Marion Ricordeau
The Ladies European Tour Access Series will make history this week when it stages the first ever professional women’s golf tournament in Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe.
The 42 competitors in the field are preparing to compete in the GolfStream Ladies Open at Kiev Golf Club, being played from Tuesday May 22nd to Thursday May 24th with prize fund of €20,000.
The event marks a significant development for the LET Access Series, which was launched in 2010 as a feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour as this is its first tournament in Eastern Europe.
There are three courses at Kiev Golf Club and the LET Access Series event will be played on the championship golf course, which is the only one of its kind in Ukraine.
There is great excitement amongst the players and Norwegian Cecilie Lundgreen was a last-minute entrant to the event, after winning her first title in 15 years as a professional at the recent Kristianstad Ahus Ladies Open in Sweden. She is currently ranked fourth on the LETAS order of merit and will be hoping to enter the top three places that automatically qualify for the Ladies European Tour at the end of the season.
The field of competitors also includes the current LETAS order of merit leader Marion Ricordeau of France, who won the Terre Blanche Ladies Open in France in March.
Ladies European Tour rookie professionals Mary Mattson of the USA, Sohvi Harkonen of Finland, Sarah Jones of Wales, Norwegian Lene Krog, England’s Lucy Davies and Scottish duo Heather MacRae and Gemma Webster are all teeing up in the hope of earning their maiden win early in their professional career.
As the sixth of 11 tournaments on the 2012 LETAS schedule, the 54-hole stroke play event marks the halfway point in the race for the top three players to earn membership of the Ladies European Tour by the end of the season.
Those positions on the order of merit are currently occupied by Marion Ricordeau, Marjet Van der Graaff and Carly Booth, each of whom has won once on the LET Access Series so far this year.
About the LET Access Series:
The LET Access Series (LETAS) launched in 2010 as the official feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour. The objective of LETAS is to provide greater playing opportunities for female professional golfers. All female professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of 3 or better are eligible for membership of LETAS, providing they are over 18 years of age. The top three players on the 2012 LETAS Ranking will earn membership of the Ladies European Tour for the 2013 season, while players in fourth to 15th positions will have the opportunity to progress to the final stage of LET Qualifying School, thereby skipping the first qualifying event. If the top three players are already exempt for the Ladies European Tour then the cards will be available to the next best players inside the top 10 on the 2012 LETAS Ranking. If a player in fourth to 15th position is already exempt to Final Qualifying School for the 2013 Ladies European Tour season, then the next non-exempt player down to 30th position on the 2012 LETAS Ranking will be offered a place at LET Final Qualifying School. See more information on the official website, www.letaccess.com.
About GolfStream:
“GolfStream” Project is the greatest golf facility in Ukraine and a true masterpiece of the art of golf course building in Europe. Peter Chamberlain, the famous British golf architect, Consultant on Golf Development for the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, designed the Project. In 2007, “GolfStream” was launched and appeared in the top 10 sites for recreation and entertainment announced by investment companies of the European Community. It now serves as a centre of golf recreation and a ground for the development of amateur and professional sport in the country. Important social, cultural and business activities take place here during the season.
About Kiev Golf Club:
The Club provides five golf routes on three courses (36 holes in total). Each course has its own style and is targeted for different types of players, such as newcomers, experienced amateurs or pros. All courses of the Club were designed according to USGA standards in line with recommendations from the PGA European Tour. USGA/EGA experts officially certified them. The LET Access Series event will be played on a championship golf course of the Club, which is the only one of the kind in Ukraine. The GolfStream Ladies Open is also one of the international golf tournaments held at Kiev Golf Club this upcoming season that will receive Women’s Amateur Golf Ranking points.
