Defending champion Anja Monke of Germany

(Wednesday 16th September 2009) — This week’s Ladies European Tour action comes from the Randstad Open de France Dames at Le Golf D’Arras in Anzin St. Aubin, on the outskirts of Arras, where Germany’s Anja Monke returns the scene of her maiden triumph.

Twelve months ago, Monke held off the challenge of Tania Elosegui to win by two strokes over the Spaniard and went on to claim her second LET title at the Dubai Ladies Masters less than three months later.

Monke will attempt to become the first player to win the tournament in consecutive years since Italian Veronica Zorzi at Le Golf D’Arras in 2005 and 2006 and New Zealander Lynn Brooky in 2002 and 2003 at the same venue.

This is the tournament’s 10th successive year at Le Golf D’Arras and Monke will face a number of former winners, including the 2007 champion Linda Wessberg, who also won last week’s UNIQA Ladies Golf Open presented by Raiffeisen in Austria.

The field also includes Trish Johnson of England, who won at Le Golf D’Arras in 1996 and in 1999 at Paris International, as well as Australian Karen Lunn, who won in 1997 at Paris International.

Monke overcame a strong field last year and will need to do so again as an abundance of players from the top 20 on the LET’s Henderson Money List have travelled to France.

That group is led by Italian Diana Luna, who will attempt to capture her third trophy of the year after wins in Ireland and Norway and fellow Solheim Cup player Becky Brewerton from Wales aiming for her second victory of 2009 after securing her Spanish Open title.

England’s Melissa Reid will be keen to add a victory to her name while last year’s runner-up Elosegui, who this year secured her maiden LET title at the ABN AMRO in the Netherlands, will be hoping to go one better.

The other players from the top 20 competing are home hope Jade Schaeffer, who claimed her first win in Germany, Sweden’s Johanna Westerberg, a first-time winner in Portugal, last week’s runner-up Laura Davies from England, last year’s European number one Gwladys Nocera of France, Sweden’s Emma Zackrisson and England’s Florentyna Parker, who is second on the LET’s Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year order of merit.

This year’s winner stands to earn €45,000 after four rounds on the 6358-yard par 72 course.