Scotland’s Michele Thomson is hoping to go one better at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, which starts tomorrow at DLF Golf and Country Club near New Delhi, following her a career best finish of second at the same venue last year.
Thomson posted a course record eight-under-par 64 in the second round of the 2017 event to take a three shot lead into the final round and was leading after 15 holes, but eventually ended a stroke behind Frenchwoman Camille Chevalier.
After finishing third in the Pro-Am on Wednesday, she said: “I’m super excited to be back. The course has obviously been lengthened a little bit this year, but it feels like the same kind of place and I’m excited to get going. I’m playing well again and I’ve got good memories from here, so hopefully I can go one better.
“I’m approaching it in exactly the same way as last year. I am looking for a good finish. I need a good finish this week, but just want to enjoy it and play sensible. You don’t want to be too aggressive around this golf course, but hit the fairways and the right parts of the greens and you’ll be scoring well.”
Thomson is 90th on the Ladies European Tour order of merit and wants to move back inside the top 80 to be assured of her full card for next year, but is not putting too much pressure on herself.
She has made six cuts from 10 starts, including a season-best finish of 15th place in the Canberra Classic, but winning two medals at the European Championships in Glasgow in August gave the 30-year-old from Aberdeen a massive confidence boost. She arrives in India in form after a 49th place finish in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France and a 33rd in the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open in Spain.
She added: “I just want to enjoy the week and the same kind of outcome as last year would be ideal.
“I’ve got one of my friends, Jenna Hunter, who plays on the ALPG and is a New Zealand PGA Pro, as my caddie. She’s a great player and a very good green reader and that is needed this week as the greens are quite extravagant. I’m excited to get going.”
Thomson tees off at the 10th in the first group of the afternoon wave at 11.10am local time on Thursday in the company of Marianne Skarpnord and Holly Clyburn.
UK fans can watch all four rounds live on Sky Sports, as well as on the LET website and Facebook channels from 8am BST.
