Lee Anne Pace’s big opportunity
With only five tournaments remaining on the Ladies European Tour schedule, the Sanya Ladies Open will be a hot platform for the talented Lee Anne Pace. She has the perfect chance to regain the number one position on the LET Money List.
Laura Davies is currently in the number one position and is Lee’s closest competitor. However, Daves won’t be participating in the Sanya Open since she is taking a week’s rest and enjoying a well-earned break.
Pace, who is currently at second place, could become the first South African player in the Ladies European Tour 32-year history to win the Henderson Money List. Her second place in the money list is all thanks to the three wins she had this season.
Not only did she have three wins, but the charismatic player also had seven top-ten finishes this season and is only €4,038 behind the leader of the list. With the first prize in the Sanya Open being €30,000, winning it will surely push Pace to the top.
Not only are the players struggling to be number one on the list, but also the rank for the number one player in Europe is in jeopardy as well. The top contenders to be number one player in Europe are Pace, Davies and Melissa Reid. With all the stars heading
to Asia over next month, the golf courses will surely be set on fire.
Lee Anne is focused to get to the top as the Open starts on October 22nd in China. Davies’s absence has pumped up Pace’s spirits even more. The next tournament Davies will take part in is the Korean Ladies Masters. Easily passing through the first
stage in the Qualifying tournament in September, Pace hasn’t really taken a break.
Lee Anne Pace was born in Mosel Bay, Western Cape. Harbouring her love for golf, she had a superb amateur career in the United States. Pace attended the University of Tulsa and Murray State University and graduated with a degree in psychology. Pace turned
professional in 2005 and qualified for the LPGA in 2007.
Possibly because of poor performance, Pace lost her playing card in the United States at the end of 2007 and then qualified for the LET for 2008. 2010 was definitely a great comeback year for Lee Anne as she won the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe,
The Finnair Masters and the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open.
Her great form has definitely made her shine in Europe and Pace is surely enjoying that. She will play in the upcoming four events in China, Korea and India. These tournaments will thus give more time and chances to win the Money List. This is all the before
the LPGA’s Final Qualifying Tournament.
Becoming Europe’s No.1 will give her the chance to participate in the season finale Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at the Emirates Golf Club. This season-ending tournament, with prize money of €500,000, has one of the biggest purses on the LET schedule.
"It's good to have options, but if I have to go to Dubai to win the Order of Merit, then I'll do that rather than going to the LPGA Q-School Finals. There's always next year", said Pace, who in 2007, played her rookie season on the LPGA.
As for other players, Florentyna Parker is really hoping to do well in her upcoming tournaments in order to be considered for the Solheim Cup team next year. Inspired by the Europe win at this year’s Ryder Cup, Parker really hopes she will get to represent
Europe in the women’s Ryder Cup equivalent.
The Turkish Airlines Ladies Open winner, Melissa Reid, is third on the money list and hence also is in close competition with Pace and Davies. She is behind the top spot by €42,214 and will be playing in China and Korea as well.
Trish Johnson, who has been victorious twice this season, will also be participating in the Open.
Now it’s all up to the way Pace performs next week and whether she will be able to win the Sanya Open and hence be on top of the list.
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