Rebecca Coakley of Team Ireland is the only Irish entry in the Sanya Ladies Open in China later this month when the Ladies European Tour swings through Asia for a few weeks.
A number of European stars including Trish Johnson, Melissa Reid and Marianne Skarpnord will be competing in China, Korea and India for the first time respectively over the next four weeks as they travel across Asia for the LET’s final swing of 2010.
Johnson, a winner of 20 career titles including two this season, will be visiting China for the first time when she tees up at the Sanya Ladies Open, from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th October and at the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open, from October 29-31.
Johnson enthused: “This is my first visit to China: amazing after 24 years of playing pro golf! I hope very much to see a little bit of the country while I'm there: an extremely different culture! I'm playing because I love playing tournament golf especially when I'm winning! I'm obviously pretty confident and am treating these events the same as any other LET event, which means I'll be trying to win them!
“I believe the golf courses are of a very high standard, and the fields will have most of the top players on the LET. I don't really know the Chinese players so couldn't comment on them. I've had a pretty decent season and hope to win at least one more tournament this season.”
With five more tournaments remaining this season, there is still all to play for and fellow Englishwoman Melissa Reid will be visiting Korea for the first time.
Reid played in China when she was part of the Faldo Series, so will be travelling to the country for the second time before heading across the East China Sea to the Korean Ladies Masters at Haevichi Golf and Resort, which takes place from November 5-7.
The Turkish Airlines Ladies Open champion said: “It will be my first time in Korea so it should be good fun. I’m not particularly looking forward to the food but I will cope with it!”
Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord, who won two LET events in 2009 but has competed on the LPGA this season, is one of the many players visiting India for the first time for the Hero Honda Women’s Indian Open, from November 11-13 at at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, New Delhi. The LET first hosted an event in India 2008.
Skarpnord said: “I´m looking forward to seeing how the Indian culture is. I have never been there before. I can’t wait to meet the Indian people and try their food!”
“It is nice to have something to play before Christmas. Practice for three months can be a bit boring so one in November and one in December (the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters) is perfect. I hope to play good golf in India, but it’s all a part of my preparation for next year.”
Skarpnord posted a season-best tie for 27th at the Tres Marias Championship on the LPGA and she added: “This season has not been as I wanted. I have not been confident with myself over here and not played the golf I know I can so it’s been very frustrating. I would like to have good results in India and Dubai and also a lot of good practice. I have been working on the same things as last year and spent a lot of time working on my short game. I have not enjoyed US very much, so I´m looking forward to playing in Europe next year.”
A number of LET rookies will be travelling to Asia at some point over the next month including Hannah Jun, Dewi-Claire Schreefel, Kylie Walker, Jeehae Lee, Carly Booth, Diana D'Alessio, Hannah Ralph, Mallory Blackwelder, Monica V.Christiansen, Kym Larratt, Rebecca Flood, Tandi Cuningham and Kim Welch; some of whom will be attempting to retain their Tour cards for the 2011 season on the Ladies European Tour.
