Golf Saudi has confirmed Anna Nordqvist and Anne van Dam, as the latest Ladies European Tour (LET) players to join their list of international golfing ambassadors. The duo join fellow LET players Amy Boulden and Camilla Lennarth, as well as Spanish European Tour players, Adri Arnaus and Pablo Larrazabal, in representing Golf Saudi on the world stage in their efforts to showcase the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia globally as a first-class golfing destination.
Born in Eskilstuna, Sweden, Anna Nordqvist becomes the second Swedish player after Camilla Lennarth to join the Golf Saudi ranks. Since turning professional in 2008, she has won eleven times including eight victories on the LPGA Tour and three on the Ladies European Tour. In only her fifth start of the LGPA Tour, Nordqvist burst onto the scene by winning her first professional tournament and major, the LPGA Championship in Maryland in June 2009. Since then she has further increased her status as one of women’s golf’s highest rated players by winning a second major at the Evian Championship in 2017.
With five European Tour victories to her name, Anne van Dam is renowned as one of the longest drivers in the game of women’s golf. She led the category for driving on the LET in both 2017 and 2018, and currently ranks second in average driving distance during the current 2020 season. In 2019, van Dam played on both the LPGA Tour and the LET, winning the ActewAGL Canberra Classic and earning herself a maiden appearance on the successful European Solheim Cup team that defeated the USA 14 ½ – 13 ½ at Gleneagles, Scotland.
Speaking ahead of the inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, Anna Nordqvist, said “I feel honoured to join the Golf Saudi team as one of their latest ambassadors and I am keen to use this opportunity to grow the game of golf for women in the Kingdom. I believe in being a role model for women and young girls all over the world and hopefully us playing here will inspire them and show them what is possible. It is incredible to be here this week and I feel excited to have the opportunity to play in the inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.”
Reaffirming the comments from Anna Nordqvist, Anne van Dam commented “It is great to be in Saudi Arabia over the next fortnight and be able to experience a new environment and culture. It is always a great feeling to visit new countries and play new golf courses with the LET and by becoming a Golf Saudi ambassador, I will have the opportunity to help grow the game of golf for women in the country, therefore helping Golf Saudi achieve its goals of increasing female participation”.
Both players will be taking part in the Inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF that takes place at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club from the 12th – 15th November 2020. Staged in collaboration with Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation, the event is the first fully sanctioned Ladies European Tour (LET) event set to take place in the Kingdom, with the world’s best female players competing for a USD$1 Million prize fund.
Majed Al Sorour, CEO of Golf Saudi, said “We are privileged to be able to appoint two of the Ladies European Tour’s top players as official Golf Saudi Ambassadors. Anna and Anne have committed to our vision of growing the game of golf for women in the Kingdom and we are lucky to have them onboard to support our ongoing development. We are excited to see both of them play at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club over the next fortnight and look forward to developing a strong working partnership in order to attract young female Saudis to the game.”
