Florentyna Parker says she is yet to decide whether she will opt to represent Britain or Germany on the Ladies European Tour after Brexit.
The 27-year-old two-time tournament winner, who has represented England throughout her amateur and professional career, was born and raised in Hamburg to English parents who have lived in Germany for 28 years.
A British citizen, she has applied for a German passport and dual nationality, over fears that she would not be allowed to remain as a resident in continental Europe.
Parker said she had not yet made up her mind over whether to represent Britain or Germany when she attempts to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“I’m not sure which passport I’ll use. I am English and I represent England but in terms of the Olympics, I don’t know what I’ll do and it’s good to have it as an option,” said Parker, who is in the frame for European Solheim Cup team qualification this August.
A member at both Royal Birkdale in England and Gut Kaden Golf Club in Germany, Parker added: “I’ve never had a German passport so I couldn’t technically represent Germany. When I was born, I was given my mother’s nationality and my father always wanted my brother and I to go through the English golf system, which was more established with better golfers, as it was a newer sport in Germany.
“Last October, my parents and I applied for German passports to have dual nationality: British as well as German. We basically did it because of Brexit. My parents moved over to Germany 28 years ago and never became German, or even thought about it, until recently. As we don’t know what the outcome will be, we thought it would be safer to apply. I was born in Germany, so it was a bit easier for me.
“We also did it for travel reasons as the German passport will help me with my connecting flights, because I usually connect in Frankfurt or Munich and that will mean that I can still go through the EU passport control, rather than the non-EU control, if the British one doesn’t count in the future.”
