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| Pictured from left to right: Raiffeisen Manager NÖ-Wien, Veronika Haslinger, Golfclub Föhrenwald President Mag. Klaus Schneeberger, Caroline Hedwall (defending champion), Laura Davies (three time event winner), lower sports National Councillor Dr. Petra Bohuslav, UNIQA of Chairman Hartwig Löger, Novomatic Dr. Hannes Reichmann |
Players and officials gathered for an official press conference ahead of the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen on Wednesday and expressed their delight at being back at Golfclub Föhrenwald in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, for the eighth consecutive staging of the tournament on September 7-9, 2012.
Laura Davies, a three-time winner of the event in 2007, 2008 and 2010, who tied for 27th last year, said: “Like most of the girls here this week, my goal is to be in a position to win. Last year was very disappointing because it’s a course I’ve done really well on over the last few years and I hope to be back in with a chance, but that’s the same for everybody.”
When asked about her season in general, she commented: “I’ve played a lot better than I’ve scored. Most tournaments come down to the putting and mine hasn’t been good enough this year. Tee to green has been good and on a course I like, hopefully I’ll be better on the greens this week.”
Laura Davies will go for her fourth victory in Golfclub Föhrenwald with her new caddie, this year, Gerald Adams. Her former caddie Johnny Scott will caddie for Melissa Reid. Leading LET member Carly Booth is also in the field, meanwhile, the Lalla Meryem Cup champion in Morocco, Karen Lunn has withdrawn.
Caroline Hedwall, winner of the 2011 UNIQA Ladies Golf Open, is back in action after a two month hiatus and said: “I had to take a break from golf because it could lead to a fracture of my hip, so I just had to take some time off. I’ve been in the gym and eight weeks out but now I’m back and I can’t feel any pain. I haven’t played that much. I mean, like 36 holes, so I just hope to find my game and I hope that I can play some good golf this week.”
Stefanie Michl, the leading Austrian professional in the field, from Graz, said: “It’s a golf course where everybody has a chance to play good because the conditions are so good and it’s not particularly long and it’s not extremely narrow so everybody can play good. It makes it very interesting. I haven’t been playing really good but I’m trying my best and hoping to see some improvements this season to finish it off nicely and I’m hoping for that.”
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| Pictured from left to right: ÖGV President Franz Wittmann, LET Executive Director Alex Armas, Golfclub Föhrenwald President Mag. Klaus Schneeberger, Raiffeisen Manager NÖ-Wien, Veronika Haslinger, Jaqueline Hedwall, Caroline Hedwall (defending champion), Stefanie Michl, Nicole Gergely, Laura Davies (3 times winner), lower sports National Councillor Dr. Petra Bohuslav, UNIQA of Chairman Hartwig Löger, Novomatic Dr. Hannes Reichmann |
Dr. Petra Bohuslav, Lower Austria Sport Administrator, commented (through translation): “There is not that much golf on offer in Austria, but what we have is high quality. 42 clubs and 49 seats offer a variety of golf at the highest level. It is therefore not surprising that the golf elite always come to us. A study has shown that anyone watching here spends 32 euros on average and during the golf open about 900 hotel nights are booked, so that also demonstrates the economic impact.”
She continued: “At the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open, you can watch the pros up close which can help to improve your game. I wish all those involved much fun and success and above all an unforgettable golf weekend.”
Hartwig Löger, Chairman of the Board of UNIQA in Austria, said: “I have played the first nine holes here today and found a dream atmosphere and a dream place.”
On the advertising effectiveness, he continued: “For UNIQA, sport sponsorship forms an important part of our corporate culture. In addition to a focus on ski ACEs and skiing great Marlies Schild, UNIQA has also for many years been actively supporting Benjamin Raich in golf and put much commitment towards school sports.
“The women’s tournament at Golfclub Föhrenwald will be sponsored by UNIQA for the fifth time this year. We are also very proud to sponsor the Lyoness Open, the largest men’s golf tournament in the country, for the first time this year.”
Director Mag. Veronika Haslinger, Managing Director of Raiffeisen Lower Austria-Vienna, said: “For Raiffeisen sports sponsorship is the mission. Our interests lie in sports as well as in the sport. Football and skiing are known to all, but also in golf, we have a highly successful testimonial with Bernd Wiesberger. As a woman and former sportswoman I am especially pleased that we support women’s sports and in particular the Ladies Golf Open with UNIQA. We will continue in this way.”
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Pictured from left to right: Raiffeisen Manager NÖ-Wien, Veronika Haslinger, Golfclub Föhrenwald President Mag. Klaus Schneeberger, Stefanie Michl, Nicole Gergely, lower sports National Councillor Dr. Petra Bohuslav, UNIQA of Chairman Hartwig Löger, Novomatic Dr. Hannes Reichmann |
Dr. Hannes Reichmann from Novomatic said: “We are on board for the fourth time on board.” As a company with 19,000 employees it is a matter of course for us to support this event.”
Alexandra Armas, Executive Director of the Ladies European Tour, was on hand at the press conference and commented: “I am very glad to be back in Austria. This tournament is an important part of the LET schedule. I am hoping for a great tournament week with great weather and high quality entertainment.”
Franz Wittmann, ÖGV President, commented: “As President of the Austrian Golf Association you can be only proud that such an event as this had been played at Golfclub Föhrenwald for eight years. I wish everyone good luck and a great tournament.”
Klaus Schneeberger, President of Golfclub Föhrenwald, said: “It is the eighth time that we have managed to get 108 of the best golfers in Europe to Lower Austria and for this, our hearty thanks go to the sponsors. The importance of this sports event for the region of Lower Austria is tremendous. That these stars always enjoy coming here is a great compliment to Golfclub Föhrenwald. We thank the green keepers, under the leadership of Wayne Beasley, the English Green keeping perfectionist, for their preparatory work for this tournament. In addition, we must recognise the volunteers who give 5000 hours to make the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen work seamlessly. A tournament of this magnitude would be impossible without their contribution. For this one must say officially: a big thank you.
“I would like to say, on behalf of Golfclub Föhrenwald, how particularly pleasing it is that, in particular, the young have become hooked. We have 70 enthusiastic young members at the club now and our recently held club championships have provided the best evidence for this pleasing progress.”
Schedule for the UNIQA ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen:
Thursday, September 6
07.30-9.00 Pro Am
11.30 am-1.30 pm Pro Am
20.00 Gala dinner with Pro Am prize giving, Arena Nova, Wiener Neustadt
Friday, September 7
8 Am day 1 of the UNIQA ladies Golf Open
Saturday, September 8
8 am day 2 of the UNIQA ladies Golf Open (cut)
8.30 pm player party in the VIP Hall of the GC pine forest
Sunday, September 9
8 am final day of the UNIQA ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen
4pm Award ceremony on hole-18
Ticket prices and prices for VIP tickets:
Thursday, September 6
Free admission for adults and children
Friday, September 7
Free admission for adults and children,
VIP ticket for adults €100.-, VIP ticket children 7 to 17 years € 35.
Saturday, September 8
Adults € 10.-, children under 6 years free admission
VIP ticket for adults €100.-, VIP ticket for children 7-17 years € 35.
Sunday, September 9
Adults €10.-, children under 6 years free admission
VIP ticket for adults € 100, VIP ticket for children 7 to 17 years € 35
