Charley Hull, winner of the inaugural event on the Rose Ladies Series. Pic: LET
June 18: Charley Hull won the inaugural event after edging past fellow LET player Liz Young in a play-off on her home course at the Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club.
There was a lot of drama at the finish despite the World No 25 Hull being two clear with two to play but a double bogey at 17th saw her fall back level with Young on even par. A 15-footer for birdie at the first extra hole gave Hull the £5,000 first prize.
The Justin Rose Ladies Series will feature seven one-day tournaments, followed by a three-day, 54-hole grand final held at North Hants, the Berkshire, and Wentworth from August 5-7.
The format for the Grand Final, which is being dubbed the Race to the West, will see the top 35 and ties after 36 holes progress to Wentworth’s famous West course.
The Roses are contributing £35,000 in prize money, while American Golf and Computacenter UK have matched that total as the title sponsor. All 10 golf clubs currently have offered their facilities for free.
Each tournament will be behind closed doors and highlights will be shown on Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Sports Marketing Surveys have offered a £7,500 scholarship for a selected player taking part in the Rose Ladies Series. The privately funded scholarship is to cover travel and other expenses to assist the award winner to gain a place on the LPGA Tour.
Candidates must be members of the Ladies European Tour who do not currently have LPGA Tour access. The beneficiary will be selected at the end of the series and primarily on the basis of performance and need.
Olympic champ Rose and wife, Kate, to sponsor Ladies golf series in UK
