By Alex Myers
Cheyenne Woods was involved in a bizarre rules situation at a U.S. Women’s Open qualifier on Monday. Fortunately, this one had a happy ending.

Woods and a playing partner mistakenly hit each other’s golf balls during their first-round at Spring Lake (N.J.) Golf Club, resulting in a two-stroke penalty. Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols reported the mixup happened on the par-4 seventh hole.

“Honestly, I feel like the penalty really dialled in my focus and got me a little angry,” Woods told Nichols, “where I just wanted to just play my way in.”

Woods did just that, birdieing the next two holes and recording an opening 73 in the 36-hole event. She made five birdies during an afternoon 69 to earn medalist honours by five shots despite spotting the field those two penalty strokes.

Pure brilliance today from @Cheyenne_Woods, who fired 2-under to become medalist at our @uswomensopen Qualifier at Spring Lake GC!

This will be her FIFTH appearance in the #USWomensOpen. See you at @TheOlympicClub! ? pic.twitter.com/LkXkXPDgnj

— NJSGA (@NJSGA1900) May 11, 2021

Megha Ganne earned the second available spot at the qualifying site via a playoff with Leigha Devine and Savannah Vilaubi.

The 2021 U.S. Women’s Open will be held June 3-6 at the Olympic Club. This will be the fifth time Woods, the niece of 15-time major champ Tiger Woods, will play in the event.

“With my conditional status on the LPGA,” Woods told Nichols, “I don’t really have many opportunities to play. I’m very grateful for the ones I get.”

Woods has played in just one LPGA event this year, missing the cut at last month’s LOTTE Championship. The 30-year-old has one career win on the Ladies European Tour.

The post Cheyenne Woods overcomes wrong-ball penalty to qualify for U.S. Women’s Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic hasn’t gone to script for Cheyenne Woods but there was some sweet relief early in her final round on Friday.

With a sweetly struck six iron from 169 yards on the par-3 second hole at The Faldo, the Pro-Am’s drawcard invitee produced the first ace of the new-look Ladies European Tour event.

It was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging week at Emirates Golf Club for the niece of you know who. Rounds of 77-76 saw Woods start her final round at  +9, 18 shots adrift of co-leaders Esther Henseleit and Nuria Iturrios and third to last among the 56 professionals.

RELATED: Back to back for Nuria Iturrios?

The hole-in-one saw Woods improve to -7 with 16 holes to keep the improved momentum going. Sadly her perfect shot didn’t come on either of the Faldo’s 8th or 17th holes where a watch from the title sponsor and a new two-door BMW sportscar are still up for grabs.

Henseleit (Germany) and Iturrios (Spain) begin their final rounds in the company of third-placed Olivia Cowan (Germany) at 2.25pm.

The post Cheyenne Woods gets final round of Moonlight Classic into swing with early ace appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Cheyenne Woods can’t avoid the inevitable association with Uncle Tiger but can control her own story and intends making this week’s chapter memorable.

By Kent Gray
It’s not easy living in the colossal shadow cast by arguably the greatest golfer that ever lived. Which is exactly why Cheyenne Woods doesn’t attempt to despite the unavoidable association where and whenever she tees it up.

Like the rest of us, the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic drawcard will forever remember where she was when Tiger Woods captured his 15th and perhaps most impressive major title at Augusta National last month. Unlike the rest of us, her story speaks volumes of the determination to make her own mark in professional golf.

“I was actually in Hawaii playing a qualifier [for the LPGA Tour’s Lotte Championship in Oahu]. I teed off while he was still playing so I missed everything,” the 28-year-old old revealed on the eve of the $285,000 Ladies European Tour event at Emirates Golf Club.

Cheyenne Woods, like most of the rest of the sporting world, was thrilled for her uncle, catching a replay of Tiger’s march up 18 at Augusta and the immediate, emotional aftermath soon after she had finished her own round. “But I was playing my own event…”

Just like Tiger, Cheyenne also likes to win. She mightn’t be anywhere near as prolific as Uncle Big Cat but has arrived in Dubai with a simple mission despite limited golf given her conditional status in the U.S. – after missing the cut in two events in Australia in February her next start on the LPGA Tour will likely not be before next month’s the ShopRite Classic.

“Definitely another win,” was the Arizona native’s succinct response when asked her ambition for this week’s new-look Pro-Am on the Faldo course.

“A goal of mine is to win on the LPGA Tour. My first win was on the European Tour so if I can get another win, whether it is on this tour or wherever, it just encourages and helps build confidence overall.”

Winning the world’s first day-night professional tournament to go with her maiden LET win at the 2014 Australian Ladies Masters is easier said than achieved of course. Quite aside from being undercooked in terms of tournament play (her only other main tour start this year was at the LET’s Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in January where she finished 15th), Woods will be confronted by some in-form competition this week.

Spaniard Nuria Iturrios has just gone to No.1 in the Order-of-Merit standings after claiming her second LET title at last week’s Lalla Meryem Cup. Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord won her fourth LET crown in Australia in February and was tied 4th in Rabat, while 23-year-old Englishwoman Meghan MacLaren successfully defended her NSW Open title in March and went close to upstaging the men with a runner-up finish at the new Jordan Mixed Open.

Throw in the likes of Caroline Hedwall – the highest ranked player in the field at No.128 – 2017 Solheim Cuppers Emily Kristine Pedersen and Florentyna Parker, former money list winners Beth Allen and Becky Brewerton and LET life-member Trish Johnson, the 53-year-old, 18-time LET winner from Bristol, and the test for Woods is crystal clear.

And just like you know who, Woods is talking positively.

“With my status on LPGA, I’ve been doing a lot of Monday qualifiers so I haven’t played as much as I would have liked. But I’ve had a lot of time to work on my game and I’m just really excited for the year and this, for me, is a kind of kick start to get back into a more consistent schedule and playing more tournament golf.

“I feel like I’m playing really well, just putting the pieces together. I feel like mentally, physically, I’m in a really good place to play some really great golf so the more I play, the closer I think I’ll get to where I want to be.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#tbt Looking forward to heading back to Dubai next week! @emiratesgc @omegagolfdubai

A post shared by Cheyenne Woods (@cheyenne_woods) on Apr 25, 2019 at 10:48am PDT

Woods has played Dubai twice before, earning shares of 20th and 10th place at the then Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2014 and 2016 respectively. But that was on the Majlis course and there were no excited Pro-Am partners or night holes to contemplate.

“It will be a very new challenge but I’m excited. I think it’s a great event for golf. I think these formats keep the fans interested and it’s good for us too just having a different experience playing.“

With that, Woods set off for a practice round on the Faldo. But not before the inevitable questions about Tiger. Sorry to ask, but you must have been excited?

“We’ve seen Tiger at his best and Tiger at his worst and to see him come full circle and win again at the highest level, it’s not something you see very often, or ever in the sports world at that level. So it was just a very special moment to see him on the course and then you see the personal side behind the scenes with the emotion.

“Yeah, it was just so exciting to see, so exciting the whole world came together and cheered for him knowing how far he’s come.”

A very, very long way indeed. But for the other Woods, it’s not an epic comeback, rather the journey ahead that’s more exciting, starting from the Faldo’s first tee at 8.30am today.

The post #ODMC2019: Out of Tiger’s shadow, Cheyenne Woods heads into the Dubai night appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

A star-studded cast are aiming for the new Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic title. Welcome to a new floodlit dawn for the LET event.

By Kent Gray
Bright new lights. Refocused cameras. Unbeatable, fan-friendly action.

Welcome to a new dawn for Dubai’s celebrated Ladies European Tour (LET) stop, a ground-breaking pathway to the future of women’s professional golf in the emirate which will be illuminated, partially at least, by the snazzy new LED floodlights on the Faldo layout at Emirates Golf Club.

The $285,000 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic is the 13th edition of Dubai’s revered LET stop but nothing like the 72-hole strokeplay championships that have preceded it. A new 54-hole, Pro-Am format, a new course and the chance to showcase Dubai’s extended golf season to the world courtesy of Emirates G.C.’s night golf offering, complete with that glittering Dubai Marina backdrop.

Meghan MacLaren, third in the LET Order of Merit standings after last week’s €450,000 Lalla Meryem Cup in the Moroccan capital of Rabat, has welcomed the change of tack.

“Anytime that golf tries to innovate it creates a bit of a buzz which I think is exactly what the game needs,” MacLaren said. “Hopefully the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic means a few more people will be paying attention just to see something different happening. The playing level is and always will be there, so it’s about forcing people to sit up and take notice.”

Tristan Jones/LET

MacLaren has her heart set on winning this season’s OOM title and has made a fine start with four top-10s in seven starts highlighted by the successful defence of her NSW Open title and runner-up finish in the pioneering Jordan Mixed Open.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman won’t be satisfied with her T-28 placing in Rabat, however, and will be confronted by another quality field this week including new Lalla Meryem Cup champion Nuria Iturrios.

Cheyenne Woods, the niece of you-know who, is the headline invitee and will be hoping to better her share of 20th and 10th places when she played the then Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) finished tied 4th in Rabat while 2017 Solheim Cuppers Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark) and Florentyna Parker (England), former money list winners Beth Allen (USA) and Becky Brewerton (Wales) and LET life-member Trish Johnson, the 53-year-old, 18-time LET winner from Bristol, will also be watched closely.

Throw into the mix 24-year-old former world amateur No.1 Leona Maguire and the Irishwoman’s twin Lisa, Caroline Hedwall – the highest ranked player in the field at No.128 – and the likes of Sophie Lamb, Scot Carly Booth and Spaniard Emma Cabrera Bello, and the winner of the inaugural Moonlight Classic is a tough pick.

There’s the also not inconsiderable night-time factor to, well, factor in. Each of the professionals will play at least nine holes of one of their opening two rounds under the Faldo’s powerful new floodlights.

“The idea of playing under floodlights is pretty cool. I’ve always enjoyed going to watch evening football matches more than ones in the day so hopefully golf will be the same,” MacLaren said. “Even though the golf will be the same, I imagine it might affect our perception of distance and also green reading a little bit. Trusting yourself will probably be the most important thing. It’ll be a different experience for all of us but one that I think will create even more engagement which, for women’s golf in particular, is a great thing.”

Fan engagement is exactly what the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic is all about. With no live television cover (there will be a highlights package beamed worldwide post event), the only way to watch the action is to wander the Faldo’s pristine fairways. And the only thing better than being outside the ropes is to be one of the lucky 168 amateurs involved in the Pro-Am portion of the new event tomorrow and Thursday. It will be a fascinating battle within the battle at Emirates G.C. in what is an exciting new chapter for Dubai Golf and the LET. Lights, cameras…action!

The post #ODMC2019: Dubai’s bright new night vision for women’s golf appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Cheyenne Woods will chase her second Ladies European Tour (LET) title at the new-look Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic early next month.

The 28-year-old niece of new Masters champion Tiger Woods has been confirmed for the 54-hole, Pro-Am event which will be played, partially at least, under the new LED floodlights on the Faldo course at Emirates Golf Club from May 1-3.

It will be Woods’ third tilt at the Dallah trophy after she finished tied 20th at the then Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2014 and shared 10th place in 2016 with rounds of 68-73-72.

The world No. 285, who placed 15th at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach in January, is one of the Moonlight Classic’s highest-profile signings. She joins current LET money leader Marianne Skarpnord (Norway), 2017 Solheim Cuppers Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark) and Florentyna Parker (England), former money list winners Beth Allen (USA) and Becky Brewerton (Wales) and LET life-member Trish Johnson. The 53-year-old from Bristol is an 18-time winner on tour.

World No. 133 Caroline Hedwall, who has won eight LET titles heading into this week’s €450,000 Lalla Meryem Cup in Rabat, Morocco, is the highest rated player in the official Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings headed for the $285,000 Moonlight Classic in Dubai.

We’ve got a star studded line up for the Moonlight Classic ??

Join us for FREE from 1-3 May to see some of the finest @letgolf players take part in the world’s FIRST day-night tournament!!

You do not want to miss this ?‍#ODMC pic.twitter.com/dhFyb2YBLL

— OMEGA Golf Dubai (@OMEGAGolfDubai) April 16, 2019

Woods has won two professionals titles, the most notable coming at the 2014 Australian Ladies Masters on Queensland’s Golf Coast. She played four LET events last season with her 8th placing at the Vic Open one of her four top 10s from 38 starts on the world’s second largest ladies circuit. She has recorded two top 10s on the LPGA Tour.

“We are delighted to welcome Cheyenne back to Dubai for the new Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic,” said out-going Tournament Director David Spencer. “She is an extremely talented golfer and is always a crowd favourite. To have Cheyenne playing alongside the strong field of confirmed amateurs and professionals will make this year’s tournament extra special and we wish her the best of luck.”

There will also be much interest in the performance of 24-year-old former world amateur No.1 Leona Maguire and the Irishwoman’s twin Lisa who was born 15 minutes earlier than Leona. Other names include Englishwoman Meghan MacLaren and Sophie Lamb, Scot Carly Booth and Spaniard Emma Cabrera Bello, the sister of Dubai-domiciled European Ryder Cupper Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Carly will be with us on the 1st May … will you? ?@CarlyBooth92 #ODMC pic.twitter.com/8edo5zkCl7

— OMEGA Golf Dubai (@OMEGAGolfDubai) April 17, 2019

American Angel Yin, who won the last Omega Dubai Ladies Classic on the Majlis course at Emirates G.C. in December 2017, will not return to defend her title.

The post Woods Dubai-bound as Moonlight Classic field finalised appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
An inexplicable four-putt on the penultimate hole made it tighter than it needed to be but Aditi Ashok held her nerve to clinch the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open on Saturday.

A clutch par on 18 at Saadiyat Beach G.C. saw the 19-year-old Indian close with a 69 to edge Englishwoman Georgia Hall by a stoke to bank €70,787 for her third Ladies European Tour title in just her second season as a professional.

Ashok enjoyed a three shot lead standing on the 17th tee even after Hall had birdied the par 3 in the group ahead. But the Bangalore teen somehow conspired to four putt for a double bogey. It meant she needed to par the testing 72nd hole to hold onto her (two stroke)overnight lead and she duly delivered.

Here’s the shot the sealed the deal on a drama-filled day in Abu Dhabi:

What a time to play a shot like this from @aditigolf on the 18th @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/dJqoqKAKxk

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

“It wasn’t really nerves,” Ashok said of the potentially disastrous blip on 17. “I think I just lapsed for a bit and made a four-putt. I was playing okay all day, but didn’t make as many birdie putts as I wanted to. I’m just glad I came out on top.”

After back-to-back wins in Indian and Qatar to seal the LET Rookie of the Year title last season, Ashok’s first year on the LPGA Tour in the U.S. has been a steep learning curve with just one top-10 and seven missed cuts in 20 starts.

But her talent is undeniable as shots like this during the final round highlight:

Seriously, how good is this from @aditigolf @FBMLadiesOpen ?????? pic.twitter.com/8Vio0L41YG

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

There was also wedge play like this as Ashok rattled off four rounds in the 60s – 67-66-68-69 – to finish -18:

.@aditigolf wedge game @FBMLadiesOpen ?????? pic.twitter.com/Zg0vKx8pCN

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

Here’s the final standings:

Final @FBMLadiesOpen leaderboard.

All scores: https://t.co/1jQAQYoA0Z pic.twitter.com/H6Xf3t1aly

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

“I had my game plan and wasn’t too aggressive,” Ashok said. “I just kept giving myself birdie putts and that was the plan on 17 as well. I don’t know how I ended up four-putting and I did the same on 18, gave myself a birdie putt and it didn’t go in, so I guess that was the story of my putting today, but the birdies in the middle helped.”

It was the second successive year Hall, who closed with a flawless six-under 66, has had to settle for second after the Solheim Cupper finished three behind Beth Allen at the inaugural FBMLO.

“I’m a little bit disappointed because I thought I needed an eight-under today and I was ticking the shots off in my head. I hit the ball great all week, but I putted poorly and didn’t hole anything today…All my birdie chances were inside 10 feet,” Hall told the LET.

“Aditi played great again and managed to get a par on the last, so well done to her.”

Hall was unaware of the drama unfolding behind her and it ultimately played into Ashok’s hands down the last as the Englishwoman over-cooked her approach to set up this chip she needed to hole to force a likely playoff:

This for @georgiahall96 to level with @aditigolf on -18 @FBMLadiesOpen …. pic.twitter.com/mx17EHYnLj

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

“I played one of the best long games I have played all year but the putts weren’t going in and I was in between clubs on the last hole and went for the longer one. Maybe a bit of adrenaline went through me and I hit it too long but I made a good up and down.

“As far as I knew, I thought Aditi was 20-under so I was three behind going down the last, so I didn’t think I had a chance. If I had known, then maybe things would have been different.”

Swede Camilla Lennarth signed for a 67 to finish third on -16, a shot ahead of Cheyenne Woods who closed with a two-under 70.

.@aditigolf wins the 2017 @FBMLadiesOpen on -18 & lands her third LET title. Another extremely impressive display ?????? pic.twitter.com/ytyZwiwpW2

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 4, 2017

The post Ashok four-putts penultimate hole but holds on for third LET title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

What the Saadiyat Beach faithful probably didn’t see coming next was back-to-back victories, by a shot in front of her home fans at the Hero Women’s Indian Open and then by three at the Qatar Ladies Open to sew up Rookie-of-the-Year honours and second spot in the overall order-of-merit.

Fast-forward 12 months and nobody will be surprised if Ashok goes on to collect a third Ladies European Tour title at Saadiyat on Saturday. The girl from Bangalore added a 68 Friday to her earlier loops of 67-66 to move to -15 and establish a two-shot buffer over Cheyenne Woods.

England’s Ellie Givens fired a flawless eight-under 64 to soar up to a share of third place with Lee-Anne Pace after the South African, who led through the first 36 holes, went backwards with an even par 72.

Ashok plays golf beyond her years but even the seemingly nerveless teen will be very aware of the name nearest to her on the leaderboard. Being stalked by Cheyenne Woods isn’t quite the same as when uncle Tiger is on the prowl, but its scary enough.

“It’s good that I have a two-stroke lead,” Ashok told Ladies European Tour. “But there are several players within two or three shots and a low round is very possible on this course so I’ll need to play well tomorrow.”

After a 3rd round 68 (-4) @aditigolf takes a 2 shot lead on -15 going into the final day @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/DPJUmIOGkn

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 3, 2017

She’ll be hoping for more consistency than Friday when she mixed seven birdies with three bogeys.

“I was hitting it well on the range and I had a feeling that I could have a few birdie chances. I was five-under on the front nine but there were a couple of mistakes on the back which could have been avoided. Four-under is still good.”

A day after her first pro hole-in-one, Woods played shots like this en-route to five birdies:

.@Cheyenne_Woods going close to another hole-in-one on the 12th @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/Dimfb6CCpD

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 3, 2017

This closing birdie was class too and edged the 27-year-old American closer to a second LET title after her pro breakthrough at the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters in Australia in 2014.

.@Cheyenne_Woods birdies 18 for a round of 68 (-4) & moves to -13 @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/c8gLdiK8Bo

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 3, 2017

“I had a pretty solid round altogether, played well from start to finish and gave myself lots of birdie chances, as I just wanted to be up there with the leaders. I am ready for tomorrow and excited for what it will bring”.

Cheyenne Woods.

Pace, a nine-time winner on the LET, was left “very frustrated” but is still only three back on a course that is giving up plenty of birdies.

“I didn’t think I played that badly but I left myself in some bad positions so decision-making wasn’t the best, especially hitting over the green on 18 and dropping one there,” the 36-year-old said after her 72.

“It wasn’t ideal but a quick start tomorrow and I could get there. I had a lot of downhill putts and short-sided myself. They were not easy putts to make.”

How things stand after day 3 @FBMLadiesOpen.

All scores: https://t.co/1jQAQY6Z9r pic.twitter.com/iU6n0c0VrV

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 3, 2017

The post Ashok eyes third Ladies European Tour title but there’s a scary name prowling appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

South African Lee-Anne Pace somehow achieved just that with a second successive 66 at Saadiyat Beach to hold onto her overnight lead at the halfway stage of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open.

The 36-year-old is -12 through 36-holes of the Ladies European Tour event, a shot clear of reigning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok after the Indian teen matched Pace’s 66.

Lee-Ann Pace

Luna Sobron soared 73 places up the leaderboard with a 62 that eclipsed the old course record by two shots and shares third at -9 with Swede Camilla Lennarth (65) and Cheyenne Woods who holed out with a seven iron from 161 yards on the 6th en-route to a 66. It wasn’t the only pure shot the American hit in the second round either:

Who said long bunker shots were tough?! @Cheyenne_Woods giving a masterclass @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/DNtaouXHZ3

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

Related: Luna Sobron rockets into contention at FBMLO with course record 62

“It feels great,” Pace said of remaining atop the leaderboard.

“I remembered the course better today but I struck the ball really nicely too. I hit the shots I wanted to hit and I hit it really close to the pin and made the putts.

“Tomorrow I’d like to start the way I did today, and be a bit patient, as patience helps you to do a lot. I had some chances which I didn’t take but in the end I’m pretty satisfied.”

Luna Sobron en-route to her course record 62.

Ashok is ominously poised.

“I feel I’m hitting the ball well enough, though I missed a couple of drives left. But apart from that I struck the ball pretty well. My putting has been pretty good too, so I’m happy,” said the 19-year-old from Bengaluru.

“I’m still bogey free and everyone is mentioning it. I’m just focusing on hitting the fairways and letting the birdies happen.”

Georgia Hall shot an impressive 67 to finish at -8 in joint fifth place with fellow Englishwoman Florentyna Parker, Celine Herbin (France) and Swede Linda Wessberg.

.@georgiahall96 so close to a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th hole @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/M9Uw23ds6k

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

It was a tough day for Marianne Skarpnord as Norway’s rising star dropped to -2  while fan favourite Carly Booth shot another 72 to finish even and miss the cut – made at -1 – by one shot.

Defending champ Beth Allen also has an unwanted weekend off after adding a disappointing 76 to her opening 73 to finisb +5.  Her tweet afterwards summed up the America’s feelings:

What a world class event here at @SaadiyatBeachGC for @FBMLadiesOpen. Gutted to have put up such a terrible defense. #nextyear

— Beth Allen (@BethAllenGolf) November 2, 2017

Full scores here

The post Pace persists as Woods and Luna left over the moon at FBMLO appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Lee-Anne Pace has a surname tailor made for the top of golf leaderboards, not to mention easy/cheesy headlines. She’s also a pace-setter with a game that ensures her full name regularly gets engraved on important trophies.

The 36-year-old South African set a cracking early mark at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open Wednesday with an opening six-under 66 at Saadiyat Beach G.C.

She’ll take a one stroke advantage into Thursday over six players – Jenny Haglund (Sweden), Marianne Skarpnord (Norway), Amy Boulden (Wales), Isa Gabsa (Germany), Aditi Ashok (India) and Florentyna Parker (England) – after a red number day in Abu Dhabi where 55 players bettered par.

Pace, who mainly plys her trade on the LPGA Tour in the United States, is playing the FBMLO for the first time but remains one of the Ladies European Tour’s marquee stars.

Her breakout year in 2010 was nothing short of sensational – five wins, the order-of-merit title and Players’ Player-of-the-Year honours courtesy of 92 percent of the vote. She’s added four more LET titles since, the last in 2014 at her home South Africa Open, the same year she captured her thus far sole LPGA title at the LPGA Blue Bay in China.

The world No.97 started the 2017 LPGA season with a bang with a fourth placing at February’s Honda LPGA Thailand and backed it up with another top 10 and three more top 20s in her next four starts. Her form dipped thereafter – she finished 88th in the CME Globe Rankings – but has come good in her last two LET starts with a share of second in Spain in September and a T-16 at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France last month.

She rode a hot putter Wednesday at Gary Player’s ocean-front layout, a course she sees as ripe for the picking.

“It’s the first time that I’ve played here and the par fives are definitely reachable. I messed one up, the 15^th, where I went into the water, but I managed a par there,” said Pace who mixed seven birdies (two of them on par 5s) against a lone bogey on the tough 16th.

“It wasn’t perfect but I did make a lot of putts and seven birdies is quite nice. I played nicely, hit 14 greens and made quite a few putts for par saves, so the putter was working.”

Parker looked set to join Pace atop the leaderboard but the Solheim Cupper bogeyed the 18th to settle for a 67. It was a top start too for 24-year-old Haglund, the current Rookie-of-the Year leader and Ashok who won that honour last year while Boulden will be buoyed by the fast start after the frustration of failing to advance from the second stage of LPGA Tour Q-School in Florida last month.

Cheyenne Woods is poised just three shots back after a 69, alongside Georgia Hall who is third on the LET money list but in pole position to win the OOM title as leader Anna Nordqvist and second-placed In-Kyung Kim have not played the requisite five events to qualify. Kim, the reigning Women’s British Open champion, is scheduled to play the season ending Omega Dubai Ladies Classic but that will only bring her up to four events.

Hall hinted at a fast start with Boulden and friends at Yas Marina on the eve of the tournament. Check out the great LET promo – and some priceless expressions – here:

American Beth Allen opened her title defence with a one over 73 which included a topsy-turvy double bogey, bogey, par, chip-in birdie finish while new European Solheim Cup captain Catrions Matthew signed for a one-under 71 and Dame Laura Davies an even par 72. Even par is already to the projected cut line.

Solheim Cup rookie Mel Reid withdrew from the tournament with a back injury after opening with a 77.

The post Lee-Anne sets sizzling Pace at Saadiyat Beach

 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Two days after Tiger announced his latest comeback at next month’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Cheyenne is right in the mix at the $550,000 Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open after an opening 69 left her just two shots off the pace at Saadiyat Beach G.C. on Wednesday.

The three under-loop continues a late season renaissance that has seen the 27-year-old record T-15 and T-8 finishes in her last two LPGA Tour starts at the Indy Women’s in Tech Championship and New Zealand Women’s Open respectively.

It’s a great start to her final event of 2017 where the world No. 253 finished 101st in the CME Globe Rankings after 12 missed cuts in 20 LPGA starts.

“It’s been a strong finish to the year after some difficulties on the LPGA, but the last few months I’ve played some great golf, so I will take that into the off-season for sure,” she said.

Woods’ round was blemished with a bogey 6 on her final hole, the 9th, but she is poised in a share of 14th place in the Ladies European Tour event, three  shots behind South African leader Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa).

“I wasn’t happy with my finishing hole, with a bogey, but overall I gave myself a lot of chances for birdie, and made a few, so hopefully I can continue that through the weekend.

.@Cheyenne_Woods moves into the mix @FBMLadiesOpen with a 1st round 69 (-3) pic.twitter.com/G686x0Eh3T

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 1, 2017

“I am looking forward to tomorrow, I definitely feel like I left a few out there on the course today, so hopefully I can get those back tomorrow and move up the leader board.

“I love coming out to Abu Dhabi as it reminds me of where I’m from in Phoenix, Arizona with all the heat and the desert. I love the heat and I adore how you guys are so welcoming.”

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