Sharmila Nicollet Shines in Spain at LET Qualifying School

Sharmila Nicollet...... walking    -    photo: Golf Digest Online

We first wrote about Sharmila Nicollet in December of 2007 when she won a challenge match, paired with Laura Davies, at the EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters, India's first ever LET event.

Just 16 at the time, the talented Bangalore beauty impressed Davies who told reporters, "I played with this 16-year-old girl and I can say from my experience she has the potential to become a really good player".

Four years later Nicollet is 20,  and she'll have "the whole of India" behind her as she enters the third round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School tomorrow in a three-way tie for second...  just one shot behind leader, Jodi Ewart (England).  

The 90-hole Q-School Final is being played on the two world-class courses at La Manga Club, in Murcia, Spain.

Golf is now the fastest growing sport in India... a country where cricket is revered... and to have this charismatic young golfer playing in global competitions at the highest level will surely be an  inspiration for other Indian women who aspire to play the game... either recreationally or professionally.

Oh, and FYI, if you're into following professional golfers on Twitter, @MissNicollet 's tweets are often remarkably drôle perceptive awesome.

Laura Davies Shines in a Thrilling Indian Open Win

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2010 has turned out to be quite the year for Laura Davies.

In early September we saw her win the UNIQUA Open in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, becoming the oldest female player to win a professional tournament. On any tour, ever... then a couple of weeks later she broke her own record at the Open de España, her 76th career win... and this week, at the DLF Golf and Country Club, she proved what many golf fans suspected: that those September wins would by no means be her last.
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An electrifying eagle on the final hole put Ms. Davies into a four-way playoff at the HERO HONDA Women's Indian Open yesterday, which she won at the first hole. The duel involved Thailand's Nontaya Srisawang, South Africa's Tandi Cuningham and Sweden's Louise Friberg  and was described succinctly in India's Deccan Herald: 

Davies was two-on on the par-five 18th and two-putted for a birdie that gave her the title. Incidentally it was the same hole that resurrected her title hopes during regulation play when she eagled to keep herself afloat.


Nontaya was three-on and two putted for a par while the two other players Cuningham and Friberg hit their ball into the water.

The win came after a roller coaster week that toyed with the English champion in a number of ways.  From clubs that went AWOL en route to an ensuing customs conundrum and subsequent mad dash to make her opening tee time.  It an unsettling series of events and Davies' - 7 on Friday followed by a + 6 on Saturday seemingly reflected that.  The fact that she was able to pull together the goods to get into Sunday's playoff what makes her Laura Davies... and an inspiration to fans and aspiring golfers everywhere.

This is particularly true in India, where Davies played for the first time almost three years ago in the EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters.  Prior that the tournament she teamed up with one of India's rising stars Sharmila Nicollet... only 16 at the time... for a challenge match, which they won.  Back then the young Indian player spoke about how inspiring it was to play with the iconic English champion.

Yesterday in New Delhi, a more mature Nicollet returned a three-under 69, the best score of the day, to emerge as the best Indian player with a tied-23 finish.

Photo: via gulfnews.com - Laura Davies and Sharmilla Nicollet at the EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters in December 2007

Like Fine Wines, European Golfers Improve With Age

On the European Tour today, 46 was the optimum age for winning. ...and it applied to the ladies as well as the lads.

in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, European Tour veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez took home the OMEGA European Masters, while LET icon Laura Davies captured the UNIQUA Open in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Both players have the kind of distinctive style and amazing talent that make them hugely popular with fans... and both are children of the early sixties. In fact they were born just three months apart. She on October 5, 1963 and he just 5 days into 1964.
Today both were challenged by players decades their junior.

The Spanish cigar aficionado, faced a back nine charge today from Edoardo Molinari. It narrowed his lead to one stroke, but MAJ prevailed to win by three, leaving Molinari with second. Another Italian youngster, 17-year-old Matteo Manassero, finished third ...and secured his 2011 European Tour card.

In Austria meanwhile, Ms. Davies entered the final round one stroke behind fellow Brit, Melissa Reid but tenaciously took the lead and held on despite difficult conditions and stiff competition. France's Virginie Lagoutte-Clement took second. Reid finished in a tie for third with Alison Walshe of the USA.

Laura Davies and Miguel Angel Jimenez undoubtedly inspired many yesterday, and like Jack Nicklaus who won the Masters in 1986 at... yes, age 46... they demonstrated that a golfer... male or female... can remain competitive well into their fourth decade.