WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE 2023 LET SEASON SO FAR

The 2023 Ladies European Tour (LET) season is set to resume next week with the Jabra Ladies Open after a break over the last few weeks.

It was a busy start to the year with six tournaments taking place in February and March and there have been different winners at each one.

Before the LET gets going again, let’s get you up to speed on what happened earlier this year…

India’s Aditi Ashok triumphed at the 2023 Magical Kenya Ladies Open winning the tournament by nine shots to secure her fourth LET title. The two-time Olympian produced the wire-to-wire victory at Vipingo Ridge where a round of 74 (+1) on the final day was enough to win. It was Ashok’s first trip to the winner’s circle on the LET since 2017 and she had her father Gudlamani on the bag throughout the week.

Ashok said: “It has been a great week, it’s proof to myself that my off-season and hard work has paid off. I think that hole [the eighth] doesn’t suit my eye so I didn’t play it that well today, but after that I think I got back into my rhythm and just kept hitting fairways and greens. The last few holes, I didn’t make many good swings but it’s okay, I guess! That was cool to have the giraffes there, it’s definitely different and part of the experience of playing in Kenya.”

Sweden’s Maja Stark saw off a star-studded leaderboard to win by four shots at the Lalla Meryem Cup and land a sixth LET title. The Swedish star led going into the final round but had to see off a fierce comeback from compatriot Linn Grant, who finished second, and India’s Aditi Ashok to triumph by four shots in Morocco.

Stark said: “I was very nervous for the whole round. I get a little bit passive when people are catching up so that wasn’t the best thing in the world. The birdie on 14 was important because I could see Linn was making some birdies. I try not to look at the scoreboard, but I could see her draining putts and I thought ‘shoot I really need to keep going!’ Making that putt then gave me a little bit more momentum. I just kept going, kept being aggressive, and in the end, I think that’s what’s did it.” 

Lydia Ko fired a final round of 68 (-4) to triumph and record a one-shot victory at the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund. The world number one shot rounds of 64, 69 and 66 on the first three days and started with a birdie on the final day before dropping a shot on the second. However, another birdie on the sixth and three on the back nine were enough for Ko to win the title for the second time.

Ko said: “I’m two for two on this golf course. Clearly something is going for me! This is a golf course where, in the last few days and when I played in 2021, there were a few players that went from the back that would shoot low scores, so I just wanted to focus on my game. I don’t think I was setting myself up for a lot of birdie opportunities on the front nine, but I knew that every hole could be a birdie opportunity, so it was that mindset and I wanted to be aggressive. The 18th hole was a lot uglier than I would have liked to picture, but in the end it’s definitely nice to get the win this week.”

England’s Lily May Humphreys fired a fantastic final round of 67 (-6) to secure a two-shot victory at the Joburg Ladies Open. The 20-year-old began the day six shots behind overnight leader Moa Folke and got off to a good start with two birdies in her first two holes before her only dropped shot of the day on the third. Humphreys then got on a roll with birdies on five, eight, 13 and 14 which put her into a share of the lead. The 2021 LET Access Series Order of Merit winner then rolled in a birdie on 16 to reach a total of 12-under-par which proved to be enough to win her first LET title.

Humphreys said: “I’m pretty speechless. I felt so nervous playing 18 and I just can’t believe I’ve done it. It’s an incredible feeling and I’m so overwhelmed right now. Today was simple golf, I stuck to the same game plan. I wasn’t as aggressive as other people on a few holes, it was what I felt comfortable with and what I felt was best for me and it obviously paid off for me this week. I stuck to my game plan and tried to play my best golf. I’m really excited about the rest of the season, I’m really looking forward to what’s to come!”

Ashleigh Buhai fired a final round of 68 (-4) to win the 2023 Investec South African Women’s Open at Steenberg Golf Club. The South African superstar had held a four-shot lead since the midway mark and maintained that advantage on the final day. Buhai rolled in six birdies and two bogeys on the fourth day of competition to seal her fifth LET title with a score of 22-under-par and win this tournament for the fourth time.

Buhai said: “I’m over the world right now. I’m ecstatic to have got the job done. My goal was to come in here and win this week. I tried to play it down because it’s a lot of pressure and I knew it was going to be difficult. Now, I’ve got it done and over the line I’m really happy. It’s always important for me to try and play the Investec SA Women’s Open when I can, unfortunately the scheduling didn’t work out in the last few years with it moving due to Covid but I’m happy even though it was at the end of a four-week run. I was a little tired at the beginning of the week but obviously, now I’m thrilled I was able to come back and play it.”

Team Wolf triumphed at the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund – Singapore as they recorded a final round of 14-under-par to clinch a one-stroke victory. After starting the day one shot behind leaders Team Young, Christine Wolf, Casandra Alexander, Eleanor Givens and amateur Katsuko Blalock back up their great first round with another excellent day on the golf course. It was a fast front nine as the Team soared to a score of -26 with nine holes left to play, but despite it being more of a struggle on the back nine Alexander rolled in the crucial birdie on 18 to seal victory with a total of 29-under-par.

Wolf said: “We all knew we needed a birdie on the last few holes and thank god the girls pulled through. They’ve all played really well for the whole two days and I couldn’t be prouder!”

Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund – Singapore (Individual)

Laguna National Golf Resort Club, Singapore

March 16-18, 2023

Pauline Roussin fired a sensational round of 64 (-8) to seal a four-shot victory at the Aramco Team Series presented by Public Investment Fund – Singapore. The 22-year-old had a flawless final day at Laguna National Golf Resort Club where she rolled in eight birdies on the final day. It took until the seventh hole for the Frenchwoman to make her first birdie, but she then rolled in four consecutively on holes nine through to 13. Roussin got on another roll making three birdies on the trot on holes 14, 15 and 16 to reach a total of 15-under-par and win the Individual crown in Singapore.

Roussin said: “Honestly, I was just surfing the wave that was just happening. We kept it very chill with my caddie, my boyfriend, and we just talked about TV shows and what to watch, what not to watch. It kept me in a really good place during the entire round, and then it was unfortunate that I hit that tree, but it doesn’t even matter now! I don’t think I have realised just yet. It’s special. I had my first win with my mum on the bag and she’s here this week and my coach is here as well, so it’s very special and having my boyfriend on the bag.”