Image copyright Olafia Kristinsdottir Image caption The course sees an average of 90 players every day
Former world number three Olafia Kristinsdottir is a trailblazer for women golf, having won three European Ladies’ Championship titles and 18 Ladies’ European Tour events.
Today she is just the second woman to feature in the Rolex Women’s European Masters at the Woburn Golf Club.
I put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve so much. Before, I played tennis and I was very competitive. Olafia Kristinsdottir
“I’m really excited to be here,” Kristinsdottir, 40, told BBC Sport. “It’s been such a long journey that I hope I can do something special for my team.
“I hope that my presence can inspire others.”
Kristinsdottir was a big presence in the corporate world as a tennis player, before making the transition to golf.
“I wasn’t able to play tennis. I played with a racket in my hand, but I didn’t have anything else,” she said.
“So that’s when I bought a golf ball, got an eight-iron and managed to make a putt and just thought, ‘why can’t I do this?’”
Paula Creamer won the Ladies European Open in 1995
Kristinsdottir was the first ever woman to win two senior majors, the Ladies British Open in 2013 and the Ladies’ European Open in 2015, and a major championship at the Ladies European Masters in 2012.
“I took a lot of pressure on myself,” she said. “Before, I played tennis and I was very competitive.
“And when I found out golf was open to girls and women, I decided to give it a try. I kept practising and practising.
“As I grew up I became good and my goals changed and I always knew I wanted to be a millionaire one day.”
European Tour CEO Keith Pelley congratulated Kristinsdottir on her historic debut in 2007, and also on her illustrious career.
“It is an honour to welcome Olafia back to this tournament where she captured the hearts of all golf fans in 2007,” Pelley said.
“The Rolex Women’s European Masters has done everything to maintain the tradition of this great event and I am thrilled to be welcoming Olafia back for the women’s professional golf season.”
