The Ladies European Tour is heading to Vasatorp Golf Club in Sweden for the Helsingborg Open.
Vasatorp Golf Club boasts two 18 hole courses as well as two 9 hole courses, and it is the aptly named TC, (Tournament Course), on which the players will compete for the €250,000 prize fund this week. With its mixture of both links style and tree lined fairways and up to six tee boxes per hole, the tournament staff have a lot of options open to them when it comes to course set up.
The third rendition of the tournament features both of the previous winners, 2013-champion, Australia’s Rebecca Artis, who clearly likes the course as she finished second last year to 2014 victor, Dewi-Claire Schreefel of the Netherlands.
Artis and Schreefel will compete alongside 17 other recent tournament champions for the trophy as well as a strong field of rookies including current leader in the Rookie of the Year order of merit, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and her Danish compatriot, Emily Kristine Pedersen.
The star of the show, however, will be Helsingborg local and Solheim Cup winner, Caroline Hedwall, who became the first player in the history of The Solheim Cup to win all five matches during the 2013 tournament in Colorado.
European team Captain Carin Koch announced Hedwall as a Captain’s Pick last Tuesday, and Caroline was clearly delighted by the news. “I am full of confidence, pumped and ready to go,” she said.
Hedwall was just pipped to the post by Artis in 2013 and tied for 14th last year and clearly likes the course. “It suits my eye, and also it is so nice to be playing at home.”
Another Helsingborg local, LET rookie, Johanna Bjork began her golfing career at the age of 5 at Vasatorps Golf Club and has played in both the previous editions of the event with her best finish being tied 14th last year.
Spanish amateur, Ana Palaez, who will be playing in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup in two weeks time makes her debut on the Ladies European Tour and will be looking to previous Solheim Cup champions like Hedwall and Italian, Giulia Sergas for inspiration during the week. Palaez, 17, from Malaga, has had a successful 2015 season so far winning both the 2015 Annika Invitational and the European Girls Team Championship and is clearly a player to look out for in the future.
Good galleries are expected at the tournament; as there is a sizeable and knowledgeable golfing following in Sweden, however if you can’t get to the course to watch, the weekend action will be broadcast live on television.
