Charley Hull wins Ladies European Tour opener 2026 in Riyadh

The opening round of the Ladies European Tour 2026 could hardly have been more exciting. With an impressive comeback on the final day, England's Charley Hull secured the title at the PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club. In a top-class field, the world number five beat her international rivals by just one stroke to celebrate her fifth tournament victory on Tour.

Furious comeback on the final day of the Ladies European Tour

Charley Hull started Sunday in a tie for eleventh place, three shots behind the leaders. But the 29-year-old Englishwoman once again proved why she is one of the absolute top stars on the Ladies European Tour. After a solid start, she ignited the turbo on the second nine holes: six under Par on the last seven holes catapulted her to the top of the leaderboard.

Her spectacular Eagle on the 12th hole, where she sank a Putter from around 18 meters, was particularly noteworthy. With further Birdies on the 15th and 18th, Hull signed a round of 65 (-7) in the clubhouse and set the mark that no one could beat with a total score of 19 under Par.

War of nerves and record prize money in Saudi Arabia

A real drama unfolded behind Hull. South Africa's Casandra Alexander and Japan's Akie Iwai were tied at times, but had to settle for a share of second place (-18) after late stroke losses - in particular a Bogey by Alexander on the 17th.

For Hull, this success at the first event of the Ladies European Tour 2026 is not just a sporting milestone. The tournament paid out total prize money of 5 million US dollars - a sum that creates parity with the men's tournament and underlines the growing importance of the Tour. Hull secured a check for 750,000 US dollars with his victory.

Mashed potatoes and real estate: the human side of victory

Despite the enormous pressure and the prestigious setting of the Ladies European Tour, Charley Hull was her usual down-to-earth and humorous self after her triumph. When asked where the sudden energy on the back nine came from, she joked: "I ran to the toilet after nine holes and also got myself some mashed potatoes. I don't know if that gave me the extra power."

The Englishwoman was also clear about the use of her prize money. "Hooray, now I can finally pay off my house," she commented on her career leap on social media and in interviews. As she is currently renovating her house, the high-paying victory at the start of the Ladies European Tour season came at just the right time.

Read all about the 2026 Ladies European Tour season and the record prize money here.

Outlook: The Ladies European Tour moves on to Australia

With this victory, Charley Hull takes the lead in the overall standings (Order of Merit) of the Ladies European Tour. After a short break, the players move on to Australia, where a four-week series of tournaments begins, starting with the Ford Women's NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club.

After this brilliant start in Saudi Arabia, one thing is certain: the 2026 Ladies European Tour season promises to be a record year - both in sporting and financial terms.