Killeen for the ladies at Dunsany
Killeen Castle will host the world's best female golfers from this Friday (6th August) for the 2010 AIB Ladies Irish Open. The AIB Ladies Irish Open, supported by Failte Ireland, takes place this weekend from Friday to Sunday at Killeen Castle, Dunsany and is one of the biggest events on the Ladies European Tour. This year will see the strongest field of professional female golfers in its history with 17 Solheim Cup players competing on a course that will host to the 2011 competition between Europe and the USA next year. Spectators can look forward to a feast of world class golf with a field headed by world number four and tournament favourite, Suzann Pettersen from Sweden. Pettersen will be joined by a host of Europeans hoping to compete in next year's Solheim Cup which includes England's rising star Melissa Reid and her compatriot Laura Davies, one of the most successful golfers of all time. There are also five 2009 Solheim Cup players from the United States, including Brittany Lincicome and Christina Kim, who both tied for ninth last week at Royal Birkdale, as well as Angela Stanford, Kristy McPherson and Brittany Lang. There are also a number of potential future stars of the European team in the field. Talented young Spaniards Maria Hernandez and Azahara Munoz, who tied for 14th and 19th at last week's Ricoh Women's British Open respectively. In their short professional careers, the rookies have both already won tournaments on the Ladies European Tour. Hernandez won the 2010 Allianz Ladies Slovak Open in May while Munoz won the 2009 Madrid Ladies Masters in October on her professional debut. Last week's runner up at the Ricoh Women's British Open, Katherine Hull of Australia, finished a stroke behind Yani Tseng at Royal Birkdale and will bring an international flavour to the tournament along with South Koreans In Kyung Kim, ranked 10th in the world, and Amy Yang, who tied for third and fifth at Birkdale respectively. Ireland will be well represented by professionals Hazel Kavanagh, Rebecca Coakley, Tara Delaney, Martina Gillen and Claire Coughlan-Ryan, who has been given an invitation to play after the birth of her first child. Top Irish amateur Danielle McVeigh from Royal County Down will also compete. Along with world-class golf there is fun for all the family with an international farmers market. Killeen Castle will also host a John Deere kids zone with mini-tractors, a medieval style 'Experience Boyne Valley' area, the launch of Jackie Lavin's 'L' make-up range, a cinema show, live music, junior golf clinics and a retail village. The event is very family friendly with free tickets for children and senior citizens and standard tickets just €10, with season passes for €25. Public parking is available on-site and tickets may be purchased on entry or by visiting www.aibladiesirishopen.ie