Golf: Musselburgh girl Vikki merits a mention as British Open nears

VIKKI LAING has struggled to get a firm foothold on the professional golf scene since she joined the paid ranks seven years ago. But the Musselburgh 29-year-old is building a fine reputation on the Ladies' European Tour and is currently lying eighth on the Order of Merit.

With three top-ten finishes this year, including an outright second at the Swiss Open last month, she's now looking forward to making a statement at the biggest event of the year - the Ricoh Women's British Open - at Royal Birkdale from 29 July to 1 August.

Laing made the cut in the same championship last year before joining in the wave of enthusiasm and admiration when North Berwick's Catriona Matthew waltzed off with the trophy at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

"Catriona's win was really inspirational," said Laing. "It was great for Scottish Women's golf and couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Catriona was very good to me and gave me a lot of help when I first turned professional and joined the LPGA Tour in America."

As it was, Laing's sortie on the LPGA Tour, the No.1 circuit in women's golf, was a tough learning curve. She had a conditional card for her first couple of seasons playing for pay, but struggled to get starts. Sometimes, she just got the call to a tournament on the eve of the first round.

"I never had the chance of a good run on the LPGA," explained the 29-year-old, who spent four years at the University of California. "It was a great experience and I know I am good enough to play out there. I might try for my card again this year but it costs around 8,000 just to enter the qualifying school.

"At the moment, I'm really enjoying the European Tour. There is a good, full schedule and I'll be playing around twenty four tournaments this year. The money is good and the standard is very high.

"And I'm really looking forward to the British Open. I love Birkdale and my coach, Simon Fletcher, is going to be caddying for me. I'm hoping for a really good week."

Laing, who has banked over 60,000 this year, proved she can be a winner in great company. In 2007, she became the first Scot to win on the Duramed US Futures Tour at the Gettysburg Championship.

"That was great, because it is a tough tour with a lot of girls using it as a stepping stone to the LPGA," Laing continued. "But there is not much money. Europe is loads better."

Now that she is living back home in Musselburgh, Laing has gained some welcome sponsors, including Mavrik and the King's Acre Academy at Lasswade.

"I use the short-game facility at King's Acre all the time when I'm at home," she said. As a European rookie last year, she finished a handy 53rd on the Order of Merit and earned over 25,000. Now she's set her sights on a first win.

"My goal is to have six top-tens and, hopefully, a first win by the end of the season," she revealed. "I've had chances. It was great to finish second in Switzerland, but it would have been even better to win."

She isn't too choosy about the venue for a victory - but perhaps it could come on home turf at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Ladies' Open at Archerfield in Gullane next month.

"I am really looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd over the Fidra course," she said.