibly excited by all four events.
“Last November, the LET made history in bringing the first-ever professional women’s golf event to Saudi Arabia, and this announcement only builds on that.
“By adding four new team events to our schedule for 2021, the Ladies European Tour will add a whole new dynamic for both the players competing and the spectators, taking golf to newly engaged audiences across the globe.”
Aramco is the state-owned oil company of Saudi Arabia and the tournaments are also being supported by Golf Saudi.
Ahmed Al-Subaey, Aramco vice president of marketing, sales and supply planning, said: “Aramco played a leading role in bringing golf to Saudi Arabia and, through our support for women’s golf, we aim to advance gender equality and set the stage for future generations of female sports stars.”
Saudi Arabia has become one of the biggest backers of golf's Ladies European Tour