Pedersen wins Saudi Ladies International in playoff
Holds off England’s Georgia Hall with birdie on extra hole
Danish star Emily Kristine Pedersen won a playoff against England’s Georgia Hall on Sunday in a fitting climax to the first-ever women’s golf tournament staged in Saudi Arabia.
Pedersen claimed the inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in style with a birdie on the extra hole after Hall dumped her second shot into the water that led to a bogey on the par-5 No. 18.
“It’s stressful being in playoff because it’s head to head but gives you opportunity to go for everything. And I think I did and I’m really happy,” a beaming Pedersen told the media after the awards ceremony for the tournament, presented by Public Investment Fund ( PIF).
The event will seque to the Saudi Ladies Teams International on Tuesday, completing a historic week for women’s golf in the Kingdom.
Hall, who shot a course record 8-under 65 in the first round — matched by Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall the following day — started the fourth round of the 72-hole Ladies European Tour event in the last group with overnight co-leaders Lydia Hall of Wales and Pedersen.
Georgia hit the turn with the lead after back-to-back birdies from No. 6. She bogeyed the 12th hole, but regained her edge with another birdie on the next, setting the stage for a virtual match play the rest of the way with Pedersen, as her Welsh namesake unraveled with a triple-bogey seven and bogey on holes 14 and 15 for a 76.
Pedersen and Georgia Hall both had chances of outright victory in regulation play, but blew it. Under pressure, Pedersen flubbed a 12-footer for eagle and Hall a 6-footer for birdie. They finished 72 holes tied on 10-under 278, with final round cards of 71 for Hall and 72 for Pedersen.
Pedersen came back with greater resolve in the playoff. “After the eagle miss, my caddy and I decided to go for the win. It was a little right ( second shot), a difficult chip and I pulled it off,” said Pedersen.
After hitting a perfectly executed chip shot from 20 yards, Pedersen was left with a tap-in birdie putt and raised her arms in triumph after sinking the winning three-footer.
“It’s really great to come here, and people have been so helpful and nice. It has been a great experience,” she added.
Hedwall closed with a 68 for 8-under total of 280 in third place. Dutchwoman Anne Van Dam was tied fourth with Stephanie Kyriacou of Austria on 7-under, followed by a four-way logjam at 6-under that included Hall, Spain’s L. Sobron Galmes and Charley Hull of England. After a day’s rest on Monday, the players will return to the premier championship golf course at King Abdullah Economic City for the $500,000 Saudi Ladies Team International ( Nov. 17-19), a firstof-its-kind tournament where 36 team captains recruit their players using a live NFL-style draft system, before competing for a share of $500,000 prize money.