By Kent Gray
Major champion and Solheim Cup star Georgia Hall is the first marque name unveiled for ground-breaking Saudi Ladies International.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman, a two-time European No.1, will be joined by another member of last year’s triumphant Solheim Cup team at Gleneagles, Spaniard Azahara Muñoz, at the $1 million event at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club from March 19-22.

Fellow former Ladies European Tour (LET) No.1 Beth Allen (USA), decorated South African Lee-Anne Pace, Wales’ Amy Boulden, Swede Camilla Lennarth and rising Thai star Atthaya Thitikul are other familiar names confirmed for the inaugural championship in King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah.

Hall became the first Englishwoman in 14 years to capture the Women’s British Open in 2018 and won four out of four points in Europe’s 14½-13½ upset at Gleneagles – the first time Team USA had been beaten in six years.

The Bournemouth-born player cannot wait to be part of history in what will be the first female professional event in the Kingdom.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of the first Saudi Ladies International and make golfing history in the country,” said Hall who captured the LET Order of Merit and ‘Player of the Year’ honours in both 2017 and 2018.    

“From what I’ve seen of the golf course it looks a stunning set-up on the Red Sea and a pretty challenging test – it’s a brilliant chance for us to showcase our game to newcomers to golf.”

Muñoz contributed 2.5 of a possible five points to the European cause at the last Solheim Cup. Together with Thitikul, a two-time winner on the LET at just 17 years of age, and the experienced Pace, who has 12 worldwide victories to her name, the 32-year-old Spaniard is sure to be among those to push Hall hardest at KAEC.

The Saudi Ladies Championship is part of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation’s inclusion and equality remit and under the Kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ socio-economic revitalisation project. It comes after Royal Greens hosted the second Saudi International earlier this month where former major champion Graeme McDowell captured his first European Tour title since 2014 and pushed his world ranking from 104 to 47.

Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in KAEC.

“Hosting another prestigious championship in Saudi Arabia adds to an exciting golf calendar for fans in the region and with top female golfers from around the world coming to compete it is sure to excite in what is the first time we are seeing elite female golfers compete in the country,” said His Excellency Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation, looking ahead to next month’s first-ever tournament.

“The championship is open for everybody to attend throughout the four days and I’d encourage everybody to go along, watch world-class sport and enjoy the sport and entertainment on offer.”

For more information on the Saudi Ladies International, click here.

They Said it…
Amy Boulden
“Our game continues to break new ground and coming to new places like Saudi Arabia for the first time shows the ambition of Golf Saudi and the Tour.  I want to play well in a big event that can give me some momentum for the season.”

Camilla Lennarth
“Playing golf in front of new fans is the best way to grow the game and hopefully we inspire more girls to pick up a golf club and get involved in our great sport so I hope to see many people at the Championship next month.”

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South African Lee-Anne Pace somehow achieved just that with a second successive 66 at Saadiyat Beach to hold onto her overnight lead at the halfway stage of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open.

The 36-year-old is -12 through 36-holes of the Ladies European Tour event, a shot clear of reigning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok after the Indian teen matched Pace’s 66.

Lee-Ann Pace

Luna Sobron soared 73 places up the leaderboard with a 62 that eclipsed the old course record by two shots and shares third at -9 with Swede Camilla Lennarth (65) and Cheyenne Woods who holed out with a seven iron from 161 yards on the 6th en-route to a 66. It wasn’t the only pure shot the American hit in the second round either:

Who said long bunker shots were tough?! @Cheyenne_Woods giving a masterclass @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/DNtaouXHZ3

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

Related: Luna Sobron rockets into contention at FBMLO with course record 62

“It feels great,” Pace said of remaining atop the leaderboard.

“I remembered the course better today but I struck the ball really nicely too. I hit the shots I wanted to hit and I hit it really close to the pin and made the putts.

“Tomorrow I’d like to start the way I did today, and be a bit patient, as patience helps you to do a lot. I had some chances which I didn’t take but in the end I’m pretty satisfied.”

Luna Sobron en-route to her course record 62.

Ashok is ominously poised.

“I feel I’m hitting the ball well enough, though I missed a couple of drives left. But apart from that I struck the ball pretty well. My putting has been pretty good too, so I’m happy,” said the 19-year-old from Bengaluru.

“I’m still bogey free and everyone is mentioning it. I’m just focusing on hitting the fairways and letting the birdies happen.”

Georgia Hall shot an impressive 67 to finish at -8 in joint fifth place with fellow Englishwoman Florentyna Parker, Celine Herbin (France) and Swede Linda Wessberg.

.@georgiahall96 so close to a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th hole @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/M9Uw23ds6k

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

It was a tough day for Marianne Skarpnord as Norway’s rising star dropped to -2  while fan favourite Carly Booth shot another 72 to finish even and miss the cut – made at -1 – by one shot.

Defending champ Beth Allen also has an unwanted weekend off after adding a disappointing 76 to her opening 73 to finisb +5.  Her tweet afterwards summed up the America’s feelings:

What a world class event here at @SaadiyatBeachGC for @FBMLadiesOpen. Gutted to have put up such a terrible defense. #nextyear

— Beth Allen (@BethAllenGolf) November 2, 2017

Full scores here

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By Kent Gray
Luna Sobron has slashed the course record at Saadiyat Beach G.C. by two strokes to go from potential cut victim to genuine title contender at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open.

The 23-year-old Spaniard mixed an eagle, nine birdies and a bogey in a 10-under 62 to rocket from a share of 76th place overnight following an opening 73 to a share of third early on the second day of the Ladies European Tour event.

?NEW COURSE RECORD?@Lunasobron ?@SaadiyatBeachGC
1 eagle
9 birdies
7 pars
1 bogey
62 (-10)
?????? pic.twitter.com/j5CHXQhlvH

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

Sobron is -9 for the championship, three shots behind first round leader Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa) who had a second successive 66 to move to -12. Reigning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok (India) is at -11 after also signing for a second round 66 while Sobron shares third with Swede Camilla Lennarth after a 65.

The 62 eclipses the course record of 64 jointly established by defending champion Beth Allen and Brit Georgia Hall at the inaugural FBMLO last year.

Sobron went out in three under 33 with four birdies and a bogey at the par 3 6th. She came home ina staggering seven under 29 highlighted by an eagle on the par 5 15th and played her last 11 holes nine under par.

“I didn’t know it was the course record so I am very happy, it must have been all the putts I made, including that eagle on the 15th,” said Sobron who advanced to the final stage of LPGA Tour Q-School after finishing T-5 at the second stage in Florida just before arriving in Abu Dhabi.

“My back nine was just amazing. On the 18th I made a good chip onto the green and I just prayed my final putt would drop [for par which it duly did].

“I am now confident ahead of the rest of the tournament, however it will be difficult to do again, so I just need to enjoy my golf.”

On Thursday at least, satisfaction was guaranteed for the Rookie-of-the-Year candidate who will be one to watch over the weekend at Saadiyat Beach.

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Confirmation of the star-studded quartet follows news reigning Ladies European Tour player-of-the-year Beth Allen will return to defend the $550,000 title at Saadiyat Beach G.C. from Nov. 1-4.

Related: Beth Allen promises to bring something resembling her A-game

Florentyna Parker and Emily Kristine Pedersen, who also represented Europe in the 16½- 11½ loss to the U.S. at August’s Solheim Cup in Iowa, are other confirmed starters alongside South African debutant Lee-Ann Pane and returning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok from India.

Woods is, perhaps unfairly, best known as the niece of Tiger Woods but is making steady progress in her own career, capped by victory at the LET’s Volvik RACV Ladies Masters in Australia in 2014.

The 27-year-old debuted on the LET in 2013 and has recorded five top-25 finishes (including a T-10 at last December’s Omega Dubai Ladies Classic) although she missed the cut at July’s Ladies Scottish Open, her sole LET appearance of 2017 thus far.

In her third season on the LPGA Tour, the world No. 253 is 101st in the CME Globe Rankings having made just eight cuts in 20 starts but is trending nicely for Saadiyat Beach after T-15 and T-8 finishes in her last two starts at the Indy Women’s in Tech Championship and New Zealand Women’s Open respectively.

Matthew, 48, will make her FBMLO debut at the end of a “positive” year personally which was capped with her appointment as European Solheim Cup captain for the 2019 matches at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The Scot was one of Annika Sorenstam’s non-playing vice captains for August’s five point loss to the U.S. at Des Moines Golf and Country Club but was called upon to play when Suzann Pettersen withdrew with injury. Matthew, the oldest player in the field, went on to a 3-1-0 record and is currently third on the all-time Solheim Cup points list.

“I’ve had a great year so far. I was vice captain of Team Europe, which was followed by a last minute playing position on the team, and then when I didn’t think it could get any better, I was honoured with the captaincy for the Solheim 2019 event,” said Matthew, who captured the 2009 Women’s British Open champion at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. “I’m really looking forward to topping off this great year in Abu Dhabi and hopefully this positivity will continue in the same vein at this year’s FBMLO.”

Hall finished runner-up to Allen last November (-21 to -18) and has enjoyed six top-10 finishes from eight LET appearances this season.

Georgia Hall

“I’m looking forward to playing the course and playing some great golf. I’d love to have a good result after a really strong finish in my first-ever FBMLO tournament last year. I know the girls think the course is absolutely lovely and as always there is a fantastic field – we can’t wait to get going”

Reid, who shared third place with Australian Sarah Kemp last year, has also shown great form in 2017, winning the LET season opener at Oates Vic Open in Australia.

Mel Reid

The FBMLO is sponsored by FBMA, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, TDIC, Al Masaood, Etihad Airways and Marriott Downtown Abu Dhabi. The event is free to attend and public can register for free tickets at fbmladiesopen.com/tickets.

The post Cheyenne Woods joins Solheim Cup trio for Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With a swing speed three miles faster than the average PGA Tour player (116mph compared to 113mph) and an eye-popping competition best hit of 402 yards, long drive champion Troy Mullins is sure to be a huge drawcard in more ways than one at the Ladies European Tour’s (LET) $500,000 season-ender from Dec. 6-9.

At least that’s what Tournament Director David Spencer is banking on after granting the Californian her 72-hole pro event debut at Emirates Golf Club.

Spencer took plenty of heat for handing Paige Spiranac her pro debut at the then Dubai Ladies Masters in 2015 and repeating the sponsors’ invite visit last season. He unashamedly admits the social media audience that accompanies Spiranac everywhere was a key driver behind the decision, to the point where the American is returning to the emirate as official starter for the men at January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Related: On the tee…Paige Spiranac

The key driver behind Mullins’ invite is the one the 5ft 8in American wields, and rather impressively so as this tweet highlights:

She did it!

Troy Mullins is the #MileHighShowdown Women’s Champion! #WorldLongDrive pic.twitter.com/TfM5OpFt7Y

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 26, 2017

Nicknamed the Trojan Goddess, Mullins only took up the game after attending Ivy League Cornell University when a hamstring injury curtailed her promising heptathlon career. Now she has genuine LPGA Tour ambitions.

Mullins won the 2017 Mile High Showdown, a World Long Drive event, in July with a 374 yard drive in the final and has a swing so sweet it has some of the game’s most critical analysts swooning, including Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.

Spencer is excited about what Mullins, who speaks four languages including Chinese, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), brings to the tournament. She will hold a clinic for spectators after play in the second round on Friday, Dec. 7.

“Troy caught our eye…we’ll we only started following long drive golf because she was on the Golf Channel and was being touted as having a perfect swing,” said Spencer.

“She’ll certainly be the longest player in the field but she’s also an accomplished golfer. We’ll she just how accomplished she is when she comes up against a professional field.”

Key Omega Dubai Ladies Classic signings (from top left clockwise): I.K. Kim, Susana Benavides, Klara Spilkova and Troy Mullins.

As well as unveiling Kim and Mullins, a new name to bring the LET event “into the ‘classic’ family”, and a “sister” trophy to match the Dallah (Arabic coffee pot) handed to Desert Classic men’s champion, Spencer also revealed 16 other name players.

They include Kim’s fellow LPGA players Suzanne Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome, Olafia Kristinsdottir, Mel Reid and reigning Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open champion Beth Allen.

Aditi Ashok, who sealed LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours with a share of third place at Emirates G.C. last December, also returns along with Rafa Cabrera Bello’s sister Emma, Dame Laura Davies, Amy Boulden, Carly Booth, Felicity Johnson, Olivia Cowan and Moroccan trailblazer Maha Haddioui.

New names include Kristinsdottir and Susana Benavides while Czech Olympian Klára Spilková returns.

Benavides is the only Bolivian-born golfer to ever play in an LPGA event and like Spiranac, will bring a strong social media audience with her to Dubai.

Being away from social media made me wanna come back ??er… #poorgreens #highheels #shooting #lpgadresscode #not

A post shared by Susana Benavides (@mumita_b) on Aug 29, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

Spilková became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event with a one stroke victory over Pettersen at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in April.

Photo courtesy LET
Klara Spilkova

Kristinsdottir brought forward double jaw surgery, a procedure that reportedly involved the addition of titanium plates to her nose and screws to her jaw, to correct an underbite just before becoming the first Icelander to play on the LPGA Tour. She is currently 82nd in the CME Rankings with one top-10 in her rookie year, a fourth placing at the Indy Women in Tech Championship Presented by Guggenheim.

Photo courtesy LPGA Tour Olafia Kristinsdottir

I.K. Kim, the highest ranked player in the field at No.8 in the latest Rolex Ranking, banished the haunting memory of missing a 14-inch putt to win the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship when he won the Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns

Related: In-Kyung Kim gets her major redemption with two-shot Women’s British Open victory

Englishwoman Sophie Lamb, who closed with a 69 at Kingsbarns to win low amateur honours, will is also a confirmed Majlis starter along with the 29-year-old South Korean.

The post Troy Mullins set to rip it past major champion I.K. Kim and co. in rebranded Omega Dubai Ladies “Classic” appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 35-year-old Edinburgh-based Californian has confirmed she will return to defend the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open’s Gazelle trophy when the €515,000 event returns to the Gary Player-designed oceanfront layout for its second edition from Nov. 1-4.

Allen’s year in the U.S., her first full LPGA Tour campaign since her 2005 rookie season, has been challenging with just one top-10 and six cuts made in 20 starts in 2017. But three scores of 69 in her last five rounds, even if she did miss the cut in her most recent start at the Evian Championship, the final major of the year, has the likeable American in an upbeat mood.

She hopes to ride the recent change of fortune to a confidence-boosting result at this week’s New Zealand Women’s Open before returning “home” to play at least four of the LET’s last six events, including also defending the Open de France early next month and “possibly” teeing it up at the season-ending Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in December.

“I’ve had some success in New Zealand before so I’m excited for this week and then obviously I feel very happy and comfortable in Europe so I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks back on the LET. The goal is to have a strong defence in France and Abu Dhabi,” Allen told Golf Digest Middle East from Auckland.

Allen, who takes an LPGA Tour stroke average of 72.53 (133rd) into this week, is “super excited” about her return to Saadiyat and understandably so. She rolled in nine birdies in a career best eight-under 64 to win the inaugural FBMLO by five shots from Englishwoman Georgia Hall last November and can’t wait to get back on Saadiyat’s pure greens.

Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for FNC Affairs, presents Allen with the inaugural Gazelle Trophy last November after the American’s closing 64 at Saadiyat Beach.

“It just really suits me, you know when you turn up to a place, and every tee shot I saw where I was going and I just had a really solid plan, “ Allen said of Saadiyat Beach G.C.

“If you can putt on the line you meant to, they’re going to go in and that’s always great. So it’s perfect for us and it’s going to be great again I’m sure.  It was such a great event last year, so well run and I got such a great vibe there and I know that the atmosphere will be great again with the main idea being family being involved at Saadiyat.

“It’s one of the best events we have all year, it’s comparable to Dubai and everybody loves that event and I think this one is probably going to take over as my favourite event soon.”

Hall and fellow European Solheim Cup players Mel Reid, Florentyna Parker (all England), Scot Catriona Matthew (just named non-playing captain for Gleneagles 2018) and Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen are listed as Saadiyat starters alongside Allen on the LET website.

Indian teen Aditi Ashok, who shared third place at Dubai last December to secure LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours, and the golfing royal, Dame Laura Davies, are also listed although no other confirmed names have yet been released.

The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open is free to attend. Visit fbmladiesopen.com for more information and follow on Instagram, Twitter (@FBMLadiesOpen) and Facebook.

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Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will again host the US$550,000 event, the 14^th of the LET’s 19 events in 2017. The Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, to be promoted by Falcon Golf for the first time at Emirates Golf Club from December 6-9, is again the final event of the season.

The FBMLO dates were confirmed Tuesday as Saadiyat Beach and Troon Golf sister club Abu Dhabi GC joined seven other UAE clubs to celebrate International Women’s Golf Day with free learn to golf lessons. FBMLO prizes and VIP passes were up for grabs at the Abu Dhabi #WomensGolfDay events.

“The feedback we received from the players at the inaugural FBMLO was overwhelmingly positive, which is not surprising given the world-class facilitates on offer in Abu Dhabi,” LET CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh.

“Women’s Golf Day represents the global movement in women’s golf, which is inspiring a whole new generation of golfers and events like the FBMLO play a significant part to ensure this continued growth over the coming years.”

Scotland-based US professional Beth Allen won the inaugural FBMLO, finishing 21-under par to scoop the first women’s pro event staged in Abu Dhabi. It helped Allen capture the LET’s order-of-merit and Players’ player of the year titles but she has struggled in 2017.

A T37 finish in the LET’S season-opening Victorian Open and T7 placing in the LPGA’S Australian Open was encouraging but Allen has since missed five cuts in her last six event in the US.

The post Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open dates confirmed appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 38-year-old English fashion model and television personality will be joined by cricketers Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, former Springboks rugby legend Victor Matfield, Boyzlife pop stars Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden and Emirati comedian Ali Al Sayed at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on February 6.

Nine-time major champion Player will again host the charity Pro-Am which aims to raise funds for the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs.

Former Open champion and European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke joins Chris Wood, Joost Luiten, Victor Dubuisson, Jason Scrivener, David Howell and South Africans Thomas Aiken and Trevor Immelman as confirmed European Tour starters.

Scotland-based U.S. Ladies European Tour pro Beth Allen, who won last year’s inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach GC headlines a strong female lineup including course record holder Georgia Hall, Caroline Martens, Emma Cabrera-Bello and Victoria Lovelady.

The United Arab Emirates’ ‘Year of Giving’ is set to get a significant boost with the announcement of the star-studded line-up.

Darren Clarke in action during the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – Photographs by Getty Images

Held in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, under the Patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the 2017 Gary Player Invitational joins five other global events in a series that together has helped The Player Foundation raise more than $62 million for charities worldwide. Widely recognised as the world’s leading charity golf series, The Player Foundation is working towards its goal of raising $100 million by 2025.

“Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the second annual Gary Player Invitational highlights not only Abu Dhabi’s strong position as a world-class sporting destination, but also the spirit of generosity that the UAE is known for,” said His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“Bringing professional golfers, sporting legends and celebrities together with golfing legend Gary Player, and members of the business community, the Pro-Am event complements Abu Dhabi’s robust calendar of world-class events, as it also supports our growing sporting culture and importantly, the vital work of the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs.”

Player, the course designer at Saadiyat Beach GC, will host a pre Pro-Am skills clinic from 11am on February 6. The clinic and Pro-Am are open to the public.

“Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is one of the most engaging courses in the world and the ideal location to host the mix of professional golfers, sporting greats and special guests during this year’s event in Abu Dhabi.

“It is especially significant to host this event during the UAE’s Year of Giving and thanks to the support of the Abu Dhabi Sport Council, facility owner, TDIC and the wider UAE community, we are able to build upon the work of the inaugural event in 2016 and move even closer to reaching our goal of raising $100 million for children by 2025. I know that all participants will have great fun in support of an even greater cause.”

A gala dinner at the five-star Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on February 5 will kick-start the Invitational while players can also look forward to a traditional South African Braai (BBQ) after play.

www.garyplayerinvitational.com

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The 34-year-old Californian had secured the Ladies European Tour order-of-merit title before the season-ending Omega Dubai Ladies Masters but only because Shanshan Feng hadn’t played the requisite six events to qualify.

Allen still hoped to play well enough at Emirates Golf Club to eclipse the Chinese world No.4 but Feng’s fourth Dubai title in five years and a disappointing T55 for Allen put pay to that.

Allen finished 2016 with €313,079 from 16 events and the official money title. But there was nothing unofficial about the disappointment after Feng finished with €14,195 more from just a quarter the number of starts on the LET.

But surely it’s irrelevant as you have the title, surely it doesn’t really matter?

“It matters. I’m gutted,” Allen said after her rounds of 71-77-74 on the Majlis.

“I had expectations [coming into Dubai] obviously because I had been playing well all year and I had a decent round in the first round. But yesterday [Friday], something just wasn’t right, and then today I thought the conditions were really tough,” Allen said.

“Like, that score that Shanshan shot [64] is phenomenal, and Charley [Hull, 65] as well. I guess Friday was really my downfall and maybe it was just a bit of like I was tired mentally. Maybe that was part of it. I don’t know. But I wish it was different.”

Allen’s year – wins at the Open de France and last month’s inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach GC and five other top 10s – is nothing to sniff at.

It’s just that Feng has been, well, fantastic in her fleeting appearances with victory at the Buick Championship in China, a T17 at the Ricoh Women’s British Open, fourth place at The Evian Championship and her stunning two-shot, come from behind triumph in Dubai.

“Of course I wish I would have made more money than her,” said the Edinburgh-based LET board member’s whose buildup to Dubai was hardly ideal although potentially very profitable as she secured an LPGA Tour card for 2017 at last week’s Q-school in Florida.

“At the end of the day, to be a member, you have to play in six events, and I support the LET 100 percent. Because of that, I think I guess I deserve it.

“Looking back, I’m so pleased, because this is something that I wasn’t ever sure I could achieve. Everything just sort of went nicely. So yeah, I’m really, really happy…I [just] wish things were different [at the end].”

So what next for Allen, who was married in July, is committed to the LET next year but needs to play well in the US to achieve her goal of a Solheim Cup start?

“I haven’t been to Edinburgh in two months, so I’m keen to go back. I’m going to be there until Boxing Day and then I’m going to California to see my family, too. I think it’s going to be a great off-season, probably the best ever.

“It’s been a full on few months and I’m really ready for the couch.”

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“I’m actually getting a new driver and 3-wood from [Titleist], the new 917, so I’m looking forward to practice with those,” the Ladies European Tour’s newly crowned rookie-of-the-year said of her well-deserved off-season.

Is that your idea of a Christmas gift? “Kind of, yeah.”

That that sort of attitude and aptitude to getting better, it’s little wonder the 18-year-old from Bangalore is one of the hottest properties in world golf currently.

Ashok capped her breakthrough year, which included back-to-back wins in Indian and Qatar, with a share of third place alongside Englishwoman Florentyna Parker at the season-ending Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

Three successive rounds of 70 saw her finish -6, four adrift of Chinese champion Shanshan Feng and lifted her to second overall on the LET money list with €206,664 from 13 starts, €106,405 behind Californian Beth Allen.

Like Allen, Ashok didn’t have time for a practice round on the Majlis after flying into Dubai after gaining partial LPGA Tour status at last week’s Q-School in Florida.

“That made it difficult but I think I did exceed expectations. I made four birdies every day but a made a couple of mistakes every day, too. To finish off your year with a top five is good. It’s not bad.”

So what will you be working on at the range, other than coming to grips with those flash new woods?

“I think I could still get a lot sharper with my approaches compared to how I am now. And plus the US courses are going to be slightly longer, so I’m going to have to get really good with my approaches, and also work on hitting it further. That’s a continuous process.”

So too is coming to terms with her sudden celebrity which has come as something of a surprise.

“I think the Olympics changed that quite a bit. Even before [Rio], I was playing in LET events and I did sort of okay, but it wasn’t like it was of interest at the time.

“But obviously after I played the Olympics, everyone wants to know what I’m doing because I’m the ‘Olympian who was leading after two days and is now playing here’. Hopefully the interest continues to grow and not just with me but with all the women golfers in India.”

And what of next year. You’ve already set your crosshairs on the LPGA rookie title we hear?

“Yeah, that would be challenging but I’m sure on the LPGA, I’ve heard that if you play well, they have reshuffles and so you might get into a good position. You might be able to get into all events if you just do well in the opportunities you get,” Ashok said.

“So hopefully I can do that. And also the LET, I should be able to play a couple of events like The Scottish Open and stuff like that, which I may not get into from the LPGA but I can get into from the LET side, and maybe three majors, I’m not sure yet.”
What does seem certain is that we’re going to hear a lot more from India’s most talented golfing teen.

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 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.