After a dramatic finish at last week’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open – one which saw Smilla Tarning Soenderby defeat Lisa Pettersson and Anne van Dam in a playoff at Dromoland Castle – the Ladies European Tour (LET) heads to the Netherlands for the Big Green Egg Open.
Back at Hilversumsche Golf Club for the first time since the inaugural Dutch Ladies Open in 1986, 126 players from 25 nations will be vying for the trophy in the 22nd event of the 2023 LET season.
Before the event gets underway in Hilversum, here are a few talking points to look out for…
DAGAR ZONING IN
Few players have been more consistent in 2023 than India’s Diksha Dagar, and the left-hander now has the chance to reach top spot in the Race to Costa del Sol standings if she can clinch victory in the Netherlands.
Dagar currently sits third in the standings only behind France’s Celine Boutier and Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino, but with the pair absent this week the Indian has a terrific chance to close the gap on her race rivals.
As for form, Dagar is also perfectly poised to do so, arriving in Hilversum with back-to-back top-10 finishes as well as her best Major result at last month’s AIG Women’s Open.
HOME FAVOURITE IN HOT FORM
Speaking of form, the same can also be said of home favourite Anne van Dam, the big hitting LET winner who all the fans will be itching to see this week.
Van Dam narrowly missed out on a sixth LET title in Ireland losing on the second playoff hole, but the fierce competitor within her will be desperate to go one better this week as she eyes victory on home soil.
NORDQVIST DEFENDING CHAMPION
The big star standing in Dagar and van Dam’s way this week is unquestionably Anna Nordqvist, the defending champion and highest ranked player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in the field (38th).
Having clinched her automatic spot in this month’s Solheim Cup, the playing-Vice Captain will be hoping to use the Big Green Egg Open as the perfect tune up event for Spain as she defends her title following last year’s one shot victory at Rosendaelsche Golf Club.
ROOKIE RACE HEATS UP
It was a memorable week for several first year graduates at last week’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open, and the Rookie of The Year race is now heating up nicely as we enter the tail end of the season.
While Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab still leads the way on 817.12 points, just 200 points now separate Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt in second and Sweden’s Sara Kjellker in eighth – the latter finishing T5 at Dromoland Castle.
Matching Kjellker’s hot form in the rookie ranks is Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley and Italy’s Alessandra Fanali who finished fourth and T9 respectively in Ireland. Both are in the field this week and will be hoping to improve their positions in the top-10 of the standings.
HILVERSUMSCHE HOSTING AGAIN
Last but not least, this week will see a return to Hilversumsche Golf Club for the first time since the first ever Dutch Ladies Open in 1986 – won by England’s Jane Forrest.
The Harry Colt designed course offers a beautiful blend of luscious fairways and tricky heather with its signature hole coming at the par-3 14th.
With conditions warm and favourable this week, expect the victor to produce accuracy off the tee and fine wedge play.
The 54-hole Big Green Egg Open gets underway on Friday at 8:30am local time. Follow all the action on @LETGolf on Instagram and X and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube – #RaiseOurGame #BGEO.
