Date: January 31, 2013
Author: Australian Ladies Professional Golf

Christel Ready to Defend

The weather is clearing and the players are ready to tee it up in the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters being played this Friday to Sunday at the magnificent RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Defending champion Christel Boeljon is excited to back at the course she triumphed at 12 months ago. “There are definitely good vibes coming back to a course you&aposve done well at.” Boeljon said. The three-time winner on the Ladies European Tour (LET) took some time off over the summer break, Yeah, I took time off and worked on my game and then I just started playing again. Over the last few days, she has also spoken about overcoming dealing with a stalker during 2012 on the LPGA tour and then in Europe. It was very strange; it did affect everything not just my game. However I m proud of how I dealt with it. It was initially just in the US but he eventually travelled to Europe and that&aposs where it got more serious. When asked if how it impacted on her golf, she responded I don t want it to be used as an excuse for my game. Because he was on the course every day, so going back to the apartment or where I was staying alone, made me very uncomfortable. I don t want it to be an excuse, I just always want to go out and play my best. 2012 LET Player of the Year, Spain s Carlota Ciganda is looking forward to her second year and what it will bring. Speaking prior to her first event of the year, the young Spaniard revealed having fun off and on the course as a key ingredient to her unbelievable year, I think the main thing was to have fun on the course and outside also. I just like to play golf. I have fun playing golf. I love to do it, so that s why everything is going well, I think. Another high calibre field has been assembled for the opening event of the 2013 LET season, Australia s Karrie Webb is the favourite having captured the title an incredible seven times. She is joined by the likes of Boeljon, Ciganda, England s Laura Davies, Australian Katherine Hull-Kirk and Stacey Keating, Swedes Sophie Gustafson and Caroline Hedwall and South Koreans Jiyai Shin and So Yeon Ryu. The draw has been released and some of the notable first round morning pairings include: Webb, Shin and Keating, followed by Australian Kristie Smith, Hedwall and defending ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open champion American Jessica Korda. Ciganda, is paired with Australian Sarah Kemp and American Ryan O Toole. In the afternoon tee times for Friday, Ryu, Hull-Kirk and Davies are paired together, while defending champion Boeljon is paired for the first two days with South Korean Chella Choi and Australian Emma De Groot. South African Lee-Anne Pace, Thailand s Ariya Jutanugarn and American Cheyenne Woods are another feature group and tee off at 12.30pm.