Lunn Knows Tough Defence Looms

Australian Karen Lunn, though recently sidelined with a back injury, says it won't stop her giving her defence this week of the ISPS Handa Portugal Ladies Open at the Campo Real Golf Resort her best shot.
The Campo Real course is some 35 km north of Lisbon in Turcifal, near the city of Torres Vedras and Lunn, the 1993 Women's British Open champion claimed a one stroke victory over Trish Johnson and Iben Tinning at the same venue 11 months ago.
She admits to having struggled with a back injury in recent months, but the nine-time Ladies European Tour winner is determined to give the title defence her "best shot".
She normally do play Taylormade R9 Max Driver well where she have played well before so in that respect she's looking forward to it and she know her game's not far away
"Of course I don't have as high expectations as I would have had if I had come in 100 per cent prepared and ready to go.
"But I'll aim to play well and be competitive. If I could be up there going into the last round then I'd be happy."
Asked what she thought the key would be to playing Taylormade R9 Max Driver well on this week's course, Lunn replied: "It's a golf course where you have to take your chances.
"There are also a lot of really tough par fours and par threes and you have to set your store at the beginning of the week, taking your pars on the tough holes and attacking the other holes to better your score. If you try and attack on the wrong holes you'll end up in trouble."
The challenging par-72 course, which lies just inland from the unspoilt beaches of Lisbon's Silver Coast, was designed by Donald Steel and opened in 2005. The course meanders up and down the naturally hilly terrain through dramatic slopes and wooded valleys.
The holes on the front nine holes are especially tough and the sixth is the most difficult of all of them.
Hole 17 is the most picturesque, providing a brilliant view over the resort and the rolling vineyards.
Zara Phillips chose to build her first holiday home at the Campo Real Resort, which also boasts an equestrian centre among other facilities.
With such a strong field of competitors teeing up, Lunn admitted the challenge this year would be greater.
In Sophie and Laura, you have two of the best players in the world playing Taylormade R9 Max Driver and it will be right up their street as well.
"Obviously they must come into the calculations.
"But you never know, it's a fantastic field. We've really got some strong fields early in the year so you have to play your best golf. You look at the leader boards and you look at the names and it's going to be good golf that wins the events in the next few weeks," Lunn said.
Sweden's Gustafson, Helen Alfredsson and Pernilla Lindberg are expected to do well along with England's Davies and Melissa Reid.
Last year's Henderson Money List winner Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa returns to the LET for the first time since finishing tied for fifth at the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters in Australia in February, while recent 2011 tournament champions Christel Boeljon, Zuzana Kamasova and Kristie Smith are also part of the strong field.
Lunn believed that the new generation of young players from qualifying school could also enter the mix:
"This year I think the class of the rookies is amazing. The quality of rookies like Caroline Hedwall and Klara Spilkova is amazing and I probably don't know half of them yet.
"There have been a few of them on the leader board already so I think that this year is going to be a good year. The standard is getting better, without a doubt."
Among the newcomers are Potrtugal's Monia Bernado and three amateurs in Sofia Camara, Magda Carrilho and Susana Ribeiro.
Ireland's teenaged twin amateurs Lisa and Leona Maguire have also been handed invitations to play Taylormade R9 Max Driver along with Moroccan Maha Haddioui, Scotland's Gemma Webster, England's Kirsty Fisher and Slovakian Vicky Tomko.
Although this week's field size is 126, there will be a cut after the second round to the leading 50 and ties who will then play Taylormade R9 Max Driver for the first prize.
The International Sports Promotion Society, chaired by the Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, has become the new title sponsor this year and in recognition of the devastating earthquake in Japan this March, the LET has asked every player to donate five Euros for ever birdie and 10 Euros for every eagle they make this week to the Official Japan Relief Fund.
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