Danish duo Nicole Broch Larsen and Emily Pedersen are ready to seize their chance in this week’s Evian Championship, the fifth and final Major of the 2015 season, starting on Thursday at Evian Resort Golf Club in France.
Second year LET player Broch Larsen will be making her event debut after she qualified by winning the Helsingborg Open in Sweden on Sunday. Meanwhile LET rookie Pedersen will be playing in the event for the second time after she won the qualifier with rounds of 72 and 66 on the course three months ago. Pedersen also played in the tournament in 2014 after winning the European Amateur Championship and tied for 47th place.
The good friends played a practice round together on Tuesday and Broch Larsen took a few tips from Pedersen, 19, from Smoerum, who said: “If Nicole plays well it will be because of all the advice I’ve given her! We’ve talked about some lines, how the greens and pins were. I think it’s an advantage that I’ve played the course before and know how the greens react and how to hit into them, so I’ll play smart.”
The LET’s 21st ranked player, Pedersen will have her coach Peter Thomsen as her caddie and she added: “I expect myself to do the best I can. Hopefully I’ll make the cut and then climb up the leader board.”
Broch Larsen, 22, from Hillerød, said: “Emily and I played this morning and the course is really good. It’s a tough one and you need to focus on every hole and every green but it will be a tough challenge. The course suits long hitters quite well so that’s good for me. I just hope that I can bring some of the good game and good swings from Sweden.
“The greens are tricky but the greens book is really, really good and I think it will save a lot of error. They are really, really tough, the greens. I’ve only played one major before, the British, so this is the second time I’m competing against the best and hopefully I’ll do well.”
In her first Major, the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Turnberry, Broch Larsen finished 24th, proving that she has the game to compete against the best. Reflecting on her victory, which put her up to fourth on the LET order of merit, Broch Larsen added: “It couldn’t have been in any more perfect a place and time to win in Sweden, in Helsingborg, where people in Sweden could support me and see me winning. My dad was there and brother and good friends. The last tournament before Evian to qualify, it was really nice and especially after what happened in the Czech Republic. I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been so stressed the last 24 hours (organising travel), so I’m just trying to enjoy and be here now. Hopefully I’ll celebrate more when I’m home but now I’m here I’ll give it my all.”
