World number five Charley Hull staged an impressive comeback to clinch her fifth title on the Ladies European Tour, winning the 2026 PIF Saudi Ladies International by a single stroke at Riyadh Golf Club. Starting the final round three shots off the lead in a tie for 11th place, Hull delivered an exceptional performance, carding a 65 (-7) and setting a challenging clubhouse target of 19-under-par.
Her push for victory took flight on the back nine, where Hull remarkably played her last seven holes in six-under-par, affirming her reputation as a top competitor in professional golf. Reflecting on her final round, Hull remarked, “It feels great. Wow, it’s gone a bit too fast today. I was only two under through nine holes, and then I made a charge on the back nine.”
The English golfer credited her boyfriend for encouraging her to remain aggressive. “He said to me last night to make loads of birdies coming in, you love chasing, and that’s what I did,” Hull stated. She expressed appreciation for the evolving challenge of the golf course, which has matured over the years.
A lighthearted moment occurred during her round when she took a quick break to grab some mashed potatoes, humorously attributing some of her back nine success to that snack. “I worked really hard this off-season,” Hull added, highlighting the significance of winning this event, particularly as it serves as a home competition due to her role as a Golf Saudi ambassador.
The final round unfolded with Hull beginning steadily, making birdies on the second and seventh holes, before dropping a shot on the eighth. A quick recovery followed with a birdie on the ninth, allowing her to turn in two-under-par. Despite momentarily slowing down with a bogey on the 10th, Hull mounted a decisive response with a birdie-eagle-birdie barrage on holes 11, 12, and 13, and rounded off her score with additional birdies on 15 and 18.
This win not only adds to her accolades but also ties in with her personal life, as Hull mentioned her home renovation project. She’s ensuring her latest trophy has a special place in her new space, asking her carpenter to accommodate its size.
Casandra Alexander from South Africa and Japan’s Akie Iwai tied for second place at 18-under-par after strong finishes. Alexander initiated her round with back-to-back birdies on the first and second holes before a setback on the 10th, which she countered with three consecutive birdies from the 11th to the 13th. Although a late bogey on the 17th halted her push for a playoff, Alexander felt positive about her performance, stating it was a solid start to the season.
World number 25 Iwai concluded her tournament with a score of 67 (-5), showcasing her aggressive play style with seven birdies and two bogeys. She expressed satisfaction with her overall game and was optimistic about her performance moving forward.
Sharing fourth place were Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi, both finishing at 17-under-par, followed closely by England’s Mimi Rhodes, Korea’s Ina Yoon, and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who were one stroke behind.
With this victory, Hull leads the LET Order of Merit standings with 500 points, ahead of Alexander and Ciganda. The Ladies European Tour will take a brief hiatus before resuming in Australia with a series of four events, kicking off at the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club.