Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will stage Abu Dhabi’s first ever Ladies European Tour event when the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open tees off on November 2.

The region already hosts a series of men’s European Tour events known as the ‘Desert Swing’, and with December’s Omega Dubai Ladies Masters already established as the LET’s finale since 2006, the new tournament marks an exciting development for women’s golf in the Middle East.

Organised by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) and supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Ladies Open boasts a prize fund of $550,000 and an initial three-year partnership with the LET that will take it through 2018.

The stunning Gary Player designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will host the new Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open

“Hosting this new golf event is part of our commitment to encourage Emirati Women to participate in all aspects of sports through sport education, training and competition,” said Dr. Mai Al Jaber, Board Member, FBMA. “Alongside the world’s leading professionals playing a tournament, a full schedule of community engagement activities will make this one of the most unique golf events in the UAE calendar.”

A field of 126 professionals will compete over the stunning Gary Player-designed oceanfront course at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, as the best female golfers enter the home stretch in the race to claim the season-long Order of Merit title.

“We’ve been wanting to play a tournament in Abu Dhabi for some time,” said rising LET star Caroline Martens. “The golf course will be one of the best we play all season and I know my fellow professionals will love the experience offered to all visitors. We already take the advantage of visiting Abu Dhabi whenever we can for the perfect climate and training facilities, now to have a tournament title to play for as well is so exciting and I can’t wait for November.”