New Beginnings

THE WORLD WILL BE WATCHING WHEN THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR MAKES ITS DEBUT IN SAUDI ARABIA THIS MONTH. FOR KEEN FOLLOWERS OF THE GAME IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE PERFORMANCE OF ALISON MUIRHEAD WILL BE AN INTRIGUING SUB-PLOT IN THE GROUND-BREAKING STORY.

- KENT GRAY

When the inaugural Saudi Ladies International was announced in mid-December, Alison Muirhead never entertained being part of the field, much less being eligible for a share of the $1 million purse at the trailblazing Ladies European Tour (LET) event. Well outside the top 500 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the time, the Johannesburg-born, Dubai-domiciled and Jumeirah Golf Estatesattached Scot was still a relatively unheralded talent.

Even as her power game started to translate into more and more top 10s at elite European events – seven in all last year – and, eventually, in victory at November’s Panoramica International Women’s Open Championship in Spain, Muirhead hadn’t committed to taking the pro plunge. That all changed just before the LET’s two-stage Q-School in January.

“I had worked hard on my game and as my results continued to improve it just seemed to be the right time at the beginning of 2020,” says the 21-year-old.

The 11th-hour decision proved an inspired one. Muirhead advanced to the final, five-round stage of Q-School at Real Golf La Manga Club with medallist honours from the Pre-Qualifier at the same Spanish venue a week earlier. Clearly oozing with confidence, she negotiated the nerve-jangling finish stage with scores of 69-67-77-70-71 to finish T-2 on -7, just three shots behind experienced Welshwoman Amy Boulden.