JEDDAH: Part two of the women鈥檚 golf week in 黑料社区 鈥� the fun part, if you will 鈥� takes place on Tuesday, as the Saudi Ladies Team International begins at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

The event promises to be one of the most innovative tournament formats women鈥檚 golf has ever seen.

With $500,000 up for grabs, the three-day, 36-team event offers a serious payday for Ladies European Tour players. The weight of its prize fund is behind only the Women鈥檚 and Scottish Opens, and its weekend sister tournament, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.

However, 鈥渟erious鈥� is perhaps one of the last words organizers Golf Saudi would use to describe this week鈥檚 tournament, which comes toward the end of a challenging year for women鈥檚 golf and the wider sport.

鈥淓veryone has experienced firsthand the impact of COVID-19 in 2020,鈥� said Golf Saudi CEO Majed Al-Sorour. 鈥淲omen鈥檚 golf has been no different, with many events canceled over the course of the year.

鈥淲e see the Saudi Ladies Team International as the perfect antidote to that. It鈥檚 a fun, exciting and innovative format that celebrates the women鈥檚 game, supports women鈥檚 golf and we hope offers the players a fun conclusion to a stop-start, sometimes difficult year.鈥�

The Saudi Ladies Team International is a first-of-its-kind format, where 36 teams compete against each other while professionals concurrently vie for an individual title, with $500,000 total prize money on offer.

The teams were decided using an 鈥淣FL-style鈥� draft system that saw each captain pick their first player before being randomly allocated a third professional teammate and a competing amateur, largely made up of event sponsors and partners.

Some of the standout picks include Amy Boulden selection of fellow Welsh star Chloe Williams. This may bring extra pressure to perform, as Chloe鈥檚 dad, Paul, doubles as Amy鈥檚 coach. Boulden did, however, admit that she had been left somewhat irked by England鈥檚 Florentyna Parker stealing her first choice pick, best pal Kelsey Macdonald of Scotland, earlier in the round 鈥� something bound to add extra spice to the event.

Elsewhere, Maha Haddioui opted for fellow Moroccan Ines Laklalech, while Australia鈥檚 Stephanie Kyriacou 鈥� the leading rookie on the LET 鈥� chose 16-year-old Pia Babnik for a team packed with youthful energy.

England鈥檚 Charley Hull was another captain, and she picked Scotland鈥檚 Alison Muirhead for her team.

Hull, who finished sixth in the weekend鈥檚 Saudi Ladies International, said: 鈥淚 played with Alison last week and I thought she was pretty good. I played with her in Scotland in a practice round too and she was really nice, so it was an easy choice.

鈥淚t will feel different playing in a team event rather than as single players. It will be fun and help us relax a bit more. I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�

Muirhead added: 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to the Saudi Ladies Team International, especially as I鈥檝e got Charley in my team! I鈥檓 really excited to get started and feel we could do something as a team. We both have the game to do it and it鈥檒l just be a matter of rolling in the putts and avoiding the bogeys.

鈥淧laying as a team will be different because we鈥檒l probably get off on each other鈥檚 energy, especially if you鈥檙e playing well and your playing partners are playing well.鈥�

Morgane Metraux navigated Royal Greens with nine birdies on Sunday, en route to a final round 67 that secured her 10th spot in the SLI. That form and her swing caught the attention of Georgia Hall, the runner-up in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund. This partnership puts her in good stead for another strong showing this week.

鈥淚鈥檝e got a really good team so I鈥檓 looking forward to Tuesday. Georgia Hall picked me and we鈥檙e with Natasha Fear as well,鈥� said Metraux.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to have a different format like this where we鈥檙e also going to compete for an individual prize. To be playing in a team where you鈥檙e all counting towards the same score will mean we鈥檙e all pulling for each other, which will be different and a really fun atmosphere.鈥�

In the lively atmosphere rounds will be played with live music echoing across the course and, akin to WWE wrestling, teams will arrive on the first tee to their own choice of entrance music. Team Charley Hull have chosen 鈥淓ye of the Tiger,鈥� while die-hard Liverpool FC fan Dame Laura Davies will bring a little bit of Anfield to 黑料社区 with club anthem 鈥淵ou鈥檒l Never Walk Alone.鈥�

There will also be stops for ice cream, and amateur players are in with a chance to win a brand-new car with a hole in one on the course鈥檚 iconic par-3 16th.

The team with the lowest total score after three days will be declared champions, with their three professionals taking home the winner鈥檚 share of the $300,000 prize fund. The lowest scoring pro player will get a share of the $200,000 individual prize fund.