The Ladies European Tour decamps to the Netherlands this week for the final event before a summer break to facilitate the Paris Olympics.
The Dutch Ladies’ Open returns for its fourth edition since returning to the LET schedule and three days around Hilversumsche Golf Club between 19-21 July will provide the drama this week, with sub-plots playing out throughout the 132-strong, 35 nationality field.
Lauren Walsh will be the Irish standard bearer and comes into the week after a brief rest having not competed at the Evian in France, and the Carton House player arrives in a rich vein of form. Two third place finishes in her last two starts coming with final day charges in both Switzerland and at London’s Aramco Team series will see the 23-year-old confident starting her week on Friday.
Her recent run of form has seen Walsh move into 12th spot on the OOM as she continues to impress in her rookie year on Tour.
Hilversumsche Golf Club plays host to the event for the second time. A storied old course, it was originally built by a descendant of Scottish origin in 1895 as a nine-hole ‘links’ style course. After several iterations, 1928 would see the first 18-hole course founded on the site and today this sits as a remarkably impressive course, hewn into the dense woodland of the Hilversum countryside.
Playing to a par of 72 this week, the field will have opening and closing par-5s to contend with. A run of three-four-three from the eighth will provide some chances to attack around the turn for the pack.
Anne Van Dam heads up the local challenge as one of 11 Dutch players to take part in their home open, including three amateurs. Van Dam comes into the week after a solid week at the Evian in France with a tie for 44th in the Major.
Having been subject to a lot of rain in recent months the Hilversumsche Golf Club is expected to put up a different challenge from what the group faced in ’23.
“I’m curious to see how it plays the next couple of days,” said Van Dam in the lead up to the event, “it’s going to play a lot softer I can imagine than previous years.
“I will get a look around the golf course, see how it’s playing,” she said. “If it’s wet, I feel you can be a lot more aggressive, hit a lot more longer clubs from the tee.”
No fewer than 35 previous LET winners will tee it up this week in the Netherlands, including six winners from the ’24 season, with the group totaling 70 championships in all. With the OOM leader Bronte Law not taking part this week there is an opportunity for change at the top. Belgium’s Manon De Roey has the best opportunity to leapfrog Law at the top however, players down to 11th place Marta Martin could potentially grab top spot heading into the Olympic break.
It is also, the final week for LET players to automatically confirm their spot at Women’s Open on the Order of Merit, so it’s a big week for Walsh who needs to be in the top five not already exempt. LET winners from 2024 have already sealed their spot, as have the top 15 players from the ‘23 rankings.
The action kicks off at 8.30AM with local favourite Romy Meekers kicking off proceedings off the first tee. The afternoon swing and a 14:26 tee time will see Walsh begin her week on the 10th. Walsh will have Rose Davies and Dutch amateur Fleur Van Beek for company on her opener. Two eye-catching three-balls follow Walsh’s group out as, Manon De Roey and Amy Taylor are up next and then Shannon Tan and Marta Martin have Ditch duo Dunnen and Holmey for company respectively.
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