Takeda, Choi Share Lead in Tight Race at Saudi Ladies International
With one round left to play at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, Rio Takeda and Hye-Jin Choi have surged to the top of a tightly packed leaderboard, each sitting at 15 under par. The final day at Riyadh Golf Club is shaping up to be a dramatic finish, with 16 players within four shots of the lead and a $750,000 winner’s check up for grabs.
This is the season opener on the Ladies European Tour, and it's already delivering fireworks. Choi, ranked inside the world’s top 20, fired a red-hot 65 in Round 3, showcasing her precision iron play and cool demeanor under pressure.
She’s got some familiar support on the bag this week-James Longman, who recently married Solheim Cup standout Carlota Ciganda. And speaking of Ciganda, she’s very much in the hunt herself, just two shots back at 13 under after posting back-to-back 68s.
Earlier in the week, she even walked away with a new car after acing a par-3.
Takeda, also ranked in the world’s top 20, matched Choi’s charge with a 66 of her own, highlighted by a wild eagle on the par-5 12th. Her second shot skipped through a greenside bunker and somehow found its way to the green, setting up the kind of moment that could define a tournament.
Charley Hull, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 5, is just three shots off the pace after carding a second consecutive 67. Hull has a history of success at Riyadh and knows how to close on this course. Her experience and firepower make her a serious threat heading into the final 18.
There’s no shortage of compelling storylines in the chasing pack. Alison Lee, a new mom, had to play the first two rounds with rental clubs after a travel mishap.
Once reunited with her own set, she promptly shot a 65 and vaulted into a tie for fourth at 13 under. That’s the kind of resilience and talent that makes her one to watch on Sunday.
Also sitting at 13 under are the Iwai twins, Chizzy and Akie, who both broke through with LPGA wins as rookies last season. They won’t be paired together in the final round, but their presence on the leaderboard adds another layer of intrigue.
England’s Mimi Rhodes, who led at the halfway mark, slipped with a third-round 72 and now finds herself four shots back in a tie for 13th. Still, in a field this tightly bunched, a low final round could vault her right back into contention.
The stakes are massive. The $5 million purse is the largest on any tour outside of the LPGA’s five majors and the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. For context, the winner’s prize this week exceeds the total season earnings of all but two players on the LET in 2025.
The LPGA Tour is currently on a two-week break, making this event a prime spotlight for many of the game's elite. And with so many big names bunched at the top, Sunday promises to be a battle of nerves, shot-making, and championship mettle.