Loretto pupil to play at top golf open

A LORETTO School pupil has been selected to play alongside some of Europe’s top professional golfers in an open.

Lesley Atkins, 17, has been chosen to take part in the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, which will take place next Thursday to Saturday, at Archerfield Links in East Lothian.

Lesley is a boarding pupil at Loretto School in Musselburgh and a member of Loretto Golf Academy. She regularly represents the Scottish national squad and is no stranger to playing at Archerfield, as the venue is used regularly by Loretto Golf Academy.

Director of external affairs at Loretto School, Jonathan Hewat, said: “This must count as one of the most prized accolades in Lesley’s remarkable golfing achievements to date. She is an accomplished and talented golfer, and she richly deserves this opportunity.”

The Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open will be the first UK tournament on the Ladies European Tour calendar and offers a prize fund of £183,000. It will attract some of the best female golfers on the current European Tour, including last year’s champion Catriona Matthew.

The event will see 80 professional golfers playing alongside an amateur field of 80, which will include celebrities, for the three day pro-am style tournament on the Fidra course.