Amy Boulden claimed top spot at the LET Qualifying School, at La Manga, in Spain, finishing three shots clear of the field after 108 holes. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

AMY Boulden will return to the Ladies European Tour in 2020 after winning the LET Q-School at La Manga Club.

The Welshwoman finished three strokes ahead of Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher and Scotland’s overnight co-leader Alison Muirhead.

Boulden, the 2014 LET Rookie of the Year, closed with a five-under par round of 68 on the South Course for a total of 10-under after five rounds.

The 26-year-old from Llandudno, in North Wales, whose career best finish in six years on tour was second in the 2014 Lacoste Ladies Open de France, had set a personal target of 12-under for the marathon examination at the annual LET Qualifying School.

But the daughter of Maesdu Golf Club pro Simon Boulden was happy with her score, especially after a week of changeable and challenging weather conditions.

Boulden said: “I’m relieved. It’s always a tough week coming back to Q-School.

“I decided to play a bit on the Symetra Tour last year and didn’t manage to keep my LET card from the six events in which I played, so I was always planning to come back.

“I love playing in Europe, but you feel a bit of extra pressure once you’ve had your card and then lose it.

“It’s a big relief to have it,” added the former Welsh amateur international, who played in the 2012 Curtis Cup a year after playing in the Junior Solheim Cup.

“I’ve done quite a lot of swing work over the last year or so and I didn’t actually feel like I had my game today.

“I know I shot a good score but my iron-play wasn’t quite there. I putted well and I feel like all areas of my game are getting better and it’s just about confidence now.

“Hopefully I can kick on from here,” said the 2008 BBC Young Sportswoman of the Year.

Simmermacher, 23, from Buenos Aires, will become the second Argentinian member of the LET after sealing second spot, based on the best last 18 holes, with her final round of 68.

The 2019 LET Access Series player said: “I can’t believe it. I hit the ball well all week. Every single part of my game was good and I just kept trusting it. It’s really exciting that I’m going to play a full season.”

Muirhead, who topped the field in Pre-Qualifying at La Manga, which was her first tournament as professional, ended with a 71 to take the third card.

The 21-year-old Scot, who lives in Dubai, said: “It feels amazing. I never expected this to be the outcome.

To do last week and this week and finish first and second, I’m really pleased.

“It’s been a long two weeks and I’m excited for the tour and feel like I’m ready to be playing.

“Today, I didn’t have my A game, but I kept it together and sunk some big putts, which gave me a lot of confidence coming into the last five holes.

“Amy played spectacularly and it was amazing to watch and be part of it,” added the former Fresno State University player, who won the Emirates Junior Open back to back, in 2015 and 2016.

The 2020 season gets under way with the Australian Ladies Classic Bonville in New South Wales, on February 20.

•To see the full LET 2020 tournament schedule, which will feature 24 events offering a total of €18million in prize money click here.

Alice Hewson finished in fifth place at La Manga to take the fifth and final full LET card for the expanded 2020 season. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Hewson happy as earns her rights

BERKHAMSTED’S Ladies European Amateur Champion Alice Hewson took the final category 5c spot in fifth place on five-under to claim her full card for 2020 at LET Q-School.

Curtis Cup player Hewson, who played in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Championship in April, said: “It was really good out there.

“I got off to a really solid start and finally started holing some putts in the middle of the round,” said Hewson, who had climbed into the lead after three rounds in Murica, thanks to an eagle at the 18th on the South Course.

“I had a couple of interesting holes coming in, but I stuck to my game plan the whole time and was aggressive coming down 18. I pulled it off.

“On 18, I had 200 to the pin, but I had a slight mudball, so I was between whether to go for it or not.

Hewson’s debut in LET Access WPGA International

“I decided to go for it and hit a three-wood about 35 yards right of the green, under a tree and over a bunker – so it was a challenging third shot.

“But I hit it to 45 feet and then nearly holed the putt, so it was good.

“It’s really special to get my full card, especially this year, with how many events the LET have got this year.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity and I’m excited to get travelling.”

Switzerland’s Metraux sisters claim their cards along with 14 more in category 8A

SWITZERLAND’D Kim Metraux, whose younger sister Morgane qualified in 14th spot, finished fourth on six-under-par after a closing 69.

Kim said that she had come to Q-School without any expectations.

“I have a status on the Symetra Tour, which gave me some relief that I knew I could play next year no matter what.

“It was good to be stress-free and I was quite relaxed during the round and focused on my game. It’s great to know that my sister qualified, too.”

The 15 players who qualified in category 8a include Surrey’s LPGA player Charlotte Thomas, Norway’s Maiken Bing Paulsen, Germany’s Sarina Schmit, Carolin Kauffmann and Sophie Hausmann, South Africa’s Casandra Danielle Hall and Monique Smit, Swaziland’s Nobuhle Dlamini France’s, Anne-Charlotte Mora , Pia Babnik from Slovenia, Filippa Moork from Sweden, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, Iceland’s Gudrun Bjorgvinsdottir, Finland’s Tiia Koivisto and Eun Jung Ji from Korea.

Smit secured the 20^th card with a birdie four on the second extra hole after a four-way play-off on the 18th against France’s Manon Gidali, Germany’s Leonie Harm, and Spanird Mireia Prat.

•To see the final results including the order the above players finished in at LET Q-School, which will determine the ranking for their cards, click here.

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Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux led the LET Qualifying School after the first round at La Manga, having shot a three-under par 68 on the North Course. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

AFTER taking a year out due to a shoulder injury, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux was the leader at Ladies European Tour Qualifying School, at La Manga, in Spain.

Morgane, who was the Symetra Tour Rookie of the Year in 2018, made the most of the improved conditions after Storm Gloria battered Spain, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake, including taking out 150 trees at La Manga.

Metraux, who is the girlfriend of Hampshire’s Amateur Champion Harry Ellis after they met at Florida State University, carded an opening round of 68 on the North Course and take the overnight clubhouse lead on three-under par.

The North and South Courses were left in somewhat benign conditions in comparison to what had been experienced over the previous couple of days after 80mph winds swept across the Mediterranea country.

The club’s greenkeepers worked overtime to prepare the course after scores of trees were ripped out across the resort’s golf courses during the storm.

They peformed an incredible job and play got underway in excellent conditions for the first round of final stage qualifying for the 2020 LET season.

After signing for the round of the day, Metraux, whose older sister Kim is also in the field, said: “I have had a full year off until now, because of my injury.

“Firstly, to be able to play is really amazing and to play this well is a really, really good feeling for me.

“I was lucky that I played in the Pre-Qualifier, as I knew the courses so I didn’t have to practice in the storm over the last few days when it’s been raining a lot.

“The courses have softened up since last week but definitely drain very well compared to the amount of rain that we have had.

“I holed a few long putts which was a big bonus. My putting was really good and my iron play was solid,” added Metraux, who finished second in the Espirito Santo Trophy at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship, in Mexico, playing with her sister.

“La Manga Club is great. I wasn’t actually planning on playing due to my injury and coming here I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of my golf,” said Metraux.

“The resort is really good and if you compare it with the conditions we have had, the place is tremendous.”

Alison Muirhead, who won last week’s Pre-Qualifier last week, continued her excellent form carding an opening round two-under 69 on the North Course.

The 21-year-old from Scotland said: “I am pretty pleased with my start.

“I played really solid and hit a lot of fairways and greens. I feel there are plenty of birdie opportunities out there but if the wind is like this, it is definitely going to make it tough.

“I’m feeling excited about the next four days,” added Muirhead.

Frida Gustafsson Spang was very happy with an opening 69 and also was grateful for the work that the greenkeepers have done.

The Swedish star said: “I’m very happy. Obviously I had a lot of nerves as I haven’t competed for a while, so I was very happy that I could keep everything very solid.

“I tried to play smart and strategic golf, especially with the wind.

“The greenkeepers have done an amazing job. I have been talking about the storm with friends as we were expecting wet shoes but my shoes are still super dry.

“The course handles the rain very well but we also have had many trees come down.

“They have cleared everything, so they must have been working so hard and we are very happy for everything that they have done to make the course super good.

“La Manga Club is great. It is so nice to have everything in one spot. We have beautiful courses, everything is easily accessible and there are great facilities.”

Sweden’s My Leander joined Frida and Alison on two-under.

She said: “It was a fun round. I had three early birdies on the front nine which helped.

“I managed to hit a lot of shots close to the pins. It’s been raining for two days but the courses are holding up really well.

“La Manga Club is so beautiful. It’s nice to see some sunshine today and it’s probably going to get even better tomorrow.”

Dlamini shot best score on South Course

SWAZILAND’S Nobuhle Dlamini shot the best round of the day on the South Course, posting a two-under par 71.

Making up a seven-way share for second position on two-under are Germany’s Leonie Harm, France’s Emilie Piquot and Spain’s Marta Martin.

There are 120 players competing at the Final Stage of Qualifying School.

After the final round, the top five players will be eligible for LET membership in category 5c.

Players in sixth to 20th position will be eligible for membership in category 8a.

Players who have made the 72-hole cut ( leading 60 and ties) and finished below 21st place, will be ranked according to score and be eligible for category 9b.

Players that fail to make the cut after 72 holes, will be eligible for LET membership in category 12a and will be ranked in final score order.

•To follow live scoring at LET Qualifying School at La Manga, click here.

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