A group of 21 first year Ladies European Tour (LET) professionals from 12 different countries will gather at the impressive Dénia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort and Spa just outside Alicante next week for the LET Rookie Orientation Programme 2016.
After the success of the inaugural Rookie Orientation Days held at the same venue at the beginning of 2015, the players who recently earned their LET Membership for the first time either through the Lalla Aicha Tour School or LET Access Series (LETAS) will travel to Spain for four days of workshops and education sessions from Wednesday 20th – Saturday 23rd January. This will provide those who are new to the Tour with comprehensive information about the organisation’s ‘More than a Tour’ vision and the inner workings of the LET, as well as useful advice about life as a professional golfer.
The attendees will include Olivia Cowan from Germany, who won the 2015 LETAS Order of Merit, joined by her compatriot Chiara Mertens. There will be six Rookies from Spain, including Natalia Escuriola Martinez, who finished second on the 2015 LETAS Order of Merit, as well as Nuria Itturios, Noemi Jimenez Martin, Elia Folch, Carolina Gonzalez Garcia and Leticia Ras-Anderica, who started her career at La Sella Golf before attending the University of Miami in the United States.
Nuria Itturios, who finished fourth at Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Qualifying in December, said: “It's nice that the Rookie Orientation is taking place here in my home country Spain, at Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort and Spa. I look forward to going there and also to meeting all the other LET rookies and staff to prepare for the season.”
There are four new players from the United Kingdom, including English trio Rosie Davies, Jessica Bradley and Gabriella Cowley and Gemma Dryburgh from Scotland. France will have two players in Agathe Sauzon and Emilie Piquot and they will be joined by Austrian Sarah Schober, Belgian Laura Gonzalez Escallon, Colombian Maribel Lopez Porras, Olafia Kristinsdottir from Iceland, Russian Nina Pegova, Emma Nilsson from Sweden and Emily Talley from the United States.
Talley, who is known to many as a contestant on The Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’ Series, commented: “I am so looking forward to starting my rookie year on the Ladies European Tour. Playing on this tour has always been a huge goal of mine and to think it is actually going to happen this year is truly amazing. I cannot wait to travel the world with my golf clubs in tow, experiencing so many new countries and cultures. I am also looking forward to the rookie orientation next week in Spain. I think it will be so helpful to learn about how the Ladies European Tour is run and meet all of the 2016 rookies too. This educational training trip will definitely get me ready and excited for the season to get started!"
The LET’s Director of Development and Membership Mike Round commented: “We’re looking forward to returning to The Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort and Spa, which is one of the most luxurious hotels in Alicante. The staff provided first class service last year and with all its excellent facilities, it’s an ideal location for our Rookie Orientation Days.”
Mara Bañó from La Sella added: “We are pleased that our relationship with the LET will continue in 2016 and we’re delighted to be able to assist the LET Rookies as they embark on their careers as Touring Professionals.”
The programme will be packed with training sessions covering a range of subjects from Marketing to the Olympic Games and the Rules of Golf. One of the highlights will be an inspirational speech from former LET professional and British Women’s Open Champion, Marta Figueras-Dotti, who is back due to popular demand, while the Rookies will also have the opportunity to participate in a Pro-Am and connect with junior golf.
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