Aramco Team Series: Law calls for greater exposure, as London stop highlights disparity between men and women’s game
- England’s Bronte Law says more needs to be done to promote women’s golf, and calls out TV networks for not doing their part
- ATS playing at Centurion Club a week after LIV Golf stop attracted 45,000 people and paid out US$4 million to winner Cameron Smith
It would be hard to find a better example of the stark contrast between the riches in men’s and women’s golf than in the events at the Centurion Club outside Hemel Hempstead.
Fresh off the back of hosting LIV Golf London last week, when 45,000 spectators reportedly streamed through the gates and Cameron Smith walked away with a winner’s cheque for US$4 million, the Aramco Team Series starts on Friday, with significantly fewer people and far less cash.
Another Saudi Arabia-back three-day event with a team element, albeit one where amateurs play alongside some of the best in the women’s game, the ATS has a prize fund of US$1 million for each of the five tournaments, with the winner taking home US$75,000. Organisers expect around 4,000 people to watch over the weekend.
While Aramco has done much to boost women’s golf, the sums pale in comparison to the eye-watering amounts “north of US$1 billion” discussed in Washington as the US Senate holds hearings into the proposed commercial partnership between the Saudi’s Public Investment Fund and PGA Tour.
On Wednesday, ATS London defending champion Bronte Law said more needed to be done to promote the women’s game across the board, be that men supporting and highlighting their female counterparts when they did something of note, or television companies improving their output.
While admitting she did not know what growth for the game looked like, Law said it was obvious “we’re still a long way behind where we should be”.
A member of both the Ladies European Tour and LPGA, the 28-year-old said she felt there “a lot of opportunities we should be taking” and any that presented themselves should be looked at seriously.
“We are a business and I think far too often we aren’t run like one because we are seen as a women’s sport, and I would just love for us to have more opportunity,” she said. “There are a lot of incredible golfers out here and on the LPGA whose stories aren’t really told.
“I think it’s really important that the TV networks step up, and Aramco Team Series do a great job of telling various stories of people who play in their events, but again there is only so much they can do without the TV networks stepping up and elevating the content. We have a long way to go for sure.”
Given the importance Saudi Arabia has given to improving women’s sport and football in particular at home, the logical evolution for LIV, one Law pointed out had not been discussed yet, other than in the media, would be for women’s teams.
Asked about that as a hypothetical, and whether should would be interested in being involved, the Englishwoman said while it remained something that was “not even remotely talked about” the focus should be on the ATS.
“I think that Aramco continue to do an incredible job of creating opportunities for players and for women in various different countries where we are playing,” Law said.
“I’ve been to lot of the events now, and seen the work that we’ve done. I’ve put on various clinics and seen what kind of impact that’s had. Any time we’re doing things like that, I think we’re doing something right.
“I think there is obviously a lot of speculation going on. I still don’t know what’s going on, most people don’t, but I know that it’s really important that we keep pushing the women’s side. In a time of major uncertainty, if that can be our focus then we’re doing the right thing.”
