By Matt Smith
Dubai star Chiara Noja will be aiming to consolidate her place at the top of the Ladies European Tour Access Series Order of Merit standings this week at the Trust Golf Links Series – The Musselburgh Golf Club.

The German, who plays out of Jumeirah Golf Estates, finished third in last week’s event at Ramside Hall Golf Club — the first of these back-to-back Trust Golf events.

German Noja battled against some nasty weather and is now on 1,494.25 points, ahead of New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori (1,332.75 points), Dutch amateur Lauren Holmey (822.50 points), England’s Gemma Clews (821.75 points), Sweden’s Anna Magnusson (790.88 points), and Australia’s Kristalle Blum (781.75). These players are now all within reach of the elite six places that will secure a full LET card for the 2023 season.

However, home hopes Tara Mactaggart and Hannah McCook are aiming for some Scottish cheer at Musselburgh, near Edinburgh in the €40,000 tournament.

Five spots for the AIG Women’s Open Final Qualifier will also be up for grabs and the top two players from both Trust Golf Links Series events will receive an invitation to the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.

Mactaggart finished T6 at Ramside Hall GC and relishes the opportunity to compete even closer to her home.

“I’ve never actually played a professional event in Scotland so I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead. Having support from home this week will be very exciting.

“I think this is one of the best parkland courses in the area and if the wind gets up it’s gonna be a tough test because some of the tee shots are quite tight,” Mactaggart and McCook share more than just the same flag next to their names as they both played golf together at the University of Stirling.

“We’ve been great friends ever since we were probably 11 years old and to go through the ranks of the Scottish golf teams, play university golf together, and to now be up there on LETAS is really amazing,” said Mactaggart.

Aberdeen native McCook is equally excited to play in Scotland as it can put her in a comfortable situation while on the chase after the top six ranking by the end of the season which will secure a full LET card for 2023.

She said: “It feels nice to play at home, I haven’t played a solely female pro event here yet so to finally have the chance is great.

“I have played so many golf courses around this area so I’m sure it will be nice. I guess just having the surroundings of home will be good for me this week.”

You may also like
Chiara Noja surges back to top in LETAS Order of Merit
LET now a tour de force for Olivia Cowan
Whirlwind time for LET’s Whitney Hillier
Scots quartet ready for Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open
Ciganda prevails on Ladies European Tour in Spain
Watch: Highlights from the Estrella Damm Ladies Open
De Roey triumphs at ATS Bangkok
Jack Nicklaus unconcerned about low scores at St Andrews
PGA Tour under investigation over LIV Golf
The top 100 players at St Andrews rated
Final four Open spots decided
A poignant return to St Andrews
Rahm ready for some good breaks at St Andrews
R&A snubs Greg Norman for Open Championship celebrations
Tiger takes a stroll around St Andrews
Xander the man to watch ahead of Open Championship at St Andrews
Xander on his way to three in a row in Scotland
Spieth shoots down LIV Golf rumours
Ciganda on brink of wire-to-wire win in Spain
Tringale holds onto Scottish Open lead
Fitzpatrick enjoying ‘best form of his life’
Hovland reassures all weekend golfers with horrendous shank
Record prize money at 150th Open Championship