Bagger tied for lead at LET Stage Two Q-School

BY iseekgolf.com | Ladies European Tour | 2004 Ladies European Tour Q-School - Stage Two | Round One | 01 Nov 2004

Mianne Bagger from Denmark made the perfect start in her bid to become the first transsexual to play on the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour after a two under par 70 saw her tie for the first round lead in the LET Qualifying school at Riva dei Tessali GC in Southern Italy.

Bagger carded four birdies and two bogies and shares top spot with 2004 Curtis Cup player Anna Highgate from Wales, who endured “an up and down day” with five birdies, five bogies and an eagle at the eighth hole.

Thanks to a capricious breeze whistling around this narrow golf course strewn with thousands of lollipop pines, frayed nerves coupled with the expectations of many friends, family and followers, low scoring seemed as likely as Bagger’s chances of playing on the LET not too many months ago.

Only three other players managed to beat par, Pia Koivuranta from Finland, Mikaela Parmlid from Sweden and Alexandra Keighley from England, all of whom shot 71, one under.

And eight players shared sixth place on level par 72 including Denise Simon and Miriam Nagl from Germany, Hanna-Sofia Svenningson and Sara Jelander from Sweden, Zuzana Kamasova from Slovakia, Anne-Sophie Le Nalio from France and Austrians Tina Schneeberger and Eva Steinberger.

But with the LET’s pioneering decision to change its rules mirroring the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations on Trans-Gender athletes, which was in force at this year’s Olympic Games in Athens, Bagger was awarded the opportunity to attend qualifying school and she has seized the moment, despite admitting to playing some scrappy golf in her opening round.

After a bogey at the third, the 37-year-old who plays out of Hillerod GC bounced back with birdies at the fourth, seventh and ninth to reach the turn in 34. Bagger dropped a shot at the 15th, but the closing birdie at the final hole from five feet made her day.

“There’s a lot of golf to go yet, but I’ve got a comfortable feeling.” said Bagger.

“I did have some nerves on the first few holes, but that was probably the Cappuccino I had for breakfast on an empty stomach!

“To be honest, I played rather ordinary. I hit only nine greens in regulation, but I only had 25 putts and no three-putts and that was the key.

“I thought level par would be a good score today as the course is tight and tricky so I just planned on keeping my head down, make pars and get birdies wherever I could, so coming in at two under with the birdie at the last made me happy.”

Bagger, who has been playing golf on the Telia Tour in Scandinavia this summer, has endured her fair share of media attention and she openly admits that it’s natural for people to be talking about her.

“I’m coping with the media attention a lot better now, especially as I’ve played more events and that really helped. Playing professional golf this summer has helped me get used to scoring and all in all, I’ve heard nothing negative at all this week as many of the players now know me, or at least know of me.”

Highgate, a tall and powerful 21-year-old with heaps of ambition from the un-vowelled town of Ynysybwl near Pontypridd, will be hoping to celebrate her 22nd birthday next week with a full exemption to the 2005 season.

Despite having a bizarre opening half of 34, which included three bogies, three birdies and an eagle, the Curtis Cupper steadied the ship with seven pars, a birdie and a bogey on her inward half to tie Bagger for the lead as dusk set in.

“It could have been a lot better to be honest, especially that front nine, but I played steadily on the back nine,” admitted Highgate, the runner up in this year’s British Amateur Championship.

“I’d love to get my Tour card first time and play a full season in Europe and get my professional career going.”

The top 50 players and those tied will make the cut after three rounds and in the final round, the top 30 players and ties will gain a full exemption to the 2005 season. All players who make the cut and finish outside the top 30 on Tuesday evening will earn conditional playing rights next year.

Source – LET