The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Duncan’ s amateur gamble will pay off
The Louise Duncan story at the Women’s British Open last week was real feelgood one. Once she gets over the fact that she couldn’t bank any money from her top-10 finish, she’ll realise it was pretty much the perfect tournament.
I’m just joking about the money because this seems to be a young woman with an old head on her shoulders.
The decision to not turn pro on the back of what she did at Carnoustie seems the right one for me.
She’ll know her game better than anyone and she will also get a couple of big invites to majors while she stays as an amateur.
If it were a 21-year-old man, the pull to give it a go in the paid ranks straightaway might be too great.
The money these guys can get off sponsors is in a different ballpark to the women. Louise won’t have that temptation.
From what I could see, she’s got a swing that looks like it will stand the test of time.
And she’s at the right place – Stirling University.
What a few weeks it’s been for them.
Firstly all their swimmers – the likes of Duncan Scott and Kathleen Dawson – brought back a bunch of medals from the Tokyo Olympics.
And now Louise has showcased what the university and sportscotland can do for young golfers in this country.
My friend Kelsey MacDonald came through at Stirling as well. She and Louise were the only two Scots to make the cut at Carnoustie.
With so much emphasis
placed on playing college golf in the United States, it’s so important that we have somewhere at home that has a proven track record of producing successful professionals.
Not everyone wants to – or is able to – go to America when they’re young.
As long as Louise holds on to the fearlessness she showed last week and stays on the path that’s got her this far, I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about her for many years.
And she’ll be able to pick up those big cheques.
Everything isn’t brand new to me anymore like it is for Louise – more’s the pity. But it definitely feels
like a I’ve turned a page in my career.
The next chapter could be a really exciting one and I’m feeling the benefits of the new squad approach to the women’s elite programme for this season.
We’ve got most of the big European teams coming to Stirling next week for a new Super Series event.
It will be the first big international competition on the ice at our Curling Academy, which is a big deal in itself.
And, for us, it’s the first competition with a new line-up.
The five who have been selected out of our squad for this one are myself,
Gina Aitken, Vicky Wright, Hailey Duff and Sophie Sinclair.
Not being ‘Team Muirhead’ for the first time in ages has changed my mindset, and I’m enjoying it.
A lot of the off-ice stuff has been taken away and will be in the hands of coaches and selectors.
I can just concentrate on my performance.
I’ll still be looking to give the benefit of my experience to my team-mates. That won’t change.
But, in such a huge season to hopefully help get Britain into the Olympics, having tunnel vision is ideal.