SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN'S OPEN RETURNS JULY 13-15

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOURThe South African Women’s Open will make its return to the international women’s golf circuit for the first time in three years when the tournament tees off at Selborne Park Golf Club in KwaZulu-Natal from 13-15 July.South Africa’s oldest women’s professional golf tournament has reclaimed its place on the Ladies European Tour (LET) calendar, and will feature the country’s leading professionals competing against a strong international field for a total purse of R2.7 million. The tournament will be co-sanctioned by the LET and the Women’s Professional Golf Association of South Africa.South African number one Lee-Anne Pace has already confirmed her place in the field, while Tandi Cuningham returns as the defending champion, having won the last South African Women’s Open in 2009.“I am extremely proud that the South African Women’s Open is back on the schedule and that our leading professionals can once again have the chance to compete against the world’s best on home soil. And I can guarantee that we will do everything we can to make sure the trophy stays in South Africa,” said Pace.The Ladies European Tour’s return to South African fairways ensures a strong contingent of international players, each of whom would be hoping to become only the seventh foreigner to win the South African Women’s Open.“We have always enjoyed a strong relationship with South African women’s professional golf. South African professionals on the LET are always highly competitive and exemplary ambassadors for the game and their country. The LET has made great strides growing the game around the world, and we are pleased that we can finally return to South Africa for such an auspicious event,” said Alexandra Armas, Executive Director of the LET.The resurgence of the South African Women’s Open is the vision of new promoters World Sports Promotions in a partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal local government and the Hibiscus Coast Municipality.MEC Mike Mabuya Khulu of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism said the event would be an incredible boost for the province.“It is an honour for us to be able to host the first South African Women’s Open in three years. KwaZulu-Natal is a strong golfing province with a wealth of wonderful courses. It’s also appropriate that in 2010 the province hosted the men’s South African Open, and now we are welcoming the women.”