Katie Poots vows to have fun and continue "smashing the driver"
Katie Poots (IRL) in action during round two of the 2021 U16 Girls Amateur Championship at Enville Golf Club, England. 22/10/2021. Picture: David Lloyd | Golffile
Knock's Katie Poots is one of the leading Irish hopes for the 54-hole Flogas Irish Women's and Girls' Amateur Open at County Louth.
The Belfast schoolgirl (16) won the Fairhaven Trophy last weekend and hopes her carefree attitude to the game will pay off as she sets off at Baltray today.
"I played it last year and came 15th," said Poots, who dreams of playing on the LPGA Tour. "I'm looking forward to it, just to play another round of golf and enjoy myself while I'm out there."
She declared her win in the Fairhaven a surprise, but she's ambitious for her career, committing verbally to the University of Central Florida, where she hopes to follow in the footsteps of tour players Olivia Mehaffey, Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow, who all excelled in college golf.
She's on the right track as a member of Golf Ireland's High Performance system and even hits the gym three times a week.
"This year, I'm on the High Performance panel, so we go down (to Carton House) for a training session every month from 10 am to 4 pm, so that's full-on," she said. "We went to France as a team early on, but for the first competition of the season, went to Wales to play a match, then went to France, so that was a good way to start the season. And then they brought us to Fairhaven, so they've been very good to me, bringing me to different competitions.
"It definitely gives me a bit more experience to know where I need to improve, especially when I played Junior Vagliano last year; I noticed there's not that much difference between me and the top girls playing. It's just down to the short game and it gives me a bit of confidence knowing where I am and where I can get to and where I need to improve.
"I've been going to the gym three times a week so that just started off a good base, and I got stronger, so I'm able to maintain longer. And just practising whenever I can, as much as I can, mainly getting my short game better, and that's just the ticket, what I've been trying to improve on. It's all in the short game."
Initially intimidated by the opposition abroad, she's now inspired by them.
"I've grown up a bit, and I've got used to it a bit more," she said. "It's just more people I can try and beat and see where I am compared to them. That's it, just one shot at a time and see what happens."
As for her goals for the season, she said: "I wanted to get into the top 1000 in the world ranking, but I just found today that I've done that (top 660) by winning Fairhaven, so that's good. But just have fun and play golf. I'd love to win the Irish Girls' Close, but no pressure on myself, just play golf."
She knows she's following in the footsteps of giants in the case of Mehaffey, Maguire and Meadow.
"It's great to have those role models within Ireland and try and be like them and try to continue in their footsteps," she said. "I met Olivia Mehaffey, played a three-club challenge with her a few years ago at Royal County Down, where we're both members and I saw Leona and Lisa a few years back with my sisters, so I got to chat with them a wee bit. And I'd be good friends with Olivia Mehaffey."
Like Mehaffey, she learned the game alongside her father.
"My Dad used to play at Mount Ober, and I asked him to go to the driving range, where he booked me a lesson with Colin Bell, who's actually now my personal trainer," she said. "I fell in love with the game there."
Now carrying the ball 230 yards, she added: "I love just smashing my driver. Yeah, that's my favourite part. I love going to the gym and lifting weights and making new friends from everywhere and playing different places."
As for her heroes, she has many.
"I definitely look up to Olivia Mehaffey, and on the men's side of it, Rory McIlroy is just amazing. And Leona Maguire, definitely. They would be the top.
"Leona Maguire's wedge play is just unbelievable, I think what Olivia Mehaffey has done for the game is just class and Rory, just how far he can hit it and everything. I'd just love to get to that level they're at."
And the pro game?
"Yeah, definitely after America I would love to go onto the LPGA Tour and play in the Olympics and just see where that goes. It's definitely a dream of mine and a goal for me."
Poots is one of 100 players from 11 countries who will tee it up at County Louth, where Emily Murray, Ellen O'Shaughnessy, Oonagh Purfield-Golding and Deirdre Smith will all be playing on home soil.
The tournament returns to its traditional May slot for the first time since 2019, after the 2020 event was cancelled and last year's Championship took place in October.
A strong international contingent will return this year, with over a quarter of those playing coming from England and Sweden.
Co. Louth's General Manager Liam Murphy says the team at Baltray have to course in prime condition for the three days of action.
"A few small showers last weekend really brought the course on, after a dry spell. Last year we had the event in October, so it's great to be back this year on schedule in May.
"It's great to see the buzz around the club over the past few days with the players practising. We are delighted to have the tournament atmosphere back around Baltray again.
"Having our four local players competing is fantastic. That will bring plenty of local support. There will be plenty of local members involved too over the three days."
The 2022 Flogas Irish Women's & Girls' Amateur Open Championship begins on Friday morning and concludes on Sunday, with 54 holes of strokeplay to be played over the three days.
