THREE THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR AT THE VP BANK SWISS LADIES OPEN

This week the LET heads to Switzerland and the scenic area of Risch-Rotkreuz, where the field will do battle in the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open at Golfpark Holzhäusern. 

It will be the second time that the event has been staged at this venue, with Amy Boulden taking the victory last year as the Tour returned to the country after eight years away. 

As ever, there are sure to be plenty of storylines emerging from the week ahead, but here are three things you should know heading into the three-day event.

Heavenly Holzhäusern is a super setting

The picturesque views around Golfpark Holzhäusern really are a sight to behold, with the beautiful Swiss landscapes all around you and for as far as the eye can see. 

Holzhäusern – which translates as ‘wooden houses’ – is exactly what it says on the tin, with a number of chalets around the course and a number of impressive wooden buildings including the two-tiered driving range. 

It is the third different venue for an LET event in Switzerland, with Golf Gerre Losone and Golf Club de Maison Blanche both staging the event in the past. 

The course was created in 1995, and is part of a plan by Swiss supermarket Migros to create more facilities for golf across the country.

They currently operates eight publicly accessible golf courses throughout Switzerland with the aim of popularising golf as a family-friendly, popular sport that is practiced by sports and nature enthusiasts of all ages.

Ten recent winners take to the field

There are a number of players who have the experience and know-how to take the victory this week in Switzerland, with ten players in the field having lifted an LET trophy in the past few seasons. 

As well as the aforementioned Boulden who will be looking to defend her title this time around, we have Big Green Egg Open champion Steph Kyriacou as well as Tipsport Czech Ladies Open winner Atthaya Thitikul. 

Aramco Team Series – London victor Marianne Skarpnord will also be on course this week, as well as Jabra Ladies Open superstar Pia Babnik, who is playing her first tournament on tour since the AIG Women’s Open. 

Christine Wolf and Becky Morgan will also be looking to repeat victories in India in 2019 and 2018 respectively, while successful Swedes Jenny Haglund and Caroline Hedwall will also be looking to be in contention by the time Saturday comes around.

Olympians all over the shop in Switzerland

As well as plenty of former tournament winners, there will also be nine Olympians teeing off on Thursday when the competition gets underway. 

Aditi Ashok is one of the stars that competed in Tokyo this summer, and was just a single shot off of earning India a bronze medal at Kasumigaseki Country Club, while her compatriot Diksha Dagar also earned international recognition. 

Sanna Nuutinen of Finland and Slovenia’s Pia Babnik will also be in contention, as well as Maha Haddoui and Manon De Roey of Morocco and Belgium respectively. 

Wolf of Austria and Magdalena Simmermacher of Argentina also competed in Tokyo, while home favourite this week Kim Metraux can also now call herself an Olympian. 

Metraux will be looking for another strong performance in her homeland, after recording a best ever result of third when the tour visited Switzerland last year.