Karen shrugs off 16th hole horror to land major prize

Karen Heywood: kept her cool

GOLF: KAREN Heywood, assistant professional at Crompton and Royton Golf Club, held her nerve to come out on top in the opening Ryder Cup Wales WPGA One-Day Series at Dunham Forest.

Karen was flying in her first major outing of the season,but had to survive a wobble at the 16th when she made a triple-bogey seven.

However, she held on to shoot a one-under-par 71 and win by single shot from Sally Hinton of Bridgnorth Golf Club and Alexandra Keighley of Huddersfield.

In addition to claiming the first of seven one-day WPGA events, Karen secured entry into the European Tour’s £300,000 Wales Ladies’ Championship of Europe at Conwy in August.

She said: “I knew I was doing well and probably in contention, but then I think nerves possibly got the better of me.

“The 16th at Dunham Forest is a blind hole and totally barren. It’s really not like the rest of the course at all.

“You can’t see the fairway and I put my first shot out of bounds, then my second ended up behind a tree so that explains the seven!

“I thought I might have spoiled any chance I had of winning, to be honest, but I managed to hold it together and keep my nerve.

“I made par at the 17th and 18th and that steadied things.

“I wasn’t sure, but I just concentrated on my own game and hoped I’d done enough.

“I was pleased with the rest of the round, though. It can be quite difficult at Dunham, but I didn’t find that. I kept it long and straight and putted well.”

Karen, who is in her first year of a PGA foundation degree, has a proven track record as an amateur, making the England squad and winning the English Intermediary Championship in 2000.

She added: “I want to play in the one-day series events at Little Aston and Forest Pines, as well as trying to qualify for the Women’s British Open.”