News / Tournaments & Events 4 days ago

ITURRIOZ BREAKS CLEAR OF BUNCHED LEADERBOARD TO WIN ARAMCO HOUSTON CHAMPIONSHIP BY TWO SHOTS

(Houston, Texas – 7 September 2025) Nuria Iturrioz clinched her fifth Ladies European Tour (LET) title with a two-stroke victory at the Aramco Houston Championship, the fourth round of the PIF Global Series, after breaking clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard with three birdies in her last five holes.

The ever-smiling Iturrioz, who began another hot but overcast day in Texas one shot behind fellow Spaniard and overnight leader Carlota Ciganda, fired a four-under-par 68 in the third and final round at Golfcrest Country Club to post a winning total of 13-under 203.

Golf Saudi ambassador Ciganda was never able to fully recover from a damaging double-bogey six at the ninth, where she lost her ball after her tee shot sailed right into a treeline, and she closed with a 71 while England's Charley Hull, also a Golf Saudi ambassador, signed off with a 67.

It was another day of vibrant activity at Golfcrest Country Club with enthusiastic crowds enjoying the skills of some of the world’s leading women players while also grabbing the opportunity to play the game for themselves at one of the Golf Saudi clinics on site.

Four players held at least a share of the lead during an intriguing final day at the fourth and penultimate PIF Global Series event of the year, but it was Iturrioz who came through with timely birdies at the 14, 15th and 17th.

She very nearly birdied the par-4 18th from just off the green but her putt pulled up inches short before she tapped in for par. Immediately, she broke into a broad smile and then waved her putter full circle in celebration before playing partner Mimi Rhodes doused her from a water bottle.

"I'm really happy," a jubilant Iturrioz said. "It's hard for me to show my feelings in English ... but this means a lot. I'm really proud. I've been working a lot with my coach this year, and I've had chances before. This one is also for him, because it's been a big team effort.”

 

The Spaniard's previous LET wins came at the 2016 and 2019 Lalla Meryem Cup, the 2019 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic and the 2023 La Sella Open, but her victory at the Aramco Houston Championship is the biggest of her career, given that the Golf Saudi-backed PIF Global Series events offer the largest purses on the LET outside the five major championships.

"This is very special," said Iturrioz, who was part of Pauline Roussin-Bouchard's team which won the team event at the 2023 Aramco Team Series – Florida. "I had been really looking forward to winning one of these events. I had won with the team before, with Pauline as captain, but to win individually is different. And to do it here in the U.S., where I've been trying to get to the LPGA, it shows me I can play well on these courses.

"I hope I can win more of these events ... wins like this motivate me to grow even more. For me, every tournament is important because I compete for myself, but the field here was very strong. Names like Carlota, Mimi and Charley Hull made it tough. I felt the pressure, and I'm proud of how I handled it."

Hull, the highest-ranked player in this field at No. 10 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, was delighted with her week at Golfcrest after only recently recovering from a ligament tear in her ankle.

"I played really well today," said Hull, who had to withdraw from last month's PIF London Championship after incurring her ankle injury when she tripped in the car park. She did not hit balls for two weeks, and doctors initially told her it could be nine weeks before she would be able to compete again.

"I hit some nice shots coming in and made a good putt on the last," said Hull, after racking up five birdies in a bogey-free round. "I was trying to hole another one, but it just didn't break. Overall, I feel pretty solid — especially with my injury and just coming back. Honestly, I didn't think I'd play that well this week, so I'm really happy with the result."

The lowest round of the day came from Singapore's Shannon Tan, who started out a distant eight strokes off the pace with 38 players in front of her. However, she surged up the leaderboard with a sizzling 8-under 64 that left her at 10-under and alone in fourth place.

Iturrioz’s win proved a rousing conclusion to a compelling week of events in the Golf Saudi-organised event, making its first appearance in Texas this year.

Golf Saudi’s clinics finished the week with 355 young players receiving expert advice from teams of qualified coaches.

Through an initiative with the Trees For Houston non-profit organisation, five trees were donated to the local community for every birdie scored at the par-5 14th and the week's

total of 120 birdies and eagles will mean a healthy addition of 600 trees around Greater Houston.

With a prize purse of $2 million, the penultimate stop of the PIF Global Series brought together a world-class field of champions and new talents — and underlined the Series' mission to empower women, spark investment, and leave a lasting community legacy.

More than a competition, the Aramco Houston Championship shone a light on women's golf as a platform for change. By putting female athletes at the centre of the stage, the Series inspired girls across Houston and beyond to see themselves as the future of the game.

The fifth and final event in the PIF Global Series calendar will be the Aramco China Championship, which will take place at Mission Hills China, Shenzhen from November 6-8.

For more details on the PIF Global Series and the Aramco Houston Championship, visit www.pifglobalseries.com