The world’s leading female golfers have been doing their bit to “grow the game” recently and there was arguably no better stage than St Andrews, the Home of Golf for the AIG Women’s Open.
The first 36 holes couldn’t have been more thrilling with world number one Nelly Korda, fan favourite Charley Hull, Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu all jostling for position at the summit.
On Thursday, it will be the turn of Carton House to put women’s golf on the canvas for the third edition of the KPMG Women’s Open after two highly successful years at Dromoland Castle.
A record number of 13 Irish players will be competing at the O’Meara Course, up five from 2022 while the number of professionals competing has increased from two to five.
One of the five professionals will be Lauren Walsh who has enjoyed an excellent rookie campaign on the Ladies European Tour.
The Castlewarden woman missed the previous two editions while competing at LPGA Tour Q-School but has no such worries this time around as she gets to make her long awaited debut on home soil.
“First time playing, unfortunately Q-School clashed with it last year. Really excited to play at home for the first time as a professional,” said Walsh.
“When I’m on Tour all the girls are excited for Ireland it’s their favourite event, not just the Irish ones. So it’s a very exciting event to be part of.”
Walsh is a great example of how the Women’s Irish Open can grow the game in this country. Back in 2011 she was one of many young girls and boys to attend the event in Killeen Castle before it was removed from the LET schedule for a decade.
Walsh had photographs taken with a young Lexi Thompson at the time and veteran player Becky Brewerton, now she has shared the same stage as both players on more than one occasion in her burgeoning career.
“Back in 2011 I went to the Irish Open in Killeen Castle it was very cool to see the girls playing, I wasn’t even playing golf myself back then but it got me into it. To be able to play in it this year is pretty cool,” smiled the Wake Forest graduate.
“I took a picture with Lexi Thompson, she was only 15 or 16 and quite new into her pro career. Stacey Lewis, Becky Brewerton who now caddies on the LET so I see her every week and I’ve told her about the photo. Very good players at the time and crazy to think that I am doing this for a living now.”
Inspired by that week to take up the game, it’s proven to be the right decision so far.
While she has essentially grown up playing golf without a women’s Irish Open she is fully aware of her station heading into the week and hopes she can be somebody’s Lexi Thompson and inspire the next generation of Irish golfers and keep this exciting wave of young Irish women coming through.
“That’s the hope if we can encourage more boys and girls to get into the game it will be great. It’s going to be a really interactive event for kids to get them involved to have a good weekend. Hopefully all the kids can come out and enjoy the weekend.
“The O’Meara is lovely. The scores will be low there are plenty of birdie opportunities so it should be able to showcase some good golf from our part, the par fives are really gettable and some par fours have short wedges in so hopefully it will showcase what women’s golf is capable of.”
Such is life on the Ladies European Tour, Walsh has teed it up in Australia, South Africa, Kenya and across Europe so she is looking forward to saving on the jet miles and sleeping in her own bed.
“I’m staying at home for the week which is nice after a lot of travel this year. I have done a lot of my training with Golf Ireland over the years in Carton and signed as Carton’s touring pro which has been exciting. Nice to have some home comforts, I’ve been out to play a little bit and it will be nice to be at home while competing on Tour.”
14th in the Order of Merit and closing in on the top-200 in the Rolex World Rankings, Walsh has come off a professional major championship debut at the AIG Women’s Open and while she missed the cut, it hasn’t dampened her spirits.
“I’ve just been doing my thing I have learned a lot about being on tour as I have gone on and taken lessons from earlier in the year to figure out my scheduling a bit better and I have loved everything so far. I’ve taken little things away and building and progressing along. Me and my coach Shane have seen each other a bit more having been home so it’s been a steady progression and I’ve told everyone I am living my dream.”