Thirteen Czech golfers have been confirmed for the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open from the Ladies European Tour series, which will take place from 21 to June 23, 2024, for the fifth time at the Royal Golf Club Beroun. The ever-improving domestic and, at the same time, the international competition (132 players from 25 countries) and the total prize money of 300,000 euros means this will again be one of the most significant events in Czech golf.
Among the professionals are five who regularly play on the top European circuit: Klára Davidson Spilková, Sára Kousková, Jana Melichová, Kristýna Napoleaová and Tereza Melecká. Tereza Koželuhová and Patricie Macková, the best Czech amateur so far, a “fresh” professional after her American studies, and this year they prefer to participate in the Let Access Series. However, Tereza is also guaranteed to participate in 4 or 5 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour. Other female pros are the experienced Eva Koželuhová, Šideri Váňová, and Katerina Vlašínová.
Among the best amateur representatives are last year’s junior world champion Denisa Vodičková, Natálie Saint Germain, and Sofie Hlinomazová, who secured her start thanks to her victory at the Czech Open Golf Tour in Munich.
“From a domestic point of view, we managed to put together the best participation again. I’m glad that none of the Czech women are missing; they have a chance to succeed compared to foreign players, including amateurs. I believe that the girls will confirm the incredible “emergence” of Czech women’s golf that I dreamed of when we organized the first Tipsport Czech Ladies Open six years ago,” said tournament promoter Luboš Koželuh from Premier Sports.
In Beroun, the last qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games will be held in August, among other things. Davidson-Spilková and Kousková are in the top 60 of the reduced world rankings for the Czech Republic. Both, along with Tereza Melecka, are competing in this week’s Ladies Italian Open before their home starts.
Other players will be waiting for the home Amundi Czech Ladies Challenge of the LETAS series at Panorama Kácov starting this Friday. They include Tereza Koželuhová, who finished 16th at the Montauban Ladies Open last week, Macková, who finished 21st on her professional debut in France, and Váňová and Vlašínová. Of the amateurs invited to Beroun, Vodičková, Hlinomazová, and Saint Germain will all play in Kácov.
The Tipsport Czech Ladies Open program also includes a Junior Pro-Am (Tuesday, June 18, after the press conference, which starts at 13:00) and two Pro-Am tournaments (Wednesday, June 19) where the Czech ice hockey world champions will show their golf skills. The last day before the tournament, Thursday, June 20, is reserved for practice rounds.
The Ladies European Tour will not only have €300,000 in prize money for the female professionals, including €45,000 for the winner but also a hole-in-one bonus. They are again drawn on holes 6 and 17, where no ace has fallen so far. The sixth hole is up for grabs for 250,000 crowns (€10,000) from the title partner, Tipsport, while the 17th hole offers the chance to win a luxury Tudor watch donated by the Bechyne Watchmakers. Unlike tournament prize money, amateur gofers can also win ace prizes.
As a traditional partner of the tournament and the LET series, O2 TV Sport will offer live coverage of the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open. The starting times of the Czech female players will be announced in the first two days so that all the domestic female lists will appear in the live TV broadcast.
The first round will be broadcast on Friday, June 21, from 14:00 to 18:00, the second round on Saturday, June 22, from 10:00 to 14:00, and the final round on Sunday, June 23, from 11:00 to 16:00.
Young visitors will have the opportunity to play a Golf Sixes tournament on the simulator on site, playing six holes of shots without alignment from the junior tees. Boys and girls with a handicap of 50 and above plus no handicap will play with SNAG clubs with soft balls, while handicaps better than 50 will play under standard rules. There is also a club competition if at least six players from the same club enter over the three tournament days. Each tee time is for two players, with a maximum playing time of 20 minutes. The tournament will include a putting contest to decide in the event of a tie.
Tickets for the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open are available at Ticketportal.cz