The Ladies European Tour Access Series (LETAS), which will feature a minimum of 12 tournaments in nine countries across Europe in 2018, gets underway this week in France.
It will be headlined by the Jabra Ladies Open, Lavaux Ladies Championship, a new event in Switzerland, and the Bossey Ladies Championship, which will both feature a prize fund of €50,000. The Jabra Ladies Open, held at Evian Resort Golf Course in France on May 31 – 2 June, will for the second year double as the official European Qualifier for the Evian Championship, with two spots available in the season’s Fifth Major at the same venue, on September 13-16. The event will become a dual ranking event with the Ladies European Tour with a prize fund of €120,000.
The LET Access Series season begins with the Terre Blanche Ladies Open at the stunning Golf de Terre Blanche near Nice in France from April 6 – 8. The event will feature a minimum prize fund of €40,000.
The VP Bank Ladies Open, will be played once again at the picturesque Gams-Werdenberg Golf Club in Switzerland on May 4 – 6, followed by the Jabra Ladies Open from May 31 – 2 June.
The Ladies Finnish Open, with an increase in prize fund to €40,000, will be played at Messilä Golf in Lahti from June 7-9, followed by the Czech Ladies Challenge on June 14-16 and then the Lavaux Ladies Championship will be played at Golf de Lavaux, near Lausanne in Switzerland, followed by the Belfius Ladies Open, which will take place at Royal Bercuit Golf Club, with a prize fund of €40,000.
The LET Access Series then returns to Augas Santas Balneario and Golf Resort in Spain for the Riberia Sacra Patrimonio de la Humanidad International Ladies Open on July 4-6, followed by a new event on the schedule, the Anna Nordqvist Västerås Open, held at Västerås Golf Club in Sweden on August 9 – 11.
Moving on to France, the Bossey Ladies Championship will be played for the second year at Association of Golf & Country Club de Bossey, followed a new event in Sweden, the Allerum Open played at Allerum Golf Club, near Helsingborg, and the WPGA International Challenge at Stoke by Nayland Golf Club in England on September 13-15.
“Now in our ninth year, we are delighted to present a strong schedule allowing players to compete in some fantastic events at first class venues,” said LETAS Tour Director Di Barnard. “We are very appreciative of the continued collaboration and support shown to the LET Access Series by the host federations, promoters, officials, media and volunteers as our developing players take their important first steps on to the professional stage.”
The LET Access Series (LETAS) is the official feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the competitive international circuit is a key part of the organisation’s development pathway. All female professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of 2 or better are eligible for Membership of LETAS providing they are over 18 years of age.
More than 240 professional and 130 elite amateur golfers compete in tournaments during the year, facilitating a smooth transition between the amateur and professional game and providing high-level playing opportunities and experience. Former LETAS tournament winners who have achieved success on the Ladies European Tour include the 2014 Rookie of the Year Amy Boulden and Nicole Broch Larsen, who became the first LETAS graduate to win on the LET, at the Helsingborg Open in Sweden in 2015.
Following the final event of the season, the top five players on the 2018 Ranking will earn Membership of the Ladies European Tour.
2018 LETAS Schedule:
April 6 – 8, Terre Blanche Ladies Open, Golf de Terre Blanche, Domaine de Terre Blanche, France – €40,000
May 4 – 6, VP Bank Ladies Open, Gams-Werdenberg Golf Club, Switzerland – €40,000
May 31 – 2 June, Jabra Ladies Open, Evian Resort Golf Club, France – €120,000* (dual ranking)
June 7 – 9, Ladies Finnish Open, Messilä Golf, Finland – €40,000
June 14 – 16, Czech Ladies Challenge, Golf Resort Konopišt?, Czech Republic – €35,000
June 20 – 22, Lavaux Ladies Championship, Golf de Lavaux, Switzerland – €50,000
June 28 – 30, Belfius Ladies Open, Royal Bercuit Golf Club, Belgium – €40,000
July 4 – 6, Ribeira Sacra Patrimonio de la Humanidad International Ladies Open, Augas Santas Balneario & Golf Resort, Spain – €35,000
August 9 – 11, Anna Nordqvist Västerås Open, Västerås Golf Club, Sweden – €35,000
August 15 – 17, Bossey Ladies Championship, Association of Golf & Country Club de Bossey, France – €50,000
August 30 – 1 Sept, Allerum Ladies Open, Allerum Golf Club, Sweden – €35,000
Sept 13 – 15, WPGA International Challenge, Stoke by Nayland Hotel Golf & Spa, England – €35,000
