Oh, to be Charley Hull at the Riyadh Golf Club, where she strolled to her first tournament win since 2022, lighting up the scoreboard with a dazzling 18-under-par at the Aramco Team Series.
It’s been a whirlwind, and Hull’s win in Riyadh marks her sixth professional triumph—her fourth on the Ladies European Tour, including a memorable victory in New York back in 2021.
This time, she finished a cool three strokes ahead of the game Danish player Nicole Broch Estrup.
“Yeah, I felt really sharp, I played very solidly today,” said Hull on the win. “I made a bogey on the par five 17th and the par three, but that was just two three putts.
So quite long putts, in all fairness, and they got away from me a little bit, but felt like I held my game together pretty well. And 18 under for three days is a pretty good score.”
The magic began right off the bat, with Hull tearing through the front nine at five-under-par, overtaking Slovenia’s Pia Babnik, who had a shaky hold on the lead.
Babnik, paired with Hull, had hoped to wrap up a stellar week, but Hull was all about setting the greens on fire with her aggressive shots and clutch putting.
One of the standout moments was on the par-5 fifth hole. Charley’s drive soared, setting her up for a daring second shot over the water.
It landed just shy, but no bother—she nailed the up-and-down for a birdie. Reflecting on her explosive start, Hull chuckled, “I was actually chatting to someone who was quite close to me before I started, and he said, get off to a fast start, try and get ahead,” said Hull on her fast start. “That’s what I did – and it’s a good job I listened to them!”
As the back nine unfolded, Hull kept her foot on the gas, birdieing the 11th to stretch her lead, even as the nerves tried to creep in with bogeys on the 14th and 17th.
Yet, she steadied the ship, parred the final hole, and was soon celebrating with mates Georgia Hall and Annabell Dimmock, who were ready to douse her in joy at the 18th green.
Looking ahead, Charley’s all geared up for more glory, “I’m nipping back home for a tick, then it’s off to the States for the last hurrah on the LPGA Tour—the ANNIKA event and the CME Group Tour Championship.
I fancy my chances at the Tour Championship course; took home the win there back in 2016. Then, it’s home for Christmas. Can’t wait!”
“I’m going home for a week, before I head back to America for the last two events in the LPGA Tour, which is the ANNIKA event, and then the CME Group Tour Championship. I like the Tour Championship golf course.
I won there in 2016, so I’m looking forward to them too, and then home for Christmas – I can’t wait.”
Hull’s Victory: A Boost for Saudi Golf
Charley’s victory wasn’t just a personal milestone; it capped off the season for the Aramco Team Series, and Golf Saudi’s big boss, Noah Alireza, was over the moon.
“What an incredible week of golf we’ve enjoyed here in Riyadh – and what fitting and deserving champions we have in both Charley Hull and Team Tamburlini, who played some truly amazing golf over the last three days.
“This week we have had a greater on-course Saudi impact than ever before at a Golf Saudi event. We are immensely proud of Riyadh Golf Course and our new-look clubhouse being designed, built and maintained by Saudis, so to have a record ten Saudi golfers compete as amateurs here on that golf course in the Aramco Team Series – Riyadh is a huge achievement for us and for golf in Saudi Arabia.
“We also welcomed fantastic crowds over the last few days, and celebrated the 58 new Saudi golfers to have completed our revamped, world-first Go Golf free-to-learn coaching initiative.
With a further 1,800 new golfers registered for Go Golf, we can feel the impact events like these, as well as everything else we’re doing in golf here, are having. All of these are landmark moments as we continue to grow golf in Saudi Arabia.
“I’d like to thank all the players and partners who helped make this an unforgettable week of golf and we look forward to the return of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF next year.”
As the dust settles on this year’s series, Charley Hull’s triumph in Riyadh will be remembered not just for the scorecard but for the lively spirit and ambitious strides of golf in Saudi Arabia.
For a closer look, swing by www.aramcoteamseries.com.
