The 2022 season on the LET Access Series (LETAS) reaches its final tournament with the Calatayud Ladies Open which will be held at Gambito Golf Club Calatayud from 12–14 October.
A total of 92 players will compete for a prize fund of 40,000 EUR in the 54-hole tournament in Spain and will also look to add final points to their LETAS Order of Merit rankings.
Top six clinch LET Card for 2023
After the final event in Calatayud, we will know the top six names from the LETAS Order of Merit that will secure their LET Cards for the upcoming season.
Although the top two players on the rankings will not compete in the last event of the season, all of the remaining ten players within the top 12 will tee it up in Spain.
The highest-ranked player in the field is Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt who clinched her maiden professional win at the Big Green Egg Swedish Match Play Championship in August.
“The win gave me a lot of confidence about what I do and how I do it as I like to do things my own way. I didn’t make the cut in the following tournament, but that just showed me that even though it’s not working out every single week, I am still on the right path.”
Schmidt has had a great second season as a professional, being the only player who has competed in all LETAS tournaments this year and finished three times within the top five and four more times within the top ten.
“I’m glad I made the decision to compete in all events this year. If I’m home I would practice for eight hours anyway, so I might as well compete. We had some longer stretches and I told myself that if I feel tired, I will just take it as extra practice.”
Rookie Momoka Kobori from New Zealand secured her 2022–2023 LETAS membership with her win at the Montauban Ladies Open in June which she competed in as an invite, having been in Europe for the first time ever.
The Kiwi has had a thrilling season in Europe as another win at the Hauts de France – Pas de Calais Golf Open and seven top-10 finishes in her 12 starts have brought her a current fourth position on the LETAS Order of Merit.
Dutch Lauren Holmey, who won the Flumserberg Ladies Open and secured three runner-up finishes this year, sits in the fifth position on the rankings.
“It was only my third LETAS start ever, Switzerland just felt like a breath of fresh air and the win felt surreal. I’m just trying to soak in all the experiences and to be so close to getting a full LET card is amazing as I do realize I am still very young.”
Competing for the majority of the season as an amateur, Holmey decided to turn professional for the final two events on the LETAS schedule.
“I was excited to become a professional as I’ve competed on LETAS for the majority of the season. I told myself ‘You’re not missing the cut in your first event as a pro’ so I’m happy I made it last week.“
Sweden’s Anna Magnusson is in sixth place on the LETAS Order of Merit and will also have a tough defense of the final spot that will secure the 2023 LET Card.
The Swede, who has had a consistent season with five top-five and two further top-10 finishes had another good run in last week’s Santander Golf Tour – Burgos.
Magnusson will have a target on her back this week as she is being followed by other players who are also near clinching the LET Card.
The closest pursuers are Australia’s Kristalle Blum and England’s Gemma Clews who will play alongside Magnusson in the first two rounds of the final tournament.
Players are also competing for a spot in the Final Stage of the 2023 LET Qualifying School. Those ranked seven to 21 on the LETAS Order of Merit will automatically advance to the Final Stage that will be held at Real Golf La Manga Club from 17–21 December.
The first round of the Calatayud Ladies Open gets underway on Wednesday morning at 9:00 local time from the first and tenth tee.
After the completion of 36 holes, 45 professionals plus ties will make the cut.
Follow all the action @LETAccess on Instagram and Twitter – #RaiseOurGame.
