Handa Australian Women's Open last-round turnaround

Laura Davies runner-up to Taiwan's Yani Tseng

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Taiwan player Yani Tseng has blasted the opposition away to claim her first Handa Australian Open by three shots at Melbourne’s Commonwealth Course today.
The world No 6 played a flawless, bogey-free round of seven-under-par 66 to end her tournament at nine-under-par 283, three shots ahead of England’s defending champion Laura Davies, who finished on 6 under 286.
“I haven’t had this feeling for a while so I am very happy,” she said.
Overnight leader Australian Karrie Webb was bitterly disappointed with her final round. She went into the day with a one shot lead over Italy’s Giulia Sergas and two ahead of Laura Davies, but staggered to a one over 74 to finish on 5 under 287.
Earlier in the final day, Webb threatened to run away with her fifth Australian Open, breaking out to a three shot lead after just five holes. When Tseng checked the leader board she thought as much.
“I told my caddy ‘let’s try to get second place’,” she said.
“We just played our game and tried to be second and after 12 holes I thought: ‘Oh I am only two shots behind,’ maybe I need to play a little bit aggressive and smart.”
And that is exactly what the 21-year-old did, taking on the tight and demanding Commonwealth course with a vengeance. She holed putts from everywhere and in her last six holes, wrested the Patricia Bridges Bowl from all comers with four birdies.
It was a new putting grip that gave Tseng the confidence to use the flat stick without fear.
“I changed my grip on Friday and now I really feel the speed on these greens because this is a tough course and you just need to be patient and if you just lose a little focus it is going to be really bad.”
Since the putting grip change Tseng has mastered the Commonwealth course; in two rounds she shot eight under par.
The Handa Australian Open defending champion, Laura Davies, was keeping pace with her playing partners, Webb and Italian Giulia Sergas, but then an incident with a spectator unsettled the veteran.
On the par 5 sixth, her second shot sprayed right into the crowd. When she walked up to find her ball, the spectator advised Davies that her ball had ricocheted off his ankle.
“If it had missed him it would have gone right through the scrub and I think I would have had a clear shot onto the green but I had to get on my knees and tap it with a driver and came up short,” she said.
“If he hadn’t have said anything it would have been okay but I was so worked up. I mean it wasn’t his fault in a way, but he should have been watching, you know.
“I just wish he hadn’t have told me. I was pretty rocked.”
Not that Davies was using the mid-round drama as an excuse.
“I missed too many putts in the middle of the round and fell away a bit and by the time I had recovered, Yani had 3 or 4 birdies in six holes and I was gone really,” she said.
“Yani just had one of those rounds. On this course to shoot 7 under on the final day she is the worthy champion. You can’t really say much more about it to be honest.”
While Webb eventually finished in outright third, Australian Katherine Hull and Giulia Sergas were next best on 4 under 288, a shot ahead of Australian Lindsey Wright.
England’s Melissa Reid who yesterday said she was still in with a chance, couldn’t get anything going today. Despite being 2 under the card early in her round, she faded to end her third Australian Open Campaign on 3 over 295 and in a tie for 16th.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S OPEN SCOREBOARD
Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne

FINAL TOTALS
Par 292 (4x73)
prize money in Euros
283 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 74 71 72 66 (63,333.33)
286 Laura Davies (England) 68 76 71 71 (42,222.22)
287 Karrie Webb (Australia) 73 70 70 74 (29,555.56)
288 Katherine Hull (Australia) 72 72 72 72, Giulia Sergas (Italy) 70 69 75 74 (19,211.11 each).
289 Lindsey Wright (Australia) 71 74 74 70 (14,144.44)
290 Stacy Lewis (United States) 75 71 72 72 (12,033.33)
291 Hyun-Soo Kim (South Korea) (amateur) 78 69 72 72.
292 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 75 70 73 74 (9,922.22)
293 Hee-Kyung Seo (South Korea) 72 78 70 73, Azahara Munoz Guijarro (Spain) 76 72 70 75 (8,866.66 each).
294 Felicity Johnson (ENG) Harborne GC 70 75 78 71, Karine Icher (France) 72 75 76 71, Shin-Ae Ahn (South Korea) 78 70 75 71, Christel Boeljon (Netherlands) 72 75 75 72 (6,333.33 each).
295 Louise Stahle (Sweden) 75 74 75 71, Bo-Mi Lee (South Korea) 77 73 74 71,
Elizabeth Bennett (England) 73 75 73 74, Melissa Reid (England) 72 76 70 77 (5.140.55 Euros each), Alexis Thompson (United States (amateur) 71 75 75 74.

296 Kristie Smith (Australia) 72 78 75 71, Iben Tinning (Denmark) 77 74 74 71, Mina Harigae (United States) 74 74 76 72, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 72 77 76 (4,623.33 each), Alison Whitaker (Australia) (amateur) 70 74 78 74.
297 Tamie Durdin (Australia) 76 74 76 71, Lorie Kane (Canada) 73 75 75 74, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 76 73 72 76, He-Yong Choi (South Korea) 73 69 78 77 (4,116.66 each).
298 Rebecca Hudson (England) 74 77 76 71, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 77 75 73 73, Rachel Bailey (Australia) 73 77 72 76, Anna Oh (South Korea) 78 72 72 76 , Rebecca Flood (Australia) 70 73 78 77, Stephanie Na (Australia) 76 73 72 77 ,Soo-Jin Yang (South Korea) 70 72 75 81 (3,407.93 each).

299 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 77 70 78 74, Diana D'Alessio (United States) 77 74 74 74, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 78 73 73 75, Vicky Hurst (United States) 72 76 74 77 (2,723.33 each), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 76 72 78 73.
300 Tamara Beckett (Australia) 74 76 78 72, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 76 75 74 75, Bree Turnbull (Australia) 74 78 73 75, Sarah-Jane Smith (Australia) 77 71 75 77 (2,227.22 each).
301 Sophie Walker (England) 76 75 77 73, Bree Arthur (Australia) 76 76 75 74, Christina Kim (United States) 78 74 75 74, Jenni Kuosa (Finland) 70 76 80 75, You-Na Park (South Korea) 75 74 77 75 (1,815.55 each).
302 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 74 77 79 72, Bettina Hauert (GER) Germany 77 72 79 74,
Sophie Gustafson (SWE) Sweden 75 73 79 75, Riikka Hakkarainen (Finland) 72 78 76 76 (1,435.55 each), Su Hyun Oh (South Korea) (amateur) 79 72 73 78.
303 Leanne Bowditch (Australia) 78 73 78 74, Sarah Oh (Australia) 72 77 79 75, Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 75 72 80 76, Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands) 73 75 79 76, Caroline Afonso (France) 78 73 75 77 (1,131.55 each).
304 Nina Reis (Sweden) 74 76 79 75, Ran Hong (South Korea) 77 74 76 77, Frances Bondad (Australia) 74 73 79 78, Kym Larratt (England) 73 76 76 79 802.22 each).

305 Veronica Zorzi (Italy) 79 73 78 75, Sandra Gal (Germany) 77 74 75 79, Michelle Ellis (Australia) 75 73 76 81 (591.11 each).
306 Cathryn Bristow (New Zealand) 75 77 80 74, Wendy Doolan (Australia) 79 72 79 76, Emma Bennett (Australia) 78 72 77 79 (464.44 each).
308 Sarah Nicholson (New Zealand) 76 76 75 81 (422.23).
309 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 74 78 79 78 (422.23).
Ha-Neul Kim (KOR) Korea 73 75 76 85 »»
+Scores and prize money by courtesy of the Ladies European Tour website.

Krystle Caithness and Vikki Laing make top 20 in Australia

Karrie Webb wins ANZ Masters by six shots

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Australian Karrie Webb won her seventh ANZ Ladies Masters title at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in Australia today.
The 35-year-old Queenslander shot a final round 11-under 61 for a six-stroke victory over her compatriot, the 2009 champion, Katherine Hull and South Korean Bo-Mee Lee.
Webb began the final round one stroke ahead of Hull and Lee, but fired off nine birdies and an eagle to extinguish their final round challenge.
She eventually finished at 26-under 262, matching her own tournament record from 1999.
Webb was pressed hard by Hull, who reeled off four birdies in her first six holes. However, Webb holed a nine-iron approach from 125 yards for eagle on the par-four seventh, to be five-under-par through seven holes.
Webb birdied the ninth, with five more birdies over the back nine. She rolled in a 30 foot putt on 18 for her ninth birdie of the day and bettered the course record set in 2009 by Kristie Smith by a shot. She also equalled the all-time lowest round record on the Ladies European Tour.
“As soon as I hit it, and that’s how good the putter’s feeling in my hands, as soon as I made contact with it I knew I had a chance,” said Webb, who revealed that she had thought about shooting a 59.
“I was saying at the presentation when I stood on 16 and I knew I had a four-shot lead and I was trying to work out how many under I was and I couldn’t work it out. But I thought I was at 10 under. I had a good birdie chance on 16… the thought went through my mind that if I birdied the last three I could shoot a 59 and I just went ‘I am too tired to think about that, to even get nervous about that. If it happens, it happens.’ So no, it feels great to play the way I have, this whole week.”
Webb was pushed early on by Hull, whose final round of 66 included eight birdies over her first 12 holes, however she bogeyed the second and 17th.
Lee’s matching number of 66 included four birdies and an eagle at the ninth, sealing a flawless score card with no bogeys all week.
Hull said: “Karrie just played absolutely flawless golf and, yeah, you can never rule out a hall of fame player can you?
“It was just rock solid, she was swinging it well all day and obviously rolling them from everywhere, so, I actually, I felt pretty good out there, I felt like I could give it a good crack and then I just couldn’t make a putt coming in, so that’s just the way golf goes, but, yeah, it was just an absolute clinic on Karrie’s part.”
It certainly was. Webb took a three-stroke lead with four to play when she birdied the 14th and hit two great shots just off the back edge at the par five 15th moving four ahead of Hull at ten under for the day.
When Hull bogeyed the 17th Webb was about to enjoy the thrill of a five shot lead playing the last hole.
Webb said that the win rated highly amongst her 46 career titles. “It’s very high up there. The quality of golf today was unbelievable, I’m sure you were watching but Katherine, she was pushing me all the way. Just when I thought I had created a little bit of breathing room she would come right back at me with a birdie and, I’m actually really, really exhausted,” she said.
Seo-Hee Kyung finished alone in 4th position at 19-under with fifth placed So-Yeon Ryu a further four strokes back in 5th.
Denmark’s Iben Tinning was the best placed European player at 14-under in a share of sixth with Australian Tamie Durdin.
The previous week’s Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open champion Laura Davies finished with a 71 for a share of 25th place.
She will defend her Handa Australian Women’s Open title next week at Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne against a quality field including Webb.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from Australia unless stated
262 Karrie Webb 68 69 64 61
268 Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 69 70 63 66, Katherine Hull 67 70 65 66
269 Hee Kyung Seo (South Korea) 69 68 66 66
273 So yeon Ryu (South Korea) 70 67 66 70
274 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 70 68 68 68, Tamie Durdin 69 68 72 65
275 Lindsey Wright 71 71 66 67, Stacy Lewis (US) 69 69 69 68, Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 69 70 70
276 Yani Tseng (Taiwan) 71 67 67 71, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 68 70 69 69
277 Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 71 68 68 70
278 Vicky Hurst (US) 68 71 69 70, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 68 70 69, Brittany Lincicome (US) 72 71 69 66, Sarah-Jane Smith 70 68 70 70, Sandra Gal (Germany) 71 70 67 70
279 Vikki Laing (Scotland) 69 71 72 67, Rebecca Flood 70 72 67 70, Florentyna Parker (England) 69 70 71 69, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 72 69 67 71, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 73 68 67 71, Kristie Smith 68 74 68 69
280 Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 69 68 71, Laura Davies (England) 70 70 69 71, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 70 68 70 72, Karine Icher (France) 70 69 73 68, Mina Harigae (US) 73 70 71 66
281 Taylor Leon (US) 70 71 71 69, Nikki Garrett 69 72 70 70, Sophie Gustafson (Sweden) 72 68 73 68, Katie Futcher (US) 73 68 71 69, Soo-jin Yang (South Korea) 72 72 69 68
282 Karen Lunn 72 71 69 70, Jeong Eun Lee (South Korea) 72 67 72 71, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 70 73 71 68, Sarah Kemp 72 69 71 70
283 He-yong Choi (South Korea) 72 69 68 74, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 74 68 70 71, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 71 67 73 72, Ji-na Lim (South Korea) 69 66 75 73, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 74 72 69, Diana D'Alessio (US) 72 70 74 67, Louise Stahle (Sweden) 73 66 77 67, Ursula Wikstrom (Finland) 70 74 68 71
284 Caroline Afonso (France) 69 72 71 72, Giulia Sergas (Italy) 73 70 70 71, Elizabeth Bennett (England) 71 72 69 72, Bo kyung Kim (South Korea) 71 71 70 72
285 Hye youn Kim (South Korea) 70 71 70 74, Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 72 68 73, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 74 70 73 68
287 Vicky Hermina Thomas 73 68 73 73, Shin-ae Ahn (South Korea) 76 68 73 70, Ran Hong (South Korea) 74 67 71 75, You-na Park (South Korea) 73 71 69 74, Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 73 66 72 76, Christina Kim (US) 71 73 73 70
288 Anna Oh (South Korea) 71 70 74 73, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 69 71 73, Bomi Suh (US) 72 72 74 70
289 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 72 71 76 70
290 Jessica Noh 69 72 76 73
291 Ju young Park (South Korea) 74 69 74 74
294 Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 72 72 72 78

AUSTRALIAN LADIES MASTERS ROUND 3

Karrie Webb birdies last for one-stroke lead

FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
GOLD COAST, Australia -- Six-time champion Karrie Webb birdied the final hole for an 8-under 64 and a one-stroke lead today in the Australian Ladies Masters. Webb hit a 6-iron from a fairway bunker over a tree and on the green, then holed the 15ft putt to finish three rounds at 15-under 201 at rain-softened Royal Pines.
"I hit a great shot into the green there," Webb said. "It was a great way to finish. If you told me I would shoot 64 today, I would have thought I'd have at least a two-stroke lead, but it will make it exciting for tomorrow."
Because of the soft conditions on the resort course, players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairway.
South Korea's Lee Bo-mee (63) and defending champion Katherine Hull (65) were a stroke back, and South Koreans Seo Hee-kyung (66) and Ryu So-yeon (66) were 13 under.
"A lot of people out there will be waiting for this showdown," said Hull, set play in the final group Sunday with Webb. "It's going to be a good battle tomorrow and a nice showcase for Australian golf."
Organisers say they consider Lee's 63 a course record because they changed two tee boxes this year. Australia's Kristie Smith has a 62 in the tournament last year, the lowest score on the course before it was lengthened slightly.
American Amanda Blumenherst, the leader after the first two rounds, had a 70 to drop into a tie for sixth with Taiwan's Yani Tseng (67) at 11 under.
Webb hopes her experience will help her Sunday.
"I've made some good shots here before and great putts, and when you have those kinds of feelings, it makes you comfortable," she said.
Lee, who has not had a bogey in three rounds, is playing at Royal Pines for the first time and only had two nine-hole practice rounds over two days due to heavy rain.
"My goal was to shoot 10 under for the tournament and with no bogeys," Lee said. "The way I played today, it's now possible I could win."
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
Players from Australia unless stated.
201 Karrie Webb 68 69 64.
202 Katherine Hull 67 70 65, Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 69 70 63.
203 Hee-Kyeng Seo (South Korea) 69 68 66, So Yeon Rya (South Korea) 70 67 66.
205 Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 6970, Yani Tseng (South Korea) 71 67 67.
206 Iben Tinning (Denmark) 70 68 68.
207 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 68 70 69, Stacy Lewis (US) 69 69 69, Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 71 68 68.
208 Vicky Hurst (US) 68 71 69, Lindsey Wright 71 71 66, Sarah-Jane Smith 70 68 70, Sandra Gal (Germany) 71 70 67, Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 72 69 67, Jeong Jang (South Korea) 70 68 70, Hee Young Park (South Korea) 73 68 67
209 Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 68 70, He-yong Choi (South Korea) 72 69 68, Virginine Lagoutte-Clement (France) 72 69 68, Rebecca Flood 70 72 67, Tamie Durdin 69 68 72, Laura Davies (England) 70 70 69
210 Ji-na Lim (South Korea) 69 66 75, Florentyna Parker (England) 69 70 71, Kristie Smith 68 74 68
211 Tania Elosegui (Spain) 71 67 73, Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 73 66 72, Jeong Eun Lee (South Korea) 72 67 72, Hye youn Kim (South Korea) 70 71 70, Nikki Garrett 69 72 70
212 Taylor Leon (USA) 70 71 71, Karen Lunn 72 71 69, Vikki Laing (Scotland) 69 71 72, Ran Hong (South Korea) 74 67 71, Elizabeth Bennett (England) 71 72 69, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 72 71 69, Katie Futcher (US) 73 68 71, Ursula Wikstrom (Finland) 70 74 68, Karine Icher (France) 70 69 73, Caroline Afonso (France) 69 72 71, Azahara Munoz (Spain) 74 68 70, Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 72 68, Bo kyung Kim (South Korea) 71 71 70, Sarah Kemp 72 69 71
213 Giulia Sergas (Italy) 73 70 70, You-na Park (South Korea) 73 71 69, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 72 68 73, Soo-jin Yang (South Korea) 72 72 69
214 Vicky Hermina Thomas 73 68 73, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 70 73 71, Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 74 72, Mina Harigae (US) 73 70 71
215 Anna Oh (South Korea) 71 70 74, Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 69 71
216 Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 72 72 72, Louise Stahle (Sweden) 73 66 77, Diana D'Alessio (US) 72 70 74
217 Shin-ae Ahn (South Korea) 76 68 73, Christina Kim (US) 71 73 73, Ju young Park (South Korea) 74 69 74, Jessica Noh 69 72 76, Janice Moodie (Scotland) 74 70 73
218 Bomi Suh (US) 72 72 74
219 Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 72 71 76

Amanda and Ji-Na Lim share ANZ

Ladies Masters lead at nine-under

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
American Amanda Blumenherst followed her opening 66 with a three-under 69 to maintain a share of the lead with South Korean Ji-Na Lim after the second round of the ANZ Ladies Masters.
Lim caught the first-round leader with an early round of 66 to reach nine-under-par after today's round at RACV Royal Pines Resort on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Australians Tamie Durdin, Karrie Webb and Katherine Hull finished two shots off the pace in a share of third with South Koreans Hee-Kyung Seo and So Yeon Ryu going into the weekend.
Blumenherst, 23, played her afternoon round in steady rain and was pleased with the way she handled herself after leading outright for the first time on Thursday.
“I am very proud of myself. I was nervous, of course; I’ve never had a lead in a professional event before. It’s definitely a different experience, a different feeling. But, I handled it really well, played my game and stayed focused,” said the former US Curtis Cup amateur team star from Duke University.
“Coming around the turn is when it really started raining and wind kind of not really predictable either. So it was tough but stayed focused and tried to think of it as, it was part of my advantage, you know, everybody else in my group was having to face it too.”
Blumenherst posted five birdies to two bogeys, one of which was recorded at the eighth hole after her group was put on the clock by rules officials.
“I really don’t like being put on the clock,” she said. “And on the tenth, the rules official wasn’t coming and so we actually took a really long time on ten.
“We went from being right on the tail of the group ahead of us to being two holes behind. So, we definitely had to pick it up, being on the clock is tough, because even though I don’t feel like I’m going overtime, your still consciously thinking that you could be penalised.”
By comparison, Lim, playing in the tournament for the fourth time, had a flawless score card containing six birdies. Her previous best finish on the Gold Coast was 30th in 2008.
Lim explained how she had completed winter training in Australia for the past four years and how she had been working on her short game with a group of girls from the Leadbetter Academy in Korea.
She said, through translation, “Some shots were bad, but I putted well and my short game was good. My short game has improved a lot from last year. That’s what I am confident about.”
Lim won her first event on the Korean Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) in 2007 and then her second in September 2009.
After her win, her sponsor, Jack Nicklaus, sent her a personal letter of congratulations, which takes pride of place on her bedroom wall. She had to have it translated from English to Korean.
“He would like to see me in the US in a short period,” Lim said.
The cut fell at even par with exactly 65 players making it through to the weekend.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
135 Amanda Blumenherst (US) 66 69, Ji-Na Lim (South Korea) 69 66.
137 Tamie Durdin (Australia) 69 68, Hee-Kyung Seo (South Korea) 69 69, So Yeon Ryu (South Korea) 70 67, Katherine Hull (Australia) 67 70, Karrie Webb (Australia) 68 69.
138 Sarah-Jane (Australia) 70 68, Tania Elosegui (Spain) 71 67, Iben Tinning (Denmark) 70 69, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 68 70, Yani Tseng (South Korea) 71 67, Jeong Jang 70 68.
139 Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 73 66, Louse Stahle (Sweden) 73 66, Vicky Hurst (US) 68 71, Florentyna Parker (England) 69 70, Karine Icher (France) 70 69, Eun Hee Ji (South Korea) 71 68, Bo-Mee Lee (South Korea) 69 70, Jeong Eun Lee 72 67, Stefanie Michl (Austria) 71 68.
Selected scores:
140 Laura Davies (England) 70 70, Vikki Laing (Scotland) 69 71 (jt 24th).
141 Krystle Caithness (Scotland) 72 69 (jt 27th).
142 Becky Brewerton (Wales) 68 74 (jt 42nd).
143 Liz Bennett (England) 71 72, Lynn Kenny (Scotland) 72 71 (jt 49th).
144 Janice Moodie (Scotland) 74 70 , Hazel Kavanagh (Ireland) 72 72, ~Rebecca Coakley (Ireland) 75 69, Becky Morgan (Wales) 72 72.
MISSED THE CUT (scores of 144 or better qualified).
145 Breanne Loucks (Wales) 72 73, Melissa Reid (England) 73 72, Gwladys Nocera France) 69 76 (jt 67th).
146 Georgina Simpson (England) 75 71, Felicity Johnson (England) 75 71, Alison Walshe (Ireland) 73 73 (jt 80th).
147 Rebecca Hudson (England) 75 72 (jt 92nd).
148 Danielle Bowers (England) 74 74 (jt 103rd).
149 Sophie Walker (England) 76 73 (jt 111th).
150 Lydia Hall (Wales) 80 70 (jt 118th).

Ladies European Tour second-tier circuit is launched

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The Ladies European Tour (LET) today formally launched a second tier women’s golf tour designed to provide better playing opportunities for professional golfers.
The LET Access Series (LETAS) will be the official feeder tour to the LET from 2010. The top player on the 2010 LETAS Ranking will earn membership of the Ladies European Tour for the 2011 season, while players in second and third positions will have the opportunity to progress to the final stage of LET Qualifying School, thereby skipping the first qualifying event.
The 2010 LETAS schedule will initially feature three tournaments, organised in partnership with the French Federation (FFGolf) and its GENERALI Ladies Tour. More events will be added over the course of the coming year, with potentially up to three full LET cards available depending on the number of tournaments.
“The vision of the LET Access Series is to provide greater competitive opportunities for female golf professionals who are unable to participate in regular LET events and for those who would like to continue playing during scheduled LET break periods,” said Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour.
“The LET Access Series will additionally help to raise awareness of women’s professional golf generally and will help to bring additional opportunities to countries developing their women’s golf programmes.”
The tournaments, each with prize funds of between 25,000 and 30,000 Euros, on the 2010 LETAS schedule initially are:

February 11-13: La Nivelle Ladies Open (Golf de la Nivelle, nr Biarritz, southwest France).
March 31-April 2: Terre Blanche Ladies Open (Golf de Terre Blanche, near Nice, France).
April 15-17: Dinard Ladies Open (Dinard Golf Club, nr Rennes, France).

Following the events, three professional golfers and three amateur players will be invited to compete at the Open de France Féminin, scheduled for September 9-12 at Paris International Golf Club.
Georges Barbaret, President of the FFGolf, is delighted with the new development and said: “We are proud to be a part of this important step for the development of ladies’ professional golf in Europe.
"Our ambition is to help our best players quickly reach the highest level in the world and we found that a step was missing in their progression. It is now the case and we hope that other countries will join us soon to build together a real European circuit.”
All female professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of 3 or better will be eligible for membership of LETAS, providing they are over 18 years of age.
Further information is available on the official website, www.letaccess.com.
If you are interested in hosting or running a new event on the LET Access Series, or would like more information, please e-mail: info@letaccess.com.

Mollie and Cassandra come through LET Q School play-off

two win last two full players' cards for 2010 season

The curtain finally rang down on the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School for 2009 at La Manga Golf Resort, south-east Spain this morning when there was a five-way play-off for the last two places in the top 30 who have full playing rights for the 2010 programme.
Mollie Fankhauser (United States) and Cassandra Kirkland from France secured the last two full LET players' cards (Category 8) with birdies on the par-4 seventh hole.
England's Holly Aitchison and Antonella Cvitan and Julie Tvede lost out in the play-off but gained Category 10a membership which doesn't get them into all the 2010 LET events but enough to give them the chance to win enough to finish up the new season with Category 8 members.

Ladies European Tour pro careers

beckon for Kylie Walker (jt 8th)

and Carly Booth (14th)

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
with some additonal words by Colin Farquharson
German amateur Caroline Masson outplayed 165 other entrants to lead the players who earned full playing privileges at the Ladies European Tour’s Final Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Murcia in south-east Spain today.
Playing as amateurs, 2010 Curtis Cup squad members Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), pictured left above, and 17-year-old Carly Booth (Comrie), pictured right above, both sailed through with flying colours in the top 30 who earn full playing rights for 2010.
Carly, who needs special dispensation to play the Tour before her 18th birthday next June and, under the LET rules, will need to be accompanied by a guardian at tournaments until then, has announced she is turning pro almost with immediate effect. Kylie has followed suit.
Long-hitting Kylie, who first came to the fore as winner of the Scottish schoolgirls title in her teens, finished joint eighth on six-under-par 286, clinching her place with a splendid third-round, five-under-par 68 over the South Course.
Carly finished with her worst round of the four, a one-over-par 74, but had already paved the way for a 14th place finish on three-under 289.
A bit like Michele Wie who is a pro golfer and a Stanford University student at the same time, Carly will remain a pupil at Glenalmond School, Perthshire, where she has a golf scholarship until the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
"I'm really pleased," she said. "I will turn professional as soon as today is done. I'm still at school until June and, up until then, I'll travel with my mum, although I'll probably not play in too many tournaments. I didn't play my best today but was solid enough to post two decent scores."
Walker, who played unsuccessfully in the LET Q School 12 months ago and also competed in the LPGA Tour and Futures Tour qualifying events, admitted that the interruptions for bad weather at La Manga and the tough qualifying process - seven competitive rounds in all - took its toll.
"I played really well in the morning third round and made a lot of birdies," she said. "But I think I became a little tired and frustrated in the afternoon. Still, I managed to shoot level par and now I'm looking forward to working out my schedule for 2010."
Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) retained her LET playing status but only in Category 10a, which puts her down the pecking order for entry to tournaments in 2010. Clare survived the vital third-round cut with 73. Had she been able to produce another 73 in the fourth round, she might just have made the top 30. Instead, Clare sagged to an 80 to finish joint 51st of the 52 fourth-round qualifiers for a nine-over-par total of 301.
Caroline Masson, a 20-year-old from the town of Gladbeck signed for a closing round of 66, seven under par, to finish the four-round Final Qualifying School at 14-under-par, 278. She survived seven gruelling rounds, having graduated from the pre-qualifying stage played over the previous three days.
Masson had recorded a third round of 70 on the South Course earlier in the day, but made an explosive start from the second hole playing in a shotgun format for the fourth and final round.
She birdied her first three holes, picked up another shot at the sixth and continued the fine run with further birdies at the 11th and 14th. She three-putted the 16th, which was her only blemish on the card, but recovered with an impressive eagle at the par-five 18th hole, when she reached the green in two.
“I played pretty well from stage one and just made some more putts today so that’s why I scored a little better. It was solid,” said Masson, who attended Oklahoma State University for a year before leaving to concentrate on golf full-time.
“It was difficult because I didn’t know what to expect. I was thinking that if I played well, like I had been playing all year, I could make the top 30; so that was my goal. I was just playing steady and kept cool and relaxed and it worked out.”
Masson earned her full card at the first time of asking and will now turn professional. Beaming with confidence, she said: “I just expect to play well and make some good finishes and maybe win a tournament. It is my goal to win a tournament but I don’t really know what to expect.”
Rising Australian starlet Kristie Smith, 21, from Perth, shot a final round of 70 to finish at 12 under in second place.
The Florida-based professional revealed that she had taken extra confidence from the fact that her father Wayne had won the European Tour School at La Manga Club in 1986.
“My dad actually won Q-School here back in ’86 and told me a little bit about the course, so I had some good feelings coming in here,” said Smith, who also plays on the Duramed Futures Tour.
“Today was a good day. The whole two weeks that I was here were really good; I played solid for two weeks straight. I put the scores on the board and that’s what I felt I needed to do.”
Finishing in third place was María José Uribe of Colombia, who likes to be known as “Mariajo”. The 19-year-old from the city of Bucaramanga carded a final round of 72 for a total of 11 under par, becoming the first active Colombian player on the Ladies European Tour. The LET has one other Colombian member: Maria Cecilia Saenz, who holds a Non-Playing Status.
Having been given a special dispensation to compete at the LET’s Qualifying School, Curtis Cup amateur Carly Booth finished in 14th place and earned her full card. She stated that she will turn professional, becoming the Ladies European Tour’s youngest current member at the age of 17 years and six months.
She said: “I will turn pro as soon as this is pretty much done with. I probably didn’t play my best today but I still played solid enough to get a good score in. I’m pleased.”
Two English-born amateurs, Hannah Ralph (Cowdray Park) and Kym Larratt (Kibworth), made the grap in 11th and joint 23rd place respectively and like Kylie Walker and Carly Booth will probably be announcing their switch to the pro ranks very soon.
Hannah, who is 21, totalled five-under-par 292, steadying the ship after a second-round 75 by being four-under-par for the last two rounds with a pair of 71s, good scoring under pressure when your golfing future is on the line.
Kym, 22, clawed her way back from a "nightmare" 78 which put her under even more pressure than Hannah Ralph in the fourth round. Kym just had to score a 71 or better to get back into the top 30 and, to her credit, she did just that to hit the one-over-par 293 mark.
Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent), a former winner of the Roehampton Gold Cup, is already a professional but she cemented her position on the Tour in 2010 with a joint 19th place finish on level par 232. Claire lurched from an opening 68 to a second-round 79 but, showed she is made of the right stuff with closing rounds of 73 and 72.
Galway-born US Curtis Cup team member in the 2008 match over the Old Course, St Andrews, Alison Walshe qualified in joint 19th place after a final round of 75 for a level par total of 292. Rather ironic, that Alison had to return to Europe, which she left as a little girl when her family emigrated from Ireland to the Boston area of America, to pursue her career as a tour pro.
Further down the leader board, five players tied for 29th place at two over par and will compete in a play-off for two spots at 9am on Tuesday morning.
England's Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire GC), Antonella Cvitan, Julie Tvede, Cassandra Kirkland and Mollie Fankhauser are chasing the remaining two places inside the top 30 that will receive category 8 membership of the Ladies European Tour, while players in positions 31-52 will earn membership in category 10a.
Taking part in a five-for-two-places play-off right after breakfast time represents pressure with a capital "P."
After the third round, completed this morning, the cut to 50 players and ties fell to 52 players at six over par 225.
Those that missed out on a return to the Ladies European Tour included Stephanie Na, Kirsty S Taylor, Denise-Charlotte Becker, Pamela Feggans, Mianne Bagger, Frederique Seeholzer, Ana B Sanchez, Kiran Matharu, Eva Steinberger and Anna Knutsson.

TOP 30 WHO EARNED FULL PLAYING RIGHTS
Par 292 (4x73)
278 Caroline Masson (Germany) (amateur) 70 72 70 66 (1st).
280 Kristie Smith (Australia) 71 70 69 70 (2nd)
281 Maria Jose Uribe (Colombia) 69 70 70 72 (3rd).
282 Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur) 72 70 69 71 (4th).
283 Hannah Jun (US) 68 74 68 73, Kate Combes (Australia) 73 67 73 70 (jt 5th)
284 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 71 75 69 69 (7th).
286 Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (amateur) 72 73 68 73, Josefin Leijon (Sweden) 72 73 71 70, Maria Hernandez (Spain) 69 77 74 66 (jt 8th).
287 Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur) 70 75 71 71 (11th).
288 Ana Larraneta (Spain) 72 73 73 70, Jechae Lee (South Korea) 71 76 72 69 (jt 12th).
289 Carly Booth (Comrie) (amateur) 70 73 72 74 (14th).
290 Emelie Lind (Sweden) 71 76 72 71 (15th).
291 Johanna Lundberg (Sweden) 69 75 73 74, Diana D'Alessio (US) 73 71 75 72, Mallory Blackwelder (US) 73 74 74 70 (jt 16th).
292 Alison Walshe (US/Ireland) 68 79 70 75, Monica Christiansen (Denmark) 75 74 71 72, Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent GC) 68 79 73 72, Elena Giraud (France) 75 73 72 72 (jt 19th).
293 Camille Fallay (France) 70 72 75 76, Jo Pritchard (Wales) 70 72 76 75, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 66 78 76 73, Anna Rossi (Italy) 75 70 75 73, Tara Delaney (Team Ireland) 73 76 73 71, Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) 73 71 78 71 (jt 23rd).
294 (five players play off for last two places in top 30 on Tuesday morning) Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire GC) 72 73 75 74, Antonella Cvitan (Sweden) 71 74 75 74, Julie Tvede (Denmark) 76 76 70 72, Cassandra Kirkland (France) 72 76 76 70, Millie Fankhauser (US) 76 75 73 70 (jt 29th).
Playings finishing in positions 31 to 52 earn Category 10a membership of the LET
295 Henrietta Zuel (England) 75 75 68 77, Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden) 71 72 76 76, Kim Welch (US) 73 80 70 72, Tandi Cuningham (South Africa) 68 76 79 72 (jt 34th).
296 Nathalie David-Mila (France) 78 70 71 77, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Denmark) 71 73 76 76, Melodie Bourdy (France) 71 77 73 75, Christine Hallstrom (Sweden) 73 75 74 74, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur) 70 76 77 73, Kyra Van Leeuwen (Netherlands) 71 76 78 71 (jt 38th).
297 Corisande Lee (West Lancashire GC (amateur) 71 75 78 73, Stacey Keating (Australia) amateur) 74 71 80 72 (jt 44th).
298 Vicky Thomas (Australia) 75 73 77 73, Rebecca Flood (Australia) 77 73 75 73 (jt 46th).
299 Miriam Nagl (Germany) 72 79 73 75 (48th).
300 Danielle Masters (England) 73 78 73 76, Mariana Macias (Spain) 77 73 74 76 (jt 49th).
301 Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) 73 75 73 80, Evan Bjarvall (Sweden) 72 77 76 76 (jt 51st).

NON-QUALIFIERS AFTER THREE ROUNDS
Par 219 (3x73)
226 Therese Nilsson (SWE) 77 74 75
227 Stephanie Na (AUS) 73 76 78, Kirsty S Taylor (Weybrook Park GC) 73 77 77, Laure Sibille (FRA) 76 74 77, Denise-Charlotte Becker (GER) 79 75 73
228 Lena Tornevall (SWE) 73 77 78, Barbara Genuini (FRA) 75 78 75, Marieke Nivard (amateur) (NET) 72 81 75
229 Lucie Andre (amateur) (FRA) 74 80 75.
230 Rachel Drummond (amateur) (ENG) 76 76 78, Pamela Feggans (SCO) 73 79 78.
231 Sanna Johansson (SWE) 80 78 73, Sahra Hassan (WAL) 77 78 76, Mianne Bagger (DEN) 77 77 77, Monia Bernardo (POR) 71 81 79
232 Tonya Choate (US) 76 80 76, Frederique Seeholzer (SWI) 76 76 80, Sara Beautell (ESP) 77
78 77, Ana B Sanchez (ESP) 76 82 74, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 82 76 74.
233 Emma Lyons (ENG) 82 77 74, Franziska Blum (amateur) (GER) 79 77 77
234 Line Hansen (amateur) (DEN) 75 86 73
235 Eva Steinberger (AUT) 83 75 77, Rachel Bell (ENG) 74 82 79, Zuzana Masinova (CZE) 73
83 79.
236 G Young Park (SKOR) 80 79 77, Viva Schlasberg (SWE) 79 79 78.
237 Anna Knutsson (SWE) 77 78 82
238 Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR) 78 81 79
241 Celine Herbin (FRA) 75 82 84
Retired: Sarah Abercromby (DEN) 79

American Jun leads uncompleted third round

scores at Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Hannnah Jun of the United States led at 10 under par when play was halted during the third round at the Ladies European Tour’s Final Qualifying School over the South Course at La Manga Golf Resort, Murcia in south-east Spain as darkness fell.
She led by two strokes over Australian Kate Combes, with Colombian Maria Jose Uribe and Australia’s Kristie Smith a shot further back at seven under par.
Jun, who also had a 74 on this morning, playing in the rain-delayed second round, had completed 12 holes in her third round when play was suspended due to bad light at 5.40pm (local time).
The third round is scheduled to resume at 9.10am tomorrow (Monday), after which there will be a cut to the leading 50 players and ties. Tournament officials hope to start the fourth round on Monday afternoon.
The top 30 finishers after four rounds after 72 holes will earn exemption category eight playing privileges for the 2010 Ladies European Tour, while those in positions 31-50 and ties will be eligible for category 10a.
The 24-year-old Jun from San Diego, California, birdied six of her first 11 holes in her third round. She has played on the Duramed Futures Tour in the USA since 2007 and said: “I wanted to experience overseas golf. I’d heard great things about LET so I came over, decided to do Q-School and we’ll see what kind of status I get and then go from there.”
Temperatures were extremely cold - by Spanish standards - on Sunday morning, with a strong wind chill, but conditions warmed up later on.
Uribe, who led the pre-qualifying stage, held a one stroke lead after the second round, at seven-under-par after a round of 70. Australian Kate Combes was a stroke behind her at the halfway stage after carding six birdies over the front nine for a round of 67, six-under.
THIRD ROUND UNCOMPLETED SCORES
(in brackets are the number of holes played in Round 3)
-11 Hannah Jun (US) 68 74 (15).
-8 Kate Coombes (Australia) 73 67 (9).
-7 Kristie Smith (Australia) 71 70 (9), Maria Jose Uribe (Colombia) 69 70 (3).
-5 Julie Maisongrasse (France) (amateur) 72 70 (9).
-4 Carly Booth (Comrie) (amateur) 70 73 (9), Caroline Masson (Germany) (amateur) (9), Jo Pritchard (Wales) 70 72 (-).
-3 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 71 73 (9), Camilie Fallay (France) 70 72 (6).
-2 Kym Larat (England) (amateur) 73 71 (9), Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur) 70 75 (9).
-1 Alison Walshe (US/Ireland) 68 79 (15), Johanna Lundberg (Sweden) 69 75 (9), Antonella Cvitan (Sweden) 71 74 (9), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Denmark) 71 73 (9), Jeehae Lee (South Korea) 71 76 (9), Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (amateur) 72 73 (6), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur) 74 71 (-), Josefin Leijon (Sweden) 72 73 (-).
Level par Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden) 71 72 (15), Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 66 68 (9), Diana D' Alessio (US) 73 71 (9), Ana Larraneta (Spain) 72 73 (6), Anna Rossi (Italy) 75 70 (6), Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent GC) 68 79 (6).
+1 Rhian Wyn Thomas (Vale of Glamorgan (amateur) 70 76 (15), Tara Delaney (Team (Ireland) 73 76 (12).
+2 Melodie Bourdy (France) 71 77 (12), Maria Hernandez (Spain) 69 77 (12), Kyra van Leeuwen (Netherlands) 71 76 (9), Mallory Blackwelder (US) 73 74 (9), Nathalie David-Mila (France) 78 70 (9), Tandi Cunningham (South Africa) 68 76 (6), Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) 73 75 (-1).
+3 Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire GC) 73 72 (12), Cassandra Kirkland (France) 72 76 (12), Emelie Lind (Sweden) 71 76 (99), Henrietta Zuel (England) 75 75 (9), Corisande Lee (West Lancashire) (am) 71 75 (6), Elena Giraud (France) 75 73 (6), Monica Christiansen (Denmark) 75 74 (-).
+4 Mirian Nagl (Germany) 72 79 (9), Lena Tornevall (Sweden) 73 77 (9), Christine Hallstrom (Sweden) 73 75 (6).
+5 Vicky Thomas (Australia) 75 73 (15), Danielle Masters (England) 73 78 (9), Mariana Macias (Spain) 77 73 (9), Rebecca Flood (Australia) 77 73 (9).
PROJECTED CUT AFTER THREE ROUNDS
+6 Kim Welch (US) 73 80 (9), Mollie Fankhauser (US) 76 75 (6).
+7 Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) 74 80 (12).
+9 Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland) 76 76 (12), Barbara Genuini (France) 75 78 (9), Eva Bjarvall (Sweden) 72 77 (9), Laure Sibille (France) 76 74 (9), Anna Knutsson (Sweden) 77 78 (3).
+10 Pamela Feggans (Patna, Ayrshire) 73 79 (12), Rachel Drummond (England) (amateur) 76 76 (9), Eva Steinberger (Australia) 83 75 (9), Monia Bernardo (Portugal) 71 81 (6).
+11 Sahra Hassan (Wales) 77 78 (12), Mianne Bagger (Denmark) 77 77 (12), Franziska Blum (Germany) (amateur) 79 77, Stephanie Na (Australia) 73 76 (9), Zuzana Masinova (Czech Rep) 73 83 (9), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Germany) 79 75 (6).
+12 Sanna Johansson (Sweden) 80 78 (13), Tonya Choate (US) 76 80 (9), Kiran Matharu (England) 82 76 (3).
+13 Sara Beautell (Spain) 77 78 (9), Ana B Sanchez (Spain) 76 82 (9).
+14 Line Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 75 86 (9).
+15 Emma Lyons (England) 82 77 (9).
+16 G Young Park (South Korea) 80 79 (5), Rachel Bell (England) 74 82 (9).
+18 Cecilie Lundgreen (Norway) 78 81 (9), Celine Herbin (France) 75 82 (9).
Retired: Sarah Abercromby (Denmark) 79 -.

They're off and running on a cold morning at La Manga

(it's still a lot warmer than it is in Scotland!)

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
The second round of Final Stage Qualifying School is underway on a fine but bitterly cold morning at La Manga Club in Spain.
The temperature is 6?C, with a strong wind chill, but warming up as the sun rises over the nearby mountains.
Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden started the day with a two-stroke lead at seven-under-par, having shot 66 on Friday.
The third round will begin at 14.00 today and play will continue until darkness. The third round is likely to continue on Monday morning, when there will be a cut to the leading 50 players and ties.
At the end of the fourth round, the top 30 players will be eligible for category 8 membership of the LET, while those in positions 31-50 will be entitled to membership in category 10a.

+LOG ON TO THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE FOR LIVE SCORING ... OR WAIT TO THE END OF PLAY TODAY AND GET THEM ALL ON THIS WEBSITE.

The rain (and snow) in Spain stays mainly at La Manga!

Play cancelled at LET Final Qualifying School on Saturday

NEWS RELEASE FROM LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
MURCIA, SOUTH-EAST SPAIN – Saturday’s play at Final Qualifying School has been washed out due to heavy rain and snow. The bunkers on La Manga Club's South Course were full of water and fairways were wet, with temperatures extremely low.
Play has been rescheduled to start at 8.30am on Sunday, with the last tee time at 10.40am. After the completion of round two, the third round will begin at 14.00 (2pm) on Sunday and play will continue until darkness falls.
Bethan Cutler
Media Manager
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Carly (70), Kylie (72) carry on good work at La

Manga as LET Q School gets down to business

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Comrie's Carly Booth (70) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (72), both members of the 2010 Curtis Cup match short leet and both competing as amateurs, continued their good form in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School process at La Manga, Spain today.
Having come through the harrowing Stage 1 eliminator with flying colours, the two Scots carried on the good work with sub-par rounds over the South Course (par 73) in the first of four rounds that make up the Stage 2 final qualifying competition.
To make the top 30 at the end of 72 holes is the target because that would guarantee full playing rights on next year's LET schedule.
Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg showed the low-scoring potential on a balmy-type Spanish winter's day with a seven-under-par round of 66. That was two shots better than South Africa's Tandi Cunningham, former Roehampton Gold Cup winner (pictured above) Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent Golf Club), the leading British player, and two Americans, Hannah Jun and Alison Walshe, although there are those of us who would contend that Alison, who played for the United States in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews, is Irish. She was born in Galway but her parents emigrated to the Boston, Massachusetts area before she was 10 years old.
Carly Booth, only 17, which means she would have to get special dispensation from the LET chief executive to play on the LET before her 18th birthday next June - should she earn playing rights, is lying joint ninth. She birdied the first, long fourth, seventh and ninth in two-under-par 35 to the turn, having bogeyed the second and third
The Glenealmond, Perthshire schoolgirl then bogeyed the 10th but got back on track with a 2 at the short 13th and a 4 at the testing long 18th hole in halves of 35 for a 70.
Kylie is lying joint 26th with a 72 made up of birdies at the eighth, 10th and 15th but a disappointing finish with a bogey 4 at the short 17th and a 6 at the long 18th in halves of 36.

The two other Scots in the field of 84, Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond) and Pamela Feggans from Patna, Ayrshire, also had a solid start, both matching the par of 73 to be joint 34th at the end of the first day.

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg fired a bogey-free seven under par 66 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of Final Stage Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Murcia, south-east Spain today.
The 23-year-old from Bollnas led the field of 84 players targeting a place on the 2010 Ladies European Tour after carding seven birdies in mild conditions on the South Course.
Lindberg was one of a group of 48 players who graduated from the LET’s Pre-Qualifying School, played over three rounds from Tuesday to Thursday.
The Oklahoma State University graduate, who still lives in the United States, birdied the sixth, eighth and ninth holes for an outward total of 34, before returning in 32 after birdies at holes 11, 13, 16 and 18.
“I am very pleased, especially because I came straight out of the pre-qualifier and I had a little bit of a rough day out there yesterday. I felt I lost my focus and had a rough round. It was nice to re-start everything today and start off this well,” said Lindberg, who had already earned her full card for the 2010 season on the US-based LPGA Tour.
“It was nice because there was no wind so one less factor to count in. I think it was good conditions out there for scoring, for sure. There were just a few drops of rain out there at the end but nothing that really affected it.”
Lindberg played in 10 events on the Duramed FUTURES Tour this year, where her best finish was a tie for second at the iMPACT Classic in Richmond, Va. Her best score was eight under par.
“I had some low scores this summer and I got comfortable shooting low scores and I think that was a big thing for me,” she added. “The first time you start getting to five, six under, it’s tough, but if you’ve been there before it’s easier.”
Lindberg finished the day two ahead of South African Tandi Cuningham, England’s Claire Louise Aitken along with the United States pair Hannah Jun and Alison Walshe, all on five under 68.
Sharing sixth place on 69 were Sweden’s Johanna Lundberg, Spain’s Maria Hernandez Munoz and Colombian Maria Jose Uribe, who won the pre-qualifying tournament on Thursday.
This year’s Final Qualifying School will be contested from Friday to Monday, over four rounds, with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after three rounds.
The top 30 players will receive a full card for the 2010 season in category 8, while those in positions 31-50 may take category 10a, with some playing opportunities on the LET in 2010.
After one round, scores were generally low at La Manga Club, with the leading 30 players all under par.

S C O R E B O A R D

FIRST-ROUND

South Course (Par 73)

66 Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden).

68 Tandi Cunningham (South Africa), Claire Louise Aitken (Mid Kent GC), Hannah Jun (US), Alison Walshe (US/Ireland) (jt 2nd).

69 Maria Jose Uribe (Columbia), Johanna Lundberg (Sweden), Maria Hernandez (Spain).

70 Caroline Masson (Germany) (amateur), Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur), Camille Fallay (France), Jo Pritchard (Wales), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur), Carly Booth (Comrie) (amateur) (jt 9th)

71 Kristie Smith (Australia), Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands), Jeehae Lee (South Korea), Amanda Moltke-Leth (Denmark), Corisande Lee (England) (amateur), Monia Bernardo (Portugal), Kyra Van Leeuwen (Netherlands), Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden), Emelie Lind (Sweden), Melodie Bourdy (France), Antonello Cvitan (Sweden) (jt 15th).

72 Eva Mjarvall (Sweden), Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur), Ana Larraneta (Spain), Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) (amateur), Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (amateur), Josein Leijon (Sweden), Miriam Nagl (Germany), Cassandra Kirkland (France) (jt 26th).

73 Diana D'Alessio (US), Mallory Blackwelder (US), Zuzana Masinova (Czech Republic), Kirsty S Taylor (Weybrook Park GC), Christine Hallstrom (Sweden), Clare Queen (The Carrick on Loch Lomond), Kim Welch (US), Stephanie Na (Australia), Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire GC), Danielle Masters (England), Tara Ireland (Team Ireland), Lena Tornevall (Sweden), Kate Combes (Australia), Pamela Feggans (Scotland), Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) (jt 34th).

74 Rachel Bell (England), Stacey Keating (Australia) (amateur), Lucie Andre (France) (amateur) (jt 49th).

75 Line Hansen (Denmark (amateur), Henrietta Zuel (England), Anna Rossi (Itaqly), Monica Christiansen (Denmark), Elena Giraud (France), Vickly Thomas (Australia), Celine Herbin (France), Barbara Genuini (France) (jt 52nd).

76 Julie Tvede (Denmark), Laure Sibille (France) Mollie Fankhauser (US), Tonya Choate (US), Rachel Drummond (England) (amateur), Frederique Seeholzer (Switzerland), Ana B Sanchez (Spain) (jt 60th).

77 Therese Nilsson (Sweden), Anna Knutssson (Sweden), Sahra Hassan (Wales), Sara Beautell (Spain), Mianne Bagger (Denmark), Mariana Macias (Spain), Rebecca Flood (Australia) (jt 67th).

78 Nathatlie David-Mila (France), Cecilie (Lundgreen (Norway) (jt 74th).

79 Viva Schlasberg (Sweden), Denise-Charlotte Becker (Germany), Franziska Blum (Germany) (amateur), Sarah Abercromby (Denmark (jt 76th).

80 G Young Park (South Korea), Sanna Johansson (Sweden) (jt 80th).

82 Kiran Matharu (England), Emma Lyons (England) (jt 82nd).

83 Eva Steinberger (Austria) (84th).

Ladies European Tour Q School number of qualifiers today

Bethan Cutler, Press Officer of the Ladies European Tour, has clarified the situation with regard to the number of qualifiers from Stage 1 of the current Q School eliminator to Final Stage 2, beginning tomorrow, at La Manga.

Here is the situation:

The top 46 players from Stage 1 today will advance to the final stage, making a field of 84 for the final stage.
After three rounds at Final Qualifying, a cut will be made to the leading 50 players and ties, following which the order of exemption will be finalised on the last day.
Only 30 full cards (category 8) are available, although those players finishing in positions 31-50 can take a lower category of membership which will give them a number of starts, but how many cannot be guaranteed.

Kylie and Carly stay on track at La Manga

but Katy McNicoll fails to beat Round 2 cut

Kylie Walker and Carly Booth qualified with ease for the third and final round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying Stage 1 tournament at La Manga, south-east Spain today.

But the third Scot in the field, Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll, a professional unless Kylie and Carly who are still amateurs, failed to figure among the leading 70 players after today's second round and has been eliminated.

The leading 46 after the Stage 1 third round, being played on Thursday instead of today after the opening day was abandoned because of bad weather, will go forward to join the exempt players in the four-round Final Qualifying tournament at La Manga from Friday through to Monday.

Kylie, currently joint 10th, repeated her first-day 72 and is on level par 144 - four shots behind the joint leaders, Spain's Maria Hernandez, who followed up a 71 with a 69 for 140, and Australian Kristie Smith, daughter of a professional. Smith shot 69 and 71 to hit the four-under-par mark.

In third place overnight will be Galway-born US Curtis Cup player Alison Walshe whose 141 tally has been made up of a 71 and a 70 for 141.

Leading English players are two amateurs, Hannah Ralph and Kym Larratt on one-under-143. Hannah has scored 73 and 70, Kym 71 and 72.

Carly Booth has had steady rounds of 74 and 73 for 147 and is sharing 20th place. But Katy McNicoll, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, added a 78 to her first-day 83 and, with a two-round total of 161, missed by six shots the cut-off point of 11-over-par 155 or better.

QUALIFIERS FOR THIRD ROUND STAGE 1
Par 144 (South Course par 73, North Course par 71)
140 Maria Hernandez (Spain) 71 69, Alison Smith (Australia) 69 71.
141 Alison Walshe (Ireland/US) 71 70.
142 Hannah Jun (US) 71 71.
143 Dewi-Claire Schreefel (Netherlands) 71 72, Diana D'Alessio (US) 73 70, Maria Jose Uribe (Columbia) 76 67, Hannah Ralph (England) (amateur) 73 70, Kym Larratt (England) (amateur) 71 72.
144 Kylie Walker (Scotland) (amateur) 72 72, Sara Beautell (Spain) 75 69, Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (amateur) 74 70, Pernilla Lindberg (Sweden) 73 75.

145 Laure Sibille (France) 73 72, Caroline Masson (Germany) (amater) 74 71, Antonella Cvitan (Sweden) 76 69.

146 Nathalie David-Mila (France) 74 72, Kim Welch (US) 73 73, Jeehae Lee (South Korea) 74 72.

147 Therese Nilsson (Sweden) 76 71, Julie Maisongrosse (France) (amateur) 78 69, Carly Booth (Scotland) (amateur) 74 73, G Young Park (South Korea) 75 72.

148 Danielle Masters (England) 76 72, Celine Herbin (France) 78 70.

149 Line Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 80 69, Viva Schlasberg (Sweden) 73 76.

150 Mariana Macias Capuzzi (Spain) 76 74, Jess Wilcox (England) (amateur) 77 73, Frederique Szeeholzer (Switzerland) 76 74, Nicole Smith (US) 77 73, Mallory Blackwelder (US) 78 72.

151 Corisan de Lee (England) (amateur) 77 74, Rebecca Flood (Australia) 77 74, Mollie Fanklhauser (US)( 80 71, Tara Davies (Wales) (amateur) 77 74, Stacey Keatring (Australia) (amateur) 78 73.

152 Elin Andersson (Sweden) 77 75, Tonya Choate (US) 81 71, Elma Nimmenpaa (Finland) (amateur) 82 70, Jo Clingan (England) 76 76, Kate Combes (Australia) 78 74.

153 Emelie Lind (Sweden) 78 75, Sophie Sandolo (Italy) 77 76, Lien Willems (Belgium) 78 75, Maru Martinez (Venezuela) 77 76, Vicky Thomas (Australia) 77 76, Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales) (amateur) 81 72, Franziska Blum (Germany) (amateur) 78 75, Rachel Drummond (England) (amateur) 77 76, Itziar Elguezabal (Spain) 78 75, Laura Boe-Hansen (Denmark) (amateur) 79 74, Kaisa Ruuttila (Finland) 78 75.

154 Sanna Johanssson (Sweden) 78 76, Sarah Abercromby (Denmark) 76 78, Jill Magnusson (Sweden) 78 76, Laura Eastwood (England) 77 77, Caroline Bon (New Zealand) (amateur) 77 77, Henr8ietta Zuel (England) 79 75, Lucie Andrew (France) (amateur) 77 77, Clare Choi (Australia) 81 73, Nicole Forshner (Canada) 78 76, Monica V Christiansen (Denmark) 81 73.

MISSED THE CUT

156 Madelene Augustsson (Sweden) 76 80, Marion Ricordeau (France) (amateur) 83 73, Galina Rotmistrova (Russia) 84 72, Mari Suursalu (Estonia) 76 80, Caroline Grady (England) 77 79, Elina Ikavalko (Finland) (amateur) 81 75, Tilly Magill (England) (amateur) 81 75, Woori Shin (South Korea) 82 74.

157 Liebelei Lawrence (Greece) (amateur) 77 80, Michelle Smith (England) 79 78, Jutta Degerman (Finland) 77 80, Hermione Fitzgerald (England) (amateur) 82 75, Maria Martin Lopez (Spain) 79 78, Isabella Ramsay (Sweden) 78 79, Sohvi Harkonen (Finland) 86 71, Frederique Dorbes (France) 76 81.

159 Matia Maffiuletti (Italy) 84 75, Naoko Shiraishi (Japan) 82 77.

160 Vittoria Valvassori (Italy) 86 74, Jessica Carafiello (US) 86 74, Marian Ringdahl (Sweden) 80 80, Kirsty J Fisher (England) 84 76.

161 Tracey Boyes (England) (amateur) 84 77, Katy McNicoll (Scotland) 83 78, Franziska Neef (Germnany) (amateur) 78 83, Sasha Medina (Puerto Rico) 84 77, Charlotte Dalton (England) (amateur) 83 78.

162 Rebecca Green (Australia) 86 76, Patricia Beliard (France) 83 79.

163 Hannah Grant (England) (amateur) 83 80, Marian J De Miguel (Spain) 83 80.

164 Sabina Imboden (Switzerland) 85 79, Kimberley Crooks (England) 88 76.

165 Jane Binning (England) (amateur) 91 74, Caroline Goasguen (France) 85 80.

166 Giusy Paolillo (Italy) 85 81, Rosa Svahn (Finland) 87 79, Angela Hawkes (New Zealand) 88 78, Caroline Martens (Norway) 87 79.

167 Noonnatada Huajai (Thailand) 88 79.

168 Jackie Gonzalez (Venezuela) 86 82.

169 Clare Durbin (England) 82 87, Tara Dwyer-Smith (England) 92 77.

171 Tijana Kraljevic (Serbia) 88 83.

179 Henriette Schilling (Germany) (amateur0 92 87.

182 Audrey Goumard (France) (amateur) 93 98.

Retired: Monica Pineda (US) -, Olivia Le Borgne (France) (amateur) 86 -, Vera Schimanskaya (Rus) -, Cheryl Smith (England) 97 -.

Disqualified: Florence Luscher (Switzerland).

Ladies European Tour Qualifying School starts at La Manga

Kylie Walker, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, in action for Scotland at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire in this year's women's home internationals. Click to enlarge.

Good start by Kylie, Carly but Katy faces fight to survive Round 2 cut

Scots Kylie Walker (72) and Carly Booth (74) both made satisfactory starts today to the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School's Stage 1 three-round eliminator at La Manga.
But compatriot Katy McNicoll, also playing the par-73 longer South Course, ran up two late double bogey 6s for an 83 which means she has a fight on her hands to make the leading 70 and ties who will qualify after Wednesday's second round for the third round.
The Carnoustie player, winner of the North of Scotland women's amateur championship at Newmachar this year and now a professional, is currently sharing 83rd place.
Kylie, like Carly Booth still an amateur (both are members of the Curtis Cup preliminary squad for the June match in the States, is a veteran of tour schools around the world.

At the start of the year, she competed in the LET Q School, which was held in January. Later she failed to make it at the qualifying schools held by the LPGA Tour and the Futures Tour, both in America.
The long-hitting Buchanan Castle player, who finished second in this year's European women's individual amateur championship, had five birdies today, at the third, long sixth, eighth, long 13th and 14th on the 6,245yd South Course which has a par of 73. She bogeyed the short second, the short fourth, the 11th and the short 12th in halves of 36 (one under) and and 36 (level).
Carly won't 18 until next June and should she get through both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 elimination contests at La Manga, she will need special dispensation from the LET chief executive to play on the LET, although it is unthinkable that she would be told to wait.
Carly's one-over-par 74 today was made up of birdies at third, 16th and long 18th. She bogeyed the first, long sixth, 10th and 15th in halves of 38 (one over) and 36 (level).
The two late birdies reflected the Comrie teenager's degree of concentration and commitment.

Professional's daughter Kristie Smith from Australia reduced the shorter South Course (5,841yd) to 69 strokes (two under par) and, purely on numerical terms, she has a two-stroke advantage over the big field.

Also at two-under-par, after a 71 over the longer North Course, is Galway-born Alison Walshe who played for the United States in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course. Alison failed to make the grade at the recent LPGA Q School in Florida.

Ladies Scottish Open coming back

in 2010 at Archerfield Links

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Executive Director of the Ladies European Tour (LET), Alexandra Armas, today announced the tournament schedule for the 2010 season.
There are 27 events in 20 different countries, including four new stops in New Zealand, Morocco, Slovakia and China. Two additional events, in Turkey and Scotland, will return to the schedule after a one year absence.
This surpasses the 2009 season when there were 23 tournaments in 18 countries across the world.
The season will start with the inaugural Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch at Pegasus Golf Club from February 25-28.
The next new event is the Princess Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia from March 18-20, which will take place during the same week as the Hassan II Trophy on the men’s European Tour.
From May 27-30, the LET will make an historic first visit to Slovakia with the Ladies Slovak Open at Gray Bear Golf Club. There will also be a second event in China, the week before the popular Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open. The Anji King Valley Ladies Open will be played at Anji King Valley Golf Club from October 21-24.
After a one year hiatus, the LET returns to National Golf Club in Antalya for the Turkish Ladies Open from May 6-9 and to Scotland for the Ladies Scottish Open, at Archerfield Links in East Lothian, from August 18-20.
The Finnair Masters will take place for the sixth straight year at Helsinki Golf Club in Tali, Finland, from August 27-29.
Additionally, there will be several new tournament venues. The Women’s Australian Open moves to Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne, the ABN AMRO Ladies Open moves to Golfclub Broekpolder in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and the Tenerife Ladies Open returns to Buenavista Golf.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open returns to Royal Birkdale in England, with the AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Failte Ireland, taking place at Killeen Castle in County Meath the following week. The tournament will provide the only opportunity for players from both sides of the Atlantic to test their skills on The 2011 Solheim Cup venue in a competitive environment and expects to draw a quality field of international competitors from all over the world.
Armas said: “We are extremely pleased with next year’s schedule following on from a spectacular 2009 season.
“Despite the tough financial climate, there has been massive interest in hosting a Ladies European Tour event. The players’ efforts have helped to make every tournament a great experience and have given value to all stakeholders. The schedule reflects the continued growing interest in women’s golf.
“There are still some details to be confirmed, such as venues and prize money, but these will be announced in the coming months and we will be playing at quality golf courses. We also anticipate that total prize money will be at least equal to, if not greater, than in 2009.
“I would like to thank all of our partners for their continued commitment to the Ladies European Tour and its players. We look forward to working with all involved to ensure the tour’s continued success in 2010 and beyond.”
Event promoters WSM Sponsorship will manage next year’s return of the Ladies Scottish Open championship at the world renowned Archerfield Links in East Lothian from Wednesday 18th – Friday 20th August 2010.
That month will also see the Scottish Seniors take place in St Andrews and the Ryder Cup team announcement take place after the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. With the addition of the Ladies Scottish Open Presented by EventScotland, August in Scotland will see a festival of golf events and activity.
Commenting on the return of this LET event, Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, the national events agency, said:
“The return of the Ladies Scottish Open is fantastic news for Scotland and EventScotland has worked tirelessly with partners to ensure its reinstatement to the Ladies European Tour schedule. The event provides a valuable platform from which to demonstrate Scotland’s ability to host world class golf events as well as support our exceptional home grown talent such as 2009 Women’s British Open winner Catriona Matthew.
"We are delighted to see the return of this key event in Scotland’s golf events calendar and can confirm our long term commitment to its success. We look forward to another exciting year of golf in Scotland and many more to follow.”
Robbie Clyde, Project Director for the 2014 Ryder Cup at EventScotland, continued: “In the years leading up to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles it is imperative that Scotland continues to build upon the success of our unrivalled golf events calendar and for the past year it has been a priority to ensure that the Ladies Scottish Open returned to Scotland’s golf calendar.
"Archerfield Links in East Lothian will provide an exceptional backdrop for play and there will undoubtedly be a great deal of excitement among players and golf fans for the return of this fantastic tournament to an area with such a rich heritage in golf courses.
“The pro-am format for next year is a real innovation for the event and will ensure the focus of play is firmly on the golfers. 2010 will itself be an exciting year for golf in Scotland and the Ladies Scottish Open will take its place in an exceptional calendar.
"August will be especially prominent and a veritable festival of golf in Scotland with the Ladies Scottish Open taking place in the same month as the Scottish Seniors Open and the Johnnie Walker Championship (at Gleneagles) where the European Ryder Cup team announcement will be made.”
Alexandra Armas, Executive Director of the Ladies European Tour, said “The Ladies European Tour is delighted to be making a return to Scotland. It is only right that there is a women’s professional tournament in the country and we hope that this event will build on the raised profile that Catriona Matthew’s major victory has brought to the game.
"Aspiring Scottish female golfers will be able to watch top class golf at home on their own doorstep, which will be a huge inspiration at all levels. We have all worked extremely hard to bring the Ladies Scottish Open back to the LET schedule and encourage every golf fan, young and old, to come out and support this fantastic new event.

2010 LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR SCHEDULE

Feb 25 - 28 New Zealand Women’s Open. Pegasus Golf Club, Christchurch, NZ (€ 200,000)

Mar 4 - 7 ANZ Ladies Masters. Royal Pines Resort, Queensland, Australia (€ 372,500).
Mar 11 - 14 Women’s Australian Open. Metropolitan Golf Club, Melbourne (€ 310,500).
Mar 18 - 20 Princess Lalla Meryem Cup. Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia, Morocco (€ 275,000)

April 22 - 25 Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup. Sella Golf Resort, Alicante, Spain (€ 350,000).

May 7 -9 Turkish Ladies Open. National Golf Club, Belek, Antalya, Turkey (€ 200,000).
May 13-16 Ladies German Open. Golfpark Gut Häusern, Munich (€ 300,000).
May 27 - 30 Ladies Slovak Open. Gray Bear Golf Club,Brezno,Tale ,Slovakia (€ 350,000)

June 4 - 6 ABN AMRO Ladies Open. Golfclub Broekpolder, Rotterdam, Netherlands (€ 250,000).
June 17 - 20 Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open. Golf Gerre Losone, Ticino, Switzerland (€ 525,000).
June 25 - 27 Ladies Open of Portugal. Venue to be confirmed (€ 200,000).

July 1 - 4 Tenerife Ladies Open. Buenavista Golf, Buenavista del Norte- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (prize fund tbc).
Dates to be confirmed: Open de Espana Femenino. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed
July 22 - 25 EVIAN MASTERS. Evian Masters GC, Evian-Les-Bains, France (€ 2,215,850).
July 29 - 1 Aug RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN. Royal Birkdale Golf Club (€ 1,704,500).

Aug 6 - 8 AIB Ladies Irish Open. Killeen Castle, County Meath, Ireland (€ 500,000).
Aug 12 - 15 S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed.
Aug 18 - 20 Ladies Scottish Open. Archerfield Links, East Lothian (€ 200,000).
Aug 27 - 29 Finnair Masters. Helsinki Golf Club, Tali, Finland (€ 200,000).

Sept 9 - 12 Open de France Féminin. Paris International Golf Club, Baillet-en-France. Prize fund tbc.
Dates to be confirmed: UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen Golfclub Föhrenwald, Wiener Neustadt, Vienna, Austria (prize fund to be confirmed).
Dates to be confirmed: Madrid Ladies Masters. Venue & prize fund to be confirmed.

Oct 7 - Oct 9 Carti Si Ladies Italian Open. Venue to be confirmed (€ 200,000).
Oct 22 - 24 Anji King Valley Ladies Open. Anji King Valley Country Club,Lingfeng (€ 200,000).
Oct 29 - 31 Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open. Suzhou International Golf Club, Shanghai, China (€ 200,000).

Nov 4 - 7 Korean Ladies Masters. Venue to be confirmed (€ 255,675).

Dec 8 - 11 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. Emirates GC (Majlis Course), Dubai (€ 500,000).

No play at La Manga because of wind and rain

The first day's play in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga, Spain was called off because of high winds and heavy rain. The first round now will now take place on Tuesday.

The Stage 1 field includes Scots Carly Booth, only 17 and technically too young to play on the LET until her next birthday in June, and Kylie Walker, both amateurs and members of the Curtis Cup short leet for the 2010 match in the United States, and North of Scotland women's amateur champion Katy McNicoll who is now a professional.
Glasgow's Gemma Webster, who turned professional in the States following her graduation from Ohio State University, did enter Stage 1 but withdrew during the past week.
Clare Queen and Pamela Feggans, who also finished outside the top 90 in the LET money table for 2009, will join the qualifiers from Stage 1 in the Final Stage over 72 holes.
A total of 166 players are targeting a place on the 2010 Ladies European Tour.
Only 30 full cards are available at the end of seven rounds, although those players finishing in positions 31-50 can take a lower category of membership.
Qualifying School is known as one of golf’s most nerve-wracking events, as dreams of earning a living on tour can either be made or shattered.
Stage I is being played over La Manga’s North and South courses over the next three days. After 36 holes, a cut will be made to the leading 70 players and ties. The final round of Stage I will be played on Wednesday over the North Course.
The leading 46 players will be progress to Stage 2, Final Qualifying, to be played over the South Course, with a practise round on December 17.
A field of 84 competitors will contest the Final Qualifying stage over four rounds from Friday to next Monday (December 18-21). After three rounds a cut will be made to the leading 50 players and ties, following which the order of exemption will be finalised on the last day.

Party time in Dubai at end of Ladies European Tour season

Party time in Dubai at the end of the Ladies European Tour season (images by courtesy of Susan Simpson of the Ladies Golf Union. Above: We Scots must stick together: Krystle Caithness, Lynn Kenny and Vikki Laing in happy mood.

Breanne Loucks, Krystle Caithness, Vikki Laing, Christina Kim and Henrietta Zuel.

Not quite so easy to sort out who's who in this one!

Catriona Matthew named Ladies

European Tour Player of Year

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Catriona Matthew was named as the Ladies European Tour Players’ Player of the Year in Dubai today.
The North Berwick golfer was recognised at an awards ceremony at Emirates Golf Club after her fellow competitors voted her as the LET member who had made the most sporting impact over the past 12 months.
A sensational year for the Scot saw her earn her first major championship, at home in the British Isles against a field containing the strongest possible opponents.
Just 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter Sophie and three weeks before her 40th birthday, Catriona stunned the world of golf by winning the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Her sensational three-stroke triumph in August, which included in the second round a course-record, seven-under 30 on the back nine, meant that, 14 years after turning professional, she became the first Scot, and the fourth Brit, to claim a women’s major golf championship.
Catriona was presented with her award by Karen Lunn, the Chairwoman of the Ladies European Tour (picture above from LET website, Karen on left, Catriona on right) and said: “Obviously it’s fantastic. This is definitely the best award when it’s voted for by players. It’s capped off a good season for me. I’ve only played around 10 events and just happened to win the right one.
“I think Sophie changed my life quite a lot! A few sleepless nights but we’re getting into a routine now. I’m looking forward to spending Christmas at home with the family in Scotland.”
After a stellar amateur career, Catriona turned professional in 1995. Over 15 years as a professional she has won six international titles and played for Europe at The Solheim Cup on five occasions, including this year at Rich Harvest Farms in America.
This season, she finished second on the Ladies European Tour’s Henderson Money List and was 26th on the American money list after only 10 starts on the LPGA Tour. She is currently 16th on the Rolex World Rankings.
She is married to Graeme, who also caddies for her and is always at her side, including in August this year when she became a major championship winner.

In Kyung Kim wins Omega Dubai Ladies Masters

Catriona pipped for Ladies European Tour money title

FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
South Korean In Kyung Kim won the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters by three strokes today but Michelle Wie gave her a run for her money.
A strong finish to a round of 68 coupled to a dramatic final-hole show from Wie saw Kim win with a four round aggregate of 18-under-par 270 at the season-ending tournament on the Ladies European Tour.
Kim, playing on an invitation, was placed eighth after a first round of 70 but she shot into pole position after a second round of 65 and never looked back. She earned a three-stroke lead after a third round of 67 and sealed the win with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole, which was her fifth of the day.
“I'm very excited to win this week,” said Kim, 21, who took up golf at the age of nine but moved to the USA from South Korea aged 16. “Michelle had a great turn. She had six birdies until 13 and was very impressive. But I tried to keep playing my game, and I think, yeah, I did a good job.”
Wie finished second after a sizzling 65, which included seven birdies on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club.
She was 15 under par with only the 515yd par-5 18th to play but her title hopes drowned as she hit her second shot into the lake short of the green. She managed to save par after an excellent recovery shot to within three feet of the hole from over the lake.
“All I had to do was go left at least. I just didn't put a good swing on it. It was just stupid,” Wie said. “I feel like I had a good run going. Just the 18th hole, I was kind of annoyed by that second shot. But you know, other than that, I felt like I tried my hardest out there and I gave it my all. If I fall a little short, I tried my best today.”
First-round leader Maria Hjorth of Sweden finished with 68 to take outright third at 14-under. Four players, including the newly named Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year Anna Nordqvist, tied for fourth at 11-under, 277.
Sophie Gustafson of Sweden won the Ladies European Tour Henderson Money List title after finishing 6-under and tied for 14th, which good enough to beat North Berwick's Catriona Matthew, who finished at eight-under in 12th place. Gustafson earned €281,315 for the season compared to Matthew’s winnings of €259,871.29.
Kim made a shaky start to the final round when she three-putted for a bogey at the first hole, but she quickly recovered, rolling in a 20-footer for birdie at the second and then picking another shot at the next hole.
With conditions wet after overnight rain the course was playing a little longer but Kim said, “The greens get hard on the weekend but the rain really helped.”
She hit 100 percent of the greens in regulation on the back nine and birdied holes 10, 15 and 18 to seal the first prize of €75,000 and earn a special watch, courtesy of the title sponsor, Omega.
Kim thanked the South Korean fans for supporting her from behind the ropes, and her caddie, Terry McNamara, who worked for Annika Sorenstam when she won the title in 2006 and 2007 on the same course.
“He helped me with the plan on the golf course and you know kind of breathing,” Kim said. “Today's plan was get up to 18 under. But it took a while to get there. Yeah, just little by little; try to make birdie on the par 5s.”
With her win, Kim has the opportunity to become a member of the Ladies European Tour and she said that she might come and play in a few more events in future years.
At a post-round press conference, she finished by saying, “Also, it's so funny not funny, but what's kind of great for me this week is everybody knows my name, because on the LPGA Tour, there are so many Kims, so they can't really tell the difference. But this week, I felt so special, you know what I mean?”
Kim arrived at the tournament as a virtual unknown on the Ladies European Tour, but after her win, she will be considered very special indeed.