In a year highlighted by Catriona Matthew’s major victory at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes, December brought more good news for Scottish women’s golf when Carly Booth and Kylie Walker won their Ladies’ European Tour cards at the qualifying school at La Manga in Spain.

Having both survived the 54-hole pre-qualifying, Carly, not 18 until next June, finished 14th of the 30 qualifiers at the final school, while Kylie, winner of the 2008 Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Associations’ Order of Merit, was ninth. 

Carly has already made history as the youngest Great Britain and Ireland player to compete in the Curtis Cup – she was 15 when she teed it up at St Andrews in 2007 – and she is now the youngest Scot to make it onto a professional stage. 

And the tall, blonde youngster is already proving to be a magnet for sponsors as she seeks to make her mark at an even higher level. On her return home from Spain, her father, Wally, was fending off callers.

“I’ve been inundated by calls from people, but we’re going to take our time and decide the best thing to do for Carly,” said the man who built a course on his farm at Comrie and has steered her career from the day she first lifted a golf club.

“I’m very proud of what she has achieved and next year will be a new challenge for her. I definitely think she is ready – she proved it at Tour School.” 

One rule regarding Booth’s tender years is that she will need to be accompanied on Tour by a guardian until she reaches the age of 18.  By then she will have completed her golf scholarship at Glenalmond School.

“I’m really pleased to have got my card,” said the talented teenager, whose older brother, Wallace, helped Scotland win the 2008 World Amateur team title. “I entered the Tour School as an amateur in case I didn’t make it, but now I’ve turned professional.

“I’ll probably not play too many tournaments early in the season, and I’ll travel with my mum up until I’m 18.” 

For 24-year-old Kylie, it was second time lucky at Tour School. “Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t get my card when the qualifying was held in January 2009,” said the Buchanan Castle member. “Eleven months on and I am a much better player. It’s not just my game, but my course management that has improved.”

Kylie played for Great Britain and Ireland in last year’s Vagliano Trophy, and she hopes to gain some sponsors before she heads for the start of the season at the New Zealand Open in February.  “I’ve already got a club deal with PING and will now start writing to some companies,” she said.
 
Part of the reason for her better preparation for the hard road ahead is, she suggests, her decision to hook up with Kevin Craggs, the SLGA’s official coach.

“I’ve always floated about a bit with coaches, but now I’m working with Kevin and he’s so enthusiastic and it’s working out really well,” she continued. 

She’s also delighted at the prospect of travelling on Tour with Krystle Caithness, the Scot who had a super rookie 2009 season, winning a Pro-am event in Dubai an
d finishing 41st on the Order of Merit. 

“Krystle’s always been a really good friend and she’s done so well this year that it encouraging for the rest of us,” said Kylie. 

With Matthew returning full-time to the LPGA, Janice Moodie enjoying a return to form and Caithness and Vikki Laing aiming to follow up on promising rookie seasons in Europe, Scottish women’s professional golf scene is exceedingly buoyant. Carly and Kylie should add to the excitement in 2010.

EB
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