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| Hudson with her maiden LET trophy |
The fact that there have been six first time winners on the Tour already this season provides further evidence of a possible changing of the guard.
In addition to Hudson, this season’s first time winners in the field include Linda Wessberg of Sweden, who won the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, Finland’s Riikka Hakkarainen, who won the Tenerife Ladies Open and Denmark’s Karen Margrethe Juul, who won the Nykredit Masters in Denmark. All four will be looking to make a move in this week’s Ladies English Open, the penultimate tournament on the 2006 Ladies European Tour.
Wessberg is the top ranked player in the field at fifth on the New Star Money List while Hakkarainen and Juul are ninth and tenth. Other emerging talents in the field hoping for a powerful performance include the current Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year Nikki Garrett of Australia, currently ranked 13th on the New Star Money List, as well as Welsh ace Becky Brewerton, who tied for third at the Ladies English Open last year and shared 15th place in the tournament the previous year.
Brewerton has already proven her mastery of the Faldo designed course in the Kent countryside but in her third year as a professional is yet to clinch her maiden professional title. Hers would be a popular victory.
Also in the field is Ana Belen Sanchez who is defending her current lead in Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza SA 18 Finest leaderboard with only two holes remaining. The scores recorded on holes 17 and 18 at Chart Hills Golf Club will decide who is to become the inugural winner of the competition.
Hudson, who missed the cut at the Ladies English Open in 2004 and was forced to sit it out last year as first reserve, has come into her best form this year and is ready to take on the challenge of Chart Hills Golf Club.
