Israeli female golfer returns to LPGA Tour

Laetitia Beck is the only Israeli representative on the US women's professional tour, and will return to the top LPGA Tour from 2024 after five years of trying to find her way back via the second-tier Epson Tour.

In the history of Israeli golf, Beck is the first person to choose to tour as a main profession (tour pro). Because of this, she always shows her national pride through the national flag or the national symbol – the Star of David – on her playing clothes and beauty accessories. They appear on her golf bag, shirt, hat, shoes, necklaces, bracelets, even on her belt buckle.

Beck in the Israeli golf team jersey competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Brazil. Photo: Reuters — Beck in the Israeli golf team jersey competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Brazil. Photo: *Reuters*

Anti-Israel sentiment is on the rise in the United States. According to the New York-based Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased by nearly 400% in the two weeks following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas on October 7.

Beck, however, is not concerned. "My government advises citizens not to wear Jewish symbols. However, they are very important to me and I still want to wear them to show my identity," Beck told Golfweek on December 7, after finishing T10 in the Q-Series. The LPGA Tour has a system of first-placed players with the same name and second-placed Epson Tour players. Beck's recent Q-Series performance has put her back in the top bracket with maximum competition rights.

Thanks to that, Beck will return to the most attractive professional women's golf arena in the world, expected near the end of January 2024. That is where she once competed, lasting for four seasons.

Beck debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2015, but by the end of 2018 had to drop to the Epson Tour because her results did not meet the standards for staying on the tour. Earlier this year, Beck thought about playing her final season on the second branch and then retiring at the age of 31. She finished 20th overall on the 2023 Epson Tour in September, while the top 10 is only promoted to the LPGA Tour.

At the time, the Q-Series was Beck's only chance to advance. So she postponed her plans to visit Israel to continue her professional development. After her homeland entered an armed conflict with Hamas, Beck contacted coach Julie Elion in hopes of improving her competitive ability, as Elion had worked with many PGA Tour stars such as Justin Thomas, Max Homa and Wyndham Clark. With Elion's professional support, Beck improved and earned a ticket to advance at the recent Q-Series.

After reaching her goal, Beck bought gifts for her grandchildren when she returned home in two weeks. She was able to do so because her hometown was far from a war zone.

Beck was born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1992. Six years later, she moved with her parents to Caesarea, Israel. This is where Caesarea Golf Club, the only 18-hole course in the West Asian country, is located. That's where Beck began playing golf, at age nine. After winning the Israeli Open five times, she moved to the United States to further her education and golf skills. She entered Duke University in North Carolina, where she helped the school team win the 2014 NCAA Championship. The following year, Beck graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology and turned professional, debuting at the Women's Open major.

National Emblem

Source link