Lynn Kenny and Heather MacRae

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backing new pro tour lady events

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Lynn Kenny has E-mailed Kirkwoodgolf from Melbourne Airport - she is on her way to London from the Australian Women's Open and is en route to an LET event in Morocco next week - to say that she is interested in supporting the lady professionals' section of the new Xltec Pro Tour, being started by Alan Tait, the director of golf at Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel, with the help of fellow PGA professional Nigel Scott-Smith (Palacerigg) and Chris Turner of 110sports Management Ltd.

Heather MacRae, being PGA-trained at Gullane, has also sent a message that she will play on the six-event schedule of 36-hole competitions when she can.

Earlier Kylie Walker and Clare Queen had said they would play, although Clare has a prior engagement which would rule her out of the first tournament, at Whitekirk Golf Club on March 25-26.

For the lady pros, the one-off fee to join the mini-tour is £40. The entry fee per event is £50 and there is also a £10 administration fee per competition.

A minimum of five entries from lady professionals is required for each event to take place and it would be nice if each winner could be guaranteed at least £350. If the number of entries goes well into double figures, then the prize fund and with it the first prize at each event will increase substantially.

Six sponsors at £200 or one sponsor at £1,200, which would cover all six competitions, would be welcomed. From an entry of only 10 lady pros playing £50 each, that would give a prize fund of £700 per meeting with a possible prize list of 1 - £350, 2 - £150, 3 - £80, 4 - £60, 5 - £60.

It's not much, but it would be a start. It has long been my view that there should be a second tier framework of competitions, i.e. one down from the Ladies European Tour, for female professionals, to keep them active and for rookies to take the first step up from playing as amateurs.

If you can help or you know someone who might be able to help in the one or all six competitions' sponsorship detailed above, please E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com and this is also the E-mail address for any lady professionals who want to register their interest in the new tour.

THE XLETC PRO TOUR SCHEDULE

Each event over 36 holes.

March 25-26: Whitekirk.

April 28-29: Hilton Park.

May 25-26: Marriott Dalmahoy.

July 28-29: Westerwood.

September 28-29: Spey Valley, Aviemore.

October 6-7: Dundonald Links.