Justin Rose and his wife Kate are continuing their support for women’s golf with the launch of the Rose Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour’s Access Series.
The new 54-hole tournament will take place at Brocket Hall golf course in Hertfordshire, England, from September 23-25, 2022, and will have a €65,000 prize fund, the biggest purse on the LET Access Series this season apart from the Grand Final.
The addition of the Rose Ladies Open to the LETAS schedule in 2022 means there are now 19 events on the 2022 calendar with the total prize money for the season reaching €850,000.
The LETAS is a professional golf tour for women and the official development tour to the Ladies European Tour. Launched in 2010, it provides players with an opportunity to compete and progress on to the LET. All female professional golfers and amateurs over 18 with a handicap of 2 or better are eligible for membership.
Justin, the 2013 US Open Champion and gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Kate, a former European champion gymnast, are giving their support to the event in a renewal of their commitment to women’s golf.
It follows the success of the Rose Ladies Series, a series of golf events which launched in 2020 to provide women professional players a chance to keep their games sharp and earn prize money during golf’s Covid-19 shutdown.
There were eight events that year and a further 11 tournaments the following campaign. A further five events were then created during a four-week period in April 2022 to allow players to prepare for the new golf season.
Justin and Kate contributed £35,000 into the series as prize money. Charley Hull won the inaugural event of the series.
Justin and Kate said about Rose Ladies Open: “Building on the success of the Rose Ladies Series, we wanted to continue growing and developing the ladies’ professional game by creating this new tournament, as part of the LET Access Series.
“Our motivation remains the same: we want to give the female professionals more opportunities to play competitively; provide them the chance to compete for larger prize funds; provide opportunities to be seen and receive the exposure they deserve, so that we can continue to work towards change and the drive for equality and help provide the pathway to the Ladies European Tour.”
Alexandra Armas, CEO of the Ladies European Tour, said: “Kate and Justin’s continued commitment and support of women’s golf over recent years through the Rose Ladies Series has been fantastic.
“LETAS provides an excellent pathway to the LET and having the Rose Ladies Open in this year’s calendar offers another playing opportunity, which helps develop the professional game and strengthens the Tour.”
