Ladies’ Scottish Open moves back to late summer slot

AFTER just one year in a “prime slot” early in the season, the Aberdeen Asset Ladies Scottish Open is moving back to a late summer berth on the 2013 Ladies European Tour schedule.

For the fourth year running, it will be held at Archerfield Links in East Lothian but, instead of early May, it has reverted to the last weekend in August.

It means that, rather than blossoming early in the season, as she did when landing her maiden LET title this year, Comrie’s Carly Booth will need to stay in flower until later in the season when she bids to make a successful defence of the title on 30 August-1 September.

The event, which was also won by Catriona Matthew in 2010, will again feature a pro-am format throughout, the concept having been one of the main reasons why it is enjoying a prolonged run on the LET schedule after a period in abeyance.

Scotland also stages one of the highlights of next year’s calendar, namely the return of the Ricoh Women’s British Open to the Old Course at St Andrews on 1-4 August. The event was held there for the first time in 2007, when world No 1 Lorena Ochoa claimed her first major, and there will be increased interest in the 2013 version due to the fact it will be the first time the current changes being made to the Old Course are tested out in a professional event. It will also be the final counting event for the 2013 Solheim Cup, with both the European and US teams for the match at Colorado GC in Parker on 16-18 August being announced straight after the conclusion in Fife.

While the two Scottish events are the only ones in the United Kingdom on the schedule at the moment – there is the possibility of one being added in July – it consists of 23 events and will see Booth and her fellow LET players travelling extensively next year.

“With 23 tournaments already confirmed at the time of going to press, we are hopeful of making additional tournament announcements in the near 
future which will further strengthen the playing schedule,” said executive director, Alexandra Armas.

“The LET remains in a strong position and we are in discussion with a number of major corporations, national tours and federations who are all keen to work with the Tour.”

The schedule, which begins in Australia in February and runs through to Dubai in December, contains one new event – the Helesingborg Open in Sweden.