Krystle Caithness will be 20 at the end of January – and she hopes to celebrate the end of her teenage years by becoming a fully paid up member of the 2009 Ladies’ European Tour. 

The Curtis Cup player has made a shock decision to quit University in America and return home to pursue her dream of becoming a tournament professional. But it was no spur of the moment choice. 
“I wasn’t enjoying it in the States,” was the candid revelation from the ex Georgia University student. “But now I’m preparing for the LET Tour School which takes place early in January. I’ve got a team of people on board and I feel ready.”

The team includes her St Andrews-based coach, Gary Forrester, and the Blairgowrie-based sports psychologist, Brian McGowan. “I really missed them both when I was in Georgia,” she continued. 

“I am the sort of golfer who needs constant supervision and I want to have Gary around so he can check out my swing. He can just take one look and fix it so easily.”

Originally, Krystle, who lives in Cupar and plays out of the St Regulus Club in St Andrews, had every intention of completing her four years on the US golf scholarship and gaining a degree before attempting to join the paid ranks. But after a successful Curtis Cup, she reckoned that to stay amateur for another couple of years wouldn’t serve her best interest. 

“The Curtis Cup is the peak of any amateur’s career and I felt that waiting until 2010 or so would be just a waste of a year,” she reasoned. “A first, I quite enjoyed Georgia. But I didn’t think it was doing me or the University any good by staying around when I wasn’t too happy.”

Later this month, Krystle will get some warm weather golf at an SLGA training camp in Spain – she won’t turn professional until she has secured her LET Tour card – and she will then be working hard on her game over the Festive period in readiness for the challenge of the Tour School at La Manga in Spain. 

She will have to get through the pre-qualifying event starting on January 5th before trying to make the grade in the final 72-hole qualifying. It will be a tough examination – but Krystle will be one of the favourites to gain a coveted card. 

Kylie Walker, and Krystle’s fellow Curtis Cup player Michele Thomson are the other top Scottish amateurs with their sights set on Tour School, and Krystle has done her homework by asking Clare Queen, now in her third year on Tour, for some advice. 

“It was good to speak to a friend who has been on the circuit for a few years,” she rightly pointed out.  

As for abandoning her academic education, she certainly has no regrets. “Studying has now been all forgotten about – hopefully it is a thing of the past,” she said with a relieved smile. 

“I’m just so happy to be home and back playing at St Andrews. I just love it here and am now really looking forward to the next stage of my golfing career. I’ve always wanted to become a professional –I hope I can take my chance.””

EB
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