Event Ambassador Melanie Maetzler and Swiss professional Caroline Rominger make a presentation to Gabriele Nauer (responsible for the tournament at the organizer SPAF), Guido Mätzler (OK President and founder) and Albert Friedli (Manager, GC Gams-Werdenberg).
Gams, 3 May 2018 – Under perfect conditions, the Pro-Am for the 2018 edition of the VP Bank Ladies Open 2018 took place on Wednesday at the GC Gams-Werdenberg course. 27 professionals and 81 sponsors and guests were at the start and enjoyed the game in the championship-worthy venue. It all starts on Friday morning, 4 May, from 8.15 with the first round of the LETAS event. 132 players from 29 nations will compete for the 40,000 euro prize money, including 18 Swiss women, eight Austrians and three Germans.
The field of participants in the VP Bank Ladies Open is strong, the contenders for victory are numerous; in addition to tournament ambassador Melanie Mätzler (Bad Ragaz), defending champion Linda Henriksson (Finland) is among the favourites. The role of the defending champion is new to the 28-year-old. In return, she and Oskar Osala have brought a close confidence to the golf bag: The Finn is an internationally successful professional ice hockey player, who last played in the Russian KHL and conquered the heart of the attractive golfer next to the ice. He will carry his girlfriend’s bag starting on Friday. On Wednesday in the pro-am, the single-handicapper was also at the start – but not in the flight of his sweetheart, but with Swede Viva Schlasberg.
The pro-am tournament was won by the team of Austrian Olympian Christine Wolf, who together with Ralph Polligkeit, Mathias Rohner and Marco Zanolari recorded a score of 12 under par. In the net competition, Italy’s Stefania Avanzo won with the amateurs Franz Szolansky, Tom Steiner and Achat Jenzer. Avanzo scored an eagle on hole 18 in the pro-am (2 under par), the same feat by Ticino Valeria Martinoli on hole 4. The prizes for the winning teams were presented by Christoph Mauchle, member of the Group Executive Management of the VP Bank Group.
At the pro-am dinner in the Kursaal Bad Ragaz, a small anniversary was also celebrated: The Ladies European Tour Access Series (LETAS) is in attendance for the fifth time in Eastern Switzerland this week. The players appreciate this long-time hospitality, and so the professional golfers not only had a heartfelt thank-you, but also countless autographed LETAS flags for Gabriele Nauer (responsible for the tournament at the organizer SPAF), Guido Mätzler (OK President and initiator) and Albert Friedli (Manager GC Gams-Werdenberg).
