Pamela Ptretswell
The LET Access Series returns to the Azores Islands in Portugal this week for the second Azores Ladies Open.
After a successful inaugural tournament at Campo de Golf de Batalha last year, the tournament will return to this testing and beautiful golf course.
The 2011 champion, Marieke Nivard from the Netherlands and the current LETAS Order of Merit leader Marion Ricordeau are both playing in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour this week, opening the door for a new champion.
In addition to earning a 3387 Euro pay cheque, the winner could move to pole position on the 2012 LETAS Order of Merit.
Pamela Pretswell of Scotland, ranked second on the LETAS Order of Merit, leads the field and has the chance to overtake Ricordeau.
Pretswell, the Ljungbyhed PGA Ladies Open champion is joined by fellow tournament winners Anastasia Kostina of Russia and Antonella Cvitan of Sweden, ranked third and fifth on the order of merit respectively.
Fourth ranked Katy McNicoll of Scotland is also playing along with eighth ranked Viva Schlasberg of Sweden and ninth ranked Julie Tvede of Denmark.
The home challenge will be headed by Portuguese professional Monia Bernardo and amateur Sofia Câmara.
This event has been organised by Antonio Carmona Santos with support from the Associação de Turismo dos Açores (ATA) and the 2011 event was the first LETAS tournament to be staged in Portugal.
The LET Access Series is now in its third season and is going from strength to strength with more tournaments and highly skilled competitors.
LETAS has already proved particularly useful for those who are looking to test their games at the elite level and the top three players on the final 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.
