A few years ago, Saudi Arabia, with a few golf courses, was nowhere near taking over the golf world! But now, it is shockingly leaping to the top of the hierarchy. Certainly, US golf fans and a few golfers as well dislike this change and do not offer the desired support to the Saudi League or the PIF. However, this is not the case with the Ladies European Tour. It seems like the LET pros are loving what the PIF is offering them.

Germany’s Olivia Cowan has openly hailed the glory of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF. The tournament follows a very special draft system of three pros and one amateur and invites the world’s best golfers to team up. Let’s see what Olivia Cowan had to say more about the grand tournament being certainly a treat for the ladies of the golf world!!

How does PIF support women golfers?

LPGA and LET player Olivia Cowan discussed with Golf Digest Middle East the evolution and development of the ladies’ game. She admitted that the Aramco Team Series event came as a help because it displays and highlights female golfers around the globe. “They’ve really come in and tried to “up” everything that we had before on the LET,” said Cowan. 

Cowan elaborated that not only the LET players, but a few LPGAT pros who come to compete in the five-event series also hail the same admiration for the event. “The LPGA players that come over, they say every single Aramco event is set up as a major because they take such good care of us.” The German golfer showed gratitude towards the PIF for bringing men and women to the same stage. “Since they’ve come into the game, I think they’ve shown the world that the women’s game is really good and our skills are just as good as the men’s,” said the LET star.

Female golf has somewhat always been less renowned as compared to the men competing on the greens. The female tour has always been given less significance in terms of coverage, facilities, purse, and so on. Highlighting this, Cowan said, “It’s nice to see someone coming in and wanting to do that for us. I think they’ve not had that for a long time, so they believe in us, and it’s just great to have their support.” 

Above all, what is more attractive about this grand championship is its heavy purse, which has been raised from $1 million to $5 million, making it equal to the men’s prize fund. The winner of this grand event takes home more or equal to the entire purse of 27 tournaments on the LET, signifying that this is the largest prize pool on the European Tour for female golfers.

Read more: Nelly Korda Updates: Confirms Next Schedule on LPGA After a Long Break

While the Aramco team series is welcomed by many pro golfers, US golf fans are not at all impressed by Golf Saudi Arabia.

Why do U.S. golf fans dislike Saudi Arabia’s invasion of the golf world?

The Aramco Team Series has been a part of the Ladies European Tour for about 4 years now, with its inaugural edition taking place in 2020. On the contrary, the PIF’s entry into America was incepted in 2021 with the help of LIV Golf. And that is when the ‘love-hate’ relationship between PIF and American fans started.

The huge payouts and better work-life balance lured some of the biggest golf stars, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and others, away from the PGA Tour. The fans slammed such golfers and also vowed against their names. Due to its alleged unpleasant human rights history, Saudi Arabia, PIF, and its contribution to the golf world are not as admired by most Americans. The decision to join hands between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, DPWT, and PIF was not welcomed by US golf fans, golfers, and the media.

However, now it appears that not everyone is unhappy with the deal. The female golfers in Europe are receiving substantial support and pleasant facilities, thanks to PIF. It also reflects a move forward to play for an equal amount of payoff that male golfers usually get on their Tours.

As it can be seen, everything has two sides: affirmative and negative reactions. What are your views on this? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more – Lydia Ko: Why the New Zealander Is Still the LPGA Tour’s Biggest Asset