In the opening tournament of the 2024 Ladies European Tour (LET), Alessandra Fanali came close to victory in the Magical Kenya Open, finishing in second place with a score of 284 (70 73 67 74, -8) strokes. The 24-year-old from Fiuggi, competing at the Vipingo Ridge course (par 73) in Kilifi County, relinquished her lead on the fourth and final round to Shannon Tan, a 19-year-old from Singapore, with whom she had tied at the top on the “moving day.” Tan secured the win with a total score of 280 (73 70 67 70, -12).
Despite this, it was an impressive performance by Fanali, who had previously achieved second place as a non-professional in the 2022 Ladies Italian Open in Piemonte at the Margara Golf & Country Club (following a three-way playoff won by the Swiss player Morgane Metraux).
Fanali, who holds a degree from Arizona State University in the USA, made a name for herself in the LET in 2023 with five top 10 finishes and a team victory in the Aramco Team Series Riyadh. Now, she showcased her talent in Kenya during her debut in 2024, recording three birdies and four bogeys in the final 18 holes.
However, it was Tan who emerged as the victor, registering five birdies and two bogeys. Tan, a former non-professional, claimed victory at the Singapore Ladies Masters on the China LPGA Tour in July 2023. Then, last December, she secured her place on the Ladies European Tour by finishing eighth in the Qualifying School, becoming the first Singaporean to accomplish this feat.
Her immediate success on the professional circuit earned her €45,000 from a total prize pool of €300,000. The Rules of Golf are a set of standardized rules and procedures that govern the sport of golf. They are collaboratively written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the global governing body of golf, excluding the United States and Mexico, which fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members from the R&A and USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years.
The most recent revision became effective on January 1, 2016. Changes to the rules of golf generally fall into two primary categories: those that enhance comprehension and those that, in specific cases, reduce penalties to ensure fairness. The rule book, titled “Rules of Golf,” is regularly published and also includes regulations governing amateur status.
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According to the Source tennisworldusa.org