The Ladies European Tour’s executive director Alexandra Armas today revealed the 2008 LET schedule. Next year the Tour will feature an unprecedented 28 events. It will also boast total prize money in excess of €12.3 million, which is the highest in the LET’s 30-year history.
“The 2007 season has been a huge success with The Solheim Cup in Sweden and new events in Australia, Scotland, Madrid, India and Northern Ireland,” said Armas. “In 2008 we continue to build our tournament schedule with a further five new events, higher prize money and yet more first rate tournament venues.”
The five new tournaments in 2008 are: the European Ladies’ Golf Cup, the Turkish Ladies’ Open, the Hypovereinsbank Ladies’ German Open presented by Audi, the AIB Ladies Irish Open and the Göteberg Masters.
The inaugural European Ladies Golf Cup, from 4-6 April at La Sella Golf Resort in Spain, will be a team event featuring prize money of €300,000. The tournament will be organised and promoted by Deporte & Business, who also promote the successful Open de Espana Femenino and will be supported by the Spanish Golf Federation. It will feature 24 teams of two players from qualifying countries, based on the previous year’s New Star Money List and Rolex Women’s World Rankings.
The inaugural Turkish Ladies Open, from 8-11 May Hypovereinsbank Ladies’ German Open, from 29th May – 1st June and Göteberg Masters, from 18-21 September will be full field stroke-play events with prize money of €250,000 each. In addition, after a four year absence the AIB Ladies Irish Open will return to the 2008 schedule and will feature prize money of €450,000.
In 2008, six existing tournaments will change venue. The MFS Women’s Australian Open will now be played at Kingston Heath Golf Club, the Ricoh Women’s British Open returns to Sunningdale Golf Club, the Open de Espana Femenino returns to Panoramica Golf and Country Club, the Ladies English Open moves to The Oxfordshire Golf Club, the Scandinavian TPC hosted by Annika, moves to Frösà¥ker Golf Club and the SAS Masters takes place at Haga Golf Club in Norway.
Once again the Ladies European Tour season will be launched with the Women’s World Cup of Golf on the Gary Player Course at Sun City, South Africa, from 18-20 January. The season will conclude with the Dubai Ladies Masters, from 11-14 December on the highly acclaimed Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club.