Perthshire star chases place in biennial tournament
The next 12 months are of great importance to Perthshire golfer Carly Booth.
Comrie’s Ladies European Tour star is setting her sights on a productive year to push up the rankings and into Solheim Cup contention.
The biennial tournament, contested by teams of 12 players representing Europe and the United States, pitches up at Gleneagles in September 2019.
Carly has always dreamed of playing in the event and, with it being closer to home than ever, there is an added incentive to make the cut.
She is planning to kick-start her season with a successful showing at the Scottish Open, being held at Gullane, in two weeks’ time.
“The Solheim Cup has always been a goal of mine and I was so close to making the team back in 2013,” Carly told the PA.
“I was gutted I missed out there. I have a year to try and get some good performances in.
“If I can finish this year strong and get off to a good start next year, there could be a chance.
“I know Gleneagles so well and it’s like home for me, so it would be a very special one. I’ve always said it would be my goal to make that team.
“I’ve got the Scottish Open next so have two weeks preparing for that.
“Hopefully I have the British Open too, I’m not in it yet, but I’m going to do a qualifier for that.
“I’ve been going through a few changes and my game is definitely starting to get better. Two more weeks of solid practise and I’ll hopefully be feeling ready to go for the Scottish.”
Gleneagles will be warming up for the Solheim Cup in style when the European Golf Team Championships tee-up from August 8-12 this year.
Carly, an ambassador for the event, is excited about the action coming to the PGA Centenary Course.
The new mixed team event, part of the multi-sport Glasgow 2018 European Championships, will see male and female professionals playing together for equal prize money.
“I might struggle to make the team but it’s been great to be part of the European Team Championships and help promote it,” Carly said.
“It’s a unique event and an exciting one, especially for the women to feel equal to the men and playing for the same prize money.
“For me, with it being 20 minutes from where I used to play as a kid - and the same place where the Ryder Cup was in 2014 and Solheim Cup is next year - is great. It’s great for Gleneagles.
“The location of Gleneagles is very central in Scotland so hopefully that will bring so many different people Carly hopes for a good performance at the upcoming Scottish Open from different areas to watch.
“An event like this one at Gleneagles next month is going to be a huge boost for women’s golf.”
Carly has plenty of experience playing the PGA Centenary track and knows how tough a test it will offer up.
She said: “It is a great golf course and is really going to be a test. I’m excited to see how everyone gets on and what the scoring is going to be.”
While now based down south, Carly never forgets her roots and enjoys making the trip home to Perthshire.
“Gleneagles looked after me for a few years but I played most of my junior golf at Auchterarder, Comrie and Dunblane,” she said.
“We have so many beautiful courses and my brother (Wallace) is now at Pitlochry which is a lovely course.
“All over Perthshire we have great courses and, in an hour, you can get to the east and west coast where we have some of the best courses in the world.”