News from 2010

Back in April 2009, when Yani Tseng decided to buy Annika Sorenstam’s former home on the 16th fairway at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, near Orlando in Florida, she envisaged only one minor problem – the Swede’s trophy room was far too large for her own more meagre haul of prizes.

The following month, the-then 20 year-old Taiwanese golfer started to rectify the situation when she captured the LPGA Corning Classic to add to the McDonald’s LPGA title she had won the year before. Earlier this year, she continued the process, claiming her second Major title at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and now she has consigned such concerns well and truly into the past with a battling one shot victory over the luckless Australian, Katherine Hull, at the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open, staged over the majestic links at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport.

Tseng, who also share’s Sorenstam’s coach, Pia Nilsson, and who has sought the Swede’s personal advice on how to become the world’s No. 1 golfer, started the final round with a four shot lead over Hull and a five ahead of the Korean, In-Kyung Kim. It appeared to be enough when both leading protagonists went out in level par 35 but then the leader dropped a shot at the 360-yard par-4 10th and Hull produced birdies at both the 11th and the 13th.

In the end, just as the Taiwanese golfer had predicted the night before, it all came down to the closing stretch where Hull lipped out for a birdie on the par-5 17th and then failed to get up-and-down from the back of 72nd green to finish with a brave 70 for a 10 under par total of 278. Meanwhile, Tseng drove into the left-hand bunker down the last, missed the green in three, putted on and then holed from five feet for a par and a 73 that gave her a slender one stroke victory on 11-under par 277.

The victory brought Tseng a cheque for £260,000 ($408,714), to add to the $3,725,545 she has already banked in her first three full seasons competing on the LPGA Tour. It makes her the youngest player ever to win three women’s Major titles and means that, in the future, Lu Liang Huan, or Mr Lu as he is known to his legion of friends, the man with the Pork Pie hat who finished second behind Lee Trevino at the 1971 Open Championship, will no longer be considered the most famous Taiwanese golfer ever to tread the historic turf at Birkdale.

Perhaps of even more lasting significance, at least as far as the golfing statisticians are concerned, the victory confirms Tseng has now won three Majors long before Sorenstam, her childhood hero, won her first at the relatively advanced age of 24. No mean feat when one considers the Swede went on to win 10 before retiring prematurely to start a family.

“I can’t really believe I have won this Championship and now have three Major titles to my name,” said Tseng. “Katherine played awesome today. She really pushed me a lot and made the last the last four holes really difficult for me.”

Tseng then said she had received a text message from Sorenstam the night before wishing her the best of luck for the final round “It was great. She’s my idol, she’s helped me a lot so it’s great she took the time to do it.

“She told me she was really happy to see me on top and said that was where I belonged. She told me to trust my ability and to relax and enjoy it. I put a few of her comments into my yardage book and I read them as I went round.”

Hull admitted she felt a mixture of pride and pain after coming up just short in her quest to win a first Major title.

“I am delighted with the way I played this week, although also a little sad I didn’t quite make it,” said Hull, whose sole victory on the LPGA Tour came back at the 2008 CN Canadian Women’s Open, where the Australian started the final round six shots behind Tseng but overhauled the Taiwanese golfer coming down the stretch.

“Yani played great,” she added, “and I couldn’t do quite enough to catch her. I was really happy with my ball striking the entire week. I guess I just need to go home and work a little harder on my short game.”

The battle for the other places concluded with Korean, Na Yeon Choi, closing with a fine four under par 68 to share third place with compatriot, In-Kyung Kim, on seven under par 281.

America’s Cristie Kerr, winner of this year’s PGA Championship fired a final round 70 to share fifth place with two other Koreans Amy Yang and Hee Kyung Seo, while another Korean, Inbee Park, made it four top-10 finishes out of four in this year’s Majors by carded a fabulous final round of 66 to share ninth place with Japanese duo, Ai Miyazato and Momoko Ueda, Britanny Lincicome as well as another American, Christina Kim, who was claiming her second consecutive top-10 finish in this Championship after finishing in a share of third place 12 months ago at nearby Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Caroline Hedwall became the second Swede in three years to win the Smyth Salver, awarded to the leading amateur who plays all four rounds, when she closed with a fine two under par 70 for a three over par aggregate of 291.

The current European No. 1 amateur succeeds an illustrious group of former Smyth Salver winners that includes Rebecca Hudson (2001), Michelle Wie (2005), Amy Yang (2006), Melissa Reid (2007) and Hedwall’s compatriot Anna Nordqvist at Sunningdale in 2008. No amateur made the cut at last year’s Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Meanwhile, the Championship will also lead to a huge boost to the Plant a Tree in Africa campaign. Prior to the start of the Championship, Ricoh, the title sponsor of the Women’s British Open, pledged to plant 5 trees for every birdie scored, 10 trees for each eagle and 1,000 trees for an albatross and the combined total came to a massive 6,840 trees.

Click here to see the Round 4 draw

Yani Tseng moved a significant step closer to claiming her second major title of the 2010 season when she carded a third consecutive round of four under par 68 to maintain her four shot lead after the third round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

The 21 year-old Taiwanese golfer goes into the final round four shots ahead of Australia’s Katherine Hull and five in front Korea’s In-Kyung Kim and she will surely draw a lot of confidence from the fact that she has dropped just one shot to par during 54-holes played in demanding weather conditions.

America’s Brittany Lincicome closed with two birdies to register a one under par 71 that saw her claim fourth place on five under par 211 but her compatriot Cristie Kerr missed a series of short putts on her way to carding a level par 72 and dropping from second place to a tie for fifth place alongside Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, America’s Christie Kim, Japan’s Momoko Ueda and Korea’s He Kyung Kim on four under par 212.

Tseng began her third round by posting 12 consecutive pars in heavy wind and squally showers. She made her first birdie of the day on the 430-yard par-14 13th and then repeated that feat on the 499-yard par-5 15th before concluding her round by holing from 20-feet behind the hole for an eagle on the 472-yard par-5 closing hole.

“Tomorrow the title will be won and lost on the three par fives in the last four holes,” said the Taiwanese golfer who won the second of her three Major titles when she defeated Pettersen at this year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship at the beginning of April.

“Today I set out trying to be patient and that’s what I managed to do. I’m proud that I have dropped just one shot in such difficult conditions and I’d like to think I can maintain that sort of form tomorrow afternoon”.

Tseng admitted that she was singing songs to herself for much of the round in an effort to maintain her composure but the rest of the field are unlikely to be in such a melodious mood as they contemplate the remorseless nature of the Taiwanese golfer’s bid for a third Major in the space of three seasons.

Tseng’s nearest rival is the somewhat unlikely figure of Hull whose best finish to date in the Ricoh Women’s British Open was a lowly tie for 40th at last year’s Championship at nearby Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The former Canadian Women’s Open champion began this year’s Championship with rounds of 68 but then lost ground with a 74 before bouncing back with a splendid 68 that included five birdies in the last five holes.

“I don’t think I have done that since college (at Pepperdine University) and I certainly haven’t done it in a Major before,” she said.

I don’t know why I’m doing better here than I have done in previous British Opens but it might have something to do with the fact that over the last couple of years I have learned to shape the ball better than I used to.

“You gotta’ be able to do that on a links course,” she added. “My ball striking is getting better every year and I love links golf now. It’s fun to me. I wish we could play more of it in the States.”

In-Kyung Kim may not appear to be the archetypal links player either but she has displayed consummate skill during her first three rounds of 70, 72 and 68.

The latter began with two birdies in the opening three holes and concluded with a 15-foot putt for an eagle on a last hole which relinquished no less than five eagles and 41 birdies during the course of the penultimate round.

Kim has also decided that patience is the key to success around such a formidable course in the sort of testing conditions the competitors have experienced this week.

“I’m 22 now. I’m trying to calm down but my personality means I still get a bit hyper,” she said. “My caddie Terry McNamara (who used to work for Annika Sorenstam) is very experienced and helps a lot. He has more wins than almost anybody else and he’s helping me to calm down and play my game.

“He keeps telling me not to force it and he also gives me a lot of really good clubs so that helps as well.”

Morgan Pressel produced the round of the day when she posted a spectacular seven under par 65 well before many of the leaders started out.

Pressel’s round started in inauspicious fashion when she dropped shots at both the 1st and the 2nd but she proceeded to defy the testing conditions by firing no less than eight birdies and an eagle over the next 16 holes to finish in a tie for 10th place alongside Korea’s Na Yeon Choi on three under par 213.

Pressel’s run started when she got back to level par for the day with birdies on the 373-yard par-4 3rd and the 175-yard par-3 4th. She carded another two at the par-3 7th and a three at the par-4 9th to go out in 33 and then romped home in a five under par 32 which culminated in an eagle three on the 516-yard par-5 17th and a birdie four on the 472-yard par-5 18th.

“I have never played well in the British Open,” she admitted. “The little booklet they have shows my best finish is 42nd which is pretty embarrassing so this is definitely promising.”

“I holed a lot of putts today. I hit 14 greens. I had only 25 putts and I have put myself right back in the hunt.”

The bravest round of the day may well have come from recent US Women’s Open champion, Paula Creamer, whose left thumb was clearly causing her considerable distress as she put together two opening rounds of two over par 74.

The American missed much the of the first part of the season after surgery on the injured digit and at one point it looked likely she would have to retire before resolving to give it a go.

“Unfortunately I’m in pain. I have been for a while,” Creamer said after posting a two under par 70 that saw her jump up to a share of 25th place.”But we’re athletes. None of us wants to pull out unless we have to so I decided to give it a go.

“The fans here are amazing,” she added. “I love coming here and I just wanted to come out and play for them. I’m glad I was able to do it.”

The shot of the day came from Welsh Solheim Cup player, Becky Brewerton. She had a hole-in-one with a 5-iron on the 147-yard 12th hole and it helped her to post a one under par 71 and finish as leading British golfer in a share of 17th place alongside Lee-Ann Pace, Michelle Wie, Azahara Munoz, Irene Choi, M.J. Hur and Juli Inkster on one over par 217.

Yani Tseng made the most of the tranquil morning weather when she carded a second successive four under par 68 to move into a four shot lead on eight under par 136 at the end of a weather affected second round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

The 21 year-old Taiwanese golfer started the day tied at the top of the leaderboard but, as the weather deteriorated and the late starters were battered by torrential rain, she found herself with a four shot advantage over Americans, Cristie Kerr and Brittany Lincicome, and Korean, Amy Yang.

Norway’s Suzann Petersen also made the most of the more clement morning conditions, posting another four under par 68 to move up to a share of fifth place alongside Korea’s Sun Young Yoo and America’s Brittany Lincicome while, later in the day, 50 year-old Juli Inkster used all her vast experience to defy the worst of the weather and card a two under par 70 to join them on three under par 141.

The charismatic American, Christina Kim, also made progress, rekindling memories of her fine tie for third place at last year’s Championship by returning a 68 to finish the round tied in eighth place alongside French woman Anne-Lise Caudal, Japan’s Momoko, joint first round leader Katherine Hull, and Koreans In-Kyung Kim, Hee Kyung Seo, M.J. Hur and Jiyai Shin on two under par 142.

However, 20 year-old Michelle Wie, who had opened brightly with a two under par 70, failed to take advantage of an early 7.03 am starting time when she hit her first tee shot out-of-bounds on the way to returning a disappointing four over par 76 that saw her drop from a tie for seventh into a share of 31st place ten shots behind Tseng.

The precocious Tseng has already won both the LPGA and the Kraft Nabisco Championship and she is on course to make it a hat-trick of Major titles after a 68 that included five birdies and just one dropped shot on the 373-yard par-4 3rd where she drove into the bunker on the left-hand side of the fairway and failed to reach a green in regulation for the first time in 21 holes.

“I played another solid round and made a lot of putts,” she said. “I was also very lucky. Right now it’s raining but, out there this morning, there was no rain and very little wind.”

“I have never led a Major from the start before but I feel confident and believe I can continue to play well.”

America’s Cristie Kerr has built up a wealth of experience winning 14 titles in 13 years on the LPGA Tour and she was also aware how fortunate she had been to be handed a late start on the first day and an early one the following morning.

“There was no wind when we started so I said to myself that I gotta’ take advantage of the conditions,” said the woman who produced the form of her life while securing a remarkable 12-shot victory at the LPGA Championship earlier this season.

“The last time I was here at Birkdale (at the 2005 Ricoh Women’s British Open) I got the wrong end of the split. I had the worst of the weather in both the first and the second rounds but this time it has been different so I knew I had a chance to do well.”

Kerr made a bright start with birdies at the opening two holes. She dropped a shot at the 8th but then made further advances at the 10th, 14th, 15th and 18th to complete a best-of-the-day 67 before admitting she had taken a while to adjust to her temporary elevation to World’s No. 1 in the aftermath of her extraordinary LPGA triumph.

“I had a lot of other stuff to do other than to play golf and get my nails done and I think I struggled,” she said. “It was a time management thing. I had a lot of stuff to do - media stuff and that sort of thing - and I didn’t get time to practise. I got no time to rest before the (US) Women’s Open and I kinda’ ran out of gas over the weekend.

“It made me realise how hard it must have been for Annika (Sorenstam) and Lorena (Ochoa) who were both No. 1 for years. Now I feel like I understand and I know what I will have to do to prioritise when I get to No. 1 again.”

The best round of the day might well have come from the veteran, Inkster, who carded a remarkable two under par 70 in the worst of the weather and it could have been even better but for missing from five feet for a birdie on the last.

The 50 year-old mother of four went out in level par 35 after a bogey on the 3rd and a birdie on the 175-yard par-3 4th and them moved into red figures for the day with further birdies at the 499-yard par-5 15th and the 516-yard par-5 17th.

“It’s summer,” she laughed. “You always play good in summer.

“Seriously, it was tough out there,” she added. “Luckily, the wind wasn’t blowing as bad as yesterday, but it was raining and tedious. I was very happy with the way I played.”

Inkster, who has won seven majors and a total of 31 LPGA victories in a career spanning 27 years, went on to pay tribute to the leader, Tseng. “She’s a great player,” she said. “She just hits the ball phenomenal. When she putts good, she wins. She’s going to be tough. You’ve also got Suzann Pettersen up there, a lot of great players. But I’m really happy. They played this morning, and I played in the afternoon, so I’m happy with where I’m at.”

Catriona Matthew’s defence of the Ricoh Women’s British Open title ended in ignominious fashion when she ran up a ruinous 10 on the 430-yard par-4 13th where she drove into the rough, hacked out and then got stuck in the rough after blocking her third. She birdied the following hole but then carded a double bogey six on the 16th before posting a nine over par 81 to finish the championship on 12 over par 156. When asked what she had said to her husband and caddie, Graeme, on leaving the 13th green she responded: “Not a lot. I’d scored 10. It had just started raining again. There wasn’t a lot to say.”

Meanwhile, there was better fortune for Europe’s current No. 1 woman amateur, Caroline Hedwall, who registered a 75 to make the cut right on the mark at five over par 149. The other four amateurs in the field, British Ladies’ champion Kelly Tidy, 15 year-old Julie Yang, Curtis Cup international Danielle McVeigh and Welsh star Amy Boulden, all missed the cut so the Swede, Hedwall, now only has to complete the last two rounds to win the Smyth Salver, awarded to the leading amateur who plays all four rounds. Previous winners included Michelle Wie (2005), Amy Yang (2006), Melissa Reid (2007) and Anna Nordqvist (2008). No amateur made the cut last year at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Click here to see the Round 3 draw

Taiwan’s Yani Tseng and Australia’s Katherine Hull both produced four under par rounds of 68 to storm into the lead after the first round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport.

Tseng and Hull both eagled the 472-yard par-5 18th to go into the second round with a one shot lead over France’s Anne-Lise Caudal, Koreans Amy Yang and Sun Young Yoo, and big-hitting American Brittany Lincicome.

Michelle Wie, the 20 year-old American who won the Smyth Salver, awarded to the leading amateur, the last time the championship was played at Birkdale in 2005, carded a fine two under par 70 to share seventh place with another Korean, In-Kyung Kim.

American, Juli Inkster, the oldest competitor in the field at the age of 50, went out at 6.41 am in the second group of the day and posted a one under par 71 to share ninth place with 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Jiyai Shin, South Africa’s Stacy Bregman, Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera and a trio of her compatriots, Brittany Lang, Stacy Lewis and Stacy Prammanasudh.

Veteran Englishwoman, Laura Davies, the champion at Birkdale in 1986, leads the home challenge after a level par 72 left her in a tie for 15th place alongside Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Carin Koch, Koreans Inbee Park, Hee-Won Han, He Young Park, Mi-Hyun Kim, Mindy Kim and Jee Young Lee, Japan’s Momoko Ueda, Scotland’s Janice Moodie, and Lynette Brooky, the 42 year-old from New Zealand who headed the field at the Final Qualifying event at nearby Hillside Golf Club on Monday.

Tseng started the season with a win in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, her second career Major victory, and she duplicated that sort of form with a spectacular round in which she defied the blustery conditions by hitting all 18 greens in regulation.

The World No. 5 started her round with five straight pars before getting up-and-down out of a greenside bunker for a birdie on the 478-yard par-5 5th. She went on to post a further ten straight pars before exploding to the top of the leaderboard with a birdie on the 516-yard par-5 17th and an eagle on the 472-yard par-5 18th where she hit a 6-iron to 25-feet and holed out for her three.

“I played very solid today,” she admitted. “I hit all 18 greens in regulation and any time you do that you know you are playing well.

“I love links golf,” she added. “It makes me think more. You have to focus on every shot, instead of looking forward and looking back. As soon as I arrived here this week, I knew I liked the course.”

Hull started the day with three straight pars before dropping a shot at the 175 yard par-3 4th. She recovered with three birdies in four holes from the 7th and then claimed her share of the lead when she hit a hybrid four to the back of the green on the 18th and holed from 60-feet across the green.

Hull attributed her welcome return to form to a long chat she had with her caddie, Vern Tess, in the lead up to the Championship. “We decided I was getting a bit lazy with my routine, sorted that out and it seemed to do the trick.

“Certainly, I hit the ball a lot better than I have been over the last few weeks,” she added before explaining Tess was wearing a bandage on his head because he had cut himself shaving that morning.

“He called to say he might be a bit late and I have to admit I laughed when I saw him.”

Tseng and Hull are both ranked among the longest hitters in the women’s game and that is clearly a quality that will be required on a formidable Birkdale course measuring almost 6,500-yards and dampened down by regular squally showers in a run up to the Championship.

Lincicome and Wie are also renowned for the distance they hit the ball and both also revelled in the testing conditions.

Wie started the round with a bogey five after driving into the rough but then carded no less than 15 par figures before emulating Tseng by reducing the par 5 17th and 18th holes to a mere seven shots.

“You know, I felt good today,” she said. “I think that I stayed patient and that’s what you have to do.

“Before we started, I said to my caddie, Brendan, that I wasn’t going to get frustrated (no matter what happened). I just wanted to hit good shots and not worry too much about the outcome. Once you’ve hit it, there’s nothing you can do about where it goes.

Lincicome, who preceded Tseng as Kraft Nabisco champion, produced the most remarkable round of the day, an outcome that might have come as something of a relief given that back in 2005, when she made her debut in the Championship at Birkdale, she finished last in the field after rounds of 82 and 80.

This time, a similar fate seemed possible when the American opened with a double bogey six on the 1st and a bogey five on the 2nd but three successive birdies from the 6th saw her go out in level par 36 and she proceeded to come home in 34 with further birdies on the 14th, 15th and 18th.

“That definitely wasn’t the start I was looking for,” she admitted, “but I’m more than happy with the finish.

“I holed a couple of long putts and, being one of the longer hitters, it’s definitely a little bit easier because I was hitting wedges rather than mid-irons into a lot of the holes.

“Today, I also did a very good job of keeping the ball in play and, anytime I do that, I tend to shoot a low score.”

Lincicome is one of a total of over 40 golfers who go into the second round within five shots of the leaders, Tseng and Hull. There will be a cut at the end of the second round, with the top 65 golfers and ties going forward to the third and fourth rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

The race for the Smyth Salver, presented to the leading amateur, looks as if it could right to the wire. Heading into the second round, Ireland’s Danielle McVeigh, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, and 15 year-old Korean, Julie Yang, share the lead, all having scored two over par 74s. However, it was a less successful day for Royal Birkdale member, Kelly Tidy, the new British Ladies’ champion. She ran up a treble bogey eight on the last to finish tied with Welsh amateur international, Amy Boulden, on six over par 78.

Click here to see the Round 2 draw

There is an old adage which suggests that you should always beware the injured golfer and it might well be reinforced this week if America’s Paula Creamer wins the title at the Ricoh Women’s British Open which begins at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club on Thursday.

Creamer arrived in Southport a matter of months after undergoing serious surgery on her left thumb but since her return to competitive golf in June she has won her first Major title at the US Women’s Open at Oakmont Country Club and now has her eyes on a second over a course where she finished tied 15th behind Korea’s Jeong Jang on her debut back in 2005.

“The thumb is not one hundred percent but it feels okay,” said Ricoh’s popular golfing ambassador, who first visited the Southport area as part of the US team that won the Curtis Cup at Formby back in 2004. “There’s still a lot of things I can’t do that I used to be able to do. But there are also things that I can do that I couldn’t do before and that might well have helped me at Oakmont”.

The was a time in the immediate aftermath of her operation that Creamer worried she might never return to competitive golf but while recuperating she began working on refining her mental game and she believes that process was instrumental in her victory over Norway’s Suzann Petersen and Korea’s Na Yeon Choi at Oakmont.

It’s a funny thing,” she said. “To begin with, I worried about it (the thumb) 24 hours a day. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, to watch people play golf but at the same time not knowing if I was ever going to be the same player that I was before.

“The uncertainty was a bit like a black cloud hanging over me but, while I wasn’t playing, I did have plenty of time to think about how I approached the mental game and I think that has definitely changed.”

Creamer now believes she has learned to be much more patient on the golf course.

“It’s something I lacked when I missed out (at previous Majors) at Interlachan, at Saucon Valley and at this tournament last year where I doubled the last, but which I used to my advantage at Oakmont.

“I feel that I have learnt my lessons from the past.”

Patience is essential on a links course of Birkdale’s stature and one competitor who has displayed that quality in abundance is Korea’s Jaiyai Shin who won the Ricoh British Women’s Open title at Sunningdale in 2008 and then finished tied 8th at Royal Lytham & St Annes last year.

Shin is like Creamer in that she arrived at Birkdale as one of the form horses in the women’s game having won last week’s Evian Masters in France to go back to the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

The diminutive Korean has also been sharpening her mental approach in the lead up to the Championship and has no doubt Birkdale will suit her game.

“I don’t do as much practice as I used to,” she told the media on the eve of the Championship. “I found that when I practised a lot I got tired and it wasn’t good for my game. Now I spend more time working on a good strategy and that’s something I need here.”

“I’m really excited because the course is great,” she added. “Last year there were a lot of blind shots but here you can see the greens from the tees so it is easier to manage your way round.”

Another golfer who knows all about Birkdale’s nuances is English veteran, Laura Davies, who won the Ricoh Women’s British Open title over the course in 1986 and this year is making a record 30th consecutive appearance in the Championship.

The evergreen Davies has won twice on this year’s Ladies European Tour to take her tally of worldwide professional victories up to 74 and she sees no reason why her career cannot continue to blossom for some time to come.

“I’m here to win this week. If I didn’t think I could win there would be no real point in turning up,” she said.

“I’ve won a couple this year and I probably should have won a couple more. There’s still a lot to play for. Look at Tom Watson at last year’s Open. He was 59 then, or whatever, and I’m nothing like that. I’m not ready to pack it in yet.”

One golfer who is at the opposite end of the career spectrum is America’s Michelle Wie who is just 20 years of age and is still combining her professional career with her studies at Stanford University.

Wie made her Ricoh Women’s British Open debut at Birkdale back in 2005 and has warm memories of that visit because she finished in a tie for third place and won the Smyth Salver awarded to the leading amateur in the field. She has also been buoyed by both her first LPGA victory at the 2009 Lorena Ochoa Invitational and by her successful appearance in last year’s Solheim Cup and confessed she will raring to go when she tees up for the first round in the company of Pettersen and Japan’s Rui Iijima.

“I’m excited to be back,” she said. “Before I got here, I started to think about the golf course and I realised pretty quickly that I could remember every single hole. I think that it’s definitely possible (that she could win). I just have to go out there and do my own thing.”

The last word goes to defending champion Catriona Matthew who like Davies, Creamer and Shin knows what it’s like to savour success in a Major and would like nothing better that to replicate that feeling again.

“It’s great to be back,” said Matthew whose victory last year at Royal Lytham & St Annes famously came just 11 weeks after she had given birth to her second child. “I’ve been thinking about it all year. It’s nice to get here and finally get out on the golf course.”

The Scot admits the abiding memory of her triumph was the reception she got from the exultant fans as she walked up the 18th fairway side by side with her husband and caddie, Graeme.

“That is something I will never forget,” she admitted. “I was lucky because once I had hit my tee shot I knew I had won it. I could relax and enjoy the reception. That was the best part of it all.”

Florentyna Parker and Kelly Tidy will have a good deal of local support on their side when they tee up in the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open which starts at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club on Thursday.

Parker and Tidy are both members of the host club and hope to count on their knowledge of the course to secure a high finish at the conclusion of the Championship on Sunday night.

Both come into the Championship with prestigious wins under their belts in recent weeks and both have been boosted by excellent draws which will see them tee up alongside four of the leading figures in women’s golf over the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

Eighteen year-old Tidy, who lives about 45 minutes away from the course in Bolton, got into the Championship as a result of winning the 2010 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at Ganton where she defeated Scotland’s Kelsey MacDonald 2 & 1 in the first all British final since 2000. 21 year-old Parker owes her place in the Championship in no small part to her victory in the recent ABN AMRO Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour and now both want to put their knowledge of the Birkdale course to good use over the four days of the Championship.

“I’m so looking forward to playing my first Major in front of my friends and family,” said Tidy who recently earned an International Sports Diploma at college and plans to play full time amateur golf ahead of turning professional.

“I would have tried to come through qualifying if I hadn’t won the British Ladies but this is much better because it has given me time to prepare for the challenge ahead.

“I reckon that over the last five years I have played the course about three times every week so it would be fair to say I know it better than anyone else in this week’s field,” she added.

“It’s going to be fun to see how my golf compares with the best players in the world and I will get a great chance to do that when I tee up alongside former champions Karen Stupples and Sherri Steinhauer on Thursday and Friday.

“I can’t wait to get started.”

Parker begins her challenge at 7.14 am (BST) on Thursday morning in the august company of defending champion, Catriona Matthew, and reigning US Open champion, Paula Creamer, and she will have the added advantage of having former Bernhard Langer caddie, Peter Coleman, on her bag for the week.

“It will be great to have Pete as my caddie,” she said. “He knows the course very well and he was Bernhard Langer’s caddie for 22 years so he’s got lots of experience I will be able to call on.

“I live in Germany but I have played Birkdale almost as much as Kelly,” she added. “I’m really happy to be able to play here. It’s amazing and the draw I have got is even more of a bonus.”

Parker and Tidy will have to be on their top form if they are to make their mark against a strong Ricoh Women’s British Open field that includes 27 out of the top 30 golfers in the top Rolex Women’s World Rankings but they are by no means the only English golfers hoping to do well.

Current Ladies European Tour No. 1, Laura Davies, won the Championship at Birkdale back in 1986 and younger compatriot, Melissa Reid, is hoping to emulate her some 14 years later.

Reid claimed her first LET title at the recent ABN AMRO Ladies Open in Holland and she comes in the event brimming with confidence.

“I’m here to win,” she said in answer to a question about her goal for the week. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask. If I stay patient, and if my mind stays calm, I believe I can compete with these girls. I feel I can beat them as well.”

Two of the form horses going into this week’s Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship are America’s Cristie Kerr and Japan’s Ai Miyazato.

Kerr has four previous top-10s to her name in the Championship, including a tie for fifth place the last time it was played at Birkdale back in 2005, and she recently produced the form of her life while winning the LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans by no less than 12 shots.

“That was a dream performance,” she admitted. “I have struggled a bit since but I love links golf and Birkdale in particular.

“I just like how it’s so out in front of you and you can see where you need to go. The approach shots into the green fit my eye and these greens are very good. So I like the course a lot.

Kerr is currently engaged in a close tussle with Korea’s Jiyai Shin, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and Japan’s Miyazato for the No. 1 spot on the Rolex World Rankings and the American admits it is a serious goal as she enters the fourth Major of the women’s season.

“I have to keep my mind on the job at hand but it is a goal of mine,” she said. “I have been No. 1 but now I have dropped to No. 3 and I want to get first place back. It’s a fun challenge. You’ve got to post a lot of consecutive good rounds. You’ve got to be consistent over a long period of time and that’s what I’d like to do.”

Miyazato has won four times on this season’s LPGA Tour and now appears close to adding a first major title to her name.

“I’m probably playing the best golf of my life right now,” said the Japanese superstar. “I’m totally happy about my season and would like nothing better than to add a fifth victory here at Birkdale.

“With Ricoh being a Japanese company that would make it even more special,” she added.

Miyazato and Reid go out at 7.25 am (BST) on Thursday morning alongside former champion Karrie Webb from Australia. Kerr is one of the later starters. She tees off at 11.59 am in the company of Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson and fellow American Brittany Lincicome.

The Ricoh Women’s Open will be broadcast on the BBC up to and including the 2016 Championship, following a new five year agreement announced today by the LGU, IMG and BBC Sport.

Guy Kinnings, IMG’s Director of Golf, EAME, said, “The BBC’s long term commitment to the Ricoh Women’s British Open is fantastic for golf in the UK, and ensures that the only two Majors played outside the US are both available on terrestrial television. The BBC is a wonderful platform for both the players and Championship and we very much look forward to strengthening this relationship in the future.”

BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater said: “We are delighted to have extended our partnership with the Women’s British Open and feel it goes hand in hand with our recently announced new five year deal with The R&A to broadcast The Open. The BBC is proud of its history of top class golf coverage and looks forward to continuing to bring the sport to audiences nationwide through to 2016.”

Shona Malcolm of the Ladies’ Golf Union said: “We are very pleased that the BBC is demonstrating this commitment to women’s golf and look forward to continuing our long standing relationship. The LGU is committed to giving as many people as possible the opportunity to watch the world’s best women golfers play in our flagship event and the BBC is an ideal partner in fulfilling this ambition.”

The 35th Championship, being played at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club (29 July – 1 Aug), will be broadcast for the first time in High Definition (HD). Hazel Irvine presents the BBC coverage on all four days, with commentary from Peter Alliss, Andrew Cotter and Maureen Madill, and the on-course team of Ken Brown, Philip Parkin and Kirsty Taylor. (see notes to editors for programme information)

BBC TV Schedule

Thur 29 July

BBC Two + BBC HD 2.00pm – 5.30pm Live Golf

Fri 30 July

BBC Two + BBC HD 2.00pm – 5.15pm Live Golf

Sat 31 July

BBC One + BBC HD 2.30pm – 4.50pm Live Golf

BBC Two + BBC HD 4.50pm – 5.45pm Live Golf

Sun 1 August

BBC Two + BBC HD 3.00pm – 6.00pm Live Golf

New Zealand’s Lynnette Brooky overcame difficult conditions to card a fine five under par 67 and claim top spot at the Final Qualifying for the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Hillside.

The 42 year-old four-time Ladies European Tour winner from Wellington carded six birdies and dropped just one shot on the 498-yard par-5 5th hole to finish four shots ahead of France’s Melodie Bourdy, Korea’s Sarah Lee, England’s Henrietta Zuel and Ireland’s Martina Gillen.

Korea’s Julie Yang became one of the youngest ever qualifiers at the age of just 15 when she posted a one over par 73 to finish alongside a cosmopolitan group comprising Italy’s Matia Maffuletti, Paraguay’s Julieta Granada, Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord, Sweden’s Louise Freiberg, South Africa’s Stacy Bregman, Austria’s Stefanie Michl and Welsh amateur Amy Boulden while Denmark’s Karen Margrethe Juul, Scotland’s Lynn Kenny and France’s Sophie Giguel claimed the last three spots available on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off after registering rounds of 74.

The alternate places for the Championship which starts at Royal Birkdale on Thursday went (in order) to Australia’s Rebecca Flood, Spain’s Mariana Macias, France’s Barbara Genuini and Sweden’s Louise Stahle. They will be added to the field should any exempt players drop out.

Brooky recovered from her bogey on the 5th with consecutive birdies at the 340-yard par-4 6th and 143-yard par-3 7th before getting up-and-down from sand to save par on the treacherous 405-yard par-4 9th.

The New Zealander admitted later that was the key shot in her round and she promptly fired three consecutive birdies from the 10th before finishing her round with her sixth birdie of the day on the 525-yard par-5 17th.

15 year-old Yang shared first place on four under par 68 at the recent Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship Pre-Qualifying at The Berkshire and she will now get the chance to test her game against the best players in the world after a splendid 73 in which she fired one birdie, two bogeys and no less than 15 pars.

Yang is a product of the renowned Loretto Golf Academy in Edinburgh and won the recent Welsh Women’s Open Amateur Championship at Southerndown. She becomes one of the youngest players ever to compete in the Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship.

This year’s field included 27 of the world’s top-30 women golfers but there is no place for Spanish Solheim Cup player Tania Elosegui or last year’s leading qualifier Jill McGill who both dropped out after posting four over par rounds of 76.

Yang and Welsh international Amy Boulder were the only two of 17 amateurs to make it into the main draw. Valentine Deery from France and England’s Charley Hull and Holly Clyburn all lost out on alternative places after registering rounds of 75 while English international Hannah Barwood, France’s Lucie Andre and Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn posted four over par rounds of 76.

Further down the list England’s Jess Wilcox recorded a 77 to be one shot ahead of compatriot Charlotte Dalton while Scottish Sally Watson, England’s Lucy Williams and Sian James and Tara Davies from Wales all carded 80s. Two other English girls, Rachel Jennings and Emma Sheffield recorded 82s while Hannah Burke finished on 85.

Qualifiers (* denotes amateur)

67 – Lynnette Brooky (NZ)

71 – Melodie Bourdy (Fr), Sarah Lee (Kor), Henrietta Zuel (Eng), Martina Gillen (Ire)

72 – R. Coakley (Ire)

73 – Julie Yang * (Kor), Amy Boulden* (Wal), Matia Maffuletti (It), Julieta Granada (Par), Marianne Skarpnord (Nor), Louise Freiberg (Swe), Stacy Bregman (RSA), Stefanie Michl (Austria)

74- Karen Margrethe Juul (Den), Lynn Kelly (Sco), Sophie Giquel (Fr), (Aus)

Failed to Qualify (after sudden-death play-off)

74 - Rebecca Flood (Aus), Mariana Marcias (Sp), Barbara Genuini (Fr)

Click here to see Final Qualifying Draw

Four members of the 2010 GB & I Curtis Cup team will be among the top names to tee up in the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open Final Qualifying, to be staged at Hillside Golf Club, Southport, on Monday 26th July.

Hannah Barwood (Knowle GC), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa GC), Rachel Jennings (Isaak Walton GC) and Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies’) will be competing against a strong field that also includes Yuri Fudoh, the World No. 22 from Japan, 2000 British Amateur champion Rebecca Hudson, 2009 European Solheim Cup team member Tania Elosegui, and former LPGA Tour winners, Laura Diaz, Louise Friberg and Julieta Granada.

They will also be joined by America’s Jill McGill, who won last year’s Final Qualifying at Fairhaven Golf Club and also by two other promising young amateurs, Hannah Burke (Mid-Herts) and Julie Yang (Kings Acre) who carded four under par rounds of 68 to head the field of 29 qualifiers from last week’s Ricoh Women’s British Open Pre-Qualifying at The Berkshire.

The field will comprise a total of 90 golfers from 27 different countries all of whom will be bidding to earn one of the 14 available places in the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open to be played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club on 29th July to 1st August.

Barwood, the 2008 English Women’s champion, Clyburn, the 2008 English Girls’ champion, and Jennings, the 2006 English Girls’ champion, have been three of their country’s most successful amateur golfers in recent years. Watson, who first came to the fore as a 13 year-old when she beat Carly Booth in the final of the 2005 Scottish Girls’ Championship, is now a successful competitor on the US collegiate circuit.

Burke and Yang both came into the Pre-Qualifying event in fine form and so it was no surprise to see them finish one shot ahead of Victoria Italy’s Valvassori and Sarah Hassan from Wales and progress to the Final Qualifying at Hillside.

The English girl is currently on vacation from Baylor University in Texas and she has enjoyed considerable success since her return, winning the Irish Women’s Stroke Play Championship and the Astor Salver as well as helping her county, Hertfordshire, to progress to the Finals of the prestigious English County Match Week event. Meanwhile, the Korean, Yang, a product of the renowned Loretto Golf Academy in Edinburgh, won the recent Welsh Women’s Open Championship at Southerndown.

Burke and Yang were two of a total of 13 amateurs who came through Pre-Qualifying at The Berkshire. The others were England’s Heidi Baek, Charlotte Dalton, Charley Hull, Sian James, Emma Sheffield, Jess Wilcox and Lucy Williams, French women Lucie Andre and Valentine Derrey, plus Welsh duo Amy Boulden and Tara Davies, and now all of them have a chance to claim a place in the main draw if they can reproduce that sort of form alongside the professionals at Hillside.

Arguably the most recognisable names in the draw for Final Qualifying are Spain’s Tania Elosegui and England’s Rebecca Hudson both of whom enjoyed successful amateur careers before turning professional and joining the Ladies European Tour.

Elosegui, a 28 year-old from San Sebastian, Spain, won two gold medals in the European Team Championships and a bronze medal in the 2002 World Championship in Malaysia before claiming her first LET title at last year’s ABN AMRO Ladies Open at Eindhovenische Golf Club in the Netherlands. That, plus a further three runner-up finishes, earned her a place in the European Solheim Cup team and she also teamed up with compatriot, Paula Marti, to finish sixth in the Communitat Valenciana European Nations Cup.

31 year-old English woman, Hudson, can lay claim to arguably the finest amateur career of the modern era. She won the 1997 French Under-21 Championship, the 2000 British, Spanish, Scottish, and English Stroke Play Championships, the 2001 British and English Match Play Championships, the 2002 British Stroke Play Championship as well as the Smyth Trophy, awarded to the leading amateur, at the 2001 Women’s British Open at Sunningdale before turning professional late in 2002. Subsequently, she has won three times on the LET, at the 2006 OTP Bank Ladies Central European open in the Hungary, the 2008 Tenerife Ladies Open and the 2008 Ladies English Open as well as at the 2006 Acer SA Open on the South African Tour.

The qualifying will also include Moriya Jutanugarn from Thailand. At 15 years of age and no more than four feet 11 inches tall, she came out top in the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy last September winning a special Ricoh invite into the final qualifying draw.

This year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open has attracted its strongest ever field. With entries closed, all of the World’s Top 20 are in the field including world Number One, Cristie Kerr, defending Champion, Catriona Matthew, 2008 Champion Jiyai Shin and recent US Women’s Open Champion Paula Creamer.

For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.

Ricoh ambassador Paula Creamer won her first Major title at the US Women’s Open by four shots on Sunday and is already looking forward to the 35th Ricoh Women’s British at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, 29th July to 1st August.

Winning in only her fourth tournament back to competitive golf after having surgery on her thumb at the end of March, the 23 year old will now be one of the hot favourites for the Ricoh Women’s British Open having finished in the top 10 in the last three Championships.

As she looks ahead to the final Major of the year, the nine time LPGA tournament winner, enthused, “I am delighted that my pre tournament press conference at the Ricoh Women’s British Open won’t contain the question, ‘how come you’ve never won a Major?’ I knew my time would come and that I just had to be patient but I am glad to have finally answered that one!”

“I am really looking forward to returning to the UK, I finished third last year at Royal Lytham and I really feel like I’ve learnt a lot about playing links golf since I finished 15th at Royal Birkdale back in 2005. I am going to take some time off this week but I’m sure I’ll be picking up a few new ideas watching the Open Championship at St Andrews on TV!

She continued, “My thumb is still limiting my practise time and is not a 100% pain-free but none of that will stop me trying to win the final Major of the year. It would be an awesome thank you to my sponsors, Ricoh.”

Javier Diez-Aguirre, Director, Corporate Communications at Ricoh Europe Plc added, “Paula is a wonderful ambassador for Ricoh and we are delighted that she has won what we hope will be her first of many Major titles. She has showed such remarkable fortitude through her injuries last year and her recovery from thumb surgery that she thoroughly deserves this victory. She recently filmed a TV advert for Ricoh in New York where she not only demonstrated her passion and professionalism - but also her expertise and innovation, qualities which make her stand out from the crowd and why she such is a perfect ambassador for Ricoh.

Paula is an active advocate for Ricoh’s Gift Campaign (Green Initiative For Tomorrow) which was launched last year ahead of Ricoh Women’s British Open to encourage people to make changes to their everyday lives to reduce their carbon footprint. (www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com/gift)

Paula will face stiff competition from the world’s best women players at this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open. With entries closed, all of the World’s Top 20 are in the field including world Number One, Cristie Kerr, defending Champion, Catriona Matthew and 2008 Champion Jiyai Shin.

For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.

Newly crowned World Number One, Cristie Kerr won her second Major title in record-breaking style finishing 12 shots clear of the field at the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans.

Having already confirmed her entry in the 35th Ricoh Women’s British Open at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, 29th July to 1st August, Cristie is now a firm favourite having finished in the top ten four times including a tied fifth in 2005 when the Championship was last played at Birkdale.

Cristie is the first American to top the Rolex Rankings and thoroughly deserving of the top spot having spent amazing 323 weeks ranked within the World’s top 10 and showing her remarkable consistency with 74 consecutive cuts since May 2007. There is no doubt Cristie has her eyes firmly on adding the coveted Ricoh Women’s British Open title to her haul.

Following her final round 66 she explained, “I am delighted to have made it to No.1 but now I want to stay there. It's something that I've wanted and worked for my whole life. It's great but I just got there and I feel you really have to keep proving it so I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. I always wanted to be the No. 1 player in the world and I take great pride in being the top American but you have to perform every week to do that. I'm there now, but I have to prove that I deserve to be there so there is still a lot of work ahead but it feels awfully good right now.”

While Cristie was breaking records across the Atlantic, The Royal Birkdale Golf Club’s own Kelly Tidy, aged 18, triumphed at the 2010 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at Ganton Golf Club, beating Scottish Champion Kelsey MacDonald 2 and 1 in the 18-hole final. Kelly, who was a beaten finalist in the Girls’ British Open Amateur Championships of 2007 and 2008 and played for Europe in both the Junior Solheim Cup and the Junior Ryder Cup, was delighted to discover her victory qualified her for direct entry into the Ricoh Women’s British Open, joining fellow Birkdale member, Florentyna Parker, who qualified following her recent win at the AMRO Ladies Open in Holland.

Kelly, who has been a member at Royal Birkdale Golf Club since 2008, explained, “I am so looking forward to playing my first Major at my home club in front of my friends and family. I would have tried to come though qualifying of course but this is much better. I hope I will be able to take the confidence I have gained from winning the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship into the Championship and make everyone at Birkdale proud of me.”

Shona Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO, commented, “Cristie’s performance at the weekend was remarkable and we look forward to seeing how she fares at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club this summer. Kelly’s win illustrated the increasingly healthy state of the women’s amateur game in the UK, as she won the first all-British final since Rebecca Hudson beat Emma Duggleby to win the title at Walton Heath in 2000. It will be a fantastic experience for her playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open and I look forward to watching her make the most of her local Birkdale knowledge as she takes advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”

For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.

Royal Birkdale member secures her place in the 2010 Championship with a stunning victory in Holland

Florentyna Parker, a member of The Royal Birkdale Golf Club since 2001, has won her first Ladies European Tour title at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in Holland, securing her place in the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open.

Florentyna, currently based in Germany, will be returning to Birkdale as the local favourite as she aims to become the first member of a host club to win the Championship. The historic Royal Birkdale Golf Club will be hosting the 2010 Championship for a fifth time from 29th July to the 1st August this year.

In 2009, her first year as a professional, Florentyna highlighted her potential with a 2nd place finish at the AIB Irish Ladies Open amongst three impressive top 10 finishes. In 2010, Florentyna enjoyed two top 10 finishes earlier in the season before impressively closing out her first title last week after posting a personal best 66 on the Saturday and final round of two under par, 70. With her win, Florentyna won a first prize of €37,500 and moved up into fourth place on the 2010 LET money list.

Florentyna, who will celebrate her 21st birthday later this month, is thrilled at the rewards her first Tour win will bring, namely that she will enjoy direct entry into the Ricoh Women’s British Open. She explained, “I am really excited about playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open this year. It was great playing it last year to gain experience but with it being held at my home club this year it is even more special.”

She continued, “Although it is my home club I don’t have as much of an advantage as you’d think as I haven’t been able to play Royal Birkdale too often over the past few years. I think my main home advantage will be the support from my friends at The Royal Birkdale Golf Club who have always been so encouraging of my golfing aspirations. One thing I don’t need reminding about is that to score well at Birkdale, you need to stay well clear of the bunkers and the rough!”

Florentyna spent many a summer honing her golf skills at The Royal Birkdale Club and attending English classes at St John’s School. She explained, “My mother’s family are from the Birkdale area and my grandparents still live there so I know I will have plenty support. I am looking forward to seeing all my friends and am already planning a fun night out at the Warehouse restaurant in Southport which is one of my favourites.”

Robert Russell, Captain of The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, added, “We are very proud of Florentyna and really looking forward to seeing her play this summer in the Ricoh Women’s British Open. The members have watched Florentyna develop from a promising young junior into a world class player and I know we will all feel very proud as she competes here this summer. The members always enjoy hosting these prestigious world class events but there is no doubt it will make it even more exciting having one of our own member taking part.”

Florentyna will be up against some formidable competition with all of the world’s top 10 women already having confirmed their entries to this year’s tournament along with reigning champion, Catriona Matthew. World Number 1 and 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open Champion, Jiyai Shin heads the field along with an in-form Ai Miyazato, (no.2) a three time winner on the LPGA Tour this year, Yani Tseng (no.4) who won her second Major title earlier this year having fought off a spirited challenge from World number 3 Suzann Pettersen. Cristie Kerr (no. 5), the 2007 US Women’s Open Champion, presents an ever consistent threat having spent over 320 weeks in the World’s top 10 as she seeks her second major title. World number 6 Anna Nordqvist, number 7 Michelle Wie, number 8 Karrie Webb together with Angela Stanford and Na Yeon Choi complete the 10 top ranked players in the field.

For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.

Scotland’s Catriona Matthew will defend her title at the 2010 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club from 29thJuly to 1st August.

Catriona will be joined by the winner of the year’s first Major, Yani Tseng, and Michelle Wie, who won the Ricoh Women’s British Open Amateur Medal in 2005 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

Catriona triumphed at the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club only 11 weeks after the birth of her second daughter, Sophie, and just three weeks before her 40th birthday. In recognition of her extraordinary win, Matthew was recently selected by her fellow LPGA players as the recipient of the Heather Farr Player Award which honours an LPGA player who has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player. She was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List and was also named 2009 Ladies European Tour Player of the Year.

Yani won her second Major title earlier this month at the 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship after a final round 68 which included a pace-setting eagle at the second hole. She held off the intimidating challenge of a number of Major champions coming out at the top of a final leaderboard where 10 of the top 14 had one or more Major titles on their C.V.

Michelle Wie, who won her first LPGA title in Mexico last year, is looking forward to a return to Royal Birkdale having finished tied third there in 2005 and was the youngest Amateur Medal winner. Five years on since impressing the knowledgeable Birkdale crowd, she turned twenty in October, making her one of the youngest members of the 2009 US Solheim Cup team.

Catriona said, “I am really excited to be defending my title at Birkdale. I have had a remarkable 12 months since the birth of Sophie which would probably have been more than enough excitement on it’s own. Add that to winning my first Major and I feel very fortunate.”

She continued, “I certainly didn’t arrive at Lytham last year with high expectations but I was still putting a lot of pressure on myself as I knew I needed a good finish to have a hope of qualifying for the European Solheim Cup team. This year will obviously be different with the pressures that accompany any defending champion but I am looking forward to it. What a wonderful position to be in and I know I will feel enormous pride when I am announced on that first tee as the defending Champion.”

Yani, whose latest Major triumph has taken her to Number Two on the Rolex World Rankings added, “Winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship has given me a lot of confidence so now I am very excited for the rest of the year’s Majors. I enjoyed playing links golf last year and am looking forward to playing at Royal Birkdale for my first time.”

Michelle Wie is certainly looking forward to returning to the course where she enjoyed her best Ricoh Women’s British Open finish and recorded the lowest 72-hole score for an amateur in any Major championship. She enthused, “I have great memories of playing at Royal Birkdale and returning is definitely going to be one of the highlights of my summer schedule. I love playing links golf as it’s fun trying out different types of shots and David (Leadbetter) is full of great tips which I look forward to putting into action. I hope my great memories of coming so close at Birkdale in 2005 will give me a little advantage at this year’s tournament. ”

Shona Malcolm, the Ladies’ Golf Union’s CEO commented, “Announcing three of the world’s best players at this early stage in the season with many more to follow underlines the strength and depth of the field we enjoy at the Ricoh Women’s British Open. The tournament has developed significantly in recent years and we continue to work with our partners, Ricoh and IMG, to ensure the event continues to grow and develop. We were delighted at the success of last year’s Championship and look forward to another fantastic tournament this summer.”

For the first time this year fans will be able to watch the BBC’s extensive coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD (high definition) underlining the significance of the Championship in the BBC’s sports portfolio.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

The last 3 Ricoh Women’s British Open champions have all been rewarded for their achievements over the 2009 season with a number of high profile awards.

The 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open made history by becoming the first ever professional women's tournament to be played at the 'Home of Golf'. Mexico's Lorena Ochoa was victorious at the Old Course at St Andrews, winning her first major title by four shots over joint runners up, Jee Young Lee of Korea and Sweden's Maria Hjorth.

In a thrilling climax to the fiercely contested crown Lorena Ochoa won the 2009 Rolex Player of the Year award with conclusion of the last round of the last event on the LPGA Tour. The Mexican’s second place finish in the virtual grand finale of the LPGA Tour, the LPGA Tour Championship presented by Rolex, Lorena secured one of the greatest glory’s on the LPGA Tour for the fourth consecutive time. She also added the prestigious Vare Trophy, which is given for the lowest scoring average, to her collection for the fourth time. With yet another Rolex Player of the Year award Lorena Ochoa made a perfect ending to a great year that included 3 wins on the LPGA Tour.

South Korea's Jiyai Shin became a household name when she won the Ricoh Women's British Open at Sunningdale in 2008. A composed performance that belied her relative lack of experience saw her card a flawless six under par 66 for an 18 under par total of 270 which was enough for her to finish three shots ahead of Taiwan's Ya-Ni Tseng.

In recognition of Jiyai’s fantastic 2009 season the South Korean received the award “Female Player of the Year'' presented by the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA). The 22-year-old recipient who won three LPGA titles in 2009 collected 105 votes, 20 ahead of world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa in second. Shin is the second Korean to receive the award that is given to the outstanding player in the year through the votes of the golf writer since Pak Se-ri received the accolade in 1998.

Reigning Champion Catriona Matthew triumphed at the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club only 11 weeks after the birth of her second daughter, Sophie, and just three weeks before her 40th birthday. The Scot led by three overnight and won by three shots from Karrie Webb after birdies on 13, 14 and 15 gave her a one-over 73.

In recognition of her extraordinary win, Matthew was recently selected by her fellow LPGA players as the recipient of the Heather Farr Player Award which honours an LPGA player who has demonstrated determination, perseverance and spirit in fulfilling her goals as a player. She was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List and was also named 2009 Ladies European Tour Player of the Year. Back in February Catriona also became the first Freewoman of East Lothian at a ceremony in her home town.

Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake in Wirral is today announced as the host venue for the 2012 Ricoh Women’s British Open, the first time that the Club has hosted this prestigious Championship.

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club, also known as Hoylake, is the second oldest seaside links golf course in England. Built on a racecourse in 1869, this famous course has played host to some of golf’s most historical moments, including holding the inaugural men’s amateur championship in 1885, the first international match in 1902 between Scotland and England and in 1921, the first international match between Great Britain and the United States, later known as the Walker Cup.

Between 1897 and 2006, Hoylake has hosted the men’s Open Championship 11 thrilling times, including the 1930 famous victory of Bobby Jones who went on to win a grand slam that year. More recently, after a gap of nearly 40 years, the Open Championship returned to Hoylake in 2006 with Tiger Woods triumphing during a week of unusually benign weather.

Ominously the club’s website highlights Bernard Darwin’s famous quote; "Hoylake, blown upon by mighty winds, breeder of mighty champions" and there is no doubt that the course will test the strategic strengths for which the world’s best women are so renown. During his 2006 victory, where for once the winds did not blow, Tiger Woods’ respect for the penal bunkers was such that he struck his driver only once during the tournament.

The Championship Committee has also announced a new date for 2012 ensuring the tournament does not clash with the London Olympics. It will now take place at the later date of the 13th to 16th September. Once again, the Committee has triumphed in its quest to hold the most international Women’s Major in golf on one of the worlds best courses.

Shona Malcolm, the Ladies Golf Union CEO explained,We are absolutely delighted to be introducing Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake to the Ricoh British Women Open course rotation. The Ladies Golf Union is committed to playing the Women’s British Open at the best British courses and it is a great coup for the top players to be heading to such an esteemed venue. Adding this news to previously announced Carnoustie for 2011 and as well our return to St Andrews in 2013 for a second time, we have a thrilling few years ahead of us.” .

Kieran O’Brien, Chairman of Council of Royal Liverpool Golf Club added, “The Ricoh Women’s British Open has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is truly one of the great sporting events held in the UK today. We are very proud of our Club’s rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments we have played host to over the years and are happy that we will now be playing such an important role in the women’s game too. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with the LGU and IMG in 2012.

The staging of the 2012 Championship has been made possible not only by the strong support of Royal Liverpool Golf Club and its Members, but also by Wirral Council which has committed to providing significant infrastucture and operational support together with funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) which should to ensure that the 2012 Championship is just as successful as The Open played at Hoylake in 2006.

The partnership formed to bring the Ricoh Women’s British Open to Wirral proves once again how forward thinking the Council is and how it has realised just how significant major sporting events are to the region.

Cllr Steve Foulkes, Leader of Wirral Council added, “This is fantastic news for Wirral and is further evidence of how we are determined to build on the legacy of ‘The People’s Open’ in 2006. By hosting the Ricoh Women’s British Open we will attract new visitors to the Borough as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves with us four years ago. Such a prestigious golf championship will provide not only Wirral but the whole of the Northwest with a huge boost and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best female golfers to Wirral in 2012.

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said, “This is fantastic news, not just for Royal Liverpool and Wirral, but for the whole of the Northwest. The return of the Women’s Open to the region in 2012 underlines the great golfing that we have here in the Northwest and justifies the claim that we are England’s Golf Coast. We have a whole host of international championships across the region over the next few years, including the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012, which will ensure that the spotlight will be on England’s Golf Coast.

Simon Sasaki, Chairman and CEO, Ricoh Europe PLC commented, "The Ricoh Women's British Open is an excellent platform for Ricoh to combine its sponsorship activities with its overall business goal of helping customers move their business forward. It also aligns with the brand attributes of Ricoh; Innovation, Expertise and Sustainability. This is magnified at the Tournament by the professional players, whose performances get better and better, year on year. We are delighted to hear that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will be hosting the Championship in 2012. I’ve heard so much about the course and remember vividly the magnificent Open Championship played there in 2006. We look forward to 2012 and being part of another significant moment in the history of this great Tournament.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.