11:50am Thursday 2nd September 2010
MARLBOROUGH member Jenny Swift has qualified for the national final of an international competition to be hosted by Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie at Turnberry later this month.
The 53-year-old Australian, who lives in Wanborough and is in only her third year as a Marlborough member, will play at the Scottish club – a venue for the Open Championship – on September 16-17 after winning through regional rounds of the BMW Golf Cup International.
The 22 handicapper came through rounds at Bowood Golf & County Club near Calne in June and the 2010 course at Celtic Manor near Newport – the venue for this year’s Ryder Cup – to earn her place Swift, who runs an international marketing consultancy and is on Marlborough’s general committee, said: “I never dreamed I would get around Bowood with a reasonable score as I had only played there once before and felt extremely nervous.
“So to be lining up in the national final is amazing but rather than feel nervous I am really excited to be going.
“It’s the stuff of dreams for someone who came to golf rather late in life.’’ She then won the ladies 0-28 handicap division at Celtic Manor to book her trip to Turnberry.
She added: “My shot of the day was on the 12th where I had a great drive, then decided to try to go over the water with my five wood and, amazingly, it bounced into the water, then popped out and ran up to the green.’’ Swift will play a practice round on Turnberry’s famous Ailsa links course, followed by the final on the Kintyre course, hosted by Montgomerie.
The winners go on to the world final in Thailand in February of next year.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/trade_directory/