(10 January 2012 – Canberra, ACT).jpg)
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Look out Canberra! Another fantastic field of talented golfers from around the world is heading to town for the ActewAGL Royal Canberra Ladies Classic at Royal Canberra Golf Club from 20 to 22 January.
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rnThe field includes a host of players who have won on tours around the world. This includes local star and home course favourite Nikki Campbell and Adelaide’s Tamie Durdin, both of whom spend most of the year competing in Japan and come to this event as two of the highest ranked players in the field. Campbell is a dual winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour and one time winner on the ALPG Tour. In 2011 she was runner-up to world number one, Yani Tseng, at the ANZ Ladies Masters. For Durdin it will be her first visit to the event and she is sure to attract much interest being regarded as one of the longest hitters in women’s golf and is certainly a player to watch.
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rnCanada’s Lorie Kane is making her first appearance and as a four time winner on the LPGA Tour, is likely to figure in the finish come Sunday. Kane has accumulated almost seven million dollars in career LPGA earnings and has a low round record of 61.
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rnAnother new face and player of interest in this year’s line-up is American teenager Jessica Korda. Daughter of 1998 Australian Open Tennis champion Petr, the 19 year old American “with Czech heritage and European blood inside her” is an attractive and exciting new talent who has just completed her rookie year on the LPGA Tour where she qualified at her first attempt. Korda made the cut at both the 2008 and 2009 US Womens Open and was runner-up at the 2010 US Women’s Amateur Championship
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rnAustralian Wendy Doolan, herself a three time LPGA winner, returns from injury this year and as another power player, will be looking to take advantage of the par-5 opportunities presented around the Royal Canberra layout.
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rnEngland’s legendary Laura Davies returns for her third consecutive Classic and will be looking to improve on previous performances on a golf course which should suit her game. She is a 79 time tournament winner – including six in Australia, and will be seeking her first title in the ACT.
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rnThere are 10 players who have won on the Ladies European Tour including five Australians – Nikki Garrett, Frances Bondad, Karen Lunn, Joanne Mills and Kristie Smith. International players that have won on the LET include Davies, France’s Sophie Giquel-Bettan, New Zealand’s Lynnette Brooky, England’s Felicity Johnson and Norway’s Mianne Skarpnord.
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rnSmith will be once again one of the players to watch. The 22-year-old from Perth is the reigning New Zealand Women’s Open champion and has two other professional victories so far in her short career, including the 2009 Royal Canberra Ladies Classic. She was the leading Australian on the Ladies European Tour in 2011, finishing 20th on the Money List. She is an exciting player who can go low, as evidenced by her final round 9-under par 64 to win the Classic in 2009.
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rnNew South Wales’ Bondad is coming to town on a new wave of confidence that was resurrected after her maiden professional victory at the Sanya Ladies China Open in October. The 23-year old finished fourth at last week’s Victorian Women’s Open and is known for her ability to post many birdies.
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rnFrance’s Joanna Klatten is still flying high after her maiden professional victory in sensational circumstances at last weekends Women’s Victorian Open. The 26-year old defeated South Korean LPGA player Haeji Kang on the second playoff hole. Earlier, Kang had holed her second shot on the par 4, 18th hole to force the playoff. Kang, who competes on both the LPGA and Korean LPGA Tours will be looking to turn the tables next week in Canberra.
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rnQueensland’s amateur Ashley Ona returns to the scene of her greatest golfing moment, as the defending champion. In doing so, the 22 year old Queenslander misses out on the Australian Amateur Championship which, unfortunately, is being conducted during the same week.
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rnNo fewer than fourteen countries will be represented at this year’s Classic including the United States, England, Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Malaysia, France, South Africa, Canada, Scotland, Wales, South Korea and New Zealand.
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rnPlayers will be presented with a golf course in magnificent condition, following a recent turf transformation which has resulted in what the club members are boasting as the best fairway conditions in many years. As host of the 2013 Women’s Australian Open, the Royal Canberra Golf Club has commenced early preparations and players in the 2012 Classic will be looking to gain that extra local knowledge in preparation for next year’s National Open Championship.
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