Team Rhodes win in Shenzhen #AramcoChinaChampionship pic.twitter.com/sg0VvmDmMB

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 7, 2025

Trichat Cheenglab delivered a standout round of eight-under-par 68, not only claiming the overnight lead in the individual competition but also playing a pivotal role in propelling Team Rhodes to victory. Her exceptional performance was a defining factor in both individual and team success, underscoring her dominance on the day.

Led by captain Mimi Rhodes, the team – which includes Cheenglab and fellow Thai player Kultida Pramphun, along with Kristyna Napoleaova of the Czech Republic – delivered a cohesive and dominant performance. Pramphun also impressed individually, finishing the day tied for fourth at nine-under-par, just three shots behind her teammate. Team Alexander sits second on the leaderboard at 35-under-par, with Team Liu close behind at 34-under.

As the fifth and final stop on the PIF Global Series calendar for 2025 on the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Golf Saudi-supported event highlights a sustained commitment to advancing women’s sport. With a total prize fund among the most lucrative in the women’s game – including $500,000 awarded to the winning team and $1.5 million across the individual competition –  the tournament continues to set a high benchmark for professional women’s golf.

MORE: Mimi Rhodes is just getting started

Captain Mimi Rhodes has won three individual titles this season in Australia, South Africa and the Netherlands but this marks her first win in the team competition in 2025 and is delighted to get that win over the line.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic!” She said. “We all played really well today. I think I speak for everyone when I say we weren’t too focused on our individual scores – we were all watching the team leaderboard. The birdies just started dropping naturally… and even a couple of eagles!

“We’ll definitely be celebrating this one properly! Golf is such an individual sport, so having a team element brings everyone together. It’s fun, and it takes some pressure off the individual side. We really enjoy it.”

This victory underscores Golf Saudi’s unwavering commitment to advancing women’s golf and amplifying female representation on the global stage. Through initiatives like the PIF Global Series, Golf Saudi continues to drive the sport’s development while reinforcing the Kingdom’s emergence as a premier international golf destination.

Absolute scenes on the 17th!

Trichat Cheenglab with her second EAGLE hole out of the day #AramcoChinaChampionship pic.twitter.com/FFkyfymLPP

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 7, 2025

Cheenglab, a past winner on the LET with her 2023 victory in the Netherlands, heads into the final round of the individual competition in a strong position. Her eight-under-par round featured two eagles, further cementing her lead.

“I was just trying to make as many birdies as I could,” she said. “The eagles were a bonus. I’m really happy with how I played, and I just kept trying to go low. It was a great day for all of us.

“Yes, this is my second time playing in an Aramco event. Last year, I missed the cut, so I’m really happy with how things went this time. It feels great to be back.”

China’s Ruoning Yin, a major champion and one of the standout talents in women’s golf, is tied with compatriot Ruixin Liu at 11-under-par, just one shot off the lead in the individual leaderboard. Hot on their heels is Alison Lee of the USA, sitting two strokes further back in a tie for fourth alongside two other contenders, setting up a thrilling final stretch.

Morocco’s Maha Haddioui made the cut right on the two-under-par mark, continuing to break ground as the first Moroccan golfer to compete full-time on the LET.

The final round of the Aramco China Championship will tee off at 7:30 a.m. local time, with everything still to play for at Mission Hills.

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Since turning professional less than 12 months ago, the 24-year-old from Somerset has already made some statement on the Ladies European Tour (LET), with three individual wins in her rookie season as well as a team title at the back-end of 2024.

RELATED: Watch Mimi make insane ACE AIG Women’s Open

After helping Team GB&I secure the Curtis Cup in September, Rhodes made the jump to the paid ranks immediately, and in just her second pro start, she won the Lavaux Ladies Open in Switzerland on the LET Access Series, edging out Billie-Jo Smith in a playoff.

In just a matter of weeks, she then received an invitation to the Aramco Team Series – Riyadh on the LET. It was her biggest start as a professional, and she walked away a winner at Riyadh Golf Club, teaming up with Chiara Tamburlini and Anne-Charlotte Mora to claim the team event. A sign of what was coming.

Fast forward to now, and Rhodes has become one of the most talked-about players in the women’s game. With three LET titles to her name, she currently leads the Order of Merit standings and has cemented herself as one of Europe’s most promising young hopes.

Mimi Rhodes – Dutch Ladies Open 2025 (Image by Tristan Jones / LET)

“From when I turned pro in September last year and got my LET card. I’d been close to winning a few times,” she says. “So starting this year, I kind of knew a win would come — but definitely not this early and not this many!”

Her breakout moment came in March at the Ford Women’s NSW Open. At Wollongong Golf Club, Rhodes fired a course-record 62 in the second round and held her nerve to secure a two-shot win — her maiden LET title, a clear sign she was more than ready.

Next came South Africa, where she continued her strong form. Rounds of 65, 69 and 71 earned her a one-shot victory in the co-sanctioned LET and Sunshine Ladies Tour event, vaulting her to the top of the season-long points race.

Then came a third win — this time at the Dutch Ladies Open at Goyer Golf & Country Club — where she claimed a two-shot victory. Three wins in four starts. A stretch of form that will go down firmly in the history books.

“It was incredible,” she says. “It was just one after the other. Australia, a week off, then South Africa, then Amsterdam after a short break. It was incredible. But after that first win, it kind of made everything easier. I could just relax and have fun playing golf.”

Mimi Rhodes – Curtis Cup (Image by Oisin Keniry/R&A/Getty Images)

Each win, she says, carried something different.

“The first in Australia and most recent in Amsterdam mean the most, but in different ways. The first one reflected all the hard work. I’d been working with a psychologist, trying to understand why I wasn’t closing out events. So to get across the line and feel like I was in control of my nerves — that meant a lot.

“Then the most recent win in Amsterdam was so emotional. I had family there. I wasn’t leading after the first two days, so it felt like I was chasing — which I actually prefer. So that was new for me. I definitely prefer less pressure!”

Raised in Sotogrande, Spain, after a few early years in Russia, Rhodes learned the game on the sun-drenched courses in one of Europe’s most golf-rich areas.

“There were probably ten courses within a five-minute drive,” she says. “It was so easy to get into the game. And growing up watching Spanish players like Sergio Garcia and Carlota Ciganda — that was a big influence.

“I just really enjoyed it,” she says. “Then when we moved to England, my grandma kind of took over that role. She’s always been an influence on me and my sister, Patience. My grandma was a good golfer, and now we’re both members at Burnham & Berrow. Golf was kind of our escape from boarding school on the weekends!”

Mimi Rhodes – Lavaux Ladies Open – LET Access Series

After four years at Wake Forest University, a U.S. college golf powerhouse, Rhodes arrived on the pro scene well-prepared. What’s followed has been an early-career leap rarely seen, certainly not at this pace.

“I didn’t actually win in college, so turning pro was like a fresh start,” she says. “No pressure, just a new chapter. I could start again and make my own path.”

Working with a psychologist in college helped Mimi understand the importance of staying present, especially in those nerve-wracking final rounds.

“You’re out there for five hours, and if you’re close to winning, your mind starts racing,” she explains. “But you’ve got to do the opposite. You’ve got to slow down, stay in the moment.

“Writing stuff down after a round helps me — even the bad stuff. I’ll go back and read it and remember how I felt. Once it’s written, it’s out of my head and I can move on.”

Mimi Rhodes – Aramco Team Series Riyadh 2024 (Image by Tristan Jones / LET)

Mimi’s mental approach has clearly paid off. She thrives in team environments, and a potential Solheim Cup debut isn’t far off — especially if her current form holds through 2026.

“I love playing in a team,” she says. “Wake Forest, the Curtis Cup — it’s just really fun. You get to create deeper bonds with players. You’re not out there alone. It’s a different kind of energy.”

“The Solheim Cup is on my radar now, for sure. 12 months ago, it wasn’t even one of my top three goals. But everyone keeps talking about the ranking points now.

“I’d love to be picked, but I’m not going to let it consume me. If Anna Nordqvist wants to pick me, I’ll say yes!”

Before that, she has a significant milestone approaching, her first home event on the LET. The PIF London Championship at Centurion Club will mark the first time she tees it up on England soil since her rise to the top. The event is part of the newly rebranded PIF Global Series, a five-event circuit spanning three continents, and featuring a total prize fund of $13 million with some of the most competitive fields on the LET.

Mimi Rhodes – Joburg Ladies Open 2025 (Image by Tristan Jones / LET)

Each of the three remaining events — in London, Houston, and China, offers a $2 million purse, with $1.5 million allocated to the individual strokeplay champion and $500,000 for the team event. The format tweak this year removes the amateur component, giving more professionals the chance to compete in 104-player fields.

“I’m really excited for it,” she says. “It’s close to a lot of my family, so they’ll be there to support.

“I’ve never played at Centurion, but I’ve heard great things. It’s going to be amazing to play in front of a home crowd.

“The PIF Global Series events have been amazing. I won as a team in Riyadh last year and then I played there again in February. Everything about those events is just next-level — the course, the food, the overall setup. They really treat the players well, and the prize fund is a huge help! It’s great to see that kind of support going into women’s golf, it’s growing fast.

Mimi Rhodes – Ford New South Wales Open 2025 (Image by Tristan Jones / LET)

“A few years ago, I used to worry about making a living in golf. But the prize funds have improved a lot, and there’s more coverage on TV. More fans are showing up, too. I used to watch women’s golf growing up, but I watch even more now because it’s so well showcased. Bigger events, better exposure — it’s all heading in the right direction.

Mimi’s rapid success is also opening a target to the LPGA Tour. She plans to head to final stage of Q-Series in December, with an eye on securing full-time status in the US for 2026.

“My main goal this year is winning the LET Order of Merit. But I’m also going to try Q-Series. I’ve got nothing to lose, and I want to see if I’m ready. It feels like the right time to go out there and experience it — I’ve heard it’s a completely different world compared to the LET. So I want to get used to it early and give myself the best chance to succeed.”

She doesn’t shout about it and she doesn’t need to. The results are saying plenty on their own for Mimi.

This article was featured in the August 2025 issue of Golf Digest Middle East. Click here for a digital issue of the full magazine

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There are aces, then there’s this ace Sunday from Mimi Rhodes, the English pro playing in the final round of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl.

Her playing partner, Steph Kyriacou, hit her tee shot on the par-3 fifth hole to an inch. Yes, nearly in the hole, prompting the TV announcer to say, “follow that, Mimi Rhodes.”

Well, she did, as you can see here.

Are you kidding me?!

Mimi Rhodes makes an ace after her ball bounces off of Steph Kyriacou’s near perfect shot!@AIGWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/6Wx1cUmDOe

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 3, 2025

Rhodes ball hit Kyriacou’s ball and went into the cup for a hole in one. Yes, it counts as a 1. Kyriacou replaced her ball, tapped in for her birdie-2 and the twosome walked off playing the hole in a combined three shots.

Amazing.

“I hit a really good 8-iron, hit it right where I wanted too,” said Rhodes, who shot 74 and finished inside the top 20. “I wasn’t expecting it to go in, so I just picked up my tee, and I heard everyone going crazy. Extra loud than usual, so I knew something had happened. Then we just walked up to the green and it was in the hole. I had no idea it hit Steph’s ball until I just saw the video, so that’s unbelievable.”

Said Kyriacou: “I’m kind of claiming it, even though Mimi is probably not going to say that.”

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This month, we shine the spotlight on Mimi Rhodes, who’s quietly turning heads in her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour. With three individual wins already in her first full season, the results are saying plenty on their own.

We also sit down with Jonas Mårtensson, the mind behind Minecraft and now the man in charge of Cleeks GC in LIV Golf. He’s aiming to shake up the sport’s old guard and build what he calls the “Yankees of golf”. From gaming to green jackets, his story is as unconventional as it is ambitious.

Retail takes centre stage too, as Peter Millar partners with eGolf Megastore to elevate golf shopping across the Middle East. We speak to the people leading the move to find out what this means for local golfers.

Our course spotlight travels from the English countryside to the heart of the Gulf. First, Centurion Club — a modern championship layout just outside London that’s hosted big names and bold events. Then, to Bahrain, where Awali Golf Club has been rewriting the desert playbook since 1937. Built by oilmen, maintained by passion, and built completely of sand.

Also this month: Blake Griffin brings his dry wit from the court to the course, Patrick Cantlay shares a tempo tip you’ll actually use, and we take a look inside Nick Taylor’s bag. Plus, a rare peek into Michael Jordan’s ultra-private Grove XXIII, and why becoming an Emirates Golf Federation member could be the best golf decision you make this summer.

All this and plenty more in the August 2025 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download it to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite golf club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get your FREE 2025 August edition of Golf Digest Middle East here! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“It’s so exciting to be here”, said the three-time LET winner. “This is my first Evian, so I think I’m just going to learn from the experience, try to have fun out there, regardless of how I play.”

Rhodes made her Major championship debut at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, narrowly missing the cut by a single shot. Despite that, the LET rookie still had an amazing experience.

“It was an incredible learning experience and an opportunity to play with the best in the world”, said the 23-year-old. “Obviously, the conditions on the course were really hard, but to miss the cut just by one shot definitely gave me confidence that I can play with the best in the world. It also showed me to just have some more patience and that I am still in my first year, so I shouldn’t be pushing too hard. I should just be trying to enjoy the majors the most I can, and that’s what I’m going to do this week.”

Currently leading the Order of Merit with 1,631.88 points, Rhodes admitted she’s been working to rediscover the joy in her game.

“Lately, I haven’t been enjoying it out there as much,” she said. “So this week, I’m just focusing on having fun – making as many birdies as I can and seeing where that takes me.”

She continued: “Golf is such a mental game, so when you don’t have that comfort or confidence on the course, you kind of lose the enjoyment. You just naturally get a bit stressed, but I’ve been working a bit mentally to just try and enjoy it out there more and be grateful that it’s my job and I’m not sitting in an office.”

READ MORE: World No. 1 amateur dominates strong pro field to capture Women’s Irish Open

Reflecting on her time at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Rhodes spoke about being on the range next to some of the best players in golf.

“It was definitely surreal over in Texas seeing everyone. They look completely different to what they do on TV. It’s just really cool to chat with a few and meet some of the other players. I was just on the range today, and Suzann [Pettersen] just came up to me, and it was just normal chat. At the end of the day, they’re all normal people, so I don’t know why I was so scared, but it’s definitely cool to be with them instead of watching them on TV.”

Having played here at the Jabra Ladies Open, Rhodes is familiar with the course, despite it being a slightly different set-up.

“This week is supposed to be a lot drier and bouncing more. I played nine holes today, and the course is quite slow. The ball’s not rolling as much, so I need to focus more on the long irons. and just make sure that, yeah, you’re facing white on the greens.”

Rhodes is joined by her mum this week. “She does a lot behind the scenes, and I’m glad that she can be here to experience one of the good ones.”

Main Image: Supplied

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This marks a remarkable hat-trick of victories in the last four starts for the 23-year-old, further solidifying her lead at the top of the Order of Merit standings.

Rhodes entered the final round tied at the top of the leaderboard alongside Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz and Italy’s Alessia Nobilio.

“It’s unbelievable”, said the three-time LET winner. “It’s really hard to put into words how happy I am right now. It’s very exciting for the future and for my career.

“On the 18th green I was actually thinking about what I was going have for dinner so I wasn’t overly stressed about it. I knew I was two shots ahead, so just knew I needed to hold par. It’s all a bit of a dream still”, she said.

Mimi's moment

Mimi Rhodes wins her third LET title in her last four events. A phenomenal achievement #DutchLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/yA900LL4e7

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 18, 2025

“It was less windy than the other two days, so I thought that a lot of people would be making birdies, which they were. Brianna [Navarrosa] had a really good round. I kept checking the leaderboard on my phone. It was a tightly packed leaderboard, so I knew if I slipped up, it could have easily gone the other way.”

The rookie had her brother and fiancée here for support. “It was really nice to have them here with me. I didn’t think I was going to cry because I hadn’t cried for my other two [wins], but when he hugged me, I got really emotional. I love being around family and for them to be here, it’s just so nice.”

Rhodes started the day with a run to a nearby town Hilversum. “I’ve developed a bit of a routine. If I’m leading, I always have to go for a run now because I did it in Australia too. I’ve been a bit jetlagged this week from Korea, but this morning I woke up feeling good. I just went on a short run to clear my mind and just see a bit more of the Netherlands.”

When asked about her celebration plans, she smiled and said: “I don’t think I can go too crazy tonight with Jabra coming up next week, but we’ll definitely spend some time together and enjoy it a bit.”

Two shots behind on seven-under par was fellow rookie Brianna Navarrosa and home favourite Anne van Dam.

Navarrosa had an impressive final bogey-free round, firing six-under par for the last 18 holes. Despite a challenging start to the tournament with a three-over-par opening round, the 22-year-old American steadily climbed the leaderboard over the weekend.

“Yesterday was a lot easier for me – I was getting a better feel for the greens and being more precise off the tee,” said Navarrosa.

“Overall it’s been a great day and I just stuck to the gameplan. I don’t think I made many mistakes today apart from on 18. I had a good recovery on 17 with the par putt. I would say my accuracy of the fairways was really good, and I think my putts finally came in.”

It’s been a memorable week for van Dam, who secured a T2 finish on home soil, much to the delight of the crowds that followed her throughout the final round. She delivered an impressive performance, carding five birdies over the last 18 holes.

A massive moment for AVD rolling in a birdie on the last to join the clubhouse lead #DutchLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/eBYld08udQ

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 18, 2025

Adding to the celebrations, it was announced earlier this week that van Dam will captain Team Europe at the upcoming Ping Junior Solheim Cup 2026 – capping off a standout week both on and off the course.

Only one shot behind were four players who finished in a tie for fourth place. Japan’s Ayako Uehara, New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori, Spain’s Luna Sobron Galmes, and Nobilio, all carded six-under par after 56 holes.

In the LET Order of Merit, Rhodes continues to lead the standings following this win with 1,546.88 points to her name. England’s Cara Gainer is in second place on 952.18, followed by France’s Perrine Dealcour on 730.75.

After eight tournaments played, the young star also leads the Rookie of the Year standings, with Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjall in second place, followed by Brianna Navarrosa.

The LET heads to France next week for the Jabra Ladies Open, taking place on Evian Resort Golf Club, 22-24 May.

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