Tournament highs and illness lows

ITS fair to say its been an eventful start to the season for me. If Im not leading tournaments then Im pulling out of them after 22 holes!

Yes, the beginning to the European leg to this years LET has been a funny one for me.

First I contend right to the last in Tenerife and then a week later Im almost fainting through illness and having to withdraw from the tournament in Spain after a few holes of my second round.

Lets deal with the nice story first. I love Tenerife, it just seems to agree with me. Ive played well there every time Ive been.

Its not always on the same course either so its not like I can say that one particular trach suits me. The volcanic soil must just suit me.

The thing is, I didnt actually play all that well this year. Obviously I wasnt spraying it around everywhere as you simply cant do that on the Ladies European Tour these days and get away with it.

I was hitting it ok but not as Id like. So while that was disappointing, it was pleasing that Iwas able to get it round and contend when not at my best.

Looking back, I have nothing but good vibes from the week even though on paper maybe I should have picked up my first title.

I played well on the Sunday and in diificult conditions, its just that Nikki Garrett produced a terrific round and deserved her win.

Probably the turning point came on the 12th, a par five which lots of the girls had been picking up a shot on.

I hit an indifferent second shot and ended up in some thick rough by the green. I took four to get down from there to drop a shot while Nikki birdied. A big two-shot swing and suddenly Iwas three behind.

When someone is playing as well as Nikki was that day, three shots are a lot to make up, especially when its windy and hard to make birdies.

So it wasnt to be and my first title will have to wait a little longer. Just hopefully not too long!
I turned up at Castellon the following week thinking it might have been there. But after a opening 72 which put me in decent shape the rug was pulled from beneath me.

I didnt feel all that great on the first day but after four holes of my second round I felt a lot worse. In fact, I nearly fainted by the 4th tee and had to call it a day.

Its not a nice thing to do but I simply couldnt carry on. Quite a few of the girls have struggled with this bug and I think theres been a bit of an investigation at the club and where we were eating to see if something was amiss.

Not a lot that can help me now though and it was a case of packing up, coming home and getting ready for the next event. Disappointing though.

What has been very uplifting are the comments about me that Ive been reading in Lady Golfer, first from Gwladys Nocera and now this month from Mickey Walker.

When someone in such good form as Gwladys picks you out as someone to do well this year its a great lift.
She is a real inspiration to the young players on tour, showing us with hard work and application we can make the Solheim team and can pick up points.

Her win over Cristie Kerr was fabulous and a real filip for the LET. Gwladys has really upped the standard on our tour in the same way as Annika and Tiger have done on the American circuits. Six over doesnt get you into the weekend any more. You have to score well.

Shes also a wonderful lady and shell be an even bigger asset to the Solheim side this time around.

With abit of prior warning I know that Mickey has written something nice about me this month in Lady Golfer and it really does mean a lot when someone of her standing is moved to do something like that.

I hope shes right and that a tournament win and a Solheim place arent too far away. Certainly it makes me even more determined to prove that her comments are well founded.

Its a lovely confidence boost to read such things and, who knows, just might be the difference between winning the next time Im in contention and not.

It just might push me over the line and from there obviously Ihope an avalanche of victories follow.

I love getting advice and hearing comments from people I respect. I played with Solheim skipper Helen Alfredsson in Dubai this year and never stopped asking her questions.

She was great and will be a terrific captain. I learned so much from that round together. Hopefully I can put enough of it in place that Im one of her charges come September at Halmstad.

Completing more than 22 holes of a tournament would help and thats my next objective!