GOLF.AI • yesterday

LPGA's Saudi Deal Upends UK Schedule

A seismic shift is occurring in women's professional golf, mirroring the disruption seen in the men's game. The LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) are partnering with Golf Saudi to co-sanction a new high-profile tournament, the PIF London Championship, slated for 2027. This move signals a significant deepening of Saudi investment into the women's tour.

The new event is provisionally scheduled for the traditional slot held by the prestigious ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open, which has been a co-sanctioned, world-class tournament since 2017. The Scottish Open's omission from the 2027 provisional schedule places its future in serious jeopardy, a surprising development given the Scottish Government's recent £4.5 million funding commitment to the event. Tournament director Harry Owen acknowledged the scheduling conflict, stating they are "working on a solution and a date that will work for all our partners."

The domino effect of this new partnership is already apparent. The PIF London Championship appears to be replacing the Aramco Championship previously held in Las Vegas, an event won by Lauren Coughlin in 2021. This strategic reshuffling highlights a new world order in women's golf, where the financial and geopolitical forces that reshaped the men's game are now actively at play, creating a volatile and uncertain future for established tournaments.