Date: January 22, 2007
Author: Alistair Hogg

World Cup golfers heading down under

By Alistair Hogg There will be little rest for some of the world&aposs leading female golfers as they head straight from the Women&aposs World Cup in South Africa to Sydney for the 2007 MFS Women&aposs Australian Open. In total, 18 players will make the trip including Aussie duo Nikki Garrett and Lindsey Wright who finished a respectable sixth over the weekend. It was a final round of fluctuations for the Australian pair who had three birdies, three bogeys and an eagle which saw them post a three-under to take their tournament total to three-over par. Garrett will be keen to start the year on a positive note after a superb breakout season on the LET as she was named Rookie of the Year for her performances. She finished equal-third in the Wales Ladies Championship as well as the SAS Masters to finish 12th on the New Star Money List. The 27-year old had four top-10 finishes in European tournaments but lists success on home soil as one of her major ambitions. Joining Garrett and Wright in Sydney will be English pair Laura Davies and Trish Johnson who between them, have almost 80 LPGA and LET wins. Davies in particular will be keen to return having won the last Open played in 2004. The big-hitting Englishwoman went winless in 2005 and was only able to break through for one win last year, taking out the SAS Masters, so she will be hungry for success in the next fortnight. The contingent of international stars heading straight from the Women&aposs World Cup in South Africa to the 2007 MFS Women&aposs Australian Open at Royal Sydney includes: Australia – Nikki Garrett, Lindsey Wright Denmark – Karen Margreth Juul England – Laura Davies, Trish Johnson Finland – Riika Hakkarainen, Jenni Kuosa France – Gwladys Nocera, Stephanie Arricau Germany – Anja Monke, Deinse Simon Ireland – Rebecca Coakley Italy – Veronica Zorzi New Zealand – Lynn Brooky South Africa – Laurette Maritz, Ashleigh Simon (a) South Korea – Ji-Yai Shin Spain – Ana B Sanchez, Tania Elosegui Wales – Becky Brewerton