Ladies European Tour Final Qualifying School

SWISS MISS NORA LEADS THE WAY WITH A
SEVEN-UNDER-PAR 65 IN ITALY

By BETHAN CUTLER
From Ladies European Tour website
Switzerland’s Nora Angehrn led the chase for places on the 2008 Ladies European Tour after a course record seven-under-par 65 at Final Qualifying School in Italy today.
The 27-year-old from Zurich fired an eagle, six birdies and a bogey to record her career low round at Le Fonti Golf Club in Castel San Pietro near Bologna.
She finished a shot clear of Dutch amateur Marjet van der Graaff who had a 66, and two clear of nine players all on 68: Caroline Afonso, Anna Knutsson, Lydia Hall, Julie Greciet, Martina Gillen, Melodie Bourdy, Nina Reis, Denise-Charlotte Becker and Maria Ohlsson.
Angehrn is looking to retain her card for 2008 after struggling in her third year on Tour, having made three cuts from 20 starts in 2007.
“This year I struggled on the golf course and also personally, health wise,” said Angehrn, who enjoys snowboarding and waterskiing in her spare time.
“I pulled a muscle in my stomach doing weight-lifting at the beginning of the year. Then I had an ear infection just before Australia. I went to South Africa to play a few tournaments and then I had tonsillitis. I think that pulled me back a bit but I didn’t realise it until later.”
She arrived at Le Fonti with a slight advantage over the field having caddied in last year’s Pre- Qualifying event. “I knew the course well and that was very helpful. It’s always good to see the course from a caddie’s view,” she added.
This week, Angehrn’s coach Denise Lavigne is on the bag, which has given her fresh confidence, along with the fact that she recorded her best finish of the year with a 26th place at the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria three weeks ago.
Playing in the first round, Angehrn hit 18 greens and made 30 putts. She eagled the par-4 third hole when she holed out from 107 metres with a gap wedge and took advantage of her birdie opportunities on the sixth, seventh, ninth, 11th, 12th and 14th holes.
The only mistake on the scorecard was a bogey at the fifth.
“I had a great start and I was hitting it solidly. I still left some putts out there though!” said Angehrn. “It was nice to play with Melissa Reid, a good amateur player. She is very talented but she had a bit of bad luck and finished on three-over-par. She was hitting it very nicely though.” The 72-hole Stage 2, Final Qualifying, runs from over four days and four rounds, finishing on Friday.
There will be a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after 54 holes. The leading 30 players will receive Category 8 membership of the Ladies European Tour, which will give starts in most full field tournaments.
Those players who finish in positions 31-50 and ties will receive membership in Category 10b, with some playing restrictions.

SCOTTISH ANGLE BY COLIN FARQUHARSON

Jenna makes a very good start with a 69

Scottish amateur champion Jenna Wilson from Strathaven has made a very good start with a three-under-par round of 69 to be joint 12th at the end of the first day at the Ladies European Tour Final Q School in Italy.
Jenna, the only Scot in the field - Vikki Laing and Heather MacRae were eliminated in last week's Pre-Qualifier, had an eagle 3 at the long seventh and birdie 2s at two short holes - the second and the 17th. Her only bogey in halves of 34 (two under par) and 35 (one under) came at the sixth.