Mexico’s Fernanda Lira tees it up on the Ladies European Tour (LET) this week thanks to her victory at the Islantilla Open on the LET Access Series (LETAS).
The event, which took place in July, had a record prize fund for a standalone LETAS event with top players qualifying for the 2025 La Sella Open.
Lira stormed to a six-stroke victory producing rounds of 69-70-69 to win with a total of eight-under-par in Spain.
It was the first of three LETAS victories for the Mexican, who went on to win the Q-Tour Himmerland Championship Presented by Sand Spedition the following week, and last week’s Hauts de France Pas de Calais Golf Open.
“I was very happy with my win at Islantilla,” said Lira. “I wasn’t really focusing on the result back then. I was playing really well, but I was just so happy to have my husband back on the bag.
“I remember thinking regardless of what happens today, I’m just going to try and have the best day and enjoy it and try and make as many birdies, and if that gets me the win that that’s the result it’s supposed to be. I was very pleased with that.”
Lira’s husband Ryan Shuttleworth caddied for her during two of the victories, but for the third title she won without his help.
Having struggled in rookie season on the LET in 2024, the 30-year-old is proud of the learning she’s done over the past two seasons to get her in a position where she’s all-but secured her LET card again for 2026.
“I was very proud to get the win without him,” she continued. “I won on Epson Tour with him. I won on the WAPT with him and now I won two LETAS titles. I remember when he left, there was something in the back of my head that I know how good he is as a caddie, maybe I had a bit of doubt that I’d make it on my own.
“Can I make the decisions and do what he does for me when I’m by myself. I was very happy to see that. The first thing that popped into my head after winning was, it’s one without Ryan and I am so happy. It just meant I know I’m good enough to win and compete without having him there, as I have the proof. It was really rewarding to win via a playoff as well.
“Last year I struggled a lot, so it’s been more about being grateful for being able to play and calling this my job. It’s been about learning from every time that I go out on the golf course as a player and realising what works for me and trying to learn every time that I’m out there.
“I think that has helped me free up the results versus previously I wanted to control them. Last year, I wanted to continue with my card, and I just played so many weeks in a row and it was just not sustainable. I’m happy that I’ve learned through last year and this year a lot and to implement that in the future.”
Lira is looking forward to teeing it up on the LET this week at the La Sella Open, which is held at La Sella Golf Resort in Denia, Alicante.
The three-time LETAS winner has no pressure on her this week and is ultimately looking forward to being able to go back home to Mexico soon.
“This year I haven’t been home since April,” she explained. “It does change a lot, but I I’ve learned to actually rest when I need to rest. I have rest days, I practice a lot more in quality than quantity. After this event, I’ll have a couple of days with my in-laws back in England and then I’m going back to Mexico, so I’m very excited for that.
“I’m really excited. I have someone new on the bag with me this week, so I’m very excited. We’ve worked very well on the few preparation days that we’ve had. I’m excited to go out and test that and see how we work as a team during an event.
“I’m just really preparing more for next year as this is going to be one of my last events this season. I’m just trying to learn again from this and enjoy the fact that I’m able to come here and play and there’s really nothing on the line for me so that helps take some pressure off.”
Lira will tee it up in the first round at 1.50 pm (local time) alongside England’s Megan Dennis and Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt.
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