A 9-year-old aims for history at the US Women’s Open qualifiers
By Matt Chivers
What were you doing in your spare time at nine years of age?
Watching Disney Channel? Making yourself sick on the swings in the park?
Whatever it was, we can guarantee Bella Simoes can trump any level of excitement you experienced at this stage of your childhood.
Bella, a young golfer from Brazil, competed in the US Women’s Open qualifying event at The Club at Mediterra in Naples, Florida.
She was the youngest player to file an entry as the first of 26 preliminary events for the third women’s major of the year got underway on May 9.
A total of 65 players completed the qualifier in which Bella valiantly shot rounds of 85 and 82.
Lindy Duncan and Brooke Matthews finished top of the pile at 10-under and 8-under in what proved to be a low-scoring affair. Qualifying for the US Women’s Open concludes on June 7.
If she’d achieved the unthinkable, Bella would’ve become the youngest-ever player to compete at the US Women’s Open, which is being held at Pebble Beach this year.
She would’ve broken the current record held by Lucy Li who played at the tournament at Pinehurst No.2 in 2014, aged just 11.
Bella is now a resident of South Florida and she has already won two US Kids Golf age-group titles – she doesn’t turn 10 until after the championship concludes in July.
There is still time for the young superstar to make the age record her own in 2024 – and who would bet against her having had a taste for the tournament already?
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
