Reflecting on a year I will never forget

THIS time last year in this column I reflected on 2006 in pretty frank terms. I felt disappointed with my season and was not afraid to admit it. I basically gave myself a dressing down in public! Looking back now, it was exactly the right attitude to take and I believe was the first step to enjoying a good 2007.

Of course, words are easy to say and write – it is actions which result in tournament victories and money in the bank. So, having got my mind right I then did the same with my game. This combination set me up for this year high on confidence and infused with plenty of belief.

Again though, there is no substitute for actually hitting good shots on the course and holing a few putts. Fortunately, things worked out pretty much straightaway. First of all myself and Becky Morgan travelled to South Africa for the Women’s World Cup. As any regular readers will know, I absolutely love this event and although we didn’t play as well as we have in the past it was still a nice way to start 2007.

I played nicely in Australia at the start of February before moving to Tenerife, which has to be my favourite place to play tournament golf! I seem to play well there whenever I go – even as an amateur. This year it was another fourth place to add to my previous top 10s. Further decent tournaments followed in Switzerland, Italy and especially Northern Ireland and France.
There was, though, still a feeling I wasn’t quite converting good positions into top-three finishes – and of course that elusive maiden victory.

So I pitched up at Chart Hills eager to keep up my good form and land that first Ladies European Tour success. Thankfully, my prayers were answered. It’s difficult for me to describe the feelings which were running through my head after that final putt went in.

I’d played the 18th hole poorly all week and my adventures there again added to the drama. So it was a mixture of relief, elation and satisfaction as my friends Dani Masters and Lynn Kenny dashed on to the green with champagne! That made it even more special and so did the fact my parents were there to see me win for the first time.

After my triumph in Kent the rest of my season was indifferent. I did OK at the Ricoh Women’s British Open and was really happy I was there all weekend. To be part of history at St Andrews was something to be cherished and something I will look back on with pride in years to come.

When legends such as Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster are getting super-excited about playing the Old Course, you know it’s a championship to be treasured. At that point there was something worrying on my mind and that was the Solheim Cup. I was in the team via the standings but that could all easily change in a flash.

It went down to the last event, almost inevitably, and I just squeezed in ahead of my former Curtis Cup colleague Rebecca Hudson. Those same feelings of elation, relief and satisfaction from Chart Hills came flooding back: I was going to be part of the European team to take on America. I’ve talked at length about what a fantastic week it was – the team spirit was amazing – and, three months on, my memories remain the same. It was amazing, yet it was a huge disappointment ultimately.

Returning to the tour at the Ladies Scottish Open – making a welcome return after many blank years in the Home of Golf – I played reasonably well but it was tough to adjust to life after the Solheim. It wasn’t until I teed it up in Madrid at the start of October that I found my best form again and secured a top 10 there.

The tour then broke new ground by hosting an event in India and I was happy enough with a share of 13th in a high-class field. It was fabulous to travel to a different part of the world and experience a different culture, way of life – and climate! Dubai was next and I’ll reflect on those two tournaments and experiences in next month’s issue.