Golf: Tough time for Kiwi on LPGA debut

Tammy Clelland has been attending Ohio's University of Toledo.

New Zealand amateur golfer Tammy Clelland had a difficult initiation among the professionals in the United States today.

Clelland, 20, marked her debut on the LPGA Tour by posting a eight-over-par 79 to be tied for 138th after the opening round of the US$1.2 million ($1.96 million) Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at the Sylvania Country Club in Ohio.

She trailed joint first-round leaders, Sweden's Liselotte Neumann and American Michelle Estill, by 14 strokes, while another Swede, world No 1 Annika Sorenstam, shot 69 be be 20th equal.

Originally from Taupo before heading to the US last August to begin a golf scholarship at the University of Toledo, Clelland topped pre-qualifying on Monday to become one of just two amateurs in the 143-strong Classic field.

She found the going tough after beginning her round at the 10th, which she safely parred before the first of five bogeys followed on the next hole.

She also carded two double bogeys and a lone birdie, on the par-three eighth, and ended her round on the 5859m course having hit just six fairways and reaching six greens in regulation.

Clelland had entered the tour event on a high, saying " this is the biggest thing I've ever accomplished".

"Qualifying for an LPGA tournament is very big for me," she told the Toledo Blade newspaper.

University of Toledo coach Nicole Hollingsworth has great hopes for Clelland, who represented Bay of Plenty-Thames Valley at interprovincial level and was a national academy squad member before leaving for the US.

"Her dream is to be a professional and this is a big step for her," Hollingsworth said before Clelland teed off today.

Hollingsworth said Clelland battled homesickness when she first arrived in Toledo but had since emerged as one of the university's top players.

She earned All-Mid-American Conference first-team honours last season when named Toledo's most valuable player after establishing a stroke average record of 75.65.

She also set school records for the lowest 18-hole score (68) and most rounds under 80 with 28.

"She really rewrote the record book," Hollingsworth said.

"I knew she was pretty good. But she was coming to a new country and experiencing different golf courses. Those are huge adjustments."

- NZPA