KIRAN MATHARU

KIRAN'S FATHER SAYS SHE'S TURNING PRO
BECAUSE OF ADA O'SULLIVAN DECISION


By COLIN FARQUHARSON

According to the “Daily Telegraph” on Wednesday, Kiran Matharu (Cookridge Hall, Leeds) is turning professional after next week’s United States women’s amateur championship, because she is upset and angry at not being played by skipper Ada O’Sullivan on the second and final day of the Curtis Cup match at Bandon Dunes, Oregon last weekend.
Kiran, the 17-year-old English women’s amateur champion, lost her foursomes tie on the opening morning and won her singles in the afternoon – but was not played in either the foursomes or singles on Day 2.
Her father, Amarjit Matharu, was quoted by the “Daily Telegraph” as follows:
“Kiran was in tears, believing that Sunday’s pairings were compiled entirely around the Irish contingent (Ada O’Sullivan is Irish and there were four Irish players in the squad of eight) and that was definite wrong as everyone at the course thought Kiran was the best player.”
At the post-match Press Conference at Bandon Dues, Skipper O’Sullivan was specifically asked by Craig Smith, the USGA Press Officer, why she had not played Kiran Matharu on the second day.
Ada’s answer was:

“….Kiran obviously had to try and get foursomes going. And Tricia and Kiran didn't jell yesterday. Kiran is obviously very talented as a golfer and very much an individual. And in foursomes this morning I believed that we actually needed people to actually rally one another. So hence you're talking about Claire Coughlan was left out and we brought in Breanne to play with Mel. And you're talking about Tara who played so well yesterday, with Tricia. And that was the reason.
"It was a very close call this afternoon whether she (Kiran Matharu) would go out or not. I'm not saying in favor of our players, there was three we just felt, because the players were so upbeat this morning that we felt, yeah, keep them out there. They were used to the conditions, plus the greens had got a lot quicker out there as well.
"So that's the decision. We took nothing to reflect on her (Kiran Matharu), she's a great player. Just with the feeling of the day and the way the play had gone this morning.”
Most golf writers who follow the women’s amateur scene knew some time ago that Kiran Matharu’s father had decided she would turn pro after the Curtis Cup.
So for Mr Matharu to tell the "Daily Telegraph" that his daughter would be turning pro because of her non-selection for action on the second day of the Curtis Cup does not fit with his earlier statements.