In the third instalment of this series that follows the journey of England's Meghan MacLaren in her own words, the rookie reflects on her early successes on tour.
In the third instalment of this series that follows the journey of English rookie Meghan MacLaren in her own words, she is delighted to have made a postive start to the season including victory at the Ladies European Tour Access Series tournament in the Azores.
With MacLaren having since qualified for her first major, the US Women's Open, be sure to stay tuned for what will undoubtedly be an exciting summer for the youngster.
APRIL
Things are always easier in theory than in practice, but to have had some great results so quickly this season is a reminder to keep trusting what I am doing. I played in the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco, a full field LET event. Being around people who are trying to reach the highest level is an exciting environment to
be in and it was a great opportunity to test my game. After four rounds that were more of a rollercoaster than I anticipated, I ended up with a top 25 finish and a lot of confidence in my game.
There are many psychological battles in sport that people rarely see. At the airport in Morocco I watched others flying off to Spain for the next LET event. If I had finished a shot better I potentially could have been on my way there too. Perhaps it’s true that everything happens for a reason, because instead I took two flights to get to the Azores, and left there six days later with the trophy in my hands.
MAY
I am constantly reminded at each tournament that every shot in a competitive environment and every decision involved with the number that goes on the leaderboard at the end of play, that there is no substitute for that. No matter what happens, whether you win or lose or play indifferently, there are things you can learn, build on, and reminders of why you love competing. Morocco, Azores and Switzerland have all done that for me in different ways.
I played very well in the LET Access events, first in April and then again in Switzerland in May. This was not only reflected in finishing 1st and 3rd respectively, but looking at stats, I also believe my mindset is evolving. Whilst I’m happy with my game, there is no better feeling than winning, although not winning in Switzerland, having put myself in a position to do so, just makes me want it more.
It’s remarkable in golf how such seemingly small decisions and moments can have such a consequential impact on the result. It’s easy to say “if only”, or tell everyone your hard luck story, and it is true that some things in golf are beyond our control. But there are always things we can do better and recognising that is what keeps us coming back.
To know I can make progress and still be second on the LET Access Order of Merit at this stage of the season is exciting because consistency is one of the most important aspects of golf.
JUNE
Travelling and competing regularly is what I want to do, yet at the moment I can still come home and be around people that help me to get the best out of myself.
To perform to your maximum in a sport as demanding as golf, it’s important to have stability in other areas of your life and I am very lucky to have found a good balance in that regard this year.
Understand that wherever you are placed at any moment in time, you can still push yourself to be the best, and be aware that that place isn’t necessarily where you want to be forever. Never get comfortable; keep your eyes on the opportunities in front of you and focus on your long-term goals ... and how you’re going to get there.
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