Duffy aims high after winning debut

Former Ladies European Tour player Claire Duffy has set her sights on more honours this year after winning the opening WPGA One Day Series event at Dunham Forest Golf Club.

Duffy (pictured), of Basingstoke’s Test Valley Golf Club, took the honours at the Cheshire venue by one shot after carding a two-under-par round of 70.

She pipped Isobel Wardle (England Golf), Laura Harvey (Cleveland) and Suzanne Dickens (Olton) into joint second spot.

Now Duffy, who held a European Tour card for 18 years and won numerous pro events including the South African Open, has been encouraged to play more events and build on her victory.

“I kept practicing last winter, playing at least once a week, and I think I was rewarded for that,” she said.

“Sometimes you can be a bit rusty early in the season but I felt good and played okay.

“I wanted to see how it went before committing to the rest of the series.

“But my main aim is to qualify for the Glenmuir Women’s PGA Professional Championship at Blairgrowrie in Scotland as I’d love to play up there.

“There are only eight spots available, but I’d like to see if I can get in.

“Now I’d like to try and play as many one-day events as I can as well. When you have a background in competing you want to get out there as much as possible.”

Duffy was grateful that Dunham Forest escaped the bad weather and the conditions helped her.

“I went there just looking to enjoy it, but I played a steady front nine and only made one bogey at the 17th,” she said.

“I wanted to make level par but I did better than that so I was happy.

“The course was excellent, a superb venue and it’s just a joy to play at somewhere like that.

“I think it’s important to play as many of these events as possible otherwise you just don’t compete as much as you’d want.”