Former Colac golfer Vicky Thomas, nee Uwland, says she’s striking the ball better than she has in years.
FORMER Colac golfer Vicky Thomas says she’s striking the ball better than ever.
Thomas, formerly Vicky Uwland, has hit a rich vein of form leading up to the three biggest events on the Australian Ladies’ Professional Golf tour, which have a collective prize pool of $1.85 million.
The 35-year-old produced her best result in an ALPG tournament in years at the weekend, finishing runner-up in the Royal Canberra Ladies’ Classic with an eight-under-par 211.
The finish lifted Thomas to third on the ALPG order of merit. She has earned $16,858, behind second-placed Stacey Keating, of Cressy, on $19,015.
But greater riches are on offer when she tackles the Australian Ladies’ Masters on February 2 to 5, Women’s Australian Open on February 9 to 12 and the New Zealand Women’s Open on February 17 to 19.
Before those, however, is the Women’s New South Wales Open starting today.
“I hit the ball really well off the tee and it’s a course you need to strike the ball well,” Thomas said of her performance in Canberra.
“The second day I played really well but had a couple of bogeys which was disappointing and on the last day I had an eagle on 16,” she said.
“It’s my best finish in a tournament. I have won a couple of pro-ams but in a tournament that size it’s my best finish.”
Thomas said the three ALPG major tournaments would be tough because the events were also part of the top United States and European tours.
But she is in close to career-best form, which she said came from looking after herself.
“My body is in better shape, I haven’t been doing as much manual work,” Thomas said.
“I’ve gone from working in a manual environment lifting boxes to working in a pub, so not as much labour. My body has come back good,” she said.
“But as you get older you get wiser. It’s a bit mental as well as physical and things are a lot better.
“Mentally I’m a lot more relaxed and I’m enjoying my golf. When you’re enjoying your golf it shows.”
Thomas said women’s golf in Australia was in a healthy state.
Golfers can’t forge full-time playing careers without heading overseas, but the money and number of events the ALPG provides is impressive for a country the size of Australia.
Thomas said playing full time again was her ultimate goal. She had a European tour card from 2003 to 2006.
“If I felt I wasn’t competitive I’d be happy to play around Australia but the result at the weekend showed I can still mix it with the best,” she said.
Tags: Golf
