WORLD No 1 LYDIA KO WILL BE BACK AT FAIRHAVEN NEXT SUMMER

The world's top-ranked female amateur, 14-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander Lydia Ko in action at Fairhaven in the Astor Trophy. Image by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography.


By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Before the Vagliano Trophy and the Under-16 girls match are upon us at Royal Porthcawl, South Wales on Friday-Saturday, a few thoughts, for what they are worth, on the Astor Trophy which was retained by Great Britain and Ireland’s team of five at Fairhaven Golf Club, Lytham St Annes after five days’ of match-play.

Super result for skipper Tegwen Matthews and her players, particularly coming only a few days before the match against the Continent of Europe.

The Europeans have had the better of the most recent Vagliano Trophy contests, so much so that there has been a call in some quarters for the Curtis Cup to go the way of the Ryder Cup and become a United States v  Europe match-up.

But I detect signs that British and Irish women’s amateur golf is on the rise again. The Continental players did not dominate the British women’s open amateur championship at Royal Portrush a couple of weeks ago. Not so long ago, we had two Spanish players in the final at Harlech and it was no surprise when almost all eight quarter-final places were claimed by Continentals.
But the times they are achanging.

Alexandra Bonetti (France) did reach the final at Royal Portrush but she was blown away by a terrific week-long performance by 16-year-old Lauren Taylor (Woburn).

With youngsters like Taylor, Charley Hull, Bronte Law, Clara Young on the rise, it would be a bold pundit who would predict even next year’s GB and I Curtis Cup line-up at Nairn.
Certainly performances in the Vagliano Trophy and the Under-16 girls' match will be closely followed by the LGU Selection Committee.

Back to the Astor Trophy – could a near-perfect tournament be improved upon?

I think it could. I would add a sixth team to the line-up, which would not lengthen the programme at all as each of the five teams had one day off at Fairhaven.

So which country would you add to join GB and I, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada?

You could make a case for a Continent of Europe team, as in the Vagliano Trophy, but I would plump for “South America,” a selection of the five best female amateurs from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, etc.

But for the Astor Trophy, we would never have seen the  South-Korean born World Nos 1 and 2, 14-year-old Lydia Ko and Cecilia Cho, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from New Zealand playing in our neck of the woods. Lydia lived up to her No 1 billing by winning six of her seven matches.

I found it astonishing when I had an informal chat with both girls after the Astor Trophy dinner on the Sunday night that neither has been approached, formally or informally, by any talent-hunting American universities who are never usually slow off their mark in that direction.

OK, so Lydia Ko is only 14 years old but I would bet a £ to a penny that within 10 years she will be the world’s No 1 lady professional.

Some youngsters achieve results at an early age because they are bigger and stronger than their contemporaries. Not so with Lydia who is small, even for a 14-year-old. She is not particularly long off the tee but she invariably hits it straight and has a short game par excellence. Having watched her at close quarters, I can see why she is holding down a +6.2 handicap.

I expect to be back at Fairhaven Golf Club for the RandA Junior Open next July when the Open will be staged close by at Royal Lytham. The age limit for the Junior Open competitors in that biennial event is 16 years … so there must be every chance that Lydia Ko will be making a return visit. I am looking forward to it already.

One last thought on the Astor Trophy, which used to be known as the Commonwealth Tournament, I would play it every three years instead of every four as it has been since it started in 1959. Why? Well, that would mean it would be back in this country in 15 years instead of 20! You can't have too much of a good thing.
There is no need for the tournament to be staged in June when it is a southern hemisphere country hosting it.
One last word on this year's venue for the Astor Trophy. Fairhaven Golf Club is ideal - that's why the LGU keep going back there, that's why the R and A are going there with the Junior Open.
Secretary Bob Thompson and his staff and, I have to say, the club members as well, really do give you the feeling that they are glad to see you and ready to go out of their way to make things run smoothly.  

Incidentally, Fairhaven Golf Club breed pheasants, not to shoot them but to let them loose in their woodlands to enhance the natural ambience of the location. The club crest is a pheasant. Nice one, Fairhaven! 

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS IN THE ASTOR TROPHY

AUSTRALIA 
Emma de Groot, Minjee Lee both 4pt.
CANADA
Jessica Wallace 4.5pt.
GB AND I
Holly Clyburn, Pamela Pretswell both 5.5pt.
NEW ZEALAND
Lydia Ko 7pt, Cecilia Cho 6pt.
SOUTH AFRICA
Bertine Strauss, Kim Williams both 4.5pt.