LET ‘strongly denies’ circuit is on brink of financial collapse as player leaks email

The Ladies European Tour has denied the circuit is on the brink of folding despite losing another tournament from an already threadbare schedule.

Due to be held in September, the €500,000 Ladies European Masters has joined the Buick Championship, Czech Open, Turkish Ladies Open and another event in Italy on the scrapheap.

The latest cancellation was confirmed to players in an email from Helen Alfredsson, the LET’S Player President. The Swede requested the news to remain confidential, but it has been leaked by one player.

The email read: “Even though you will all feel sad, disappointed, upset, furious, angry, and I must say rightfully so, but I ask you, please keep it inside the ropes! It is tough enough, but just all try to be a team at this point.”

There have been only four events on the LET schedule so far this season, the most recent of which was in Spain in April. The cancellation of the event in Germany led the player who leaked the email to say she feared the Tour was facing a financial collapse, but that claim has been denied.

A statement said: “The LET strongly rejects the recent negative speculation in the press about its future. The Tour has made significant investments over the last few years to raise its brand profile and television footprint, which has already led to the introduction of a number of new tournaments.

“As with any international organisation, the LET is always subject to political and commercial disruption around the world and it deeply regrets that a number of unrelated events have led to tournaments in the first half of this year’s schedule not coming to fruition as planned.

“We fully understand the frustrations that our members have with the tournament cancellations and are doing everything we can to improve the situation. Nonetheless, the remainder of this year’s schedule remains strong and we are looking forward to the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open – our first fully co-sanctioned event with the LPGA Tour – in July.”