NO PLAY-OFFS AT 2010 LADIES' BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR

AND GIRLS' BRITISH OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY LADIES GOLF UNION
There will be no play-offs to decide the precise number of qualifiers for the match-play stages of next year’s Ladies British Open Amateur Championship at Ganton Golf Club and also the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship at Royal Belfast Golf Club.
Instead, a card countback will be used as the means of deciding all qualifying places. Play-offs have been known to last for hours, on occasion finishing in darkness and the restarting the following day. This did nothing to help the smooth running of the tournaments and players often incurred additional costs and travel delay while they waited to see if they would be involved.
The Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship will be held at the Yorkshire venue from June 22 to 26, beginning only nine days after the conclusion of the Curtis Cup match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts (June 11 to 13).
Spain’s Azahara Munoz, winner of the title at Royal St David’s Golf Club, Harlech this year, has since turned professional and already won an event on the Ladies’ European Tour.
The handicap limit for the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship, to be played at the prestigious Northern Ireland venue from August 9 to 13, is being reduced from 9.4 to 8.4 in recognition of the fact that the general standard of play among the entrants for the Under-18 years’ championship is improving every year.
There will be a total ban on caddies at the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship. Previously, the ban covered only a golf professional, relative or guardian acting as a caddie in this tournament.
Caddies will continue to be permitted at the Girls’ International Matches which will be hosted by Bangor Golf Club, Northern Ireland , from August 4 to 6 and the restriction on a golf professional, relative or guardian acting as a caddie will remain in place.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship has another Lancashire venue, Royal Birkdale Golf Club, from July 29 to August 1.
The pre-qualifying will be held over The Berkshire Golf Club’s Blue Course on July 12 and the final qualifying at Hillside Golf Club, Southport a fortnight later on July 26.
Wales will have two main events on the LGU 2010 calendar.
The Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship will be played at Tenby Golf Club, Pembrokeshire from August 18 to 20, and Wales , champions at Wrexham in 2008 and Irvine in 2009, will be seeking an historic hat-trick of titles when the Home Internationals are played on home soil at Whitchurch Golf Club from September 8 to 10.
Scotland plays host to the Senior Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at West Kilbride Golf Club, Ayrshire from September 14 to 16.
Scotland’s defence of the Sue Johnson Trophy in the Senior International Matches will take place at Sheringham Golf Club, Norfolk from September 28 to 30.
Entries for all tournaments are now available online via the LGU website at www.lgu.org.

2010 LGU FIXTURES, VENUES

June 11-13: Curtis Cup: United States v Great Britain & Ireland at Essex County Club, Massachusetts, United States.
June 22-26: Ladies’ British open amateur championship at Ganton GC, Yorkshire , England.
July 12: Ricoh Women’s British Open Pre-qualifying at The Berkshire GC (blue course), England .
July 26: Ricoh Women’s British Open Final Qualifying at Hillside GC, Southport, Lancashire , England .

July 29-August 1: Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale GC, Lancashire , England.

August 4-6: Girls’ International Matches at Bangor GC, Northern Ireland .
August 9-13: Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship at Royal Belfast GC, Northern Ireland . August 18-20: Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke-play Championship at Tenby GC, Wales .
September 8-10: Home International Matches at Whitchurch GC, Cardiff , Wales .

September 14-16: Senior Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at West Kilbride GC, Ayrshire , Scotland .
September 28-30: Senior International Matches at Sheringham GC, Norfolk , England .