STRENGTH OF CHINESE GOLF HERALDED, AS OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST LIN AND HEADLINE STARS GET SET FOR SHENZHEN

As the countdown to the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Shenzhen ticks down to just two days, the spotlight is set to shine on an impressive lineup of players eager to assert their dominance in both the individual and team competitions.

Organized by Golf Saudi and the China Golf Association (CGA) and hosted at the sprawling Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen, the competition will see some of the world's best golfers compete from Friday 4 October to Sunday 6 October on the acclaimed Jack Nicklaus designed World Cup Course. The Aramco Team Series presented by PIF in Shenzhen adds to the many Series stops Golf Saudi has organized around the world, helping further elevate professional women’s golf.

The individual champion from Hong Kong last year, Xiyu Lin, is fresh off her Olympic success, where she claimed a bronze medal for China in Paris.

Set to wow the Chinese fans this week, Lin shared her thoughts on the unique pressures and pride that came with standing on the podium in Paris in August.

“I haven't really digested it until now,” said Lin speaking to Chinese media. “Although it has been almost two months [since Paris 2024], every time I look back, it’s a special experience. I didn’t go into the Olympic Games in the best form, but I was able to adjust myself, and then get a medal, which was the biggest dream. I feel very thankful!”

Last year, Lin overcame Korean star Jin Young-Ko in unusual circumstances at Hong Kong Golf Club, as an impending Typhoon cut the tournament short by a day, and an early playoff was forced at the start of the final day – with the Chinese star sinking a long putt to claim the individual title.

The conditions for this year are set to be a lot kinder, and while there has been heavy rainfall in Shenzhen of late, Lin has praised the staff at Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen for the condition of the course.

“I am surprised that this course is in such a good condition this week, because my mom and dad are in Guangzhou, and they told me every day that it was raining non-stop. The course has put in a lot of effort to get it to this state, and I think the greens are pretty fast.”

Also representing the host country, Muni He underscored the significance of staging tournaments in China, highlighting the positive effects these events have on the development of women's golf throughout the region.

With the event co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and CLPGA, the field will feature 20 CLPGA players, offering them the chance to rub shoulders with China’s elite women’s players.

He, now in her sixth year on tour, was keen to praise the pipeline of talent coming from China, and recognize the increasing talent pool making the jump to the LPGA Tour.

“This year, there are a lot of Chinese players coming up on [LPGA] Tour. Their results are also very good and consistent. This is China's golf development plan, and the future is getting stronger and stronger, everyone is working hard towards it.”

Making her highly anticipated Series debut is Celine Boutier, currently ranked World No.12; the winner of the last LET event to be hosted in China at the Sanya Ladies Open in 2017.

Flash forward seven years later, Boutier is set to showcase her skills at an event celebrated for its Major-like atmosphere and the vital role it has played in advancing women's professional golf since first launched by Golf Saudi back in 2021.

“I’m most excited about the team aspect,” said Boutier. “I’ve heard good things about it; it’s a different format. Having teammates is a fun change since most of the season is individual, so having other players on your team is always nice. The fact that I also get to have a bit of a say in who gets to be on my team is exciting. I’m really looking forward to that.”

Amongst the mix is Alison Lee, who is riding high after her T3 finish in London and celebrating Team USA’s triumph at the Solheim Cup, ending Europe’s recent dominance in the competition.

“This is only my second time in China; I’ve been to Shanghai, but it's my first time in Shenzhen and at this golf course,” explained the American.

“I haven’t played the course yet, but it looks awesome. I feel like, statistically, it’s going to be a very gettable course - not too long, a par 73 with five par fives. I think there are going to be a lot of birdie opportunities, so I'm really excited about that. I’m really looking forward to playing this afternoon.”

Over the course of two days, 28 teams of four will engage in a thrilling fourball format, combining their two best scores at each hole and culminating in individual competitions on the third day.

With a shared prize pool of $1 million for the event, the stakes are high for the penultimate round of the tournament, beginning on Friday 6 October.