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Scotland’s Carly Booth is back at the top of the Ladies European Tour’s ISPS Handa Order of Merit after knocking Germany’s Caroline Masson off her perch with a tie for seventh at the recent Ladies Irish Open.
Now the talented 20-year-old is hoping to stay at the head of affairs by collecting her third LET trophy of the season at the inaugural ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, taking place at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, Denham, on August 16-18.
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| Carly with boyfriend Tano Goya at the Evian Masters gala dinner |
The recent Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open and Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open winner cannot wait to entertain the British crowds when the event takes place on the stunning parkland course for the first time.
Booth said: “I’m very much looking forward to it. I played the last English tournament as an amateur in 2008 so it’s nice to have one back in England. This week leading up to the tournament I’m just resting and practicing in Marbella.
“I love playing in the UK. We don’t have many tournaments in the UK throughout the year so it’s really nice to have this event. I have some family that will be there to watch which will be very nice for me.
“It’s nice to be back on top after last week and now I’m really going to do my best to stay there. It’s one of the goals for the rest of the season.
“I feel happy with how I have been striking the ball and again for me it’s just to keep working on the short game, that’s what is really going to save me shots. My goal is the keep winning and win the order of merit now, so I’m going to keep working hard to achieve that.”
Booth’s rise to the top of the rankings has been swift. She struggled in her first two years on tour and was back to Tour School in December, but earned her breakthrough victory at the Dinard Ladies Open on the LET Access Series in April, before breaking into the LET winner’s circle in May at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
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| Talented sportswoman Carly Booth in action during the Evian Masters charity football match, played annually in aid of the ELA |
“It’s been a great year so far. I’m just trying to enjoy it a lot more and work harder on my weaknesses. I have a good team of people around me and my boyfriend Tano Goya has been a huge rock for me this season,” she said.
Having suffered an injury during the Evian Masters, she is now much better and added: “My knee is getting better. Right now it needs rest so I will do a lot of that this week. My hip is much better too so a lot of rest this week for me is important. I’m still happy I played the charity football match; it was good fun. If I knew I was going to hurt my knee beforehand then I would not have played, but what’s done is done so just need to try and recover as quick as possible now.
“I feel a huge weight off my shoulders and now I feel I have given myself the chance to enjoy it more as there is less stress and pressure to keep my tour card like the previous two years.”
Fellow Britons Laura Davies, Melissa Reid and Trish Johnson are among a host of international players competing at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, which was created in 1992 by John Jacobs OBE, founding father of The European Tour and twice Ryder Cup captain. Tickets to attend the tournament are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster, with the venue ideally located adjacent to both Denham train station and Junction 1 of the M40.
