Tour Diaries

Contending with Cacti and Cart Paths....

by Tandi Cuningham

In the first round of the 2010 Ladies Portugal Open this year, I had an interesting (to say the least) 8th hole.

I was 3 under par at that stage and had a reachable par 5 coming up. I hit my tee shot a little left but still okay...My second shot caught the top of the bush in front of me and dropped down onto the cart path. The Rules Official was adamant that I was not entitled to relief off the path and onto the rough. I was only allowed to drop in the bush, next to the cart path that was made of cacti about 2 meters high...

needless to say not the friendliest of plants and totally unplayable! I had no other choice but to try play my ball from against the concrete brim of the cart path.

What followed was 2 fresh-airs from my attempts to play the shot left-handed (I am right handed might I add at this point). I then eventually got the ball off the path. BUT, thanks to all the adrenalin pumping through my veins, I hit my approach shot over the green and onto bare sand.

Cutting a long and frustrating story short, I walked off with a 10 in the end! I did however make a birdie the next hole to turn my front nine 1 over par...and I finished 23rd in the event after 3 rounds!

Paul and I still laugh about that hole today!