My adventures at the World Cup

I MUST admit, there are some rather nice perks to being a touring professional. Over the last four weeks my destinations have included South Africa, Australia and New Zealand!

First port of call was South Africa for what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite weeks of the tournament year.

Ive enjoyed this event right from the start and, as anyone who read my column last year will recall, I?absolutely love the fact it has been based in South Africa on the last couple of occasions.

The whole country really gets behind the event and full credit to everyone connected with helping to stage this fabulous week.

Of course, it is the perfect time of year for the tournament in that the weather is really first class.

We left a chilly and snow-covered Great Britain and arrived in the Southern Hemisphere to be greeted by blue skies and rays of golden sunshine.

Brilliant!

Then there is the course itself. The Gary Player layout at Sun City is a terrific course and one that all the girls enjoy playing.

I also love partnering Becky Morgan. Theres nothing better than playing for Wales but when you are doing so alongside someone you get on with so well, it makes the whole thing that bit more enjoyable.

Weve played together several times now and our games and personalities suit each other really well.

As you can see from the picture to the right (taken at the pre-event function), we are happy in each others company and that is essential because the last thing you want to be thinking when you step on the tee is I?hope I?dont let so and so down.

Its always said that the worst thing you can say in foursomes is sorry because you just end up apologising for every little error. Once you start doing that, more and more errors will follow and its a vicious circle.

Im sure sports psychologists would have a field day examining the attitudes and thinking behind fourball and especially foursomes play.

I have no qualifications in this area but I can tell you its a big help to have someone you feel comfortable with alongside you.

In addition our games complement each other nicely. As any of you will know, Becky is one of the most accurate drivers of the ball in the ladies game and is a real pleasure to play with in a pairs format.

I probably like to go for my shots a little more so in fourball play we have a very sound partnership.

With all this taken into account we arrived under those blue skies with great expectation about what might unfold in the week ahead.

Of course there was a very strong field with teams such as America and Sweden looking very obviously powerful duos.

I know a few people fancied the French pair too and with a host of other sides looking like they could win if they hit their straps, we knew it would be difficult.

I think its fair to say Becky and I were therefore a bit disappointed with how we scored over the week. We didnt necessarily play that badly, we just didnt hole any putts.

But, on the back of an encouraging finish last year, I think we expected to be placed a little higher in 2007.

And the fact Paraguay, nobodys favourites for the title before the event, emerged victorious just showed us what could be done.

Julieta Granada is becoming very well known to golf fans and she again played well but the funny thing was it was Celeste Troche who holed some of the bigger putts and who may have indeed won them the crown.

It was great to see and shows Becky and I that Wales can indeed be on top of the world!

Thats for next year. After the South Africa experience I?went on to play nicely in Australia, more of which next month.

Until then, its back to reality and a rather chilly practice ground!