Michele and
Krystle likely
to make pro

debuts in

Swiss Open

Scottish rookie golf professionals Michele Thomson from Ellon (far right image by Cal Carson Golf Agency), and Krystle Caithness (near right) from Cupar, Fife will almost certainly make their debuts on the Ladies European Tour in the Deutsche Bank Ladies' Swiss Open at Golf Gerre Losone from May 14 to 17.
The cancellation of a Turkish event, provisionally scheduled for the first full week of May, means the Swiss tournament, with a prizefund of 525,000 Euros, will now be the first full-field tournament of the 2009 LET schedule and also a qualifying event for selection to the European Solheim Cup team
Going for the green will also take on a double meaning as the organisers are also billing the Swiss Open as the LET's first carbon-neutral event during the week May 11 to 17.

"We are celebrating a world premiere", said Tournament Director Hanns Michael Hoelz. "Environmental protection is a matter of social responsibility and is one of the greatest challenges of our times."
At the Swiss tournament, carbon-management will be an integrated strategy. Starting with the event's preparatory stages, concrete environmental measures will be implemented from reducing paper usage before, during and after the tournament, to establishing more efficient travel and traffic management.

There will also be environmentally-friendly stand designs and more energy-efficient or environmentally-certified electric devices, as well as regenerative energy sources. Environmental consciousness will even extend to the catering.
The highest possible share of products used will be organic, seasonal and regional. Furthermore, preference will be given to reusable dishes, bottles and packaging.
According to Hoelz, "Every event, however, will always produce a certain amount of emissions that are unavoidable, regardless of the level of effort put forth." The total emission volume or "carbon footprint" of the tournament has been determined in advance and the event organiser has purchased an emissions certificate to neutralise any emissions which are unavoidable.

"The money will be used to install 5,500 biogas plants (digesters for private households) in India, and to increase the efficiency of a renewable energy plant (a bagasse) in Brazil.

“Thus it is ensured, that we will see first-class golf during the Deutsche Bank Ladies’ Swiss Open, without polluting the environment with greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hoelz.

WHERE TO GO IN SWITZERLAND

Situated 5 minutes from Ascona and Locarno (the capital of the Film Festival), Golf Gerre Losone was constructed on a picturesque piece of land surrounded by green valleys and chestnuts woods.
The 18 challenging holes, many with water hazards, have a distinct Mediterranean character with the numerous palm and olive trees. The course is a unique golfing experience for all golfers and presents excellent conditions and fast greens.