GOLF.AI • Nov 12, 2025

LPGA & Saudi PIF Plant Flag in Vegas

While the golf world has been fixated on the men's game, a seismic shift is underway in women's professional golf. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has officially planted its flag in the U.S. with the announcement of the Aramco Championship, a new event co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) to be held in Las Vegas.

This is not a breakaway tour; it's a direct integration. The tournament will feature a 120-player field competing for a significant $4 million purse, making it one of the premier events on the schedule. It is part of the PIF's five-event Global Series, signaling a major partnership between the LPGA and Golf Saudi.

The timing of this announcement is particularly noteworthy. It comes on the heels of the LPGA canceling its planned event at Black Desert Resort in Utah, shifting that relationship to a marketing partnership. This strategic pivot from Utah to Las Vegas suggests a clear move towards bigger-money sponsors and a new financial reality for the tour.

This development echoes the PIF's initial foray into the men's game, raising familiar questions about sportswashing, player influence, and the long-term financial landscape of the sport. The LPGA's partnership with the PIF marks the beginning of a complex and potentially divisive new chapter for women's golf, expanding the global golf conflict to a new front.