The PIF Global Series of the Ladies European Tour have an expiry date. Those known since their creation as Aramco Series will end at the close of the 2026 season, Golf Saudi has announced, as it reorganises its investment in women’s golf. Reorganise basically means it’s making cuts. A drastic reduction is set to take place. Its London tournament, The Championship, will continue and will move onto the LPGA Tour schedule in 2027, while also remaining a counting event for the Ladies European Tour. This move is accompanied by a new multi-year alliance with the Orden de Mérito of the European circuit.
In the official statement no figures are mentioned, but basically PIF goes from sponsoring five tournaments in the United States, London, Saudi Arabia, Korea and China with a total prize fund of US$15 million to keeping just one in London, co‑sanctioned, with a US$4 million purse. A quarter. To that should be added whatever amount they put up to sponsor the ranking, which has also not been specified.
The announcement therefore outlines a change of model that seeks a very significant cut in investment.The Aramco Series have been part of the LET schedule since 2020.
US$4 million and a new July date
The Championship will have a purse of US$4 million and will take place in the week of 19 to 25 July 2027. The tournament, held in London since 2021, will bring together players from both circuits and will have a committed period of support for several seasons. Its last edition was played in August and ended with the victory of Anna Huang, 17. The statement does not specify the course that will host the 2027 edition nor detail its competition format.
What also emerges from this move is direct harm to golfers who are members only of the LET. Of the five Aramco tournaments on the 2026 schedule, only one was shared with the LPGA, the United States event in April. That is, in the other four almost all players with a Ladies European Tour card could enter. However, the only one that will remain from 2027, the London event, will be shared. In the US event this year fewer than 40 LET players entered.
The other side of the announcement is the ending of the PIF Global Series. Before their farewell, the events in Korea, in October, and China, in November remain to be held. Twenty‑nine tournaments have been contested across three continents since 2021 and they have provided notable competitive opportunities for LET professionals.
The continuation of London is explicitly confirmed, albeit within a new structure shared with the LPGA Tour. The disappearance of the PIF Global Series therefore does not mean the end of Golf Saudi’s support for women’s golf, but rather a significant reduction of its commitments. The announcement, however, does not provide a total investment figure that would allow a detailed economic comparison between the model that ends and the one that will begin in 2027.
An alliance with the LET’s annual ranking
The third pillar is the agreement with the Orden de Mérito del Ladies European Tour, the points-based ranking that rewards performance over the whole season and whose winner receives a final bonus. The new alliance will begin in 2027 and will be multi-year in nature, although the statement does not specify its exact duration, its amount or any possible new commercial name for the ranking.
Tom Phillips, chief executive of the LET, highlighted that this backing extends to the whole circuit: “This investment represents a commitment to strengthening our entire organisation, to supporting our players throughout the season and to the possibility of continuing to invest in the circuit’s long-term growth and sustainability”
Golf Saudi links these agreements to its goal of increasing golf participation in Saudi Arabia. According to the figures provided by the entity, the country currently has around 4,500 registered golfers and aims to exceed 30,000 in five years. Among the initiatives announced is a new programme with LPGA Professionals, the group dedicated to teaching, coaching and facility management, among other activities.
