LET hopeful Kristie Smith from Australia

MURCIA, SPAIN, 17th Dec 2009 – Colombia’s Maria Jose Uribe survived a nervous last day to lead a group of 48 players who graduated from the LET’s Pre-Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain, on Thursday. The group will now head straight to the Final Qualifying School, to be contested from Friday to Monday, over four rounds.

This year’s Final Qualifying School is set to be the most fiercely contested in the 31-year history of the LET with a total of 84 players targeting a place on the 2010 Ladies European Tour. The first round begins at 9am local time on Friday morning, with the last tee time at 11.10am. There will be a cut to the leading 50 players after three rounds. The top 30 players will receive a full card for the 2010 season, while those in positions 31-50 will have some playing opportunities in the coming year.

Those who were successful at the first stage included Australian Kristie Smith (pictured), England’s Henrietta Zuel and Carly Booth of Scotland, who would need a special exemption to compete were she to qualify, owing to her age. They will join LET regulars Kiran Matharu, Clare Queen and Ana Belen Sanchez among others in the field for the final stage.