Mel Reid urges coach Kevin Craggs to go full-time on LPGA

English star Mel Reid has urged the Scottish-based coach who 'saved my career' to spread his wings by working full-time on the LPGA.

Mel Reid hits her approach to the 18th en route to a five-under 67 in the first round of the Ricoh Women's British Open at Kingsbarns. Picture: Kenny Smith/PA

Kevin Craggs, who coaches both Reid and Catriona Matthew, has combined his work with Tour players until now with helping players at grass-roots level.

But the one-time Scottish ladies’ national coach is giving serious consideration to spending more time at LPGA events with his two star pupils.

Reid, who has worked with Craggs for more than three years, heaped praise on the Kingsfield Golf Centre-based coach after getting off to a great start with a five-under 67 in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns.

“You know, I can’t give the guy enough credit,” she said of Craggs. “He’s like a second father to me really. I’m very, very close with him and his family. “I just get good energy from him. He’s just a good guy and, in my opinion, he’s one of the best coaches in the world. He’s saved my career, he really has. He’s done wonders for my career.

“He’s got my best interest at heart, and sometimes that’s quite hard to find in a golf coach. He knows when and when not to say things, and we’re just very, very similar characters.”

Reid came through the LPGA Qualifying School at the end of last year and is on course to make Annika Sorenstam’s team for the Solheim Cup in Des Moines in a fortnight’s time.

She credits Craggs for the change in her fortunes and believes he would quickly pick up more pupils if he became a regular out on the range at LPGA events.

“I’ve said to him I want him out on the LPGA a bit more with me. I feel he’s a performance coach, I feel he’s a Tour coach, and I feel that doing what he’s doing right now, he’s not getting the most out of his potential,” she added.

“At the minute he’s just coaching me and Beanie, but I’m hoping that the girls will see him out on Tour and a couple girls will just go up to him and say, ‘oh, by the way, do you mind if we have a chat’. That’s where I see his career.”