Hannah McCook aiming to cap 'best season yet' with LET card at Q-School

Hannah McCook has already enjoyed her “best season yet” as a professional and now she’s aiming to round it off in style in the Ladies European Tour Q-School Final in Spain.

Hannah MCook, who enjoyed a good season on the LET Access Series, is among four Scottish hopefuls teeing up in the LET Q-School Final at La Manga. Picture: LET Access Series

The Grantown-on-Spey woman joins Louise Duncan, Hazel MacGarvie and Tara Mactaggart in a five-round battle starting on Saturday at La Manga for 20 cards on next season’s circuit.

Duncan and Mactaggart have already come through a four-round pre-qualifier at the Mucia venue, but McCook and MacGarvie got straight into the final.

For McCook, that was on the strength of her finishing 12th in this season’s LET Access Order of Merit while McGarvie ended up just outside the top 100 in the LET’s Race to Costa del Sol Ranking.

“Q-School obviously isn’t a highlight of the season and a visit to it doesn’t often give positive connotations on how the season has gone,” said McCook, who is managed by Paul Lawrie and attached to Gleneagles Hotel. “For me, though, it’s been my best season yet and, after having been out for so long with my hip last year, it’s been a very successful season.

“Finishing 12th in the Access Tour order of merit was a boost I needed to show me where my game is. Only having six players get LET cards from it is not an easy ask and I wasn’t all that far away.

“Thankfully for me, it meant I only had to come to final qualifying. That was my worst-case scenario aim at the start of the season, so to have done that and felt I’ve had a good season, it is only onwards and upwards. Whatever happens here happens. Obviously top 20 is the aim to get main tour status, which is all I would like for Christmas.”

Mactaggart survived a last-hole wobble in the shape of a double-bogey 7 to join Duncan in being among 63 players to progress from the pre-qualifier.

“I was feeling confident going into the last round, after a double-bogey 7 on four, I knew that I was going to be fighting for the rest of the day knowing what was in front of me on the South Course,” said Minto-attached Mactaggart.

“The last hole was the most nervous I’d been all week and I played it like I was nervous as well. Believe it or not, I holed a good five-footer for a double to make it on the number.

“But I’m delighted to make it through and it doesn’t matter if you're first or 62nd in the pre-qualifier. It’s just about getting through and I did, so a clean slate heading into the final.”

MacGarvie is hoping for the same account as 12 months ago, when she secured her card along with Laura Beveridge. “I’ve been working really hard with my coach, Ross Aitken,” said the Royal Troon player, “and I’m looking forward to playing in some warmer weather!”

The card contenders also include Australian Gabi Ruffels, who didn’t play in the LPGA Q-Series after missing the entry deadline, as well as German duo Aline Krauter and Polly Mack, both of whom secured LPGA status for 2023 through that eight-round marathon.

The top 60 and ties after 72 holes, which see players alternating between the North and South Courses, will progress to the final circuit on the South Course.