PRE-TOURNAMENT PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT - FEATURING CHARLEY HULL AND CARLOTA CIGANDA

Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda are returning to Riyadh this week for the PIF Saudi Ladies International, the first instalment on the PIF Global Series and Ladies European Tour calendar for 2026. Hull, the English world number five and winner of the Series’ individual title in 2024, reflected on the importance of the PIF Global Series’ continued commitment to shaping the future of women’s golf. Meanwhile, Spanish Solheim Cup star Ciganda shared her advice for the next generation.

Q: Charley, you have a phenomenal track record here. What is it about Riyadh Golf Club that suits your game? 

Charley Hull: I like it because I can be quite aggressive around here. It's a scoreable golf course, a fun track to play. I've got good memories around here. Every time I come back, it makes me smile, and I just enjoy it. 

Q: How important has Golf Saudi’s commitment through the PIF Global Series been in shaping women’s golf? 

Charley Hull: Yeah, it's really important. It has put us on a bigger stage. Having this women's $5 million event brings more eyes to the game. It's great to have an equal event to the men's PIF Saudi International. Thanks to Golf Saudi for all their support, which has really helped grow the women's game. Especially here in Saudi Arabia, when I first came here, there were no girls on the driving range. Now, during the pro‑am, I can see there's quite a few. It's nice to see.  

Q: Carlota, what message does equal prize money send to the golf world? 

Carlota Ciganda: It’s a big statement. I think they’re the only ones doing that, so it’s obviously very nice for us. I've been coming to Saudi Arabia for four or five years, and everything is growing, lots of sporting events. Yesterday I went to watch padel and saw a lot of women there. It’s nice to see what they're trying to do with all the sports and events. I always enjoy playing here. 

Q: How is the course looking this week? 

Carlota Ciganda: The course is probably in the best shape of the last two, three, four years. The greens are a lot nicer than last year. The fairways, the rough - everything is really nice. I think it’s a good setup and a fun course. The weather’s going to be nice and warm, so scoring should be low because the ball flies a lot. It will be a fun week. 

Q: Charley, how did you find the course in the Pro‑Am this morning? 

Charley Hull: I think the golf course is a lot lusher and a lot greener than it has been in the last four years. But I think as well, it takes a golf course a few years to settle in, and I feel like this golf course is really settling in now, and it's starting to get character. This is the best I've seen this golf course, so it's nice to be back here. 

Q: Last year, your goal was to run 5k in under 20 minutes. How did that go? 

Charley Hull: It was going really well, I think I got to nearly sub-20 [minutes]. And then I tore the ligament in my ankle, so I haven't really been able to run since.  

Q: Carlota, do you have any goals set for 2026? 

Carlota Ciganda: To keep winning. I’m getting older, so it’s not getting easier, but I still love competing. I want to be in contention at tournaments, at Majors, keep winning and enjoy the journey.  

Q: What advice would you give to young girls taking up golf? 

Carlota Ciganda: To have fun. Golf can feel a bit lonely and not as fun as other sports when you start, but I think it’s important to enjoy it, get out on the course, and play holes. It’s encouraging to see so many more women and girls playing here now than when we were first here, so it's always nice to come back and see that the game is growing here. 

Charley Hull: Yeah, it's really good. I just say to young kids, just go out there and have fun. It's like a playground out there. Just be down at the golf club. All the juniors have chipping competitions. Put yourself in lies that you'll never think you will get out of, and try to get out of them, because it's just all part of the fun, and it helps you improve. At the end of day, it's just sport, you’re not going to die if you hit a bad shot, so just go out and enjoy it. 

Q: Does it feel strange being one of the veterans of the Solheim Cup team now? 

Charley Hull: Not really, I just see it as another event. The team has changed a lot, but this will be my eighth Solheim Cup, so I’m looking forward to it. 

Carlota Ciganda: We started the same year and have played the same number of Solheim Cups. It’s always special, but there’s a lot of golf before September, so we focus week by week. Charley and I love playing for Europe, and it’s a week we always enjoy. 

Q: How important are platforms like the PIF Global Series in raising visibility for women’s golf? 

Carlota Ciganda: I think it's really very important. We need partners like PIF and Golf Saudi as they are really important for us. They are changing women’s golf. I think all the sporting events that they are bringing to Saudi Arabia are really important for this country, for young girls to see. Hopefully, they will want to do this one day. 

Charley Hull: We get to play in so many different destinations, which I think is really good. One thing I have noticed is that when we come to the Centurion Club for the PIF London Championship, the amount that they have going on at the event is great because you see so many young girls there. They're just really well-run events. It's not just the golf; they look after us, and that's pretty important because we're on the road so many weeks in a row, so it's nice to have some home comforts.