Qatar Ladies Open starts its maiden journey today

At 6.30 in the morning, Belgian golfer Chloe Leurquin will begin the proceedings of the first ever Ladies European Tour (LET) event in Qatar, the Qatar Ladies Open, when she tees off from the first tee of the Doha Golf Club.
Some 108 players — among them several emerging names like India’s Aditi Ashok, England’s Georgia Hall, Brazil’s Victoria Lovelady, and Maha Haddioui of Morocco, who is also the first Arab woman golfer to make it to the LET — will be braving the winds and the tricky greens of the pristine par-72 DGC course over the next four days to take a share of the €500,000 prize fund of the inaugural tournament, which is the third LET event in this part of the world after the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi.
India’s Aditi will be teeing off at 11am, along with Isabelle Boineau of France and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist. The 18-year-old Bangalore girl last week became the first Indian to win an LET event after winning the Hero Women’s Indian Open in Noida.
Besides the on-course action, several off-course activities and entertainment have been lined up for the visiting public to make it a memorable occasion. Visitors of all ages and abilities will be able to try their hand at the sport themselves, with golfing activities and clinics running throughout the four days.
And the fun isn’t limited to golf – visitors can play badminton, handball and volleyball, with plenty of friendly match-ups for individuals, pairs and teams. The activities will also feature table tennis and a Batak reaction wall, designed to test hand eye co-ordination and stamina.
The QLO Village will also offer excitement for football fanatics with a soccer dribbling challenge, table football and the ‘ball in a bucket’ competition. Visitors looking to relax can unwind in the shade on Fat Boy beanbags and seating, whilst enjoying delicious food from the ever-popular Belgian Café in the hospitality pavilion overlooking the 18th green.