ANZ Ladies Masters shaping up as the best yet

BY iseekgolf.com | ALPG Tour | 2003 ANZ Ladies Masters | General | 11 Dec 2002

With 23 of the top 50 players in the World and the cream of the Ladies European Tour in attendance, the field of the 2003 ANZ Ladies Masters is shaping as the strongest in its 14-year history.

“It just gets better,” said tournament founder Bob Tuohy in announcing that the international players to contest the $800,000 title at the Royal Pines Resort, on Queensland’s Gold Coast includes LPGA rookie of the year Beth Bauer, Laura Diaz, Natalie Gulbis and Mexican sensation Lorena Ochoa.

“We are delighted at the depth of talent we will have in Australia. Along with the established stars and long-time supporters of the tournament such as Karrie Webb and Laura Davies, we have a wave of new talent which will add excitement and colour to Australia’s richest women’s golf event.”

Bauer, 22, from Florida, graduated to the LPGA Tour from the SBC Futures circuit in 2001, where she was also Rookie of the Year, and in her first year on the LPGA earned AUD$861,844.

Another big mover in 2002 was Laura Diaz, who produced her first LPGA win at the Welch’s/Circle K Championship and followed up with victory in LPGA Corning Classic and made a successful debut in The Solheim Cup at Interlachen. Diaz earned a total of ten top 10 finishes earning AUD$1,512,168 for the year and seventh place on the LPGA money list.

Also expected to attract plenty of attention is Gulbis, who in 1997 at the age of 14 became the youngest player to Monday qualify for an LPGA Tour event. In her rookie year the 19-year-old managed four top 10 finishes to show that despite being dubbed by the media as golf’s answer to Anna Kournikova, she is a fine player.

The Women’s British Open Champion and four time ANZ Masters winner Karrie Webb and Queenslander Rachel Teske are expected to be the strongest of the Australian contingent at Royal Pines. But Michelle Ellis and Shani Waugh have impressed on the LPGA in 2002.

The ANZ Ladies Masters, co-sanctioned by Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour from February 20-23 is again certain to generate world wide interest – and it just gets better.

Among the top Europeans attending are a host of Solheim Cup players including 2002 LET Order of Merit winner Paula Marti from Spain, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Scotland’s Mhairi McKay, Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson, Iben Tinning from Denmark and Karine Icher from France.

Confirmed Players (Dec 2002)

• World rankings included
  5th – Karrie Webb (AUS)
  7th – Laura Diaz (USA)
  9th – Rachel Teske (AUS)
  15th – Catriona Matthew (SCO)
  16th – Kelly Robbins (USA)
  17th – Mhairi McKay (SCO)
  18th – Beth Bauer (USA)
  21st – Gloria Park (KOR)
  22nd – Janice Moodie (SCO)
  25th – Michelle Ellis (AUS)
  26th – Maria Hjorth (SWE)
  27th – Shani Waugh (AUS)
  28th – Patricia Meunier-LeBouc (FRA)
  29th – Laura Davies (UK)
  30th – Jennifer Rosales (USA)
  31st – Dororthy Delasin (PHL)
  38th – Kate Golden (USA)
  39th – Natalie Gulbis (USA)
  41st – Wendy Doolan (AUS)
  46th – Karen Stupples (USA)
  48th – Joanne Morley
  49th – Jill McGill (USA)
  50th – Jackie Gallagher-Smith (USA)