Staff WriterIf your idea of a gentle season-opener involves a warm handshake and a polite “good luck out there,” you might want to sit down. The Saudi Ladies International Open is rolling out the red carpet — and then some — as it opens the curtain on the 2026 Ladies European Tour (LET) schedule at Riyadh Golf Club from Feb 11-14, armed with the biggest purse of the year outside the Majors and a field that could make even the most seasoned range rat start checking the leaderboard twice.
This Golf Saudi-backed season opener is also the first of five marquee PIF Global Series events spread across the LET’s global calendar — and it’s shaping up less like “first week back at school” and more like “opening night on Broadway,” only with more titanium and fewer jazz hands.
A season opener with serious heft
The headline figure is simple and spectacular: $5 million. In women’s golf, that kind of number doesn’t whisper; it arrives with its suitcase packed and demands the penthouse suite. It’s a clear statement of intent, and it’s one that places Riyadh firmly on the early-season map for anyone who likes their sport elite, their competition fierce, and their prize funds properly punchy.
Golf Saudi’s mission here is equally direct: reward excellence equally across flagship events. The champion of the PIF Saudi Ladies International will receive the same prize fund as the winner of the men’s PIF Saudi International — a move designed to make “equal” mean exactly what it says, not what it conveniently becomes when budgets get shy.
The field: major champions, big names, and a proper early-season test
This isn’t a polite gathering. The PIF Saudi Ladies International has attracted a host of Major champions, 11 Golf Saudi Ambassadors, and plenty of world-class “powerhouses” from both the LET and LPGA.
Golf Saudi ambassadors will once again headline the season opener:
- Patty Tavatanakit: Former Major champion and 2024 winner.
- Charley Hull: Two-time winner in the Aramco Team Series.
- Carlota Ciganda: Seven-time Solheim Cup star.
Add in multiple Major champions, including 2023 Amundi Evian Championship winner Céline Boutier and 2023 Women’s PGA Championship winner Danielle Kang, and you’ve got the sort of cast list that makes a “season opener” feel like a season finale.
And yes, Charley Hull will be teeing off at Riyadh Golf Club for the PIF Saudi Ladies International, the first event on the PIF Global Series 2026 — which is a bit like announcing you’re starting your year by sprinting up a mountain. No easing in. No gentle ramp. Just straight into the good stuff.
Momentum from 2025 — and a record that still echoes
The 2025 edition set a high bar, with Jeeno Thitikul claiming a historic victory with a record 16-under total. That kind of number has a habit of lingering in the air the following year, like the memory of a drive you absolutely flushed… or the one you absolutely didn’t.
Building on that momentum, the 2026 edition is positioned as something more than a standard tour stop. With the size of the purse, the depth of talent, and the global visibility, the PIF Saudi Ladies International is increasingly being framed as a cornerstone of the international season — not a warm-up act, but a main event.
Ciganda’s verdict on what this series is doing for the game
Carlota Ciganda, Golf Saudi Ambassador and seven-time Solheim Cup star, said: “The PIF Global Series has been incredible for the game, from the level of competition to the venues and the way it supports women’s golf on a global scale. It’s something really special, and I’m genuinely excited to be playing at Riyadh Golf Club again.
“As the opening event on the LET calendar, the PIF Saudi Ladies International sets the tone for the season and provides an outstanding platform for us to compete at the highest level.”
(If you’re looking for a mission statement with a pulse, that’ll do nicely.)
Shannon Tan returns — and brings the weight of a champion’s story
One of the most intriguing plotlines is the return of Singapore’s Shannon Tan, the 2025 LET Order of Merit winner, making her 2026 competitive return at Riyadh.
Tan’s rise to the top last year wasn’t a gentle drift; it was a late-season surge, punctuated by two top five finishes in her final three starts to clinch the title in dramatic fashion. The phrase “form is temporary, class is permanent” gets thrown around like free tees at a pro-am, but this is exactly the type of stage where a reigning Order of Merit champion can turn momentum into a statement.
More than a tournament: the “festival” angle, with Go Golf at the centre
Here’s where the week in Riyadh tries to do something bigger than simply crown a champion. More than a golf tournament, the event will be a festival of the sport, with Go Golf — Golf Saudi’s development program — front and centre.
The idea is simple: demystify the game for all ages. Through interactive clinics and “have-a-go” sessions, Go Golf will introduce hundreds of beginners to the basics of the swing in a pressure-free environment. Think of it as golf without the intimidation, without the jargon, and without that feeling you’re doing something wrong because you don’t own three different types of wedge.
And the grassroots numbers behind it are already substantial. To date, Golf Saudi has introduced over 50,000 women and girls to the sport through national school programs and club-based initiatives — meaning the Go Golf clinics in Riyadh aren’t a novelty add-on, but a continuation of a wider growth strategy.
Why the Saudi Ladies International Open matters right now
Call it what you like — the Saudi Ladies International Open, the PIF Saudi Ladies International, a season opener with a prize purse that has its own gravitational pull — the impact is clear:
- It launches the LET season in a high-profile, high-stakes environment.
- It draws elite players early, including Major champions and leading ambassadors.
- It signals financial parity ambitions across flagship events.
- It blends elite sport with participation, using Go Golf to bring new players into the game.
In short: it’s the kind of event that doesn’t just start a season — it shapes the tone of one.
Dates, venue, and what fans can do next
The PIF Saudi Ladies International runs Feb 11-14 at Riyadh Golf Club, opening the 2026 LET calendar in style. For more information, to register for Go Golf clinics, or to purchase tickets, click here
FAQ
When is the Saudi Ladies International Open?
Feb 11-14, at Riyadh Golf Club, opening the 2026 Ladies European Tour season.
How big is the prize purse?
$5 million — the biggest purse of the year outside the Majors.
Which players are involved?
The field includes Golf Saudi ambassadors such as Patty Tavatanakit, Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda, plus Major champions including Céline Boutier and Danielle Kang.
What is the PIF Global Series?
A set of five marquee events spread across the LET global calendar, with the season opener in Riyadh.
What is Go Golf?
Golf Saudi’s development program featuring clinics and “have-a-go” sessions designed to introduce beginners to golf in a pressure-free setting.
