Luna confident about Tenerife Ladies defence
IN: News | Ladies European | Tenerife Ladies Open (2005) | Preview | 07 Apr 2005
Diana Luna from Italy returns to defend her title this week at the €242, 000 Tenerife Ladies Open at Golf Costa Adeje on the south coast of the island.
The glamorous 22-year-old from Rome, who had her maiden professional victory on the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour at Buenavista Golf this time last year, is looking to replicate the winning form she enjoyed in 2004, when former LET winner Federica Dassu acted as her caddy.
She is joined by a strong field of competitors including local favourite, 24-year-old Maria Beautell from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, who won the 2005 Nedbank Women's SA Masters last month after a sudden-death play-off against fellow Spaniard Carmen Alonso.
Alonso, a talented 20-year-old rookie from Madrid, is in the field along with Elisa Serramia from Barcelona - both Spanish rookies who will be vying for their maiden professional Tour victories.
The more experienced Spaniards to make a welcome appearance include Paula Marti and Ana Belen Sanchez, 2002 and 2003 Solheim Cup players respectively, who partnered each other and represented their country at the recent Women's World Cup of Golf in South Africa.
Also in the field is 2004 Wales Ryder Cup Rookie of the Year Minea Blomqvist, whose talents cannot be ignored after she shot two rounds of 62 and claimed her maiden professional victory at the OTP Bank Central European Open in her rookie season.
Blomqvist was the first player – male or female – to record a 62 at a major championship when she competed at the Weetabix Women's British Open.
Currently at eighth in the Solheim Cup rankings, she will be looking to claim valuable points in the run up to The Solheim Cup this year at Crooked Stick in Indiana.
But Luna, who was the only female professional to participate in the recent Abu Dhabi Sand Championships, has gained confidence since her 2004 victory and will be looking to add another win to her increasing resume.
"It's been a great year since Tenerife and I've had some great experiences", said Luna, who represented her country alongside Giulia Sergas at the Women's World Cup of Golf in South Africa in February.
"Playing in the World Cup was a fantastic experience and we played very well, but our hopes went into the water when Giulia and I both triple bogeyed the 15th.
"It's been a great year and I've been working hard and enjoying myself. Federica has been coaching me and I went to see her to do some work last Friday."
Luna played alongside the European Tour players Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley and Michael Campbell in the Abu Dhabi Sand Championships.
The players teed off from Astroturf mats onto sand fairways and if the ball landed on the areas marked as fairways they could use the mat again.
But if the ball lay off the fairway players would have to play from where the ball lay.
"It was total madness – but it was good fun," said Luna.
"The greens, which were called browns, were made from a mixture of petrol and sand."
Beautell was also feeling more buoyant following her victory on the Nedbank Women's South African golf Tour. She holds conditional playing rights on the LET after she missed her full card by a shot at qualifying school for the 2005 season.
"Winning was an incredible feeling that I had forgotten as I hadn't won a tournament since 1998," said Beautell, who won the Spanish Amateur, International Belgian and British Girls in 1998."
"I was so nervous that I was shaking over the last three holes but I was lucky that I had a chance to relax and calm down with my friends before the play-off."
"I am lucky because having my sister Sara as a pro golfer helps a lot and she recommended that I should try competing in that tournament."
"The European Tour is improving as we have more tournaments, more money and there are a lot of great players at the moment."
Blomqvist was glad to be back in Tenerife: "I think Tenerife is a great place and it's so nice to see the sea all the time", said the 20-year-old from Finland.
"Like last year, the course is so beautiful," she said.
"My swing is a bit erratic at the moment but I've been working with Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott for up to seven hours a day in Phoenix, Arizona so I'm hoping to be steadier this week and to have more trust in my putting and short game."
"I have a tendency to come over the top and it goes to the left but I've been practising on the golf course."
"I need more trust but I still think that I can win a couple of tournaments this year."
Source - LET
