Meghan MacLaren has turned from the queen of the greens to a wizard with words to help give the Ladies European Tour a new brand and image. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MEGHAN MacLaren and Suzann Pettersen have teamed up to help give the Ladies European Tour a fresh logo, updated website and tag line.

The Raise Our Game tagline aims to capture the ambition of the new LPGA-LET joint venture partnership – and a shared desire to keep moving women’s golf forward.

The brand refresh includes a short film created in-house, capturing the passion and potential of the LET players, celebrating their hard work, dedication and perseverance.

Narrated by Solheim Cup star Pettersen, with the script written by two-time LET winner MacLaren, it focuses on the hard work and determination it takes to achieve goals.

The pair hope to inspire women and girls to pursue their passion and realise their potential through the game of golf.

Talented writer MacLaren, who grew up playing golf at Wellingboro GC, in Northamptonshire, said: “I loved working on this project.

“It was great to play an active role in the new direction of our Tour.

“This is an exciting time for the LET and for women’s golf. To see the growth potential as we look ahead to the future for the next is very fulfilling.

“I’ve always worked hard to raise my game and I’m proud to be a member of a Tour which gives us the opportunity to raise our game further.”

Norwegian Suzann Pettersen narrated the video that launched the LET’s new look.
Picture by TRISTAN JONES

‘It’s something we can’t define . . .’

MEGHAN’S script focuses on the fierce commitment required to compete at the highest level.

It also highlights the importance of the friends, family and wider community of tournament promoters and sponsors who can drive women’s golf forward, said the LET.

The script reads: “It starts with something we can’t define. 

“t’s a dream, but we’re too young to know what it is, where it might take us.

“Our family, coaches, friends… they know. On cold winter mornings and warm summer nights, they help us shape it into something we believe in.

“Sometimes we lose it. Sometimes we stop believing. Sometimes we wonder if it’s all really worth it… but we don’t stop.

“Because in every new city that embraces us and every new partner who invests in us, on every Monday that promises and every Thursday that threatens to take away – we have a chance to find it again.

“A chance to believe again. A chance to make each moment our own.

“But it’s yours too, because you’re there by our side, guiding the way. You helped create it.

“So it’s time to believe, in all of our dreams. Together, let’s raise our game.”

•Megan also wrote a first-person piece telling the story of how she raised her game. You can read it here.

Suzann Petersen holed the winning putt at last year’s Solheim Cup. Picture by MARK RUNNACLES

‘The LET made me’ says Solheim Cup star

PETTERSEN – who holed the winning putt at the 2019 Solheim Cup – said at the rebranding launch: “I wouldn’t be where I am without the LET.

“I’m excited about the next chapter of the Tour’s history as it looks to provide even more opportunities for women and girls in the game.

“I’m thrilled to narrate this inspirational video, re-branding the new LET. The future is bright for the LET and its members.”

The 39-year-old Norwegian won 15 times on the LPGA Tour – including two Majors – and another six times on the LET.

After securing the Solheim Cup with that putt at Gleneagles, she promptly announced her retirement to focus on bringing up her son.

But the Scandinavian, who won the British Girls’ title at Wiltshire’s High Post GC in 1999, and played two Junior Ryder Cup matches, is not relinquisihing all ties with the LET just yet.

LET chief executive Alexandra Armas (left) with LPGA commissioner Mike Whan after her appointment – two months after the two Tours signed a joint venture deal. Picture by LPGA.

Future’s bright for LET says chief executive Armas

LET chief executive Alexandra Armas believes the tour has a bright future despite the uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “This brand refresh expresses our excitement about the LET and its future.

“How passionate and proud we all are to represent this strong new brand and that we are in this journey together with our partners – determined to create greater opportunities for the women who play golf today, and for the ones that will follow in the future.

“It has been an unprecedented and eventful start to the new decade.

“In January, we announced a record-breaking schedule and we were extremely excited about the 2020 season.

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been a challenging time for us of late. But we are now focused on the long term.

“This is not only the time to preserve tournaments in 202 – but to build the future that we’re so excited about moving forward for women’s golf.

“The year 2020 is a building block to a bigger and better 2021, 2022 and beyond. Together, let’s do all we can to raise our game.”

The joint agreement between the LET and LPGA was signed in November.

As a result, it paved the way for this year’s expanded playing schedule, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide.

Armas was appointed in January in week the 2020 schedule was released.

Meghan MacLaren has won twice on the LET. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

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Welllingboro’s Meghan MacLaren shared the first round lead in the Hero Women’s Indian Open, at Delhi’s DLF Golf and Country Club. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

WELLINGBORO’S Meghan MacLaren and Australian Whitney Hillier fired a pair of 67s to share the lead after a scorching opening round at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, as temperatures reached 35 degrees Centigrade, in Gurugram.

MacLaren was the first woman to post her total on the challenging Gary Player Course at DLF Golf and Country Club.

Starting at the 10^th tee at 6.45am, McClaren went out with four birdies in 32, before playing the front nine in 35, mixing four birdies with three bogeys.

Hillier, who started 10 minutes later, joined MacLaren at the summit after a bogey-free 67. She played the back nine in 34 and came in with 33 on the front nine.

MacLaren missed last year’s Indian Open – sponsored by the motorbike manufacturer, but tied for ninth in the 2017 event and feels it suits her strategic game.

The 25-year-old said afterwards: “I made a lot of birdies out there and felt really comfortable.

“I thought I was going to have a pretty low score but did a couple of stupid things. I can’t complain with where I am after round one.

“Conditions were perfect, actually. It’s not nice getting up at 4am or whatever.

“But whenever you’re first out and you’ve got an empty course in front of you, and really, really pure greens at that time of day, before it got sort of burning hot, it was nice and it was nice to take advantage of that, because it’s getting stickier and sticker.

MacLaren successfully defended the NSW Open title in March and recorded three additional top 10 finishes earlier this season, including second place in the Jordan Mixed Open and third in the Jabra Ladies Open.

The Golf Foundation Ambassador sits sixth on the order of merit and has the chance to top the ranking with a win on Sunday.

She added: “Today was only the first round and I got a little bit edgy and a little bit of butterflies, but I’ve missed that feeling.

“I haven’t had that for a while and when you’re in that situation, it’s not always nice – but it’s where you want to be.

“The alternative is that you’ve missed the cut or you’ve made the cut but you’re not playing for anything anymore, and it’s hard to bring out your best golf in those situations.

“I think it pushes you on and reminds you of why you do it,” added MacLaren

Hillier, meanwhile, is also in a rich vein of form and looking for her first tour win.

The 28-year-old from Perth, Australia, started with a bogey on the 10th having pulled her tee shot as a result of being slightly distracted by leaving her refillable water bottle in the washroom.

But she bounced back with three birdies in a row from the second. She then carded three birdies on the front nine, at the first, sixth and ninth holes to join MacLaren in a share of the lead.

Hillier said: “I made six birdies and I bogeyed the first hole, so I actually got that back pretty quickly. Overall I’m really happy with my performance. I hit my irons well and gave myself lots of birdie chances.

“The course is looking great, as well. Last time I was here it was 2015 and it has changed a lot since then.

“It is very, very impressive. It’s a beautiful golf course and one of the best in the world, I think.”

Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord and Hampshire’s Liz Young both played in the heat of the afternoon and are positioned just one stroke back on four-under, with Sweden’s Linda Wessberg in fifth on three-under.

Skarpnord, a winner at the Pacific Bay Australian Ladies Classic in February, needs to finish in the top three in India to lead the LET Order of Merit.

Skarpnord said: “I am pretty happy with my round. I played well on the front nine but didn’t make as many putts on the back nine.

“And then I finished up with a great three-putt, so my mood is not the best, but overall I’m happy with four-under.”

Brokenhurst Manor’s Liz Young during the first round. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Young is looking for her maiden tournament victory and has an excellent record in the Hero Women’s Indian Open.

The Brokenhurst Manor pro ended in fifth place in 2015 and has never finished outside the top 30 in six appearances so far.

Young said: “I hit it well. The last two weeks I’ve been playing well, but I haven’t putted well and I haven’t managed any less than 32 putts in a round.

“I have a local caddie here called Suresh and he’s always caddied for me. He does such a good job on the greens and I managed to get 28 putts today.

“I managed to put everything together– the long game and the short game.

“I do enjoy playing here because it’s a challenge. You have to think about every shot and there’s no let-up,” said the former Faldo Series winner, in a week when Rory McIlroy caused a storm by daring to suggest the European Tour’s courses were not set up as hard as they should be.

Young, who took time off to have a baby after marrying fellow Brokenhurst member Jon, and who both played for Hampshire as amateurs, added, “It’s a really good test of golf.

“And even when you’re on the greens, they are not easy, so it’s a challenging and demanding golf course.”

The shot of the day belonged to Jyotsana Singh, a rookie professional on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in India, who aced the 16^th hole using her seven-iron.

•For live scoring in the Hero Women’s Indian Open click here.

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