Woods in Ladies Masters Mix

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Cheyenne Woods, niece of 14-time major winner Tiger, shot a five-under 67 to be four off the lead after the first round of the Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club. 

She is tied for sixth with four others, including Scotland's Kylie Walker.

German Caroline Masson and South Africa's Ashley Simon lead by three.

To qualify for next week's British Open, Woods, 23, needs to be among the top three finishers who have not already qualified for St Andrews.

England's Charley Hull, 17, is five shots off the pace after shooting a 68 and is tied 11th with several others, including Australia's multi-major winner Karrie Webb.

Another Englishwoman, 49-year-old Laura Davies - Britain's greatest ever female golfer - is level par. She is looking for at least a top-three finish as part of her bid to qualify for August's Solheim Cup between Europe and the US in Colorado.

American Woods is embarking on her first full season as a professional as part of the Ladies European Tour.

If she is unsuccessful at the European Masters, which runs from Friday to Sunday, she faces an anxious day in final qualifying at Kingsbarns Golf Club on Monday.

She said after Friday's first round: "I felt like I played really steady and that I hit the ball well, so overall it was a good day."

Hull came in for praise from Webb who said: "What a fantastic talent. Quite a big pairing for her today and she eagled the first hole.

"I don't know how many nerves were there but very impressive. I think she'll be around for a long time."

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St Leon-Rot Wins 2015 Solheim

The 2015 Solheim Cup will he held at the St Leon-Rot Golf Club in Germany.

It will be the first time the biennial event, contested between the best European women and their Americam rivals, will be held in the country.

The course, located near Frankfurt, has previously hosted the European men's Tour's Deutsche Bank SAP Open.

Europe hold the Solheim Cup, having won the 2011 event at Killeen Castle in the Irish Republic, and will defend it in Colorado next year.

"It will be a fantastic experience for our golf in Germany," said Sandra Gal, a member of the victorious 2011 European team.

"I am sure my home country will be a great host."

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Scores Scrapped at Ricoh Women's Open

The scores of 36 players were scrapped after the second round of the Women's British Open at Hoylake was cancelled due to 50mph winds.

Only an hour's play was possible on Friday morning, with 18 players on the front nine a cumulative 52 over par.

A Ladies' Golf Union statement read: "It would have been unfair to those competitors not to cancel all scores for the round in question."

With conditions not improving, play will restart at 06:50 BST on Saturday.

A decision has not been made on whether the tournament will finish on Sunday as scheduled or continue into Monday.

England's Felicity Johnson, the joint leader early in the first round, shot a nine on the par-four first and was eight over after three holes when the players were brought in shortly after 08:00 on Friday.

So Yeon Ryu, who shared the overnight lead with fellow South Korean Haeji Kang on two under, bogeyed the the par five 10th, the only hole she managed as she started her second round on the back nine.

American Cristie Kerr saw ball blown off the tee three times at the 12th.

The LGU statement added: "The competitors began their round in extremely adverse weather conditions and conditions subsequently worsened despite our belief that they would remain stable."

Scores being made null and void is not unprecedented in major golf. Seve Ballesteros won his third Open title at Royal Lytham on a Monday in 1988 after scores on the Saturday were wiped out because of bad weather.

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Ladies Golf in Million Dollar Mission

The Ladies European Tour schedule in 2013 will feature a one million dollar event as the World Ladies Championship in China has significantly raised the prize fund for the second edition.

The tournament will be played March 7-10 at Mission Hills Resort in Haikou, Hainan, with the purse increased from $600,000 to $1 million US dollars.

The unique tournament features an individual strokeplay element, with an $800,000 US prize fund and a team competition with a purse of $200,000.

Players can qualify for the event based on the world rankings, CLPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour order of merits. All participants in the tournament will get to compete for individual prize money.

The country teams will be made up of the two highest ranked players in the field and their individual scores will be added for the team event. 

The first edition of the World Ladies Championship was a great success, played on a world class venue and a very strong competitive field of 108 players from 23 countries represented in the individual event and 19 teams representing their countries. In 2012 the individual event was won by Feng Shanshan and China won the overall team event represented by Feng and Yiling Ye.

Feng said: “I am really looking forward to defending at Mission Hills Resort Haikou as I really enjoyed the inaugural edition. It was such a successful week for me winning in front of my home fans and I have many great memories so hopefully I can retain both titles next year.”

The Ladies European Tour’s Executive Director Alexandra Armas commented: “I am thrilled to announce this prize fund increase as it really serves to demonstrate what a quality tournament this is and how successful the inaugural event was in 2012. Mission Hills Resort Haikou is the perfect venue to stage an event of this magnitude, with fantastic golf courses, luxury hotels and fabulous entertainment and all of the services you would expect from a first class resort. The players all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I would like to thank Mr Tenniel Chu for making everyone feel so welcome and for his highly valued support of women’s professional golf.

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Davies Hoping for Rio 2016 Gold

Laura Davies, one of Britain’s leading sports stars, will be going for golfing gold in the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters taking place at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on the outskirts of the capital just after London 2012

The eyes of the world are fully focused on London for The 2012 Olympic Games but Britain’s Laura Davies is relishing the opportunity to celebrate when the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters takes place on the outskirts of the capital in a fortnight’s time.

The tournament will be played the week after the Olympic Games and before the Paralympic Games on Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th August at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in Denham, just a 20 minute drive from the city of London.

Not surprisingly, Davies, from Lyne in Surrey, is thrilled to be playing at home on her own doorstep and at such an exciting time for British sport.

“I’m really looking forward to competing in front of a home gallery with the support of the British public so it will be one of the highlights of the year for me,” Davies said.

Davies admits that she’d love to be competing at the Games, which is a possibility in four years time in Rio de Janeiro, when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.

Britain’s most successful golfer, she has won the Ladies European Tour order of merit a record seven times and racked up 79 tournament wins including four major championship victories, but says that playing in the Olympics would be the icing on the cake.

“To me the Olympic Games are the ultimate sporting events and of course I would love to represent my country playing in it. Whether or not I will play, I don’t know, but I will certainly be watching it on television this year and cheering on Team GB.

“I am playing in the Ladies Irish Open this week, but it is a very special time for the country and I hope that the festivities carry over to the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, which will give sports fans a taste of what’s to come in Rio in four years time.” 

The ISPS Handa British Masters is being played for the first time at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, which has excellent rail links, with Denham train station located right next to the golf course. 

LET Director Armas to Step Down

The Ladies European Tour today announced that Alexandra Armas has decided to step down as the Executive Director at the end of 2012. 

Armas will continue in her role until the end of the season and will work closely with the Tour Board on the selection process for the next Executive Director candidate.

“I truly believe in the strength of women’s golf and feel privileged to have had the opportunity to help with the development of women’s golf and the LET. With the LET in a better business position than ever and with a strong team and structure in place, it is now the time for me to consider new challenges and projects,” Armas said.

Karen Lunn, Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented: “Alex has been an asset to the Ladies European Tour, driving the company forward and impacting the growth of women’s golf across the globe. Thanks to her commitment, loyalty, business understanding and insight to the players’ requirements, the Tour has been rewarded with positive results and is financially well placed for continued success. We are grateful that Alex has agreed to continue in the role until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition while the Board will commence the process of selecting a new Executive Director for the future of the Tour. 

"We thank Alex for her dedication to the LET over these last seven years. During her tenure the LET has continued to expand with 15 tournaments in 2004 to 25 in 2012 with a roll-out in new territories such as Dubai, India, New Zealand, Turkey and China. We wish her the best of luck in her future projects.”

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Wright Wins in Christchurch

Australian golfer Lindsey Wright has returned from the golfing wilderness to win the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch.

Wright, once No 12 in the world before taking time out of the game with a loss of form, nailed a 4m birdie putt on the final hole to claim victory at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club near Christchurch today.

Playing the last, the overnight leader was tied with compatriot Jessica Speechley and American Alison Walshe who were sitting in the clubhouse at nine-under, before Wright landed the crucial winning putt.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s still sinking in. I putted really well all day and the last six holes I was really nervous,” said Wright. “I haven’t been in this position for a while and I thought to myself ‘I can win this.’”

“I looked at the leader board and saw Alison Walshe up there and Speechley at nine-under and thought ‘no, I can make this putt. Just keep your head down, just hit a great putt. My caddy was more shocked that I was I think.”

Wright shot a final round four-under 68 to finish on 10-under 206, a shot ahead of Walshe and Speechley who shot rounds of 69 and a tournament-low seven-under 65 respectively.

Experienced Canadian Lorie Kane and Australia’s Stephanie Na both shot 69s to finish in a share of fourth place on eight-under, with five Americans in the top-10.

Leading New Zealander was 17 year old Cecilia Cho, the World No. 3 ranked amateur, who shot a three-under 69 to finish on five-under. She edged her good friend and rival Lydia Ko by one shot to bring the curtain down on her outstanding amateur career as she returns to Korea to turn professional.

“I have watched Lydia play and she was good this week. It is good being out of the spotlight but I am fine being in the spotlight as well,” said Cho.

“It’s good to get some momentum before I turn professional. It would have been nice to score lower but it’s been a good tournament.

“I am going to miss so much about New Zealand. I am going to miss travelling with teams but turning pro is a new challenge and I am excited about that.”

Speechley enjoyed the white-hot hand in an otherwise bitterly cold day. The 22 year old, who turned professional last year, fired a blistering opening nine in seven-under 29 including five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth.

She turned at nine-under for the tournament to open a one shot lead, before mixing a solitary bogey at the 13th with a vital birdie on the last to get to nine-under for the tournament.

“My putting was the key to the round. The greens at Royal Melbourne last week were ridiculously fast but I finally got the pace here after two days,” Speechley said.

“Anything can happen especially around here if the wind blows so I told myself to stay patient and hang in there. I just turned pro in December, so (to win) would be amazing. A first tournament win after only a few months would have been amazing.”

Joint overnight leader Walshe had dropped back to seven-under after 11 holes before making two late birdies to put her name into the hat.

There was considerable interest in Ko to again show her immense talents well beyond her years. While her putter had been a key all week, on the day she most needed it most, her putter went as cold as the weather.

Ko had to be content to finish with a two over 74 today to finish on four-under in a tie for 17th place and was quick to acknowledge the performance of her good friend Cho.

“Her playing good improved my game and hopefully me playing good improved her game,” said Ko.

“She is soon going and it is quite sad. She has been a friendly rival and I am going to miss her.

“I played good today but my putts didn’t roll in today like the other two days. I am happy but kind of disappointed too,” Ko said.

“It is really good to play back in New Zealand after playing in Australia for a while. I have played good most of the time I have played in Christchurch.

“I won the NSW Open and Australian Amateur so not winning here is not going to make me depressed or too disappointed.”

The tournament proved an outstanding success, attracting a record 9247 spectators over the three days, more than the previous best of the four round tournament.

Leaderboard

Teen Star Ko Shares NZ Lead

Super-teen golfer Lydia Ko has battled her way into contention going into tomorrow’s final round of the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open hosted by Christchurch.

The 14 year old, one of the smallest in the field, braved the blustery winds best to shoot a three under par 69 and move into a six-way share of the lead at six under par at the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club.

Ko, who opened with a three under par 69, was four under for her round and the outright leader at seven under par before she made a bogey at the penultimate hole and then made par on 18 to sign for a 69.

“The goal for today was five under but I don’t feel like I didn’t achieve what I wanted to because I played good and I putted good so I am happy,” said the North Shore golfer.

Almost 4,000 local golf fans came out to watch the tournament on Saturday with the World No.1 amateur once again attracting the lion’s share of the gallery. She didn’t disappoint as she opened with a birdie.

Ko went on to make a bogey on three and then made birdies on four, five, 11 and 13 before dropping the shot at the last. The biggest roar on the day came when she made a fine two on the par 3 11th.

“In my mind it was just a par hole so if you make birdie then you are a genius so when it went in I was like “Woah”,” said Ko in her humble way.

Players took advantage of the still morning conditions to move up the leaderboard headed by the trio of Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, Australia’s Lindsey Wright and former Northlander Haeji Kang (Korea) to share the clubhouse lead on six-under par, as the winds picked up early in the afternoon with strong southerlies proving a challenge.

Three other players Ko, American Alison Walshe (70) and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (69) handled those conditions superbly to make six players tied for the lead.

Earlier Uribe and Wright both shot rounds of four-under 68 while Kang managed a second successive three-under 69.

Uribe, 21, is a former US Amateur champion who is currently playing on the LPGA Tour, at one stage had moved to a two shot lead before dropping shots at the final two holes when the winds grew in strength.

Wright is also on the LPGA and was ranked as high as No 12 in the world three years ago before taking a break and renewing her passion for the game.

The pair fought out a duel down the stretch in the LPGA event in Brazil last year with the Colombian prevailing with a late birdie.

“I was trying to think about the positive things about finishing with two birdies. That happened in Brazil when I won. I was thinking the same people are in contention,” said Uribe. “Lindsey Wright is so nice and I am such a good friend of her so it would be cool to play together.

“It is going to be fun. This course is interesting with the wind. It makes it tough. Even if it is windy you are playing with the same people you are contending with at the same time.”

Wright had to play “the best shot of her life” to remain in contention after an eagle from the rough on the par-4 sixth hole.

“I hit it right of the bunker on six and it got stuck in the grass. I went ‘bugger’. I had 128 yards to the hole and had a little seven iron. It was the best shot I ever played. And then it went in. That was a real bonus because I was thinking about if I could even make par.”

Kang is playing back in New Zealand for the first time in since spending three years in Northland as a young teenager. Kang’s family moved to New Zealand for her education and her golf, before moving to Australia to further develop her game. She turned professional three years ago, graduating from the Futures Tour to the LPGA after just one year.

“It is great to be back in New Zealand. It’s the first time in seven years. I really enjoyed my time here and I still love the place. It was good to meet with Caroline Bon who I played representative golf with for Northland. I still regard myself as a New Zealander and feel at home here.”

The attention tomorrow will be on young Ko as she tries to make more golf history. One of the youngest winners in pro golf history at the New South Wales Open three weeks ago, she is hoping that the inclement weather arrives tomorrow as she plays her best golf in the wind.

“At Royal Melbourne [last week] it was windy the last two days and they were my best two scores. I will just play my game. I will try and hit the fairways and hopefully a few more putts will drop. It should be fun.”

The two round cut for the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open hosted by Christchurch of the top 50 and ties fell at three over par.

Diana Luna Wins Rome Award

The 2012 Ladies European Tour season has not yet begun, but Diana Luna has already received a massive boost after receiving the ‘Athlete of the Year 2011’ award from the mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno.

It is the third time that this prize has been awarded to Rome’s leading sports figures, and citizens who have contributed to society. 

Luna won two titles on the Ladies European Tour in 2011: the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open and UniCredit Ladies German Open presented by Audi, where she became the first ever player to play four bogey-free rounds to win a tournament.

With season’s earnings of 223,405.16 euro, she finished fourth on the Ladies European Tour’s 2011 Henderson Money List, the highest ever ranking by an Italian.

The 29-year-old, who was born in Rome and now has five career titles, said that the award had great significance.

Through translation, Luna said: “This title fills me with pride and highlights the great work of the Italian Golf Federation. The president has made golf more accessible and in addition, thanks to the victories of several Italian professionals on the men’s and women’s tours, the number of Italian people who are passionate and practising the game looks destined to grow.”

Reflecting on 2011, Luna said: “I have come out of 2011 more positive. Now I am preparing myself for my debut in Australia, but I have not yet established my full schedule. I am still planning the season and the tournaments in which to play. I will consider whether or not to try for the United States. The next Solheim Cup and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are not that far away, therefore it is important to maintain a high standard in order to be in top form for these great events.”

Thanks to her victories in Germany and Switzerland in 2011, Luna was the first Italian player to secure two victories on the LET in the same season, repeating her 2009 performance, when she won back-to-back in Ireland and Norway.

Her amazing feat of playing 72 holes without a bogey at Golfpark Gut Hausern near Munich in Germany was a first on the LET and her overall score was a remarkable 264, 24 under par.

During the season, Luna recorded six additional top-10 finishes, including second place at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, where she lost to Felicity Johnson in a play-off.

She tied for seventh at the New Zealand Women's Open, tied for fifth at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open and Deloitte Dutch Ladies Open and was joint fourth at the Portugal Ladies Open.

Aside from her golf, Luna is a voluntary ambassador for the World Food Programme, the UN organisation that is fighting against world famine.

The secretary general of the Italian Golf Federation, Stefano Manca, was present at the awards ceremony along with the president of the regional committee of Lazio, Carlo Scatena and a number of leading figures from the fields of entertainment and sport.

Ko Becomes Youngest Winner

New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko has become the youngest winner of a professional golf tour event, at the age of 14.

Ko, the world's top amateur, won the New South Wales Open by four shots to break the men's mark set by Japan's Ryo Ishikawa at 15 years, eight months.

Previous women's record holder Amy Yang was 16 years, 192 days old when she won the Australian Ladies Masters.

"To be part of history is like a miracle," said Ko. "It's not something you can have by clicking your fingers."

Ko came close to winning the same tournament last year, aged 13, missing a putt on the last green to lose by one shot.

This year, she held her nerve to record a three-under-par final round of 69 and beat Becky Morgan of Wales in the 54-hole tournament.

England's Laura Davies closed with a 71 to finish 14 shots off the pace.

"My driver and iron play were probably the nicest to me over the past two days," added South Korea-born Ko, who moved to New Zealand in 2003.

"I also putted well, but I was in good position on most of the greens because I was able to make approaches from good places on the fairways."

Ko plans to play in about 30 tournaments this year, including professional events over the next two weeks - the Australian Masters at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast and the LPGA's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.

She added: "I'll play in mostly amateur tournaments after that, and my schedule looks pretty busy for several months."

SPORT'S YOUNGEST WINNERS

Golf tour event: Lydia Ko (NZ), 14

Tennis major: Martina Hingis(Swi), 16

Snooker ranking event: Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng), 17