Ladies European Tour: Caroline Hedwall Eyes Money List

Sweden's Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall remains hopeful of becoming the first player since Laura Davies in 1985 to top the European Rolex Rookie of the Year and Henderson Money Lists in the same season as she tees up in China this week.
Hedwall, ranked third on the Henderson Money List behind Ai Miyazato and Melissa Reid, trails Miyazato by €134,284 and needs two victories plus a runner-up finish in her final three events to overtake the Japanese player.


"It's been a fantastic year so far and I'm very satisfied with it. As far as winning the money list goes, it will be very tough to overtake Ai, but if I can it would be a great way to top off the year and it would be a great goal," said Hedwall, ahead of the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open at Suzhou Taihu International Golf Club.

"I'm only playing this week and two more events in India and Dubai so it's pretty tough and I would have to be top three every tournament I guess. There is a chance but I don't know if it's a realistic goal."

Impressive victories at the Ladies Slovak Open, Finnair Masters and UNIQA Ladies Golf Open in Austria have already assured the 22-year-old of the Rolex Rookie of the Year Award, but if the script holds good, she could be in contention for the 'Player of the Year' title, as well, which is voted for by the LET members.

Even if Miyazato does take the Henderson Money List title, Hedwall could earn a 10 year exemption to play on the Ladies European Tour if she can overtake Reid to top the exemption list, an internal document from which players who have not competed in six events throughout the year are removed and which determines playing categories for the following season.

At present Hedwall is entered into the final three events while Reid has chosen to skip the Hero Women's Indian Open and has only entered the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open and Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

Reid is €101,101 behind Miyazato and needs a win in Dubai and at least a second place finish this week in China to take the Henderson Money List title.

However, with two months remaining until both races are decided, she has a realistic chance of earning a ten year exemption.

kwinigolfer wrote:
Time for European sponsors to stand up and be counted.

kwinigolfer wrote:What a shame the European Tours can't hold such big money tournaments in Europe.
The smash and grab raids by Tours to Asia will ultimately be self-destroying, lines between Tours increasingly blurred.
Time for European sponsors to stand up and be counted.

kwinigolfer wrote:Doc,
One of the big problems with the LPGA is that almost half of their tournaments are limited field events, so that rank-and-file players, say the Janice Moodies of this world, scarcely get to play two events in consecutive weeks.
My feeling is that golf Tours and its members prostitute themselves to Asia when it suits them; can't see that continuing as Asia's base becomes broader and they can dispense with freeloaders from Europe and America.
Westwood's "sponsorspeak" that there should be a fifth Major in Asia may not be too far wide of the mark if we allow our imagination to fast-forward a decade or two.