SEVEN SCOTS GO BACK TO SCHOOL THIS WEEK IN MOROCCO
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Seven Scots will be tackling the first half of the fight to upgrade their future pro status over the next four days - December 5 to 8 - at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School 72-hole pre-qualifiers "B" and "C" at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat in Morocco.
Meanwhile, Heather MacRae is taking the positives out of her narrow failure to gain promotion from the LETAS circuit to the Ladies European Tour.
She said: "I got home on Sunday and I'm still gutted but I will be ready to go again in Morocco. This was the hardest defeat to swallow but when I look back at my last three events I wasn't out the top ten in any of them, so I must stay positive and realise it was the unsuccessful start of the season that cost me at the end of it.
"I put myself in a great position to win during the last three events to win and if I can continue to do that, one time I'll learn how to close it out.
"I'm so grateful for all of the messages and emails I've had from so many people and I think people can recognise hard work and determination and that is good to know."
LPGA TOUR IS SALLY WATSON'S ULTIMATE AMBITION
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Seven Scots will be tackling the first half of the fight to upgrade their future pro status over the next four days - December 5 to 8 - at the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School 72-hole pre-qualifiers "B" and "C" at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat in Morocco.
They
will be bidding to join
compatriots Heather MacRae, Pamela Feggans, Kelsey MacDonald and Gemma
Webster in the Final Q School over five rounds at two courses in
Marrakesh from December 14 to 18
Gemma
came through pre-qualifier "A" in Rabat at the weekend, figuring among
the leading 18 in a field of 42 over the par-73 course which apparently was playing long and favoured the big-hitters. Eight over par was the best 72-hole
total.
Heather Stirling and Jane Turner are in a field of 34 on the Blue Course while Kelly
Brotherton, Katy McNicoll, Laura Murray, Michele Thomson and Sally
Watson will be in action in a field of 55 over the Red Course.
The number to qualify will not be made public until the events are underway.
Former
Scottish champion and past Curtis Cup player Stirling gave up the game
to become a professional caddie on both sides of the Atlantic at
different times of the year.
After a six-year absence, the Bridge of Allan player took up the game again to play on the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Tour - and played so well that she won that tour's Order of Merit which earned her free flights and accommodation in Morocco.
Now 35, Stirling is probably under less pressure than all the other hopefuls. She knows she can make a good living by caddieing in Florida and at St Andrews and Gleneagles, supplemented by the income from a few Paul Lawrie Tour events.
After a six-year absence, the Bridge of Allan player took up the game again to play on the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Tour - and played so well that she won that tour's Order of Merit which earned her free flights and accommodation in Morocco.
Now 35, Stirling is probably under less pressure than all the other hopefuls. She knows she can make a good living by caddieing in Florida and at St Andrews and Gleneagles, supplemented by the income from a few Paul Lawrie Tour events.
Brotherton,
from Dollar originally, was the youngest ever winner at 16 of
the Scottish Under-21 women's stroke-play title at Baberton in 2002.
She spent some time at Colorado State and also Tennessee-Chattanooga
universities before turning pro and eventually joined the pro staff at
Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.
Why she did not sharpen up for Q School by playing on the Paul Lawrie Scottish Tour is a question only Kelly can answer.Meanwhile, Heather MacRae is taking the positives out of her narrow failure to gain promotion from the LETAS circuit to the Ladies European Tour.
She said: "I got home on Sunday and I'm still gutted but I will be ready to go again in Morocco. This was the hardest defeat to swallow but when I look back at my last three events I wasn't out the top ten in any of them, so I must stay positive and realise it was the unsuccessful start of the season that cost me at the end of it.
"I put myself in a great position to win during the last three events to win and if I can continue to do that, one time I'll learn how to close it out.
"I'm so grateful for all of the messages and emails I've had from so many people and I think people can recognise hard work and determination and that is good to know."
The two-times, 2008 and 2010, Curtis Cup member (pictured above with the leading match-play qualifier trophies she won in the 2012 British women's open amateur at Carnoustie after not being selected for the 2012 Curtis Cup match at Nairn) is among seven Scots
setting out in Morocco tomorrow in the final two pre-qualifiers for next
week’s Ladies European Tour Qualifying School.
Watson’s presence in Rabat is something of a surprise on its own,
given the 22-year-old from Elie seemed destined to follow in the footsteps of Janie Moodie and Mahiri McKay by cutting her professional teeth in the US.
She spent three years in Florida based at the IMG Academy at Bradenton before heading to California, where, with the help of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the former Scottish Girls’ champion graduated in June as a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations.
The stars looked as though they were aligning nicely when Watson won a qualifier to secure a spot in this year’s US Women’s Open, but, like so many others before her – both in the men’s and women’s game – the two-times Junior Solheim Cup player is discovering that life is by no means easy in the paid ranks.
Since returning home to Scotland in the summer, she’s been playing on the LET’s Access Series, a development circuit, and hasn’t exactly set the heather on fire there. But, in fairness, Watson always knew turning professional wouldn’t be a walk in the park and is prepared to put in the hard graft required to achieve her new career goals.
“I am really enjoying finally being able to focus all of my time and energy on my golf without the pressures and commitments of school, albeit it has been an adjustment moving back to Scotland,” she told The Scotsman.
“However, I am very fortunate living in Elie as the facilities are good and Ian Muir at Elie has been helping me with my game, which has been helpful and obviously convenient.
“Although my performances since turning professional in June have been mixed, I have learned a lot, which is ultimately what this year is all about. I’m learning about the travelling, daily practice/playing routines, the pressures of Q-School and playing for a living.
"There has been a lot to learn and so I am grateful for all of the experiences which I have accumulated this summer.”
Watson’s first experience of playing in a major came in the Women’s British Open at St Andrews in 2007, when she finished 50th after qualifying, a feat she also achieved for the 2010 US Women’s Open and missed the cut in that by just one shot.
Her spell at Stanford, Tiger Woods’ alma mater, harvested a whole host of playing honours and, in addition to having Professor Rice, one of the two women members admitted by Augusta National last year, as her academic advisor, it has also led to Watson becoming the first touring professional to fly the flag for Castle Stuart.
“Mark Parsinen, the course designer and part owner of Castle Stuart, is a Stanford graduate which is how the connection, something that is a great privilege, was made and how the support that they are providing me came about,” she revealed.
“I really enjoyed my time at Stanford. Being part of a team for four years was an incredible experience, especially when I got to practise, play and travel with my best friends.
"Having Professor Condoleezza Rice as my academic advisor was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Having the chance to learn from such an accomplished and influential individual was very special.
"I think the biggest adjustment in moving back home to Scotland has been that I have gone from living on a busy campus environment – both at the IMG Academy and at Stanford – and now I am living in a small village, where, as I’m sure you can imagine, there is not quite the same hustle and bustle.”
“I feel like my game is shaping up very well and I have been working hard all year so hopefully these next few weeks everything comes together and I am able to enjoy the whole experience,” said Watson. “My ultimate ambition is to play on the LPGA Tour and so right now I am simply focused on improving my game and trying to get the best competition I can find to prepare me for hopefully playing in the US again.”
Watson’s presence in Rabat is something of a surprise on its own,
given the 22-year-old from Elie seemed destined to follow in the footsteps of Janie Moodie and Mahiri McKay by cutting her professional teeth in the US.
She spent three years in Florida based at the IMG Academy at Bradenton before heading to California, where, with the help of former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the former Scottish Girls’ champion graduated in June as a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations.
The stars looked as though they were aligning nicely when Watson won a qualifier to secure a spot in this year’s US Women’s Open, but, like so many others before her – both in the men’s and women’s game – the two-times Junior Solheim Cup player is discovering that life is by no means easy in the paid ranks.
Since returning home to Scotland in the summer, she’s been playing on the LET’s Access Series, a development circuit, and hasn’t exactly set the heather on fire there. But, in fairness, Watson always knew turning professional wouldn’t be a walk in the park and is prepared to put in the hard graft required to achieve her new career goals.
“I am really enjoying finally being able to focus all of my time and energy on my golf without the pressures and commitments of school, albeit it has been an adjustment moving back to Scotland,” she told The Scotsman.
“However, I am very fortunate living in Elie as the facilities are good and Ian Muir at Elie has been helping me with my game, which has been helpful and obviously convenient.
“Although my performances since turning professional in June have been mixed, I have learned a lot, which is ultimately what this year is all about. I’m learning about the travelling, daily practice/playing routines, the pressures of Q-School and playing for a living.
"There has been a lot to learn and so I am grateful for all of the experiences which I have accumulated this summer.”
Watson’s first experience of playing in a major came in the Women’s British Open at St Andrews in 2007, when she finished 50th after qualifying, a feat she also achieved for the 2010 US Women’s Open and missed the cut in that by just one shot.
Her spell at Stanford, Tiger Woods’ alma mater, harvested a whole host of playing honours and, in addition to having Professor Rice, one of the two women members admitted by Augusta National last year, as her academic advisor, it has also led to Watson becoming the first touring professional to fly the flag for Castle Stuart.
“Mark Parsinen, the course designer and part owner of Castle Stuart, is a Stanford graduate which is how the connection, something that is a great privilege, was made and how the support that they are providing me came about,” she revealed.
“I really enjoyed my time at Stanford. Being part of a team for four years was an incredible experience, especially when I got to practise, play and travel with my best friends.
"Having Professor Condoleezza Rice as my academic advisor was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Having the chance to learn from such an accomplished and influential individual was very special.
"I think the biggest adjustment in moving back home to Scotland has been that I have gone from living on a busy campus environment – both at the IMG Academy and at Stanford – and now I am living in a small village, where, as I’m sure you can imagine, there is not quite the same hustle and bustle.”
“I feel like my game is shaping up very well and I have been working hard all year so hopefully these next few weeks everything comes together and I am able to enjoy the whole experience,” said Watson. “My ultimate ambition is to play on the LPGA Tour and so right now I am simply focused on improving my game and trying to get the best competition I can find to prepare me for hopefully playing in the US again.”
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | 6:19:00 pm
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