Liz Bennett heading for LET Q

School, ready to ring curtain

down on amateur career

Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor), winner of the English Women's Golf Association Order of Merit for 2008, is the latest member of this year's GB&I Curtis Cup team to announce that she is heading for the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in January.

Scottish champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon) and Krystle Caithness, who has abandoned her four-year golf scholarship at George University, have also indicated that they see their future in the professional ranks and will be trying to win LET players' cards in January.

Ms Bennett, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency on the first tee at St Andrews in the Curtis Cup match, who is 26, says in the new EGWA Newsletter:

"I feel the time is right to move on. I have done what I wanted to do in amateur golf and I feel I'm ready to compete with the professionals.

"I've really enjoyed my amateur career. I had four fantastic years at univesity in America and it was great to come back and play for England and for Great Britain & Ireland. But now it's time to move on."

The top 10 final placings in the EGWA Order of Merit were:

1 Liz Bennett (Brokenhurst Manor).

2 Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton).

3 Naomi Edwards (Ganton).

4 Kerry Smith (Waterlooville).

5 Florentyna Parker (Royal Birkdale).

6 Jodi Ewart (Catterick).

7 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton).

8 Hannah Barwood (Knowle).

9 Holly Aitchison (Bedfordshire).

10 Rachel Connor (Manchester).