Wales' top
women golfers will be battling out in 2008 in a bid to claw
their way up to the top of the inaugural 
GUW
Women's Order of Merit.
It has been re-introduced by the Golf Union of Wales –
the governing body of the amateur game in Wales which saw
a merger of the men’s and women’s golfing bodies
earlier this year.
Nigel Edwards, Director
of Player Development and Coaching at Golf Union of Wales,
explains how golfers are set to benefit: “It’s
designed to encourage participation and competition. I am
confident that this development will further the women’s
game in Wales. Players will get more experience out of their
comfort zone, by regularly pitting themselves against European
and World team players, standards should improve across
the board.”
The first opportunity for
golfers to notch up Order of Merit points is The Formby
Leveret, near Liverpool, in April. Another 15 tournaments
across Great Britain & Ireland offer the ladies and
girls the chance to step up the rankings ladder before the
final event - the Ladies European Individual Championship
in Austria.
Wrexham’s Breanne Loucks – who won all three
of her Curtis Cup matches in 2006 - explains, "I think
it’s really exciting to see girls and ladies golf
in Wales moving forward. Hopefully this will encourage more
Welsh girls and ladies to play in the stronger events -
the more experience for them, the better for everyone. Wales
need the younger girls and ladies coming through to have
a little more experience for events such as the European
Team Championship and Home Internationals.”
The rising star, who is
once again in the Curtis Cup squad this year, adds, “I'm
personally looking forward to it. I now have another goal
to work towards next year, and I will be working hard to
try and achieve this target."
Sahra Hassan, 20, from Bridgend
was this summer selected to play in the European Team Championships
in Milan. She also earned a spot in the Great Britain and
Ireland team for the Vagliano Trophy at St Andrews alongside
Loucks – the first time Wales has ever fielded two
players in this team.
The Pencoed talent – who has also played tennis against
the Williams sisters – said “My aim is to win
the Order of Merit next year. I think that it will make
us all much more focused on certain key tournaments and
we’ll all be determined to win them. To finish top
of my country would be a great honour and achievement. I’m
confident that it will motivate all of our up and coming
talents.”
