Jin Young Ko of South Korea. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The upcoming debut of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Hong Kong brings an exciting addition to its player line-up, with the confirmation of world No. 4 Jin Young Ko’s participation in the highly-anticipated tournament at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling from 6 to 8 October 2023.
Sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF returns to Asia after its successful debut in Singapore earlier this year. As the fourth stop on this global golf series, Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Hong Kong will witness 28 teams of four – three professionals and one amateur – competing over two days at the Hong Kong Golf Club. They will vie for the prestigious Aramco Team Series presented by PIF team title and a share of the overall US$1 million (HK$7.8 million) tournament prize purse. Additionally, a three-day individual stroke play contest will see the stellar 78-player field competing not only for the individual title but also for valuable ‘Race to Costa del Sol’ and Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points.
Jin Young Ko is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in golf, particularly highlighted in the 2019 season when she secured a quartet of victories that included two of the sport’s most coveted major championships – the ANA Inspiration and The Evian Championship. With eight additional top-10 finishes, including three runner-up finishes, Jin Young Ko’s exceptional performance that year saw her climb to the top of the World rankings for the first time and clinch the prestigious Rolex Player of the Year accolade, the money title, and the Vare Trophy. Further adding to her resounding achievements that year, Ko also set a remarkable record of 114 consecutive bogey-free holes, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Tiger Woods in 2000 (110 holes).
In 2023, Jin Young Ko continues to make her mark in the women’s game. In June, she achieved a significant milestone by setting the record for the most career weeks at world No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, surpassing Lorena Ochoa’s impressive 13-year record of 158 weeks as the leading player in women’s golf.
Out of the 15 events the 28-year-old has contested this year, she has triumphed on two occasions. The first victory transpired in March at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, where she successfully defended her title and etched her name into the tournament’s history books as the first-ever back-to-back champion. Jin Young Ko’s prowess shone again at the Cognizant Founders Cup in May when she claimed victory, making her a three-time winner having previously captured the title in 2018 and 2019.
Jin Young Ko, a seasoned player on the LPGA circuit for six years, shared her anticipation and said, “I’m excited to compete in my first-ever Aramco Team Series event in a city I’ve yet to play in as well. I’ve heard many exciting things about the innovative team and individual formats of the Aramco Team Series and can’t wait to have fun competing alongside top professionals and amateurs, and hopefully, I’ll be able to capture both titles in October.”
