Michelle Wie enters Ricoh Women's

British Open at Royal Lytham

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Michelle Wie is the latest star to confirm her entry into the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, July 30 to August 2.
Michelle, who has been combining golf with her studies at Stanford University for the past couple of years, secured her 2009 LPGA card at qualifying school and is looking forward to playing her first full year on the LPGA Tour.
Michelle explained the benefits she is enjoying as a full LPGA Tour member, “I think the fact that I know that I can play more than six tournaments a year allows me to build on my progress each week and work towards getting my first LPGA Tour win. I feel like this season represents a ‘fresh start’ for me and I’m able to work towards the goals I set for myself. Obviously winning the Ricoh Women’s British Open would be a huge accomplishment and it is certainly something I want to experience in my career.”
Michelle’s best finish in the Women’s British Open was 3rd place in 2005 when she won the leading amateur medal. She is delighted to be returning to Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club having missed the Championship last year. She explained, “I’m really looking forward to playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open this summer. I enjoy the challenges that links golf presents and think I’ve have handled it pretty well in the past. I played at Royal Lytham in 2006 and finished tied 26th so I will be looking to use that experience to help me improve on that finish. I’ve really enjoyed all my visits to the UK and I’ve especially enjoyed the experience of playing on world famous links golf courses in front of the knowledgeable British golf fans. Travelling around the world is definitely one of the best things about being a golf professional and I am looking forward to going back to the North West of England.”
Michelle will be joining a star-studded field including defending champion, Jiyai Shin, 2009 Kraft Nabisco Champion, Brittany Lincicome, Natalie Gulbis, Gwladys Nocera, Suzann Pettersen and Paula Creamer.
All of the world’s top players are expected to play and the event is given additional importance given that it will be the final qualifying event before the teams are announced for the 2009 Solheim Cup matches.
Shona Malcolm, Ladies’ Golf Union’s CEO, observed; “I am delighted that Michelle Wie will be in the field this year. She has a lot of fans in the UK who have followed her career since her phenomenal 3rd place finish as the leading amateur at Royal Birkdale in 2005. I know there were a lot of disappointed youngsters who hoped to see Michelle play last year and they will be thrilled to hear she will be will be returning to Royal Lytham to compete for this coveted title.”
This year’s Championship will take place at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in the Northwest of England. Its credentials as a championship venue are impressive. As well as holding three Women’s British Opens - in 1998, 2003 and 2006 - Royal Lytham has hosted an impressive 10 men’s Open Championships and two Ryder Cups.
With Annika Sorenstam, the winner at Royal Lytham in 2003, recently retired from the Tour and Sherri Steinhauer, the 1998 and 2006 Champion, having played no events in over 6 months, the North West golf fans look set to witness a new winner crowned at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in August.
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