PIF Championship Centurion Club 2025

Notes on the PIF Women’s Championship at Centurion, I review both my own experience and also the tournament as a whole.

Women’s golf is… shocking……….ly good.

Yes, that’s a deliberate clickbait line — because what it should read is: women’s golf is shockingly good. 

I took my son to the PIF Women’s Championship at the Centurion Club, and here are my thoughts.

First impressions? Pretty much what you’d expect from a well-run modern event. Booking system — easy. Tickets — great value at £10 or £20. Car parking — no problem at all, and just a short walk to the entrance. Everyone on the gate was polite, friendly, and seemed genuinely pleased to be there. My 10-year-old even noticed how welcoming they were — no grumpy faces anywhere.

We headed straight to the range, which had excellent access. From my coaching perspective, I’m always keen to get good views of golf swings, and I certainly did. The atmosphere had shades of LIV Golf — a little more relaxed and sociable than a traditional tour stop — hardly surprising given the same Saudi PIF backing.

Of course, there are political considerations with that funding, which I’ll touch on later, but on the ground what you saw was a slick, professional event.

The standard of women’s golf has rocketed in recent years. There’s more power, better technique, sharper short games. Much of that is down to the sheer increase in young girls entering the game. Popularity drives investment, and investment drives quality — in coaching, in facilities, and in competition.

We still have weaknesses — not every club runs good junior programmes, and even fewer have girl-specific ones — but they are growing. We’ve run a successful girls’ programme for the past decade, and you can see the results reflected in the top level of the game. Techniques that once looked a bit like men’s swings in the 1970s — quirky and individual — are now built on strong fundamentals, learned and coached over years.

One thing that really stood out at Centurion was how many players interacted with spectators — especially children. I’m quite traditional in that I prefer my son to wait until a player has finished before approaching for an autograph. But I saw how warmly the players responded to the young fans, and the impact it had. Those tiny moments can be the spark that ignites a child’s motivation.

We hadn’t planned for autograph hunting, so we had nothing obvious to sign — until I remembered, as a golf pro, I always have a Sharpie on me. We dashed back to the car, grabbed one of my son’s gloves, and came away with a great little collection of signatures.

If you’ve never been to a women’s tour event, one thing you should notice is the sheer power in the game now. The men’s game went through this evolution decades ago — I think of players like Mike McLean and Mark McNulty, excellent golfers but not overpowering courses. Back then, you didn’t need to. Now, both in the men’s and increasingly in the women’s game, power matters.

The players are stronger, fitter, and — with every generation — taller. That’s not to say you have to be tall to succeed, but you do have to develop power alongside technique.

As for the event itself — well laid out, good food, civilised areas, and a great viewing experience. On a personal note, I caught up briefly with Cara Gainer, who I worked with in her youth as part of my county squad around 2008–09. Brilliant to see her at the top of the leaderboard when we arrived. Unfortunately, she bogeyed the last, but she still took a few minutes to chat before I had to dash to a coaching commitment. Players like Cara are proof that someone from a similar background can make it — and that belief is priceless for juniors coming through.

Crowds on Friday were good without being overwhelming, which meant easy access and better interaction. I imagine the weekend numbers were higher.

 If I had one criticism, it’s that they missed a commercial trick — no obvious merchandise outlet. LIV events and DP World Tour stops have far more on offer, which could help boost revenue and engagement. That may be a conscious choice to keep the focus purely on the golf, but I still think it’s a missed opportunity.

 The venue itself? Superb. Fantastic condition, great layout for spectators, and well worth a visit.

Finally, a thought on women’s golf’s “Euro moment.” Women’s football exploded in popularity off the back of England’s success at the Euros, with the WSL riding that wave. Golf needs its own trigger moment. In the men’s game, the Ryder Cup in the 1980s, broadcast nationally, gave the sport a massive lift. The women’s game could use a similar catalyst — a moment that grabs people who don’t even play golf and gets them emotionally invested.

 And for those who need a business case as well as an ethical one: half the population is female. If golf clubs, coaching programmes, and events aren’t creating an environment that welcomes and encourages women, they’re missing out on 50% of their potential market. That’s not just equality — that’s smart business.

PIF London Championship 2025 – From Moving Day Drama to a Maiden Win at Centurion

Centurion Club’s fairways rolled under bright August skies this weekend, the Hertfordshire venue once again proving itself a perfect canvas for high-stakes women’s golf. Over Saturday and Sunday, the PIF London Championship delivered everything you’d hope for: a leader holding her ground under fire, a team of underdogs grabbing their moment, and a final-day finish that kept everyone watching until the last putt dropped.

Saturday – Fünfstück Steady, Du Toit Steals the Show

Moving Day began with Germany’s Laura Fünfstück looking unflappable. Her 3-under-par 70 didn’t have fireworks, but it didn’t need them – it was the kind of round that quietly stretches a lead. Even after a couple of late bogeys, a birdie on the last hole kept her three shots ahead, her game looking calm, precise, and under control.

If Fünfstück was Saturday’s example of composure, Team Du Toit was the perfect opposite – pure energy and adrenaline. Danielle Du Toit only entered the tournament at the last minute after Charley Hull withdrew, playing Centurion “completely blind” with no practice round. Alongside Marta Sanz Barrio, Megan Dennis, and Sarah Kemp, she drove her team through the field to snatch a one-shot win in the two-day team event. It was fearless golf – the sort of performance that reminds you why sport is so addictive.

Off the course, the atmosphere was buzzing. Families moved between holes, the Golf Saudi engagement zone was busy, and the crowd grew louder with every birdie. By the end of Saturday, Centurion felt less like a golf tournament and more like a festival of the game.

Sunday – A Champion Found in the Heat of Battle

Sunday began still and bright, but the drama came quickly. Fünfstück’s three-shot lead all but vanished after a ragged start – three-over-par through four holes – the steady rhythm from Saturday suddenly broken.

But champions recover. She steadied, then began to build again. Four birdies on the back nine, including ice-cold putts at 17 and 18, brought her home at 10-under-par, one clear of a charging Daniela Darquea. That last birdie, barely a foot long, might have been the shortest putt of the week – but it was by far the most important.

Afterwards, Fünfstück laughed about having “half a sausage for breakfast” to calm the nerves, admitting it was as tense a round as she’s ever played.

The Chasers – Darquea’s Surge & van Dam’s Eagle

Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea played like a woman on a mission, carding the round of the day with a 5-under 68 to finish on 9-under-par. Meanwhile, Anne van Dam closed in style with an eagle on 18, claiming solo third at 8-under-par. Both made sure Fünfstück’s win was earned the hard way.

Final Leaderboard

•  1st – Laura Fünfstück: 67-70-72 — −10
•  2nd – Daniela Darquea: 71-71-68 — −9
•  3rd – Anne van Dam: 72-70-69 — −8

🎥 Watch the Final Round Highlights

Conclusion – A Weekend That Had It All

From Saturday’s balance of calm leadership and fearless team heroics, to Sunday’s battle of nerves and shot-making under pressure, the PIF London Championship at Centurion delivered the kind of weekend that makes women’s golf unmissable.

For Laura Fünfstück, it’s the first win on the Ladies European Tour – and the way she earned it, overcoming early adversity and closing with absolute composure, suggests it won’t be her last. For the fans, it was a reminder of what this event has become: a stage where new champions are crowned, where underdogs find their voice, and where every hole can turn the story on its head.

Centurion once again proved that when the PIF Championship comes to town, you don’t just watch golf – you watch history unfold.