Top contenders gather for a showdown at the third Turkish Airlines Ladies Open at Antalya
Next up on the Ladies European Tour (LET) is the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open this week, scheduled to tee-off at the challenging National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya. The €250,000 event will begin from Thursday May 5th with a strong field of 126
contenders including Solheim Cup players Sophie Gustafson, Christina Kim, Gwladys Nocera, Tania Elosegui and Becky Brewerton.
Defending champion Melissa Reid, who won her first maiden title on the tour, will be eager to grab the title for the second time in continuation. 23-year-old Reid is currently ranked at 42nd in the Rolex World Rankings and has done remarkably
well for herself after she turned professional in 2007.
Reid finished tied for second in the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open and has two top five finishes out of the three events she has participated. Reid says she has a good grasp of the course layout at the National Golf Club, something which will go a long
way to help her secure another win on the tour.
“I usually drive it quite well and you have to be very, very straight around here. It’s very tight; it’s one of the tightest courses we play all year and you’ve got to think smart,” said Reid while speaking to reporters.
World number 40, Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, the winner of the recently held European Nations Cup in Spain , will also be among the contenders for the top slot. Another consecutive win on the LET’s Tour would definitely establish her as a formidable player
on the Tour. Gustafson is visiting Turkey for the first time and seems to be well aware of all the difficulties she will be facing at a comparatively tough layout.
“I've heard it's a really tough course but I enjoy playing tough courses so it should be a great challenge,” she said. “I'm fairly happy with my game. It's still very much 'work in progress' but I feel I'm on the right track with what I'm doing and I feel
I have a plan so it's coming together nicely.”
Gustafson has been the European number one for no less than four times and is hoping to continue the winning momentum. Her country mate Lotta Wahlin is also returning to bid for the top slot after she won the 2008 event with a stunning lead of 12 shots.
Tournament director Tony Martin lauded the groundsmen’s efforts for providing outstanding conditions on the turf for the upcoming event. Martin said that the Greens are faster than the previous event and many of the players have given positive comments about
the course preparations.
Christina Kim, winner of two LPGA events and 54th in the World, has confirmed her participation in the event and will be playing in Turkey for the first time. Kim is also the two-time US Solheim Cup team member.
“I am so excited to play in Turkey! This has been a dream of mine for so long, to visit Turkey, and that it’s come true is awesome,” said Kim.
First Slovakian winner on the LET at the Lalla Meryem Cup, Zuzana Kamasova will be leading the challenge for the Eastern Europe alongside Klara Spilkova from Czech Republic and the Russian duo Maria Verchenova and Anastasia Kostina.
Verchenova will have an unfair advantage on the rest of the contenders as she grew up playing at the National Golf Club at Antalya. Yasmin Sari will be the lone talent from Turkey who will be pitched to clinch the home title.
England’s Kelly Tidy is the only amateur to participate in the event. This is the third edition of the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open with winner’s prize share of €37,500.
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