Nicole Broch Larsen with her cheque after her victory in Norway
We interviewed Nicole Broch Larsen at the recent CostaBlanca Ladies Open, who is currently lying 3rd on the LETAS Order of Merit and with the card to play on the Ladies European Tour next season almost guaranteed.
Nicole is 20 years old and turned professional in August this year after a successful amateur career. She played three events on the LETAS as an amateur and won the first two events in a row as professional, the HLR Golf Academy Open and the Ladies Norwegian Challenge (image).
We asked her few questions to get to know her a little better:
Q: How and when did you start to play golf?
I started to play when I was 9 with my dad, who plays golf for about 40 years. This was close to Copenhagen, in Denmark. It was summer time by then and I tried and liked it. It just tricked me! Then, in 2007 I came into the National Team and played a lot of amateur championships.
Q: Did you go to university?
No, I have just went to high school in Denmark for three years and finished this summer. Then turned professional.
Q: Where do you normally practice and how do you manage to practice during the winter?
I practice in Denmark and we practice with some friends indoors in the winter. Some times we go to America for two weeks. We do not play in the winter.
Q: What is the best part of your game? And the weakest?
The best part of my game is my driver. I am quite long. I think I carry around 210 meters. I am not a good putter, it is up and down, so I would need some consistency. It can be good but it also can be bad. I am not that stable. Putting and chipping are definitively my weakest part.
Q: Your lowest round ever?
It is 6 under, twice. I played -6 in Norway, where I won the event.
Q: How many holes in one have you achieved?
One in France, four years ago, as an amateur.
Q: Favourite golf course that you have played this year on LETAS?
It might be the ones we played in Finland and Norway this year, where I won the events. I like Font del Llop too. It is just the wind, which makes it very hard but the course is good. The greens are really great.
Q: Do you have many friends on the tour?
Yes, I have a lot of friends. Not only from Denmark. I played some tournaments with Patricia (Sanz) before and I normally travel with Daisy Nielsen. She is my age and we have played many tournaments together when I was amateur.
Q: Have you any superstitions when you play golf?
I have always 5 small tees and 2 long tees in my pocket. And I always mark the ball with the same marker, which is like a coin from the casino.
Q: Tell me about your expectations and goals this season?
I think this year has been fun and my goal initially was to qualify directly for the LET Final Qualifying School in December, but now it is to qualify directly to the LET 2014. It looks good…
Q: How many people would be in your team and what do they do?
I have five people working with me at the moment: David Dickmeiss is my coach, Iben Tinning is my short game coach, Martin Lauridsen is my phisio and Martin Langagergaard is my mental coach. My family and boyfriend are also supporting me.
We wish you the best of luck this week and we are looking forward to watching you play in 2014.
