This could be a Major season for Catriona, Scotland's quiet star
The following article by staff writer DOUGLAS LOWE is published in today's Herald newspaper.
On current form there is only one Scottish golfer able to declare the serious intent to win a major championship this year without causing the raising of at least one eyebrow, and that is Catriona Matthew.
Matthew, pictured right, might not be everyone's immediate choice as our top prospect, even though her credentials stand up to close examination. But that is largely because she has never impacted herself on the Scottish psyche in the same way as, for example, Colin Montgomerie.
The 37-year-old is quietly spoken, unassuming and just 5ft 4in tall.
She has also had a dearth of opportunities to display her talents in Scotland. Outside her native North Berwick few would be able to identify her as a star of sport.
Yet, in the four women's majors last year she was never out of the top 20, including runner-up in the Kraft Nabisco Championship and seventh in the Ricoh Women's British Open at St Andrews.
Matthew, the top-ranked Scot by far in either men's or women's golf, is currently at world No 24 and has more than $5m in career earnings to her credit. She also top-scored for Europe with three points out of four in the Solheim Cup defeat by the United States in Sweden.
This week she enters her 14th season on the LPGA Tour at the HSBC Women's Champions tournament in Singapore with an ever-strengthening belief in her ability. "My goals are to win more tournaments and," she added, lowering her voice as if the golfing gods might vent their wrath on her if they heard, "I think, a major."
Looking lean, fit and a picture of health before she left Scotland on Sunday, the 110Sport player said she was encouraged by the choice of this year's major venues.
In the four women’s majors last year she was never out of the top 20, including runner-up in the Kraft Nabisco Championship
First up in the major stakes is the Kraft Nabisco on April 3 to 6 at Mission Hills Country Club in California, and that may be her best chance. "I always play well on that course," said Matthew, who grew up on links golf in East Lothian but having played for so long in the US now has the ball flight and consistency in hitting fairways and greens that is needed in the predominantly warm and wind-free conditions.
"The course sets up well for me," she added, "and I hit the ball quite high with my irons, so that when the greens are firm I can get the ball to stop a little bit. It seems to fit my eye and I just feel comfortable on the course."
That style of play also makes the Surrey parkland venue of Sunningdale for this year's Women's British Open on July 31 to August 3 an attractive proposition.
"It's not a links, so I might do well. I only wish I knew why," she said, quickly naming the Old Course at St Andrews an exception to that rule. "I love the courses at Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham, but all I seem to do there is miss the cut."
Coached in Florida, where she is based, by David Whelan, who also looks after the swing of American glamour girl Paula Creamer, winner of the Fields Open in Hawaii on Sunday, Matthew has been working over the winter on sharpening her play from 100 yards in an effort to improve her scoring by the odd stroke or two that could mean all the difference, like it did at Mission Hills last year, when she ended up one behind winner Morgan Pressel.
There are two other chances, at Bull Rock, Maryland, in the McDonald's LPGA Championship on June 5 to 8, and the US Women's Open at Interlachen, Minnesota, on June 26 to 29. Matthew was 10th and 16th respectively in these events last season.
She has never been short of confidence, but there is one big reason why her play has been showing an extra edge of late, and that is the fresh outlook on life caused by the arrival of daughter Katie a year past December.
"Golf doesn't seem quite so important now, and that helps me to relax more," said Matthew, who takes Katie on tour with her, not to mention husband Graeme, her full-time caddie. "It's also busier and I have to manage my time better and make practice more productive. I know what I need to get done and I can't wander around the range all day chatting to people."
There is one cloud on the horizon, and that is the date for the Ladies' Scottish Open at Carrick on Loch Lomond, which was revived last year and is being played early this time round, on May 1 to 3.
Sponsored by pensions giant Aegon and VisitScotland, she is keen to play, but it gives her scheduling problems with big LPGA tournaments on and around that date.
"The timing is not great and I am also waiting for my green card to come through, but hopefully that will resolve itself in the next month or two," she said without committing herself either way.
That places doubt over whether she will compete in her homeland at all this year, but it has ever been thus for Scotland's top prospect.
Matthew, pictured right, might not be everyone's immediate choice as our top prospect, even though her credentials stand up to close examination. But that is largely because she has never impacted herself on the Scottish psyche in the same way as, for example, Colin Montgomerie.
The 37-year-old is quietly spoken, unassuming and just 5ft 4in tall.
She has also had a dearth of opportunities to display her talents in Scotland. Outside her native North Berwick few would be able to identify her as a star of sport.
Yet, in the four women's majors last year she was never out of the top 20, including runner-up in the Kraft Nabisco Championship and seventh in the Ricoh Women's British Open at St Andrews.
Matthew, the top-ranked Scot by far in either men's or women's golf, is currently at world No 24 and has more than $5m in career earnings to her credit. She also top-scored for Europe with three points out of four in the Solheim Cup defeat by the United States in Sweden.
This week she enters her 14th season on the LPGA Tour at the HSBC Women's Champions tournament in Singapore with an ever-strengthening belief in her ability. "My goals are to win more tournaments and," she added, lowering her voice as if the golfing gods might vent their wrath on her if they heard, "I think, a major."
Looking lean, fit and a picture of health before she left Scotland on Sunday, the 110Sport player said she was encouraged by the choice of this year's major venues.
In the four women’s majors last year she was never out of the top 20, including runner-up in the Kraft Nabisco Championship
First up in the major stakes is the Kraft Nabisco on April 3 to 6 at Mission Hills Country Club in California, and that may be her best chance. "I always play well on that course," said Matthew, who grew up on links golf in East Lothian but having played for so long in the US now has the ball flight and consistency in hitting fairways and greens that is needed in the predominantly warm and wind-free conditions.
"The course sets up well for me," she added, "and I hit the ball quite high with my irons, so that when the greens are firm I can get the ball to stop a little bit. It seems to fit my eye and I just feel comfortable on the course."
That style of play also makes the Surrey parkland venue of Sunningdale for this year's Women's British Open on July 31 to August 3 an attractive proposition.
"It's not a links, so I might do well. I only wish I knew why," she said, quickly naming the Old Course at St Andrews an exception to that rule. "I love the courses at Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham, but all I seem to do there is miss the cut."
Coached in Florida, where she is based, by David Whelan, who also looks after the swing of American glamour girl Paula Creamer, winner of the Fields Open in Hawaii on Sunday, Matthew has been working over the winter on sharpening her play from 100 yards in an effort to improve her scoring by the odd stroke or two that could mean all the difference, like it did at Mission Hills last year, when she ended up one behind winner Morgan Pressel.
There are two other chances, at Bull Rock, Maryland, in the McDonald's LPGA Championship on June 5 to 8, and the US Women's Open at Interlachen, Minnesota, on June 26 to 29. Matthew was 10th and 16th respectively in these events last season.
She has never been short of confidence, but there is one big reason why her play has been showing an extra edge of late, and that is the fresh outlook on life caused by the arrival of daughter Katie a year past December.
"Golf doesn't seem quite so important now, and that helps me to relax more," said Matthew, who takes Katie on tour with her, not to mention husband Graeme, her full-time caddie. "It's also busier and I have to manage my time better and make practice more productive. I know what I need to get done and I can't wander around the range all day chatting to people."
There is one cloud on the horizon, and that is the date for the Ladies' Scottish Open at Carrick on Loch Lomond, which was revived last year and is being played early this time round, on May 1 to 3.
Sponsored by pensions giant Aegon and VisitScotland, she is keen to play, but it gives her scheduling problems with big LPGA tournaments on and around that date.
"The timing is not great and I am also waiting for my green card to come through, but hopefully that will resolve itself in the next month or two," she said without committing herself either way.
That places doubt over whether she will compete in her homeland at all this year, but it has ever been thus for Scotland's top prospect.
Labels: Pro Ladies
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