Ford Women's NSW Open (Ladies European Tour)

Well in what was a very eventual 54 holes of tournament golf at the stunning Coffs Harbour Golf Club on the Coffs Coast, it was despair and dismay for a little while for us. Cara Gainer (45/1) finished second having birdied 17 and 18 to get the clubhouse score in at -8. Manon De Roey somehow parred the par 5 17th, giving us hope. Then, when it mattered most on the 72nd, proven winner De Roey pulled a rabbit out of the bag-of-tricks with a worldie to five-feet to win her third Ladies European Tour (LET) title. To compile the misery of fine margins in this game both, Emma Spitz (28/1) and Sara Kouskova (80/1) finished T6th, one shot out of the places. Spitzy did not turn up on Saturday or Sunday after a beautiful -6 64 on Friday. The ultra consistent Czech star Kouskova finished solidly with a -3 67 to put her name amongst the chaos.

I want to give special mention to Australian veteran Sarah Kemp who not only held a two-shot lead after 36 holes on Saturday in her first event back on Tour after a seven-month break due to a freak break of both her tibia and fibia. It was feared she may never play again but she defied all of the odds to play all 54 holes, even when it was clear the effects were still there whilst visibly limping. To the admiration of everyone, the supremely likeable Aussie managed to finish inside the top-five which in itself is a miraculous achievement! Also shout out to former podcast guest Kajsa Arwefjäll who continues to really impress at this level with two top-tens in two starts as a fully pledged LET member (fourth and eighth.) She's going to be a mega star!

Tournament

This week is the last of the Australian Swing which was severely disrupted by Cyclone Alfred with Australian WPGA Championship being cancelled. Last week at Coffs Harbour, the grounds staff did wonders to ensure that tournament golf was played last week. The players head further South to the city of Wollongong in the New South Wales area, roughly 53 miles outside of Sydney. Wollongong lies in between Illawara Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean with it being known as Surfer's Paradise. Visually it looks a stunning place on the coast.

The Women's NSW Open was established in 2006 where it was held at Oatlands GC until 2018. Some of the former champions include Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, Dame Laura Davies and European Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall winning twice. In 2018, Ford Women's NSW Open was officially co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. Last Year's event winner, Mariajo Uribe, has officially retired with the 2024 Olympic Women's Golf in Paris being her final bow out.

It is the Leonard Dobbin, E.D. Hoben and Irving Kent designed Wollongong Golf Club that takes centre stage this week for Ford Women's New South Wales Open. Since 2018, the event has been rotated around some of the best courses that New South Wales has to offer and this week it's no exception. This course is a visually stunning 6,155 yard Par 71 gem, with beautiful views of the coast and mountainous backdrops to admire for the Ladies this week. Wollongong is known for it's slick, fast, high quality Bentgrass putting green surfaces which will emphasise more greens in regulation and be on hand with scrambling when the greens firm up eventually.

Event History

Courses Played

2024 - Magenta Shores

2023 - Tuncurry

2022 - Coolangatta & Tweed Heads

2020 - Dubbo

2019 - Queanbeyan

2018 - Coffs Harbour

2006-2018 - Oatlands

Event Winners

2024 - Mariajo Uribe (-14) by 1 shot to Bronte Law

2023 - Momoka Kobori (-8) by Playoff to Claire Shin (Am)* (WPGA Event)

2022 - Maja Stark (-15) by 5 shots to Johanna Wrigley (Gustavsson)

2021 - NO TOURNAMENT!

2020 - Julia Engström (-14) by 2 shots to Manon De Roey

2019 - Meghan MacLaren (2) (-12) by 3 shots to Lynn Carlson & Munchin Keh

2018 - Meghan MacLaren (-10) by 2 shots to Silvia Banon & Casey Danielson

Key Categories (In the Field)

Current Top 20 for Greens in Regulation (After 3 Events)

1) Shannon Tan

5) Cara Gainer

6) Sara Kouskova

7) Emma Spitz

8) Annabell Fuller

10) Kajsa Arwefjäll

11) Luna Sobron Galmes

12) Trichat Cheenglab

13) Hannah Burke & Smilla Tarning Søenderby

16) Alessandra Fanali

17) Michael Finn

18) Gabriella Cowley

19) Brianna Navarossa & Alice Hewson

21) Nastasia Nadaud & Mimi Rhodes

25) Celine Herbin & Avani Prashanth

27) Manon De Roey

Current Top 20 for Driving Accuracy (After 3 Events)

1) Shannon Tan

2) Hannah Burke

3) Maha Haddioui

5) Ana Pelaez Trivino & Avani Prashanth

7) Amy Ellen Taylor

8) Alice Hewson

9) Celine Herbin

10) Marianne Skarpnord, Camille Chevalier & Pranavi Urs

13) Emma Spitz

14) Ayako Uehara

17) Alessia Nobilio

18) Maria Hernandez

20) Noora Komulainen

21) Sara Kouskova & Brianna Navarossa

23) Johanna Wrigley (Gustavsson)

24) Momoka Kobori

Current Top 20 for Putting Average per Hole (After 3 Events)

1) Tina Mazarino

2) Momoka Kobori & Ayako Uehara

4) Maddison Hinson-Tolchard

5) Rosie Davies, Agathe Sauzon, Anna Magnusson & Manon De Roey

10) Pauline Roussin Bouchard

11) Diksha Dagar & Hannah Screen

13) Daniela Darquea & Kirsten Rudgeley

15) Meghan MacLaren

16) Alice Hewson

18) Moa Folke, Sarah Schober & Pranavi Urs

21) Emma Spitz, Ursula Wikström & Lauren Walsh

Current Form of the Top 15 Players (All Competitions, Last 10 Events)

Manon De Roey (15/2) - 1/MC/MC/2/18/2/12/15/3/23

Pauline Roussin (16/1) - 31/18/MC/20/14/3/7/2/2/48

Ashley Lau (16/1) - 58/MC/9/39/4/2/1/MC/22/2

Shannon Tan (18/1) - 31/34/39/3/16/59/2/41/10/21

Emma Spitz (18/1) - 6/8/22/34/22/9/8/29/37/MC

Sarah Kemp (18/1) - 4/MC/39/7/MC/MC/MC/29/51

Pia Babnik (20/1) - 16/MC/61/7/3/58/21/41/24/22

Cara Gainer (22/1) - 2/53/1/29/22/MC/32/37/33

Alice Hewson (22/1) - 21/14/16/11/9/11/22/34/MC/29

Nastasia Nadaud (22/1) - 16/58/6/26/9/4/51/43/18/12

Lauren Walsh (25/1) - 16/MC/4/16/22/12/18/MC/MC/MC

Kajsa Arwefjäll (28/1) - 4/8/61/15/6/37/4/2/1/35

Ana Pelaez Trivino (30/1) - 16/58/16/11/MC/36/21/20/15/MC

Kirsten Rudgeley (33/1) - 31/MC/1/37/MC/10/46/37/2/12/15

Daniela Darquea (33/1) - 21/24/MC/MC/MC/43/MC/22/MC/44

The following players were included in my shortlist this week

• Emma Spitz

• Cara Gainer

• Kajsa Arwefjäll

• Kirsten Rudgeley

• Sara Kouskova

• Annabell Fuller

• Momoka Kobori

• Avani Prashanth

• Smilla Tarning Søenderby

Picks

Cara Gainer 22/1 (5pl ew, Bet365)

Current Form (Last 10 Events)

• 2nd Australian Women's Classic

• 53rd Saudi International Ladies

• 1st Lalla Meryem Cup

• 29th Open de España

• 22nd Aramco Series - Riyadh

• MC Wistron Ladies Open Taiwan

• 37th Aramco Series - Shenzhen

• 32nd La Sella Open

• MC KPMG Women's Irish Open

• 33rd ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open

This Season

• 1st Ladies European Tour Order of Merit (After 3 Events)

• 2nd/53rd & 1st in last 3 events

• Ranks 5th Greens in Regulation, 31st Accuracy, 22nd Scrambling, 4th Birdies, 10th for Par 5's & Scoring Average 69.78 for this season so far.

• 2nd in Total Strokes Gained last week at Australian Women's Classic

• 17th, 49th, 14th & 30th in last 4 for Putting Average.

Reasons why

While Manon De Roey is quite rightly the clear favourite at 15/2 after winning in dramatic style at Coffs Harbour last week and the likes of Pauline Roussin Bouchard, Ash Lau and Shannon Tan either a little too short or underperforming, I'm going back in on the current LET OOM No. 1 Cara Gainer. She has had a stunning start to this year, winning her maiden LET title in Morocco, making the weekend in Riyadh and running us very close to a winner last week at Coffs Harbour, finishing second.

Cara's game shows no signs of slowing down either with her greens in regulation and approach play been right on point. She was also in the top 20 last week for putting average. That is a very dangerous mix indeed. Her stroke average so far is 69.78, ranking T3rd and she ranked second for SG: Total last week in Aus.

An interesting fact is that Cara has some Australian relatives, so that just makes even more sense as to why she has a record of second and fourth in New South Wales. There's everything to like about Gainer at the moment and I think 22/1 is slightly under appreciative considering how strong her form is. Wouldn't take any less than 16/1

Kirsten Rudgeley 30/1 (5pl ew, Bet365)

Current Form (Last 10 Events)

• 31st Australian Women's Classic

• MC Saudi International Ladies

• 1st Webex Players Series Perth (Aus Tour)

• 37th Andalucia Costa Del Sol

• MC Aramco Series - Riyadh

• 10th Hero Indian Women's Open

• 46th Wistron Ladies Open Taiwan

• 37th Aramco Series - Shenzhen

• 2nd Lacoste Ladies Open de France

• 12th La Sella Open

This Season

• Ranks 13th Putting Average per Hole, 14th Scrambling & 37th Greens in Regulation this year.

• 3rd, 1st & 6th in 3 of last 5 events for Driving Accuracy

• 43rd last week for Putting Average

• Form of 31st, 16th, 10th & 29th in New South Wales.

Reasons why

While the super talented Kajsa Arwefjäll continues to impress at this level with two top tens in two starts this year (fourth and eighth,) I'm leaning Perth's own Kirsten Rudgeley who gets the nod this week at 33/1 after a steady, if not spectacular, 31st at last week's Australian Women's Classic.

Rudgeley known, by her nickname 'Curly,' has been a real danger over the past couple of years and in my view, should have really converted into a win last year. She lost at Lacoste Ladies Open de France in a playoff to the somewhat invincible and inevitable Chiara Tamburlini. She played really well last year with eight top 15 finishes, including four top fives with her ball striking being up there with the best on tour when she's on it.

Kirsten has solid from in the area of NSW with finishes of 31/16/10 and 29. She won Webex Player Series Perth on Australian WPGA Tour earlier in the year, defeating Ashley Lau. I feel like this is the right time to chance 'Curly' back on home soil while hoping that her ball striking prowess can continue to get better. Feel like she's due a big performance! Wouldn't take any less than 22/1

Sara Kouskova 40/1 (5pl ew, Bet365)

Current Form (Last 10 Events)

• 6th Australian Women's Classic

• 39th Saudi International Ladies

• 24th Lalla Meryem Cup

• 63rd Open de Espana

• 36th Aramco Series - Riyadh

• 13th Hero Indian Women's Open

• 57th Wistron Ladies Open Taiwan

• 10th Aramco Series - Shenzhen

• 32nd Lacoste Ladies Open de France

• 3rd La Sella Open

This Season

• 10th for Stroke Average (After 3 events)

• Ranks 6th for Greens in Regulation, 12th Scrambling, 21st Driving Accuracy, 18th for Par 4's this year so far.

• Ranked 3rd last week for Greens in Regulation hitting 81.5%

Reasons why

We are back on the ultra consistent Czech star Sara Kouskova after she finished T6th last week at Australian Women's Classic. She had a good -3 67 finish on a tough Sunday as she continues to impress at this level with being ever consistent.

The Czechia Olympic Golfer hasn't missed a cut since Scottish Women's Open at Dundonald Links last July and in that run, concluded two-of-her-three best finishes on LET with a career best third at La Sella Open and sixth last week. She also placed fifth at the Hero Indian Women's Open in 2023. It's that consistency about her that impresses me so much at the minute.

I feel like some time very soon the 25-year-old from Prague is going to win a maiden LET title to go with her four wins on LET Access Series. Sara and her caddy, coach and partner Jakub Mejzlik, have built a solid understanding together and work really well together. Great iron player that again should love it round here. Wouldn't take less than 28/1

Momoka Kobori 75/1 (6pl ew, SpreadEx)

Current Form (Last 10 Events)

• 60th Australian Women's Classic

• 2nd Webex Players Series Perth (Aus Tour)

• 27th Saudi International Ladies

• MC Lalla Meryem Cup

• 24th ISPS Handa Australian Open

• 29th Aramco Series - Riyadh

• 2nd Hero Indian Women's Open

• 52nd Lacoste Ladies Open de France

• MC La Sella Open

This Season

• Ranks 2nd for Putting Average per hole (2025)

• Ranks 5th for Scrambling, 19th for Birdies & 24th for Driving Accuracy (2025)

• Finished 2nd at Webex Players Series Perth on Australian WPGA behind Kirsten Rudgeley.

Reasons why

Annabell Fuller was on the list in this mid range after a strong start to the season with 44th last week, third at a star-studded Saudi International Ladies and sixth at Lalla Meryem Cup. She could possibly go well again but I'm going to take a chance on 2023 Champion Momoka Kobori who should come back here to New South Wales in good spirits, especially with her accuracy based game that should suit.

Kiwi born Momoka, the sister of DP World Tour player Kazuma Kobori, is a solid performer in Australian and although she was 60th last week at Coffs Harbour, I'm not letting that put me off. She's won this event in 2023 at Tuncurry, defeating amateur Claire Shin in a playoff to emerge victorious there. She finished second to Kirsten Rudgeley in Perth right after a strong showing of 27th at Saudi International Ladies.

I feel that Momoka's best chances of playing well are on Aussie soil and she has the game to navigate the wind if it comes into play. I like that she's 19th for birdies so far this year, but she's also a good scrambler and you sure need to be to finish second at the quirky and crazy DLF Golf Course that hosts the Indian Women's Open. She has good form in NSW too with eighth at last year's Ford Women's NSW Open, 12th at NSW Open 2022 and 14th at Ladies Classic in Bonville 2022. She has a good game but if there are any slight nags she needs to improve her iron play a little. Take a chance on the price. Wouldn't take less than 50/1

Smilla Tarning Søenderby 125/1 (6pl ew, SpreadEx)

Current Form (Last 10 Events)

• 10th Australian Women's Classic

• WD Lalla Meryem Cup

• 36th Aramco Series - Riyadh

• MC Wistron Ladies Open Taiwan

• WD Lacoste Ladies Open de France

• 7th La Sella Open

• MC ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open

• MC Dutch Ladies Open

• 66th Aramco Series - London

• 57th VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open

This Season

• Ranks 2nd for Bounce Back Ability (2025)

• Ranks 13th for Greens in Regulation, 20th for Driving Distance & 48th for Par 3's.

• Ranked 4th for Greens in Regulation & 12th for Putting Average last week.

Reasons why

My longshot of the week (she was 200/1 earlier but cut down to 125/1,) is 2023 KPMG Irish Open winner Smilla Tarning Søenderby. She seems to have a spark in her year every-so-often, nearly doing so on Sunday last week, nearly repeating what she did back in 2023 at Dromoland Castle where she shot an amazing -10 62 to get into a playoff in Ireland. She stiffed an approach for eagle to about ten feet to win a fairytale maiden LET title when she started to make a fair few birdies to get as high as fourth before making a few errors coming home down the stretch to finish tenth. That should give Smilla some confidence going forward.

The explosive Danish talent Smilla seems to like playing in Australia having finished 12th last year at Magenta Shores (maybe it's the love of Koala's or Kangaroo's or a Fosters Radler who knows) and where it looked like she would kick on again. It's been a slight struggle since the win in 2023 for the Dane with a mixture of injury, loss of confidence and a couple of withdrawals, but on her day, she's a very good iron player and can go right on the birdie trail.

When Soenderby spikes she can be a real handful to deal with down the closing stretch as seen at Dromoland in 2023. It's just trying to get it right because sometimes she can be a little erratic, but she's a good player and happy to be at triple figures! Wouldn't take less than 90/1

Honestly if you have made it this far, then fair play for being a lunatic, but as always, thanks to all for reading! We are in the midst of a good consistent run at the moment. Let's hope for more of the same! Cheers.