Davies hoping to go one better
England’s Laura Davies has had three second places on the Ladies’ European Tour this year and is hoping to make it fourth time lucky in the Scandinavian TPC at Bro-Balsta Golf Club in Stockholm.
“It’s a shame that I haven’t won a tournament,” said the 42-year-old, who was runner-up in the Swiss and French Opens and again at the Evian Masters in France two weeks ago. “But at least I know I am playing well enough to do it.”
Davies finished in the top 20 at last week’s Weetabix Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, and the summer run marks a terrific turnaround from the start of the year when she missed seven out of eight cuts in America.
She admitted the dispiriting run marked a low point in her career, but she is now back where she feels she belongs as the leading British player on the LPGA Tour in America. She is currently at number 24 on the money list with over $325,000 (€253,000).
Kent’s Karen Stupples, who was joint tenth in the British Open, is also in the Swedish field and she will figure among the favourites. She will hope to shake off last year’s ill luck when she had to pull out after the first round with an eye infection.
American Sherri Steinhauer, who won her third British Open title at Lytham, will be aiming to continue her European raid while Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa, the leading money winner on the LPGA Tour this year, is another sponsor’s invite.
World number one Annika Sorenstam is both the tournament hostess and the defending champion.
She also knows Bro-Balsta like the back of her hand – it is her home course where she learned the game as a Swedish junior.
“It’s great to be back and re-live so many memories,” she said. “It was only a six- hole course when my sister (Charlotta) and I started playing here. I was about six years old.
“I’ve done everything from picking up rubbish, mowing the course and working in the professional shop. But this the first time in about five years that I’ve been back.”
