FORMER ENGLISH GIRLS CHAMPION MAKES BREAKTHROUGH IN AMERICA

ELIZABETH MALLETT SECURES FIRST 

US COLLEGE  WIN

Elizabeth Mallett, now based at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has secured her maiden US College victory by winning the individual honours in the SMU Invitational.

The former English Girls champion scored an even par opening round 72 followed by a lowest round three under par score 69 to go into the final round leading by five strokes. The final day’s play was initially delayed, then started and finally cancelled due to heavy thunderstorms in and around the Dallas Athletic Club course in Texas leaving Elizabeth the winner.

“It’s really satisfying when all the hard work has finally been rewarded. I’ve been working hard at my game over the last two years and particularly during the off season - it has begun to come together during the last few events  – making mybreakthrough win   in Dallas puts me in good company as  the legend Jack Nicklaus won the first of his five US PGA Championships at the same Dallas  course  in 1963. “

Since the turn of the year, Elizabeth has had a continued run of good form during the spring season and had posted two top ten finishes prior her maiden victory. The PGA recently featured Elizabeth in an article in their 2014 Yearbook brochure about the use of high tech digital technology that she uses in keeping in contact with her UK based swing coach whilst working on the range in North Carolina.

Over the last six weeks she has played and competed in California, played at Pinehurst in North Carolina - the home of this year’s Women’s US Open, enjoyed a top ten finish at the prestigious Long Cove Golf Club on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and recently finished eight at Bryan National Collegiate in Greensboro before last week winning in Dallas Texas. 

Her recent performances have rocketed Elizabeth into the top 30 players in the GolfWeek College rankings – a good form guide for the US College circuit.

Elizabeth says “The quality of the US courses and competitions that feature on our North Carolina schedule are  some of the best in the USA amongst the NCAA Division 1 teams. Last year the UNC team won three consecutive tournaments. Generally the course lay outs are set up like major ladies championships with long narrow fairways, water in play on most of the holes and with the pins tucked away in the corners of the greens, particularly on the final day - making it quite a transition from the courses and increase in level from golf back home.  

I deliberately focused on and adopted a growth mindset approach when I came over here and have focused and worked on adjusting and developing my golfing skills and mental approach to play and compete on this quality of course and in this calibre of field – week in and week out. I’ve been really pleased with the progress I’ve made – particularly in the variety of my short game, putting and green reading - which are very different from course to course depending on the grass type and generally require a different skill set completely from the UK. “

Once the college season is over at the end of May, Elizabeth’s initial plans are to stay on and try and qualify for the US Women’s Open taking place at Pinehurst in June. One of the local qualifying courses is local to her college course in North Carolina, so will be preparing thoroughly to try and make the starting line up for her first professional event.

“I’m looking forward to coming back home and seeing my friends and family but the opportunity  to have shot at playing in a US Open in North Carolina is something that I cannot ignore.“

Prior to departing for UNC, Elizabeth’s last experience in England colours was at the 2012 European Girls Championships at St Leon Rot in Germany, the venue for next year’s Solheim Cup, where she shot an all time record  low of any girl at these championships with an eight under par 64 – the feat was duly recognised by the German Golf Federation who presented her with a commemorative IPod that she now uses for swing and other analysis  - somewhat surprisingly though she was then overlooked in the opening team foursomes format having been part of the silver medal winning team the previous year.