Gwladys Nocera of France

(23 October 2006) – The 2006 New Star Money List race will reach its climax in the Middle East this week as Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera bids to wrest the European number one spot from Laura Davies in the final event of the year, the €500,000 Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club.

The stage is set for a thrilling final with the cream of the Ladies European Tour making their way to the spectacular Majlis Course to contest the tournament from 26-29 October.

Come Sunday evening, either Davies or Nocera will experience the reward of claiming the 2006 New Star Money List after a ten month season that has taken them to South Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.

Davies, 43, with one victory and a further six runner up finishes to her name this season, has been the player of the year so far, having led the rankings since finishing second at the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe in August.

Her quest to be European number one for the seventh time since 1985 will come under fire at the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club however when Nocera looks to close in on her position in the rankings. Nocera currently occupies second position on the New Star Money List and is just €64,156 behind Davies.

England’s Laura Davies

With three victories and a further nine top ten finishes to her name this season, Nocera would have to claim the first prize of €77,070 at the Dubai Ladies Masters to win the New Star Money List for the first time in her four-year career.

Davies, who won the SAS Masters in Norway in August, is not playing in Dubai as she has made other commitments to compete in a tournament in Korea and she commented: “Gwladys has a chance to win and her destiny is in her hands.”

Nocera has everything to play for but will face the challenge of a world class field in the inaugural Dubai Ladies Masters. The tournament will feature high-profile players including world number one Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, the world number three, European Solheim Cup Captain Helen Alfredsson, former Solheim Cup Captain Catrin Nilsmark, former European number ones Iben Tinning and Paula Marti along with Anna Rawson and Sophie Sandolo.

Gwladys Nocera

Sorenstam, Webb, Nilsmark, Rawson, Nocera and Sandolo have been chosen to partake in a six-player 'warm-up match' called the Dubai Ladies Masters Challenge which will mark the opening of the Latifah par-3 course at Emirates Golf Club on 24 October. The challenge match, starting at 4pm, will kick off the Dubai Ladies Masters week in line with the tradition of the Dubai Desert Classic.

After a two-week break following the BBC Radio Kent Ladies’ English Open, the players will be raring to tee off in the final event of the 2006 Ladies European Tour season and a new event at an undiscovered golf course will give Nocera, the European number two, the perfect opportunity to close her season with a bang.