Christine Wolf
The third event of the LETAS season, the VP Bank Ladies Open, will take place this week at Gams Werdenberg Golf Club in Switzerland, from the 4 – 6 May.
The field will include 17 Swiss players, 8 professionals and 9 amateurs, with relative local, Austrian Christine Wolf also entered. The Tyrolean knows the area and the course well, having competed in this event for the last two years.
“I feel comfortable in Gams and can often hit the driver on the course, although it is quite tight. I’m sure the layout will be the right thing for me, and the memories of last year are very good, “says the Olympian, who has a full playing rights on the Ladies European Tour.
Local players, Melanie Maetzler from Bad Ragaz and amateurs Chiara Tamburlini (St. Gallen) and Julia Unterweger (Montafon) will also be looking to make an impact. Maetzler, the co-founder of the event and the ambassador since 2017, returns after two difficult years with injuries. At the end of 2015, Maetzler had surgery on her right hand and a year later on her left wrist. Her most urgent wish is to be free of pain and injury.
“I was able to train on my putting and short game in the spring, but unfortunately I had to retire in Morocco after a round to spare my wrist. On the other hand, in the tournament last week in the Azores, I have hit 18 greens in regulation during round two, and my long game was really good. That’s why I’m very confident to be fit and healthy for the tournament start in Gams,” said the 29-year-old.
Swiss Olympian, Fabienne In-Albon has also suffered with injuries in the last two years but now feels fully fit and is looking forward to the challenge at Gams Werdenberg.
“After three years, I finally go back to a home tournament, and I’m really looking forward to it. I love to play in front of the audience – the bigger the number of spectators, the more fun it is.”
With eight past winners in the 126-player field, Wolf, Maetzler and In-Albon will be challenged for the title. England’s Meghan MacLaren, is a two-time winner on LETAS, her first win at the Santander Golf Tour LETAS La Penaza in Spain last October and a win just two weeks ago at the Azores Ladies Open.
Sweden’s Jenny Haglund will also be a player to watch, with a strong start to her rookie year on the Ladies European Tour. The Swede recorded an 8th place finish in the Estrella Damm Mediterraneam Ladies Open in Barcelona last week.
The youngest competitor in the field will be 14-year-old Lily Hürlimann. The Zugerin, who lives in Germany and plays for GC St. Leon-Rot, won the Liechtenstein Open last year as 13-year-old.
