Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso is ready to begin her 2023 season at the tournament where she stormed to her first professional win.
The Italian player recorded a victory around Le Riou course at Terre Blanche in 2022 after carding rounds of 70, 69 and 70 to finish on seven-under-par alongside Germany’s Chiara Noja.
After battling in a playoff, it was Colombotto Rosso who rolled in a birdie on the fourth hole to clinch victory and her first title on the LET Access Series.
“I’m really excited about teeing up again this year,” said the 2022 champion. “It was such a special moment last year, winning with my family there.
“I also train at Terre Blanche sometimes and know it’s a great place.”
Colombotto Rosso has made some changes to her swing in the off-season has been working hard ahead of her season-opener, after illness caused her to withdraw from the Santander Golf Tour – GIRONA.
With a strong field in attendance including many LET stars, the Italian player is ready for her game to be tested.
She explained: “I wish for another win, but I’ll see how it goes. The most important thing is that I am taking some pleasure about it and to experience the good feelings I had from last year.
“Terre Blanche is quite a narrow golf course; it is quite strategic as well. The putting will make a big difference if you want to win. You have to be quite careful if you commit errors, not trying to risk it too much.”
No stranger to Terre Blanche, Colombotto Rosso has an exemplary record around the course having finished in a share of fourth place in 2019 and T11 in 2021.
But the 27-year-old, who is this week’s guest on the LETAS Golf Podcast, is enjoying the pressure that comes with that and knows what she has to do to succeed this week.
She added: “The ninth hole is quite difficult, it depends where the tee shot will be, it’s not an easy hit to the green as it is uphill and there is water to the right side. You have to be careful on that hole.”
Lucie Andre, who won the Santander Golf Tour – GIRONA last month, is excited to tee it up again at Golf de Terre Blanche.
The Frenchwoman was triumphant at the LETAS season-opener in Spain after there was a five-way playoff at the conclusion of three rounds.
But Andre is raring to go again and can’t wait to be back in competition this week at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open.
“I’m super happy to play on the tour again,” the Order of Merit leader said. “The five weeks between Santander Golf Tour-GIRONA and this tournament was too much! I can’t wait to play again, I’m very excited about it.”
In the LETAS Order of Merit, Andre currently has 500 points to her name is atop the rankings and sits 281.25 points ahead of Sweden’s Emma Thorngren.
Andre and Thorngren will tee it up in the first round together at 13.34 local time alongside France’s Ines Archer.
However, the two-time LETAS champion is not feeling any pressure or nerves and is happy to be playing at home in France.
She explained: “I like being here it is great to practice on, everything is so big, the practice area is quite nice, the putting green is so big, the facilities are very good.
“I don’t have any goals for this tournament, I’m just going to play shot after shot and see if I can get some close to the pin and on the good side of the green.
“You have to play smart. I don’t feel pressure and I’m not nervous at all, I’m just looking forward to this week. We will see how it goes but I’m excited to play again.”
After an excellent amateur career, Sara Kouskova secured full status on the Ladies European Tour (LET) for the 2023 season in October of last year.
The Czech golfer won both the Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year titles on the LET Access Series (LETAS) after tallying 2,592.18 points from 10 events.
However, while there is a little break on the LET, Kouskova is back on LETAS this week to play at Golf de Terre Blanche.
“I’m very happy to be here,” the three-time LETAS champion said. “It is great to see friends from last year and everybody.
“It’s a chatty atmosphere and I like it, I’m back to a place I like so that is very positive. So far, it’s been a great reunion.”
Despite playing on LETAS for the majority of last year, Kouskova was still in the States at college when the 2022 Terre Blanche Ladies Open took place.
As such the LET rookie didn’t manage to play in the tournament last year, so is excited to have the opportunity to do so this year.
She explained: “I haven’t played the course yet but from what I saw it’s probably going to be tricky and hilly. There is some wind coming in as well, so I think it will be a good test.
“I didn’t play last year on my LETAS season because I was still in college and I didn’t play the years before, so this is my first time playing here.
“I’m excited to play a new course, there are definitely some nerves for sure as always but I’m going to try to take it easy, play some steady golf and see what it brings.”
