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Buckinghamshire golfer Rachel Drummond feels that she is ready to raise her game a level as she prepares to make her third appearance in the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters tournament that begins on Thursday, July 3, in Denham.
The former Beaconsfield High School pupil is attached to Buckinghamshire Golf Club and has received an invitation to compete in the prestigious tournament at the home of the Ladies European Tour, which travels to 19 different countries annually.
Rachel, 25, who lives in Bourne End, said: “I’m extremely excited. I’ve been away the last four or five weeks playing on the Ladies European Tour Access Series so I haven’t been here much but I’ve been around it two days ago and it’s looking really great.”
Rachel has missed the cut in the last two editions of the tournament but added: “I’ve made quite a few swing changes so I’m getting used to them but I’ve made four out of five cuts on the Access Series, so it’s going okay. I’m just trying to stick to process and everything I’m trying to do on the course and hoping the result will take care of itself.”
Rachel, who used to work in the Pro shop after leaving school, will enjoy the support of family and friends, but this will inevitably add a little more pressure to perform well. HowSpeaking from the venue, she said: “I try not to think about it. People have expectations and think you should be doing well as it’s your home course but it’s the same as any other tournament really and you’ve got to do your own things and pretend it’s any other course.”
There is a world class field of 144 top women golfers competing, with world number six Karrie Webb of Australia defending the title. She is joined by a number of high profile names including Cheyenne Woods, the niece of former world number one Tiger, Dame Laura Davies and teenage Solheim Cup star Charley Hull.
Rachel said: “We’ve got some really, really big names here this week. Charley Hull, Sophie Gustafson, Laura Davies. It’s the peak of ladies’ golf so people have got to get down and support and the atmosphere here already even though it’s practice day is really good so that speaks volumes for the tournament days.”
Rachel will start early, at 7.55am from the 10th tee on Thursday, with a 12.40pm tee time for the second round on Friday, after which there will be a cut to the top 60 professionals and those tied going into the weekend.
