After a stellar 67 on Friday, Mel Reid was high up on the leaderboard going into the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She had a slow start out of the gates on Saturday, making two bogeys in her first four holes.

But a mental mistake on the fifth hole may have been enough to shake her confidence and take her out of contention completely.

On Reid’s fifth hole at Baltusrol, her approach shot landed off the back of the green, approximately four inches from the putting surface. Unaware that she was on the collar, Reid marked, lifted, cleaned and replaced her ball.

Realzing her potential error, Reid then called for a rules official, who confirmed her ball was not on the putting green.

She was immediately issued a one-stroke penalty as this was in violation of Rule 9.4b which states, “A player who lifts or deliberately touches their ball at rest or causes it to move when not permitted to do so, gets one penalty stroke.”

Reid ended up shooting six-over 77—10 shots worse than the day before and now stands in tied for 35th.

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The scores atop the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship leaderboard mostly stayed the same from Thursday to Friday. Leona Maguire’s five under remains the lead at Baltusrol, and 15 players are under par heading into the weekend, instead of 16 players following the opening round. The on-and-off rain of Springfield, NJ., remain another constant.

The names near the lead, however, have changed. Maguire, seeking back-to-back LPGA Tour victories, and Celine Borge, in a three-way tie at four under par, are the only two players to post consecutive rounds in the 60s. Two of the three 67s Friday, the best rounds of the day, were scored by Mel Reid, who’s T-2, and Minjee Lee, two behind at T-5.

As the second major of the LPGA seasons heads to the weekend, here are six takeaways ahead of the third round.

Maguire is a GIR Machine

Baltusrol’s layout has proven quite challenging, with the over 6,500-yard setup’s difficulty compounded by rain. Overall, the field is hitting 66.5 percent of greens in regulation.

Maguire, however, has only missed two greens through two rounds. It’s fitting that the leader noted her approaches were the best part of her game Friday as part of a three-under-par 68.

“I think this golf course demands that,” Maguire said. “I think you can’t think more than one shot ahead, let alone a hole or a round ahead. Just really taking it shot by shot and trying to hit as good of shots as I can.”

Consistently reaching greens in regulation isn’t a new development for the Irishwoman. Maguire hit 81 percent of greens last week in her victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic. Her stellar ball striking is fueling a run of seven straight rounds in the 60s, dating back to a 67 on the final day of the Mizuho Americas Open.

Lee-Anne Pace maintains her out-of-nowhere run

Seemingly, everything would work against the profile of Lee-Anne Pace, 42, maintaining her cadence near the top of the leaderboard with a two-over-par 73 to sit at three under for the championship. The South African primarily plays on the Ladies European Tour, with her only start on the LPGA this season a T-30 at the Shoprite LPGA Classic two weeks ago. In Pace’s six previous starts in Women’s PGA, Pace’s best career finish is a T-62 in 2015. Her last LPGA top 10 was in 2018 at the ASI Scottish Open.

Yet, Pace explained Thursday evening she felt confident because over the COVID-19 pandemic, she rediscovered her passion for competition.

“Now I’m to the point where I love it,” Pace said. “I love being out here. I find it a challenge. It’s much better.”

That confidence got tested multiple times Friday. Off a quick turnaround following walking off the course at 8 p.m. ET to complete the one-time LPGA winner’s first round, Friday’s cool temperatures impacted her to back. Then, on the 15th, her ball found a lone divot in the heart of the fairway. The punch shot stung her wrists and she had to shake it off as her ball ran up toward the green. She made par there but ended up three over on her closing side to finish with a 73 and in a tie for second.

Rose Zhang walks off the first tee. Icon Sportswire

Rose Zhang closes with colorful scorecard

Zhang, starting on the 10th hole in Round 2 after opening with a 70, continued holding steady at the Baltusrol test through her opening side, posting a birdie and a bogey.

However, Zhang’s round turned chaotic following her final par of the day on No. 4. The rookie who won in her pro debut at Liberty National closed bogey-birdie-bogey-double bogey-birdie, ending up with a scrambling three-over-par 74. While Zhang discussed viewing each day as a learning opportunity, she plans to change her strategy going into the weekend, tied for 29th and trailing the lead by eight.

“I do want to make a couple of adjustments, just because I feel like the game plans that I’ve been having the past two days have been a little iffy,” Zhang said.

Mel Reid tees off at No. 1. Icon Sportswire

Reid turns from pondering retirement to major contention

Reid turned to her wife, Carly Reid, last September while fighting through a wrist injury and trying to save her LPGA card, and said she was considering quitting. Now, 10 months after choosing to give professional golf one more go, Reid tied for the low round of the day with a 67 to sit T-2.

Reid credited not fighting her tendencies anymore, playing a cut that led the 35-year-old to hit all 18 greens Friday. Last year, she returned to work with longtime coach Jorge Parada, who is based at Liberty National.

After struggling to start 2023, Reid’s work with Parada paid off by stringing together four top-30 finishes leading into this week. The British woman, however, isn’t trying to get ahead of what a win could mean for staving off retirement.

“It’s only halfway, isn’t it, so just try to stick to the game plan the next couple days and see what happens,” Reid said.

Lexi Thompson’s charge gets her into weekend

The 2022 Women’s PGA runner-up’s challenging season seemed likely to continue with eight holes to play. Having made one cut in four starts this season, Thompson sat at eight over par with the cutline at five over.

But as the streaky Thompson has done throughout her career, she strung together a four-straight birdie surge from the fifth to the eighth to make her second cut of the year.

“I’ve been working probably harder than ever in my whole life on the golf course and when I’m home practicing,” Thompson said. “Just to be able to come through towards the end and make those birdies, it’s nice to see hard work pay off, even though I’m still at four over. I’m taking it. I’m taking the small win right now and building it.”

Marquee names miss the cut

The 12th major hosted by Baltusrol figured to be a clash of the game’s top golfers. It still may be. But multiple past champions and top players aren’t making the weekend, and some weren’t particularly close.

Headlining the surprises was Nelly Korda’s 76-77, 11-over-par performance. Korda returned this week after a month away from the LPGA due to a back injury, and how she has her first missed cut ever in the Women’s PGA. It marks back-to-back missed cuts for the top American in the world.

Joining Korda were this year’s Chevron Championship winner, Lilia Vu (+6), past Women’s PGA winners Anna Nordqvist (+6) and Sei Young Kim (+8), major champions A Lim Kim (+6), Jennifer Kupcho (+6), Patty Tavatanakit (+8) and Georgia Hall (+9), and former World No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul (+10).

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By Dave Shedloski
Beware Spanish dancers on American soil in these biennial match-play events.

A Senorita in a red flamenco dress, waving the European colours, danced beside the first tee at Inverness Club Saturday afternoon as the second session of the Solheim Cup commenced, a fair representation of Europe’s mood on an opening day it largely dominated.

Were it not for two nail-biting wins in afternoon four-ball to split the session—one of which came after a controversial rules decision—Team USA would have been staring at a monumental deficit. As it stood, Europe, led by reigning AIG Women’s Open champion Anna Nordqvist and rookies Matilda Castren and Leona Maguire, waltzed to a record-tying 5½-2½ advantage on the strength of an inspired closing flourish in morning foursomes that resulted in capturing 3½ of the available four points.

Seven of eight matches went to the 18th hole, but Europe summoned most of the clutch shots for an unprecedented road advantage.

“It could have went either way. It happens that it didn’t go our way,” U.S. captain Pat Hurst lamented.

“Obviously, absolutely delighted,” European captain Catriona Matthew said. “We got off to a fantastic start winning 3½ to a half and obviously 2-2 in the afternoon was a solid result for us. We knew the Americans would come back fighting, and to get through that session without losing it was great.”

In 1987 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, about two hours south of here, Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal danced on the 18th green after Europe secured its first Ryder Cup win on Yankee turf. At least he waited until the end.

Not to suggest that this 17th edition of the Solheim Cup is over—far from it. But the Europeans sure got a great head start toward securing their first win in America since 2013. Three times previously has the first-day lead been as large as three points, and each time by the home team on the way to victory. The most recent came in 2017 in Des Moines, Iowa, as the U.S. won by five.

Team USA never has come back from more than two points down after the opening day. And it could have been worse for the Americans, who at one point trailed in all four afternoon four-ball games before gaining a little purchase.

A rules technicality aided their surge to a respectable outcome.

Madelene Sagstrom picked up Nelly Korda’s ball that had come to rest on the edge of the cup at the par-5 13th hole, but match referee Missy Jones deemed that Korda’s 20-foot putt had a chance to drop in. Because Sagstrom removed it before waiting the prescribed 10 seconds, a violation of Rule 13.3b, Korda’s putt for an eagle was deemed to have been holed. Korda and Ally Ewing, who trailed by two early, took a 1-up lead and held off Sagstrom and Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 1 up.

“The ball was laying still, and I decided to pick it up,” Sagstrom said. “I do believe in integrity, and I do value myself high in that aspect, so I would never, ever pick up a ball that had the chance to go in. It was obviously a shock when I walked up to the next tee box to hear that position. I didn’t agree with it myself, but at the end of the day it wasn’t my decision. I’m a little disappointed, sad, feel a little bit bad for the rest of the team now, but we’re going to regroup.”

“A hundred percent believe Madelene did not for one instance think that ball had any chance of going in the hole when he she picked it up, and I don’t honestly believe Nelly or Ally actually thought it was going to go in either,” Matthew added.

The only other U.S. victory came when Lizette Salas sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in Match 6 for a 1-up victory with Jennifer Kupcho over Carlota Ciganda and Sophia Popov.

The rest of the day belonged to the visitors, especially Nordqvist and Castren, who dismantled Lexi Thompson and Mina Harigae, 4 and 3, in four-ball in the only match decided by more than one hole. Earlier in the day the European duo opened the 17th Solheim Cup with a 1-up foursomes win over Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst.

“I think overall we played pretty solid today, and when we were off, we weren’t too far off,” Nordqvist, playing in her fourth Solheim Cup, said.

Added Castren: “Getting two points is more than I could ask for.”

It was almost more than Team USA managed all day, largely because of how the morning foursomes played out.

Maguire, the first Irish player to appear in the Solheim Cup, also won twice for Europe. First, she teamed with Mel Reid to deliver a statement 1-up victory over the previously unbeaten sister duo of Nelly and Jessica Korda in a match in which the Europeans never trailed. In the afternoon, Maguire and Georgia Hall broke a tie with Hall’s birdie at 15 for another 1-up decision over Brittany Altomare and Yealimi Noh.

Arguably the biggest match was the last in foursomes as Charlie Hull and Emily Pederson rallied from 2 down with four to play to steal a 1-up victory against Thompson and Altomare. The Euros converted three birdies, at 15, 16 and 18, with Pederson draining a four-footer on the home hole to complete the rally after Thompson had saved par from seven feet.

Also crushing for USA was the result of Match 2 in which the American team of Ewing and Megan Khang led for the first 17 holes, but only came away with a half-point. Hall and Celine Boutier, who went undefeated two years ago in three matches together at Gleneagles, won the last two holes. Ewing had a chance for the full point but missed from four feet for par.

“They’re playing fine,” Hurst said of her team. “Like I said, it could have went either way. I don’t want them to be down on themselves. If they just go out and play like they know how to play, we’ll do fine.”

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Here’s a closer look at the team attempting to hang on to the Cup and win on the road for only the second time in the event’s 31-year history.

MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup team

Celine Boutier

Stuart Franklin

Age: 27
World Ranking: 66
Solheim Cup appearances: 1 (2019)
Record: 4-0-0

In Boutier’s first Solheim Cup, she played like a veteran, sweeping all four of her matches. Matthew will likely bring back the dominant duo of Boutier and Hall together again at Inverness. They were 3-0 together … how could she not?

Matilda Castren

Jed Jacobsohn

Age: 26
World Ranking: 47
Solheim Cup appearances: Rookie

Winning the LPGA’s Mediheal Championship in June was Castren’s breakout moment. She shot a final-round 65 to win by two and become the first player from Finland to claim an LPGA title. Later in the summer, she won her first Ladies European Tour title to earn her LET membership and become eligible for the European Solheim Cup team. By making team, Castren made history for Finland again, becoming the first Finn to compete for Team Europe.

Carlota Ciganda

Chris Trotman/WME IMG

Age: 31
World Ranking: 41
Solheim Cup appearances: 4 (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
Record: 6-6-4

The Spaniard set the tone early during Sunday singles at Gleneagles, beating Danielle Kang in the first match to help get things rolling for Europe. That veteran leadership will be something Matthew leans on Ciganda for again this year. The only hiccup: after three top-10 finishes in 2020, Ciganda has had just one top-20 finish since May.

Georgia Hall

David Cannon

Age: 25
World Ranking: 29
Solheim Cup appearances: 2 (2017, 2019)
Record: 6-3-0

The 2018 AIG Women’s Open champ was critical to Team Europe’s success at Gleneagles, winning every match she played in and scoring four points for Europe. She’s played well in the second half of the 2021 season, finishing in the top-15 four times, including a T-6 at the Amundi Evian Championship and a T-2 at the AIG Women’s Open.

Charley Hull

Warren Little/R&A

Age: 25
World Ranking: 38
Solheim Cup appearances: 4 (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
Record: 9-3-3

It’s crazy to think the 25-year-old Englishwoman is already playing in her fifth Solheim Cup. Though she’s not having her best season, the one-time winner on the LPGA Tour has two top-10s in 2021. Without Azahara Muñoz on this year’s team, Matthew will have to find a new partner for Hull, who went undefeated while playing Muñoz two years ago.

Nanna Koerstz Madsen

Andrew Redington

Age: 26
World Ranking: 49
Solheim Cup appearances: Rookie

The Dane is still looking for her first LPGA win since joining the tour in 2018, but she’s triumphed three times on the Symetra Tour and once on the LET. Impressively has posted three top-15s majors this year: T-3 at the ANA Inspiration, T-15 at the KPMG Women’s PGA and T-5 at the AIG Women’s Open.

Leona Maguire

David Cannon/R&A

Age: 26
World Ranking: 45
Solheim Cup appearances: Rookie

This stat is surprising: Maguire is the first Irishwoman to ever play in a Solheim Cup. The former top-ranked amateur in the world had her most impressive season as a pro in 2021, twice posting runner-up finishes. Her most impressive accomplishment might have been shooting a 61 in the final round of the Amundi Evian Championship, tying the record for lowest round in an LPGA major.

Anna Nordqvist

Stuart Franklin

Age: 34
World Ranking: 16
Solheim Cup appearances: 6 (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
Record: 12-9-2

The newly crowned AIG Women’s Open champion has played in the most Solheim Cups of anyone on either the U.S. or European teams. The Carnoustie win was her first in four years, and her ninth career LPGA Tour win. Inverness’ reputation as a second-shot golf course could suit her well as she’s ranked 15th on tour in greens in regulation.

Emily Kristine Pedersen

Charlie Crowhurst/R&A

Age: 25
World Ranking: 67
Solheim Cup appearances: 1 (2017)
Record: 0-3-0

Pedersen won for the first time on the Ladies European Tour in 2015, the same year she was the LET rookie of the year. Somehow she didn’t win again until 2020, and in those five years had her share of ups and downs on the LPGA too, losing her card, and returned to the LET. But last year saw the native of Denmark finally regain that promising early form; winning four times on the LET, including three straight events.

Sophia Popov

Warren Little/R&A

Age: 28
World Ranking: 30
Solheim Cup appearances: Rookie

Popov became an overnight star when she won the 2020 AIG Women’s Open without having status on the LPGA Tour. She has since proved the win wasn’t a fluke; she’s had three top-10 finishes in 2021, including a runner-up at the Bank of Hope Match Play.

Mel Reid

David Cannon

Age: 33
World Ranking: 53
Solheim Cup appearances: 3 (2011, 2015, 2017)
Record: 4-6-2

The 2019 Solheim Cup was bittersweet for Reid. She didn’t make the team and instead served as an assistant captain. While being a part of the win was great, it wasn’t the same as playing. She made sure she wouldn’t miss out on the competition in 2021 by winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic last October for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Madelene Sagstrom

Andrew Redington

Age: 28
World Ranking: 48
Solheim Cup appearances: 1 (2017)
Record: 1-2-0

In 2016, the Swede joined the Symetra Tour after a standout college career at LSU and became not only the first player to earn more than $100,000 in a season, but the first to earn more than $150,000. Her career has continued to rise, as she claimed her first LPGA event in 2020, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, and in August had her best-ever finish in a major, tying for second at the AIG Women’s Open.

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By Keely Levins
Mel Reid finally got what she’s known she was always capable of. Thirteen years after turning professional, the 33-year-old Brit is an LPGA Tour winner. With rounds of 68-64-66-67, Reid took the title at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Atlantic City, N.J., by two shots over Jennifer Kupcho. As evidence by the number of people who swarmed the green to spray the new champion with champagne, Reid is someone people are happy to see succeed.

Mel Reid is doused with champagne after winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Michael Cohen

Reid spent the majority of her career on the Ladies European Tour, where she won six times. It wasn’t until Q School in 2016 that she broke through to get her LPGA Tour card and played her rookie year in the United States in 2017. That season was highlighted with a spot on the European Solheim Cup team (her third appearance), but when the next Solheim Cup came around in 2019, Reid didn’t qualify nor receive a captain’s pick, despite finishing T-3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just months before the competition. She handled the disappointment as well as anyone could—better, maybe—and went to Gleneagles as an assistant captain for the victorious Europeans.

That’s one of the things that makes Reid likeable: She knows when the moment is about her and she knows when the moment is bigger than her personal goals. And she lives in all moments with a consistently high level of tenacity.

Despite her competitiveness and obvious talent, this first tour win has alluded Reid for some time. “Everyone has been talking about it for a while or years that I should win and be contending every week, and it’s not been happening,” Reid said.

In her last start before the ShopRite, it looked like it was finally going to happen. Reid held the 36-hold lead in the Cambia Porland Classic, which had been shortened to 54 holes, but shot 74 in the final round to finish T-5. Her countrywoman Georgia Hall took the title.

For a moment on Sunday, it looked like Reid might falter again. After bogeys at 6 and 7 on the Bay Course at Seaview Resort, she had lost the lead.

“I read a tweet yesterday and it was probably one of the only bad tweets that I got, saying she’ll choke. It gave me a little bit of motivation,” Reid said. “I was like, I’m going to prove it. I know it sounds stupid, but probably the best thing I could have read. I’m definitely not letting that happen. Someone is going to have to beat me today. I’m not going to give it away.”

She didn’t give it away by any means. After those bogeys, Reid birdied four of the next five holes. Suddenly a tight leader board that also included Jennifer Song in contention saw Reid begin to run away. She stood on the 17th tee with a four-shot lead, only to make a bogey to Kupcho’s birdie, cutting her lead to two. Still, Reid remained steely and closed out the short par-5 18th with a birdie.

“It changes your life honestly,” Reid said of finally getting her first win on the LPGA Tour. “These are the best players in the world. The LPGA is in my opinion the best tour, the tour you want to be on if you want to be the best in the world. To win out here you get a different—people look at you a bit differently. So, it’s tough to win out here. I can tell that you. Just it get it done is a huge relief and I’m ecstatic.”

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By Keely Levins
Eight members of the European Solheim Cup team qualified through points, which left four captain’s picks for Catriona Matthew to make on Monday for the event that begins Sept. 13 at Gleneagles in Scotland. The eight players who qualified were Carlota Ciganda, Anne Van Dam (the only rookie on the team), Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Masson and Anna Nordqvist. As expected, two of the captain’s picks were Bronte Law of England and Celine Boutier of France, the only European women to have won LPGA events in 2019. Matthew also selected Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who has played in two Solheim Cups, with a career record of 3-4-0. She is ranked No. 77 in the world and has had four top-10 finishes in 2019.

Matthew’s final pick was Suzann Pettersen, ranked No. 620 in the world, who has just returned to competitive golf. The last LPGA Tour event Pettersen played before starting her maternity leave was the 2017 CME Group Tour Championship. Pettersen and her husband, Christian Ringvold, announced the birth of their son in August 2018. Her first event back on the LPGA Tour was the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, a team event where she played with Matthew. The pair missed the cut. Pettersen then played in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, where she shot 71-73 and missed the cut.

“Bronte and Celine’s excellent recent form speaks for itself in terms of why I selected them, and I think they are both going to have fantastic Solheim Cup debuts,” Matthew said. “I chose Jodi and Suzann for their vast experience, their recent good form and because I know exactly what they bring to the European team room. With our only other rookie being Anne Van Dam, who has also had an excellent year, I feel the experience of our team will be a great advantage to us along with the home crowd support.”

This will be Pettersen’s ninth Solheim Cup. She didn’t play in the 2017 competition due to injury. Her Solheim Cup record is 16-11-6, and she’s a 15-time winner on the LPGA Tour, including two majors. Because she is now playing on the team, Pettersen will no longer be a vice-captain. Instead, Mel Reid will join Laura Davies and Kathryn Imrie as a vice-captain.

Reid, who finished T-3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this year, was a potential captain’s pick. Matthew didn’t address why she didn’t pick Reid, but Reid missed the cut in the last two events she played, the AIG Women’s British Open and the Ladies Scottish Open. Reid has missed seven other cuts this season and is ranked No. 104 in the world. She has played in three Solheim Cups, with a record of 4-6-2. She didn’t win a match in the 2017 competition.

“Catriona knows that match play brings out the absolute best in my game and that I will be ready to deliver points for her come September,” Pettersen said. “I honestly believe that my best contribution to our Solheim Cup campaign will be on the course, and I am very grateful to Catriona for having the confidence to choose me for this year’s team.”

Please give a warm welcome to @Beany25 European Solheim Cup team ??@carlotagolf ?? @Annevandam ??
Caroline Hedwall ?? @HullCharley??????? @georgiahall96 ??????? @AzaharaGOLF ?? @CaroMasson ?? @ANordqvist ?? @suzannpettersen ??@Jodi_Ewart ???????@brontemaylaw ???????@celineboutier ?? pic.twitter.com/OTrakiDPu0

— Solheim Cup Team Europe (@SolheimCupEuro) August 12, 2019

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By John Huggan
In the wake of its debut and Team Denmark’s victory last May, the verdict wasn’t quite unanimous in its positivity. But the overall impression was pretty welcoming. Indeed, the inaugural GolfSixes showed a 42-percent increase in new golf fans at the event compared to regular European Tour events. Those attendees were also 14 percent younger than those seen during the rest of the golfing calendar. “GolfSixes will definitely be back,” said the European Tour’s chief executive, Keith Pelley.

And so it is, bigger and, hopefully, better. Or, at least, different. In addition to the 12 two-man national sides made up of European Tour players from various European countries, four wildcard pairs will complete the 16-team field at the Centurion Club north of London, May 5-6. Most intriguingly, Europe’s Ryder and Solheim Cup captains, Thomas Bjorn and Catriona Matthew, will combine, along with an England women’s team of Georgia Hall and Charley Hull and a European women’s team of Mel Reid and Suzann Pettersen. A fourth and final wildcard pairing will be added at a later date.

“There are so many 72-hole tournaments around the world that there has to be room for something else which puts a different spin on golf and brings more interest,” Bjorn said. “This is not your normal golf tournament where everyone is very serious and has their heads down. This is completely different, it’s more about having fun and portraying the game in a good way. I think it’s hugely important to also try and break down the barriers that have existed in golf between the men’s and women’s games.”

Icon Sportswire
Pettersen will play along with Mel Reid in one of two women’s teams competing against the men’s pairings.

One thing that will not change is the “greensome foursomes” format. With the teams split into four groups of four—the top two in each progressing from the round-robin to knock-out stages—they will compete in a series of six-hole matches in which both players tee-off before choosing the better of the two drives and completing each hole with one ball, hitting alternately. The 40-second shot clock that claimed American Paul Petersen as its only “victim” last year will also return, as will putting mics on players for interview during matches.     

“The fact it is something different for golf is great—in terms of the round robin match play format then head to head matches, in addition to the men and women playing together of course,” Matthew said. “All tours are trying to think of ways to make golf different and encourage a new and younger audience and so I think this whole concept is very exciting.”

That sense of anticipation was echoed by Lucas Bjerregaard, who alongside Thorbjorn Olesen, claimed the title for Denmark in last year’s inaugural event.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many kids at a golf tournament in my life, which is great for the game,” Bjerregaard said. “In addition to that, they were having a great time, running around and not being told to be quiet all the time, which is exactly what we need to get more young people involved in our sport.”

Let the fun and games begin. Again.

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Confirmation of the star-studded quartet follows news reigning Ladies European Tour player-of-the-year Beth Allen will return to defend the $550,000 title at Saadiyat Beach G.C. from Nov. 1-4.

Related: Beth Allen promises to bring something resembling her A-game

Florentyna Parker and Emily Kristine Pedersen, who also represented Europe in the 16½- 11½ loss to the U.S. at August’s Solheim Cup in Iowa, are other confirmed starters alongside South African debutant Lee-Ann Pane and returning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok from India.

Woods is, perhaps unfairly, best known as the niece of Tiger Woods but is making steady progress in her own career, capped by victory at the LET’s Volvik RACV Ladies Masters in Australia in 2014.

The 27-year-old debuted on the LET in 2013 and has recorded five top-25 finishes (including a T-10 at last December’s Omega Dubai Ladies Classic) although she missed the cut at July’s Ladies Scottish Open, her sole LET appearance of 2017 thus far.

In her third season on the LPGA Tour, the world No. 253 is 101st in the CME Globe Rankings having made just eight cuts in 20 starts but is trending nicely for Saadiyat Beach after T-15 and T-8 finishes in her last two starts at the Indy Women’s in Tech Championship and New Zealand Women’s Open respectively.

Matthew, 48, will make her FBMLO debut at the end of a “positive” year personally which was capped with her appointment as European Solheim Cup captain for the 2019 matches at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The Scot was one of Annika Sorenstam’s non-playing vice captains for August’s five point loss to the U.S. at Des Moines Golf and Country Club but was called upon to play when Suzann Pettersen withdrew with injury. Matthew, the oldest player in the field, went on to a 3-1-0 record and is currently third on the all-time Solheim Cup points list.

“I’ve had a great year so far. I was vice captain of Team Europe, which was followed by a last minute playing position on the team, and then when I didn’t think it could get any better, I was honoured with the captaincy for the Solheim 2019 event,” said Matthew, who captured the 2009 Women’s British Open champion at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. “I’m really looking forward to topping off this great year in Abu Dhabi and hopefully this positivity will continue in the same vein at this year’s FBMLO.”

Hall finished runner-up to Allen last November (-21 to -18) and has enjoyed six top-10 finishes from eight LET appearances this season.

Georgia Hall

“I’m looking forward to playing the course and playing some great golf. I’d love to have a good result after a really strong finish in my first-ever FBMLO tournament last year. I know the girls think the course is absolutely lovely and as always there is a fantastic field – we can’t wait to get going”

Reid, who shared third place with Australian Sarah Kemp last year, has also shown great form in 2017, winning the LET season opener at Oates Vic Open in Australia.

Mel Reid

The FBMLO is sponsored by FBMA, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, TDIC, Al Masaood, Etihad Airways and Marriott Downtown Abu Dhabi. The event is free to attend and public can register for free tickets at fbmladiesopen.com/tickets.

The post Cheyenne Woods joins Solheim Cup trio for Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With a swing speed three miles faster than the average PGA Tour player (116mph compared to 113mph) and an eye-popping competition best hit of 402 yards, long drive champion Troy Mullins is sure to be a huge drawcard in more ways than one at the Ladies European Tour’s (LET) $500,000 season-ender from Dec. 6-9.

At least that’s what Tournament Director David Spencer is banking on after granting the Californian her 72-hole pro event debut at Emirates Golf Club.

Spencer took plenty of heat for handing Paige Spiranac her pro debut at the then Dubai Ladies Masters in 2015 and repeating the sponsors’ invite visit last season. He unashamedly admits the social media audience that accompanies Spiranac everywhere was a key driver behind the decision, to the point where the American is returning to the emirate as official starter for the men at January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Related: On the tee…Paige Spiranac

The key driver behind Mullins’ invite is the one the 5ft 8in American wields, and rather impressively so as this tweet highlights:

She did it!

Troy Mullins is the #MileHighShowdown Women’s Champion! #WorldLongDrive pic.twitter.com/TfM5OpFt7Y

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 26, 2017

Nicknamed the Trojan Goddess, Mullins only took up the game after attending Ivy League Cornell University when a hamstring injury curtailed her promising heptathlon career. Now she has genuine LPGA Tour ambitions.

Mullins won the 2017 Mile High Showdown, a World Long Drive event, in July with a 374 yard drive in the final and has a swing so sweet it has some of the game’s most critical analysts swooning, including Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.

Spencer is excited about what Mullins, who speaks four languages including Chinese, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), brings to the tournament. She will hold a clinic for spectators after play in the second round on Friday, Dec. 7.

“Troy caught our eye…we’ll we only started following long drive golf because she was on the Golf Channel and was being touted as having a perfect swing,” said Spencer.

“She’ll certainly be the longest player in the field but she’s also an accomplished golfer. We’ll she just how accomplished she is when she comes up against a professional field.”

Key Omega Dubai Ladies Classic signings (from top left clockwise): I.K. Kim, Susana Benavides, Klara Spilkova and Troy Mullins.

As well as unveiling Kim and Mullins, a new name to bring the LET event “into the ‘classic’ family”, and a “sister” trophy to match the Dallah (Arabic coffee pot) handed to Desert Classic men’s champion, Spencer also revealed 16 other name players.

They include Kim’s fellow LPGA players Suzanne Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome, Olafia Kristinsdottir, Mel Reid and reigning Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open champion Beth Allen.

Aditi Ashok, who sealed LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours with a share of third place at Emirates G.C. last December, also returns along with Rafa Cabrera Bello’s sister Emma, Dame Laura Davies, Amy Boulden, Carly Booth, Felicity Johnson, Olivia Cowan and Moroccan trailblazer Maha Haddioui.

New names include Kristinsdottir and Susana Benavides while Czech Olympian Klára Spilková returns.

Benavides is the only Bolivian-born golfer to ever play in an LPGA event and like Spiranac, will bring a strong social media audience with her to Dubai.

Being away from social media made me wanna come back ??er… #poorgreens #highheels #shooting #lpgadresscode #not

A post shared by Susana Benavides (@mumita_b) on Aug 29, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

Spilková became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event with a one stroke victory over Pettersen at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in April.

Photo courtesy LET
Klara Spilkova

Kristinsdottir brought forward double jaw surgery, a procedure that reportedly involved the addition of titanium plates to her nose and screws to her jaw, to correct an underbite just before becoming the first Icelander to play on the LPGA Tour. She is currently 82nd in the CME Rankings with one top-10 in her rookie year, a fourth placing at the Indy Women in Tech Championship Presented by Guggenheim.

Photo courtesy LPGA Tour Olafia Kristinsdottir

I.K. Kim, the highest ranked player in the field at No.8 in the latest Rolex Ranking, banished the haunting memory of missing a 14-inch putt to win the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship when he won the Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns

Related: In-Kyung Kim gets her major redemption with two-shot Women’s British Open victory

Englishwoman Sophie Lamb, who closed with a 69 at Kingsbarns to win low amateur honours, will is also a confirmed Majlis starter along with the 29-year-old South Korean.

The post Troy Mullins set to rip it past major champion I.K. Kim and co. in rebranded Omega Dubai Ladies “Classic” appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 35-year-old Edinburgh-based Californian has confirmed she will return to defend the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open’s Gazelle trophy when the €515,000 event returns to the Gary Player-designed oceanfront layout for its second edition from Nov. 1-4.

Allen’s year in the U.S., her first full LPGA Tour campaign since her 2005 rookie season, has been challenging with just one top-10 and six cuts made in 20 starts in 2017. But three scores of 69 in her last five rounds, even if she did miss the cut in her most recent start at the Evian Championship, the final major of the year, has the likeable American in an upbeat mood.

She hopes to ride the recent change of fortune to a confidence-boosting result at this week’s New Zealand Women’s Open before returning “home” to play at least four of the LET’s last six events, including also defending the Open de France early next month and “possibly” teeing it up at the season-ending Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in December.

“I’ve had some success in New Zealand before so I’m excited for this week and then obviously I feel very happy and comfortable in Europe so I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks back on the LET. The goal is to have a strong defence in France and Abu Dhabi,” Allen told Golf Digest Middle East from Auckland.

Allen, who takes an LPGA Tour stroke average of 72.53 (133rd) into this week, is “super excited” about her return to Saadiyat and understandably so. She rolled in nine birdies in a career best eight-under 64 to win the inaugural FBMLO by five shots from Englishwoman Georgia Hall last November and can’t wait to get back on Saadiyat’s pure greens.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for FNC Affairs, presents Allen with the inaugural Gazelle Trophy last November after the American’s closing 64 at Saadiyat Beach.

“It just really suits me, you know when you turn up to a place, and every tee shot I saw where I was going and I just had a really solid plan, “ Allen said of Saadiyat Beach G.C.

“If you can putt on the line you meant to, they’re going to go in and that’s always great. So it’s perfect for us and it’s going to be great again I’m sure.  It was such a great event last year, so well run and I got such a great vibe there and I know that the atmosphere will be great again with the main idea being family being involved at Saadiyat.

“It’s one of the best events we have all year, it’s comparable to Dubai and everybody loves that event and I think this one is probably going to take over as my favourite event soon.”

Hall and fellow European Solheim Cup players Mel Reid, Florentyna Parker (all England), Scot Catriona Matthew (just named non-playing captain for Gleneagles 2018) and Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen are listed as Saadiyat starters alongside Allen on the LET website.

Indian teen Aditi Ashok, who shared third place at Dubai last December to secure LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours, and the golfing royal, Dame Laura Davies, are also listed although no other confirmed names have yet been released.

The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open is free to attend. Visit fbmladiesopen.com for more information and follow on Instagram, Twitter (@FBMLadiesOpen) and Facebook.

The post Beth Allen promises to bring something resembling her A-game to Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open defence appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.