After a sensational week in Spain, the Ladies European Tour (LET) is in Italy this week for the 2026 Buccellati Ladies Italian Open, which is the 28th edition of Italy’s national women’s Open, to be played from September 25-27 at Golf Club Milano.
The Italian Golf Federation has signed an agreement for renowned jewellery brand Buccellati to become the title sponsor for the first time. The event will combine sport and lifestyle, with Milan Fashion Week taking place at the same time as the competition.
A field of 120 players from 33 nationalities will be taking part, including 14 Italian players.
They include Buccellati ambassador Alessandra Fanali, who finished joint second in last week’s La Sella Open, Alessia Nobilio, Anna Zanusso and Roberta Liti.
Fanali, 26, from Fiuggi, who represented Italy at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, said: “I’m really excited for the week. I was trying not to think about it too much, but it’s going to be a good test. I’m excited to see how it’s going to go.”
The Italian players will be chasing their first ever victory in the competition. So far, five second-place finishes have been achieved, by Silvia Cavalleri (2000 and 2002), Veronica Zorzi (2005), Giulia Sergas (2011), and Alessandra Fanali, who, as an amateur in 2022, was defeated in a play-off by Morgane Metraux in a three-way tie that also featured England’s Meghan MacLaren. In the last edition in 2024, won by England’s Amy Taylor at the Golf Nazionale in Sutri, the best Italian result was achieved by Francesca Fiorellini, who finished third and was awarded the title of best amateur in the competition. The two-time PING Junior Solheim Cup player is one of three amateurs in the field this week.
There will be eight LET winners from this season competing. The 2026 winners include Charlotte Heath (La Sella Open), Order of Merit leader Casandra Alexander from South Africa, (KPMG Women’s Irish Open), Eleanor Givens from England (VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open), Noora Komulainen, (Tipsport Czech Ladies Open), Aunchisa Utama (Dutch Ladies Open), Smilla Tarning Soenderby (MCB Ladies Classic), Agathe Laisné (Ford Women’s NSW Open and Joburg Ladies Open) and Kelsey Bennett (Australian Women’s Classic).
Founded in 1928, Golf Club Milano has hosted numerous national and international championships, as well as nine editions of the Italian Open: 1951 (J. Adams), 1952 (E. Brown), 1956 (A Cerdà), 1981 (J.M. Cañizares), 1984 (S. Lyle), 1990 (R. Boxall), 2015 (R. Karlberg), 2016 (F. Molinari), and 2017 (T. Hatton). The three courses, which wind through the Royal Park of Monza, cover an area of nearly 700 hectares, perfectly integrating into nature and its biodiversity.
Play gets under way on Friday 25th September and the winner will be crowned on Sunday. A purse of €350,000 is on offer in the 24th event of the 2026 season, with a first prize cheque for €52,500.
All the action throughout the week can also be followed on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook – #ladiesitalianopen.
