LET Q-school kicks off: Indian Nicollet shares lead on the opening day
With a number of professional players poised to beat their competitors, Ladies European Tour (LET) Final Qualifying School has started at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain.
Although there are many leading players contending to receive their Tour card for the 2012 LET season, Sharmila Nicollet from India has gained the most attention.
Being the only Indian player participating in the 90-hole event, Nicollet entered the tournament with plenty of confidence, sharing the lead with Chrisje de Vries from the Netherlands.
Nicollet's selection in the Q-school signals that the young Indian has what it takes to reach the bigger stage.
She was not the only Indian player who participated in the Pre-Qualifying stage last week, there were 5 other compatriots. Nicollet came off well, making it to the final stage of the LET Q-school.
The opening day went well for Nicollet, as she fired a five-under par. She drained seven birdies, piling up a huge score on the leaderboard. However, she faltered on some holes and ended up recording two bogies.
On the other hand, Chrisje de Vries also managed to consolidate her position on the leaderboard. She fired four birdies.
Vries stunned spectators on the 9th hole, as she launched a dazzling eagle. Her overall score was 66.
Expressing her thoughts about her amazing performance, Nicollet said that she tried her best to remain calm and composed on the course.
She stated that right from the start of the event, she was confident about scoring big. Now that she has managed to record her best performance in Europe, she can look forward to performing better in the later stages.
Nicollet said she was happy about receiving great respect and support from her fans.
The 20-year-old from Bangalore went on to say that the support from the Indians propped her up, putting her in a position to perform better among international players.
"This is my first experience here in Spain and at the qualifiers. The whole of India is behind me. I am the only Indian to qualify, so a lot of motivation and pressure got me through," she commented.
The tournament is being played from January 15-19, 2012, involving about 5 rounds. Since the La Manga Club boasts some of the best golf courses across the world, South and North courses have been chosen for this year's LET Q-school.
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