Ladies Italian Open: the golf stars are back

The Ladies Italian Open is back, now in its 26th edition, which for the second year in a row will take place at the Margara Golf Club in Fubine Monferrato. The tournament, scheduled from 2 to 4 June, was presented yesterday in the “Transparency Room” of the Piedmont Region in Turin. Federgolf president Franco Chimenti underlined how “golf is having particular success in this period with a great growth of practitioners”. The biggest increase was recorded by the women’s sector (+7.5% compared to May 2021) and Chimenti underlined it with satisfaction: “We are very happy that the women’s Italian Open is confirmed once again this year among the most expectations of the Ladies European Tour. I hope that the blue will be able to carve out a leading role in a high-level field. The Italian women’s movement closed 2021 with extremely encouraging numbers. Being able to see the champions of the international scene in action in Italy will give further impetus to the increase in the number of players “

Ryder Cup project

–

The women’s open is part of the Ryder Cup 2023 Project. The general manager Gian Paolo Montali explained that “this project has the fulcrum of its sporting dimension in competitive competitions. The Ladies Italian Open, in addition to offering an opportunity for technical growth to all Italian players, represents an international showcase from a golf tourism point of view for Piedmont, which this week also hosts the Open d’Italia Disabili – Sanofi at Royal Park I Roveri. After the launch of the “Golf è donna” project, the green is increasingly pink. “

The blue ones

–

Eleven blue will be competing in Margara. From Virginia Elena Carta (who made her professional debut one year ago in this tournament) to Roberta Liti (seventh and best Italian in 2021). From Stefania Croce (for her many years on the LPGA Tour and a second place in a Major, after a play-off with Juli Inkster in the 2000 LPGA Championship) to Erika De Martini and Martina Flori. To these five proettes are added six amateurs: Benedetta Moresco (fourth this year at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the women’s Masters), Carolina Melgrati (among the surprises of the Ladies Italian Open in 2021, when she finished tenth), Francesca Fiorellini ( budding talent who this year has already conquered the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur and was among the architects of the European triumph at the PING Junior Solheim Cup and of the Continental Europe team at the Junior Vagliano Trophy in 2021), Alessandra Fanali (in California in 2022 won in the Silverado Showdown, a US College race), Caterina Don (from Piedmont, in 2019 in the first edition of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur she distinguished herself as the best blue) and Clara Manzalini (for her already some appearances on LET Access). On the other hand, there will be no Giulia Molinaro (who remained in the US in view of the next appointments of the LPGA Tour) and Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (engaged on LET Access).

International stars

–

If the Italians dream of a feat in Piedmont – in 25 editions, so far no Italian has managed to establish themselves in this tournament – there are many international stars who present themselves with the role of favorites. After the success (as an amateur, which then led her to immediately switch to professionalism) of last year, the young 19-year-old Frenchwoman Lucie Malchirand will try to become the first player, since Laura Davies (1987-1988), to make the back-to- back in the tournament. On the field there will also be six of the current ten best players in the order of merit of the circuit: the Swedish Johanna Gustavsson (number 2), the Finnish Tiia Koivisto (fifth and on target in 2022 at the Jabra Ladies Open), the South African Lee-Anne Pace (sixth, in her career she boasts, among her many successes, eleven titles on the LET and an affirmation on the LPGA Tour), the English Meghan MacLaren (eighth), the Spanish Ana Pelaez (ninth and recently signed at the Madrid Ladies Open), the Scottish Michele Thomson (tenth).

Piedmont golf

–

Piedmont is the second Italian region for golf and during the presentation the president of the region Alberto Cirio also connected from the outside: “After the great success of the Eurovision Song Contest music festival, the Ladies Italian Open is a new opportunity of international visibility that allows us to keep the attention high and to strengthen the image and attractiveness of the whole region ”.