“That’s what frustrates me. We have so many good players but they don’t have anywhere to play”
PAMELA PRETSWELL ASHER says the Ladies European Tour is at a low ebb despite an abundance of talent and is in desperate need of more events.
Standard Investments golf clinic in Edinburgh, the Scot added: “For me, the sad thing is that talent on the LET at the moment is the strongest it has been in the last five years. That’s the thing that frustrates me the most.
“We have so many good players but they don’t have anywhere to play and don’t have to go to America if you don’t want to. But, at the moment, the only option is to go to the States. Georgia Hall, for instance, has to be there to progress her game after doing remarkably well to get into the Solheim Cup team this year from so few starts on the LET.”
Pretswell Asher has been the leading Scot on the circuit for the past two years but heads into this week’s event behind Michele Thomson on this season’s money-list after the Aberdonian finished second in last month’s Indian Open. Due to bad smog, Pretswell Asher withdrew from that event but, after recording a top-15 finish in the following week’s Sanya Ladies Open in China, she is looking to end her season on a high in a field that is headed by Ricoh Women’s British Open champion In-kyung Kim.
“Michele had a great week in India but, if I can have a good week in Dubai, we’ll see where it leaves me at the end of the year,” said the former Curtis Cup player, who also has US Solheim Cup duo Angel Yin and Brittany Lincicome as her rivals this week.
“This is a tournament I really enjoy, it’s the best one after the Scottish Open and it is one of the biggest on the schedule. I’ve been pretty happy with my game. I just haven’t seen the results I would have wanted, though I had a good week in China. In fact, that was the best golf I’ve played for a long time.
“My aim this week is to get a good finish to what has been a frustrating season. I think next year the schedule is looking better, though I don’t think it could be much worse, to be fair.
“There were various reasons I came off the committee. It [a threadbare schedule] is not ideal because, at the end of the day, it is everyone’s job. It is the same for everyone, but I’m someone who likes to get a bit of momentum.
“I like to get a few tournaments to get into the season and then get a run to get some rhythm going. This year, I had a couple of good results in April yet my next tournament was July – our biggest month – and by that time I’d lost any momentum I had.
“It was disappointing not being able to take advantage of having both the Scottish Open and British Open on home soil.”
Fresh from her card success at the LPGA Qualifying School, Gemma Dryburgh also lines up in the Dubai event, as do Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, Kelsey Macdonald, Vikki Laing, Kylie Henry and Carly Booth.