Laura Gomez Ruiz
Nine of the top ten players on the 2019 LETAS rankings will be competing in the Santander Golf Tour LETAS Valencia played at Club de Golf Escorpion, near Valencia this week. Leading the way will be Laura Gomez Ruiz, who moved to the top spot of the LETAS rankings with another strong performance in the Ribeira Sacra Patrimonio de la Humanidad International Ladies Open. The 23-year-old from Marbella finished in a tie for 9th place and claimed her first LETAS win at the Montauban Ladies Open last month.
Gomez Ruiz is already a winner on the Santander Golf Tour, winning in only her fifth event as a professional last October. The James Madison University graduate turned professional in July last year after finishing her studies in the United States. She will be looking forward to the challenge this week and maintaining her position at the top of the LETAS Order of Merit.
“It feels really good. Today I was thinking you turned pro one year ago and look what you have already done. You have won two official tournaments and you are really close to getting a card on the LET. So it’s very motivating to me to be on the top right now. All I want now is to play consistent golf and get there. My goal this season is to finish top 5.”
“To win at home because Spain is my home it would be great. I love the golf course. Today, I played really golf too so I feel very confident and I can see myself winning but as I said I want to be consistent and play as good as I can.”
Hayley Davis is returning to competition after a two-week break and will be hoping to feel refreshed and ready to perform well at the impressive Golf de Escorpion. Holly Clyburn claimed the title when the LET Access Series last visited this venue in 2012. Davis will be hoping to emulate her countrywoman.
There are twenty-eight Spanish players in the field, including past winners, Carmen Alonso, Natalia Escuriola, Elia Folch, Noemi Jimenez and Mireia Prat. Marta Perez will also be a player to watch. The amateur, currently ranked 68th on the world amateur ranking (WAGR), played in the recent Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship at Augusta National in the United States, finishing in 21st place. Perez received an invitation to play in the recent LETAS Belfius Ladies Open and again impressed placing 5th.
Other players to watch will be England’s Rachael Goodall, who claimed her second LETAS title in style last week producing a new course record of 61 (-9) at the Augas Santas Balneario & Golf Resort, which was also a new low score on the LET Access Series.
Italy’s Lucrezia Colombotto was in the hunt to record her first win last week, finally finishing in 2nd place, two shots behind Rachel Goodall. Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen continues to impress, with her best finish this season a tie for second alongside Scot Rachael Taylor in the Lavaux Ladies Championship.
Play gets underway at 8.10 on Wednesday from both the 1st and 10th tees.
