AIB Ladies Irish Open
Perfect Partners 
Worldwide golf and turf equipment manufacturer John Deere and the Ladies European Tour (LET) extended their original patron agreement at the end of 2009 for two more years, during which Deere will be designated the Tour’s official supplier of golf course machinery.
The company will also be an official industry partner of The 2011 Solheim Cup match between the women’s professional teams from the US and Europe (captained for the second time in succession by Alison Nicholas), which will take place at Killeen Castle in Ireland; this new partnership agreement also covers the newly established AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Fáilte Ireland, in 2010, 2011 & 2012, and The 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup.
2010 AIB Ladies Irish Open Club Challenge
You have the chance to attend the AIB Ladies Irish Open and to play in the Pro-Am by competing in the AIB Ladies Irish Open Club Challenge next May/June. Just form a team of 3 with your friends from your club and register it by Friday 30th April on www.aibladiesirishopen.ie. Qualification for the competition will take place through any 
sanctioned 18-hole singles competition in your club taking place from April 1st to May 17th 2010. The top 120 teams nationwide will go forward to play in the following AIB Ladies Irish Open Club
Challenge Regional Finals:
-Thursday 27th May - Galway Golf Club
-Tuesday 1st June - Dun Laoghaire G.C
-Tuesday 8th June - Cork Golf Club
-Friday 11th June - Slieve Russell G.C
The winning teams from each Provincial Final will then qualify to play in the AIB Ladies Irish Open Pro-Am on Thursday 5th August 2010 at Killeen Castle, Dunsany, Co. Meath.
See the News section for more information...
KILLEEN CASTLE TO HOST THE 2010 AIB LADIES IRISH OPEN supported by FAILTE IRELAND 
The 2010 AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Fáilte Ireland, will take place on 6th- 8th August at Killeen Castle on the Jack Nicklaus Signature designed course, that will also host The 2011 Solheim Cup.
It is anticipated that the move to August in the week immediately following the Ricoh Women’s British Open, will attract some of the biggest names in ladies golf, not only on the Ladies European Tour but also on an international level as it is presently a free week on the LPGA calendar. Pictures above Rebecca Coakley LET Professional, Keith McCormack (Failte Ireland), Jim Kelly (AIB)
In addition to one of the biggest purses in Europe of €500,000 on offer, it will also provide Solheim Cup contenders from both teams the unique opportunity to play the highly acclaimed Jack Nicklaus Signature course competitively a year before The 2011 Solheim Cup. It is unlikely that the event will be played at Killeen Castle in 2011 on the same dates due to the proximity of the Matches, scheduled for September 23-25, 2011.
For more info see the news section...
Nicholas named as The 2011 European Solheim Cup Captain
The Ladies European Tour is thrilled to announce that Alison Nicholas will lead The European Solheim Cup Team as Captain for a second term at Killeen Castle in Ireland in 2011.
Nicholas was selected following a unanimous decision by the European Solheim Cup Committee, comprising the Ladies European Tour representatives, Players’ Council and past captains.
The Committee felt that the experience Nicholas gained at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois three months ago was invaluable and she deserved to be re-appointed.
For more info please see www.solheimcup.com
Rebecca Coakley hits form in Asia (RTE) 
Rebecca Coakley's fine form in Asia will see her rise significantly in Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
The 28-year-old from Carlow was extremely impressive in China and South Korea, recording season best ties for fifth place at both the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open and the Daishin Securities Korean Ladies Masters.
Even more impressive was the fact that she overcame a severe blow to the head at the start of the two week stretch, when she was hit by an amateur player who she was teaching at a clinic on the driving range.
For the full story see our news page...
Wie looking good for The 2011 Solheim Cup team.
The season of giving is still six weeks away, but the LPGA Tour received an early Christmas present this weekend when Michelle Wie won her first tour event in dramatic and pressure-packed fashion.
Her 3-under par 69 was good enough to capture the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico by two strokes over Paula Creamer.
For the full story see our news page....
The 2011 Solheim Cup goes live online!
www.solheimcup.com
The Ladies European Tour today unveiled a brand new Solheim Cup
website geared at providing information about the matches scheduled for Killeen Castle in Ireland from September 23-25, 2011.
The Ladies European Tour today unveiled a brand new Solheim Cup website geared at providing information about the matches scheduled for Killeen Castle in Ireland from September 23-25, 2011.
At www.SolheimCup.com, you can sign up to become a volunteer at the tournament, get the regular Solheim Cup newsletter and browse a whole new range of features.
You can research historical data, including past results and statistics, find out about the Waterford Crystal trophy, the course and Killeen Castle. There is also a photo gallery, along with the latest Solheim Cup news.
Tickets are available to buy now and there is an early bird special offer, priced at €125 for the tournament week. Accommodation and travel details are also already available to view.
Next week, the Ladies European Tour will unveil a new European Team selection criteria and this will be updated weekly, along with the Solheim Cup points for the US Team.
In addition, you can subscribe to an RSS feed, or follow The Solheim Cup on Facebook and on Twitter.
The Irish organisers are pulling out all the stops to make the next Solheim Cup the best ever when Europe and the United States face off at Killeen Castle in 674 days.
LUNA CROWNED 2009 LADY OF THE LINKS
Italy’s Diana Luna hit 18 greens en route to a stunning final round of 68 and claimed her first tour win in five years at the AIB Ladies Irish Open supported by Failte Ireland.
The 26-year-old from Rome gave a master class in links golf on a testing day near Dublin to claim the first prize of €75,000 and the Tipperary Crystal trophy.
She battled through two lengthy fog delays to post four birdies over Portmarnock Links. She carded three birdies going out, on the sixth, seventh and ninth holes for an outward total of 33 before heading back in 35 after a final birdie at the par-five 13th. --------
Having started the day with a one shot lead, she finished four clear of three players with a winning three-round total of 11-under-par and victory never looked in doubt.
GALWAY BAY CROWNED 2009 PRO-AM CHAMPIONS AFTER AIB CLUB CHALLENGE SUCCESS
The Galway Bay team of Mary Kelly, Helen O'Flaherty and Orla Sheilds pictured right accepting their prizes from Billy Andrews of AIB continued their run of good form by winning the AIB Ladies Irish Open Pro Am on Thursday 25th June in Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links. The Galway Girls qualified to play in the pro am through the nationwide AIB Club Challenge which ran throughout the country for all Irish Lady Golfers with the top 12 teams in the country qualifying for a spot in the prestigious pro am. Congratulations ladies.
ALL TOP FORTY PLAYERS ON LADIES EUROPEN TOUR ENTERED FOR THE 2009 AIB LADIES IRISH OPEN supported by FAILTE IRELAND
The top 40 players on the Ladies European Tour have all confirmed their participation in this year’s AIB Ladies Irish Open which takes place at The Portmarnock Golf Links from 26th-28th June. The top 40 professionals players lead by Laura Davies and Sophie Gustafson will be joined by the top nine amateur players selected to play for the Vagliano Team against the Continent of Europe in July.
The Team, captained by Mary McKenna will be announced next Monday, June 15th following the British Ladies Amateur Championship at The Royal St. David’s Golf Club in Wales. There is great anticipation from an Irish point of view in the expectation of the famous Maguire Twins and Danielle McVeigh from Royal County Down will make the team based on their recent good form.
“It is a very rare occurrence”, according to Yvonne Cassidy, Tournament Director of the AIB Ladies Irish Open for the Ladies European Tour, for every one of Europe’s top 40 ranked professionals to enter for a tournament. This demonstrates the success of the event in 2008 on the Portmarnock Links club and clearly establishing it is as one of the premier events on the Ladies European Tour.
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