Australia’s sole representative at this month’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur has her eyes on the prize.
I play golf at Mt Lawley Golf Club when I’m not travelling the country playing amateur tournaments. I was born in London and both my parents are English; they are from Essex originally. Our family left the UK when I was 4 years old – they tell me it was for the Australian lifestyle. A truly fantastic decision for my whole family!
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Dad introduced me to golf when I was 7 years old, and my brother played too. I played soccer at quite a high level through my primary-school years and I made a choice between the two sports in my early teens – it was golf for me! I wouldn’t say the game really grabbed me initially, however I enjoyed golf, especially playing with my dad and my brother.
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I only became hooked on golf when I made the state team for the first time. I experienced some nice success at both club and junior level, however, I didn’t consider myself a serious golfer until I represented Western Australia at age 14. I went about my business playing competitive rounds and most weeks I won the competitions I played in, but at no point during this stage did I dream of being a professional golfer. When I made the state team, it dawned on me that I might be pretty good at this sport and that’s when I started to think more seriously about the sport and where it might take me.
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One of the greatest parts of being a golfer is the wonderful travel you can experience around the entire world. I find exploring new places exciting and I like the idea of broadening my horizons. Golf is one of the best sports for travel with it being a global sport. Another advantage in my mind is that golf is an individual sport and I get to do my own thing when I’m on the road. I do enjoy the company of others, and have relished team sports, however there is something extra special about golf being completely my responsibility. I like that level of challenge!
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One of the most exciting experiences of my career to date was most certainly qualifying to play in my first Major: the 2021 AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie in Scotland. It was a gruelling three stages to qualify for the event and I was so thrilled to be one of the lucky amateurs to get to tee it up with the pros. I must admit I was somewhat overwhelmed the whole week – everything was on a much bigger scale being a Major and there was a high degree of pressure in the air with the professional women as opposed to the elite amateur players I am accustomed to playing with. It was my first exposure to playing in front of crowds and grandstands and it definitely took some getting used to. It was very special to be able to be there alongside the pros and see first-hand how they deal with the magnitude of a Major championship.
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Hopefully the experience of playing in the AIG Women’s Open will help when I play the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur tournament. The incredible opportunity came about due to my world amateur ranking. The tournament has 71 confirmed entries and 39 of those girls make up the top 40 in the world. The tournament is a 54-hole event with the first two rounds taking place beginning on March 30 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in nearby Evans, Georgia. The field then reduces to 30 players after 36 holes. Those 30 will get the chance to play Augusta National for a practice round on April 1, with the final round contested at Augusta National on Saturday, April 2. I have already spoken to last year’s Aussie representative, Grace Kim, about her experience and she said there is a lot to be excited about!
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In terms of playing Augusta National, I have never been there, nor have I watched a lot of the Masters over the years on television. To tell you the truth, I am not an avid golf-coverage watcher. I prefer to be out there playing. I am really looking forward to playing on such a famous course and I am hoping that some of my family can make the trip to Georgia to watch me play in such an exciting event. It is fantastic that my coach can also be there to support me at Augusta, Craig Bishop. Craig is based in Perth but also coaches the Japanese girls team. Some of them have also qualified for the event. It is wonderful that he will be at Augusta not only to support me but also to support the other players he coaches.
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I wouldn’t call myself a technical player. I’m much more of a ‘feel’ player. I do have regular sessions with Craig, however I generally try to figure out the issue myself first. I usually call Craig to discuss my game and he is a master at helping with my game and improving areas that are a constant work in progress. I’ve always been more of a feel player, and I am a big proponent of visualisation. I like to try and ‘see’ the shot clearly in my mind rather than think of a technical thought or a position in my swing.
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This year my focus is playing in the USA. Given I will be heading to the US to play at Augusta, I have decided to look at the amateur tournaments over there and create a playing schedule for myself. I will more than likely play several events in a row, including the US Women’s Amateur Championship. I intend on playing LPGA Q-School at the end of the year as well – which is an almighty three-stage battle. I haven’t considered playing anywhere else (Europe or Asia) as I feel my game is best suited to America. I like the long, soft courses and I have spoken to many pros who have spent time there and they have encouraged me to follow the US path. I like that it is the biggest stage.
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I’m not really a goal setter, per se. I like to just take each week as it comes. I believe in not over-thinking things as it just leads to self-induced pressure. I would rather keep things as simple as possible. That involves scheduling my events and just going out to play. Hopefully I will always be able to keep things this way despite the challenges of changing from amateur to professional some time in the near future.
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Hailing from Perth, I have been able to spend some time on course with professionals such as Hannah Green, Brett Rumford and Scott Strange. I have spoken to all three of them about their careers to date and their experiences on various tours around the world. I am lucky to know them and have the opportunity to pick their brains about how to manage life as a professional and hear their opinions about scheduling, housing, travel, etc. They have managed to achieve enormous success and hopefully I can follow in their footsteps.
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Away from golf, I like spending time with family and friends. I love playing tennis – in fact I play a couple of times a week. It is a fun, active sport and a nice reprieve from golf. It’s important to get away from golf, mentally and physically, to prevent burnout and keep the excitement in the game.
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In 10 years’ time I see myself on the LPGA Tour following in the footsteps of fellow West Australian Hannah Green!
