The American had a record-setting first two rounds — setting the best course score, matching the lowest-ever round on the Ladies European Tour (61), and the consecutive-birdie run (eight), before smashing the LET 36-hole record by eight strokes with back-to-back 61s.

On Sunday, she kept Solheim Cup star and Riyadh Team Champion Ciganda at arm’s length to pick up her second professional victory, a cheque for $75,000, a whole lot of entries in the record books — and a real boost after losing out to Minjee Lee in a playoff in Korea last week.

A champion’s performance ? #SeeTheImpact pic.twitter.com/euvFgeN5WX

— Aramco Team Series (@Aramco_Series) October 29, 2023

Lee began the final round six strokes clear of Ciganda, and after an early charge from the Spaniard, who had that margin down to three at one point, Lee turned on the afterburners it was back at six by the turn.

A birdie on 11 for Lee, while Ciganda could only par, seemed to take the wind out of the Spaniard’s sails as the lead stretched out to seven strokes. With

Ciganda out of ideas and out of steam, Lee was allowed to canter home for an eight-stroke victory, with a 65 to go with her pair of 61s and a stunning 29-under total.

Sitting proudly beside the trophy, Lee expressed her delight and relief at her triumph.

“I’ve played some really good golf this week and putted even better,” she said, and even that was modest. “I hit almost every green, gave myself plenty of birdie opportunities, and made a lot of them count with aggressive, confident play. I had a lot of fun out there and I’m delighted with the win because any tournament is difficult to win — there are so many great players out there and all of them can produce great golf.

“Carlota’s a great competitor. She made a really great eagle and then a birdie to bring it to within three. I was well aware of the challenge, but like I say, I felt really confident with my own game. I made some birdies of my own early on and that set the tone for the rest of the day and helped me to get the job done.”

Lee’s efforts also saw her eclipse the 54-hole scoring record on the LET, and her 29-under equalled the best score as well, a mark that was previously set over 72-holes.

Lee also made 29 birdies at Aramco Team Series — Riyadh and all three of her scorecards were bogey-free. Her performance saw her add to her maiden tour win — the individual event at ATS Sotogrande in 2021 — and she was keen to praise those who made this week possible.

“Thank you Golf Saudi, Aramco, and the Public Investment Fund for staging this event. I love coming here and playing in these events,” she added. “I also want to thank Riyadh Golf Club. A lot had to be done to get the course ready and everyone involved did a tremendous job. I’ve been made to feel really welcome and I’d love to return and compete here again.”

Carlota Ciganda congratulates Alison Lee on her victory. ATS

As for Ciganda, the Spaniard’s final-round 67 took her to 21-under-par. Despite her runners-up spot, the world No. 33 nevertheless had a memorable weekend in Riyadh, where she captained her team to a three-stroke 43-under-par victory in the team event.

“If you’d told me at the beginning of the week that I’d finish on 21-under, I’d have taken that,” she said. “The conditions have been great here in Riyadh. There was no wind on the first two days but you still have to play well and score. It’s been an amazing weekend and I’m happy to finish second on the back of a great day yesterday.”

Commenting on Lee’s performance, she was full of praise for the American, adding: “When someone plays like that, you just have to say congratulations and well done. Alison has matched something that’s only ever been done over 72 holes on the LET before. She was amazing out there.”

The post Alison Lee takes more Riyadh records — and the title at Aramco Team Series finale appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Following a historic first round of records on Friday in Saudi Arabia for the American with her 61 at the Aramco Team Series finale, Lee was at it again on Saturday, posting another 61 to sit on a staggering 22-under and take a six-stroke lead into the final round.

In the process, she smashed the existing Ladies European Tour 36-hole record of 16-under by eight shots and is in prime position for her second professional individual title.

Try as they might, the rest of the pack were left trailing (and congratulating) Lee, with overnight challenger and namesake Minjee fading somewhat, adding a 70 to go with a first-round of 63.

Minjee now sits in a bunch on 11-under alongside World No. 1 Lilia Vu, with Spain’s Carlota Ciganda the closest contender to Alison on 16-under.

Carlota Ciganda. ATS

The Spaniard’s wonderful nine-under 63, means Alison cannot afford to be complacent on Sunday, especially if the Solheim Cup hero keeps playing like this.

When asked by Golf Digest about where Riyadh sits on her top courses list now after a brilliant 48 hours, Alison said with a laugh: “The wind wasn’t up today, and the soft greens also helped, so it was a fairly easy day like yesterday. Personally, I enjoy playing very difficult courses, especially for tournament rounds, because I field a little bit. When it is easy like this, it kind of becomes a putting competition. Thankfully, I am on the good side of that this week on this golf course. I am putting really well. Not only that, but I am leaving myself 15 feet and in on every hole.

“But at the end of the day, it’s about making my putts, and I was able to make a lot of them today. Overall, it is quite a short course. Every hole, I was looking at wedge or less in and on only two of the par-3s was I using an 8-iron in.

“Only on one hole did I need to lay up — my 13th hole I think — and I was like: ‘Oh, I haven’t seen this club in a while!’

“You got to play confidently and aggressively out there because there are so many birdies to be made.”

On a different level this week. @alisonlee shoots back-to-back 61s to set a new @LETgolf scoring record after 36 holes ? #SeeTheImpact pic.twitter.com/kfoIRTMuW9

— Aramco Team Series (@Aramco_Series) October 28, 2023

On the shortest holes, Lee made a stunning six birdies on eight par-3s over the first two days, and again Lee said that was down to the playing conditions.

“The lack of wind and the soft greens meant you didn’t need to try to take it up this hill or land in a specific spot, you can pretty much just go straight at the flag and hit your numbers.”

Should Lee repeat her magic on the course on the final day on Sunday, she admitted she would wish it was a 72-hole event so she could go for even more records. She equalled the best round (61) on the LET on both days so far, has the Riyadh course record (x2) and also matched the LET record of eight birdies in a row on Day 1.

“Yeah, absolutely,” she laughed. “We will see what happens tomorrow. A lot depends on the weather. I feel really confident about my game right now. I didn’t expect another 61 today, but I did expect another low one. Hopefully I can break it [61] tomorrow, I still have one more day!”

Alison and her playing partners came so close to celebrating the two-day Team crown with a collective score of 40-under and the joint clubhouse lead alongside Team Cheenglab.

But Ciganda’s quartet had other ideas and roared through the back nine to overhaul Lee, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, Gaurika Bishnoi of India and impressive American amateur Chris Thomas.

The winning moment ?

What a performance from the whole team ?#SeeTheImpact pic.twitter.com/83X88US434

— Aramco Team Series (@Aramco_Series) October 28, 2023

Ciganda, Alessandra Fanali, Sara Kouoskova and amateur Saudi Arabia prospect Lujain ‘LJ’ Khalil made the final push to get ahead of Team Lee and Team Cheenglab.

LJ holed out the key putt for two on the par-3 17th to get Team Ciganda to 41-under — a moment she will treasure forever. Kouskova followed the amateur in for birdie to take them to 42-under, with Team Bronte Law, the only quartet on course who could catch them, settling for 39-under and fourth place.

As the sun set on the final group, it was skipper Ciganda who had the final say, narrowly missing eagle, but claiming the birdie to take the team to 43-under and trigger a sea of high-fives.

“I love the team events, where you are all pulling for each other. I am happier for the team than myself, especially LJ, who holed that winning putt,” said Ciganda. “We all contributed and it was a great team effort.”

Finali added: “We really had a lot of fun out there, especially the last four or five holes, where we all came together.”

Now Ciganda and Lee turn their attention to Sunday and take aim at a sensational finale to round out the ATS season.

Main image: ATS

The post Alison Lee continues to steamroll the Riyadh course in Aramco Team Series finale appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It could have been even better for Alison as she went on another record-equalling eight-birdie streak from holes 15 to four (she started on 10) and was on for a 59, but had to ‘settle’ for three pars and a birdie for a course record and a bogey-free card.

Minjee was hot on her heels on the closing stretch but a bogey on 17 halted her own charge and she sits on nine-under.

Minjee Lee. LET/ATS

Behind that duo is a bunch on seven-under, including Czech Jana Melichova, Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta, Dane Nicole Broch Estrup, Kylie Henry of Scotland, Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg, Wales’ Chloe Williams, last year’s runner-up Charley Hull of England and Spain’s Solheim Cup hero Carlota Ciganda.

It was not the best day for Chiara Noja, who defeated Hull in a playoff in Jeddah 12 months ago to lift the ATS title and her maiden crown at the age of 16. The Dubai-based German was faced with a tie for last spot until she conjured up some magic for eagle on 18 to sign for a three-over 75.

There were a lot of red numbers out there on Friday, with 62 out of 84 of the professionals scoring par or better.

In the team event, Team Ciganda lead the way at the halfway stage alongside Bronte Law’s quartet on an impressive 21-under, two strokes ahead of another logjam — Team Lisa Pettersson, Team Minjee Lee, Team Diksha Dagar, Team Anne van Dam and Team Nicole Broch Estrup.

How things stand after a breathless Day One ?‍?? #SeeTheImpact pic.twitter.com/Sfc60Dgfdu

— Aramco Team Series (@Aramco_Series) October 27, 2023

On her day of records, Alison, winner of the Aramco Team Series — Sotogrande Individual title in 2021, told the Ladies European Tour: “I honestly had no idea! Today was just one of those days that golf just felt really easy, like a dream round. I wish every day felt like this. I was telling my caddie: ‘Gosh golf is so easy.’ Obviously I don’t say that every day but it was one of those days.

“I just felt so confident out there. I was able to read the greens really well, pick a good target on my approach shot, I was able to hit my targets.

“Coming down the stretch I started to realise I’m on 59 watch here. But I missed a couple of good birdie chances coming down the stretch. Not too disappointed I had a great round today, overall I played really solid.

“I’m feeling really good about my game. We still have two days left but I feel like it’s a really nice golf course, it’s a fairly easy golf course, pretty easy to attack pins and make a lot of birdies.”

Minjee added: “I played really really solid. I made a ton of birdies and had four birdies in a row so that was really nice. I’ve been hitting it really solid and come into this week with a lot of confidence from last week. I had another really great day.

“I played one round with Alison last week and then obviously beat her in a playoff. She’s got such great talent and I’ve actually known her for quite a while. We rookied together [on the LPGA] in the same year. We’ve both been on Tour nine years and it’s always nice to have great competition. That’s what we play for.”

Over on the team side of things, Ciganda told the LET: “It’s been a fun day. We made a lot of birdies between the three of us. It was great fun to watch the great shots that they hit. As everyone knows, I love team events and yeah hopefully we can have a good day tomorrow and win this thing.”

Main image: Alison Lee. LET

The post Lees are lauded as Alison leads Minjee on record opening day at Aramco Team Series — Riyadh appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Keely Levins
Remember the putting controversy at the last Solheim Cup? You know what we’re talking about. Alison Lee picked up that short putt on the 17th hole of the four-ball competition, thinking she’d been given the putt. Suzann Pettersen called it back, saying she didn’t tell Lee the putt was good. If you’re thinking, This was two years ago, please stop talking about it, we’re with you. But after a very similar incident occurred at the U.S. Girls Junior at the beginning of August, it’s clear this is still something that can happen. And nobody wants it to happen again at the Solheim Cup this year in Des Moines.

American Captain Juli Inkster is being cautious. She’s making one player on her team in each group in charge of giving putts.

“I just think you’ve got to have one person in the group, they’re in charge of giving putts,” said Inkster. “And that’s kind of the way I’ve done it with my team. One person takes control of giving the putts and that way we don’t really have any controversy.”

After the heated, tearful arguments that ensued after the debacle in 2015, it’s hard to blame Inkster for putting in an extra safety measure before her team tees off on Friday.

The post Captain Juli Inkster is making sure the conceded-putt controversy of 2015 doesn’t resurface appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.