Hope for better fortune

Press, 20 October 1987, Page 48

Hope for better fortune

The senior player in the Australian women’s golf team, Lindy Goggin, is hoping for better fortune in the Commonwealth championship than she encountered in the 1981 United States amateur event The experienced Tasmanian was poised to win the United States title when she led the American favourite, Julie Inkster, by one shot with two holes to play. Unfortunately for Goggin, her rival, who has since turned professional, birdied the last two holes to win the final, 1 up. The next year, Goggin returned to play in the event but this time was eliminated in the semifinals. Goggin, aged 38, is the most experienced member of the Australian team, and first represented Australia in 1970. The Commonwealth tournament starts at Shirley on Thursday and it will be Goggin’s fourth appearance in the event She played in Hamilton in 1971, in Perth in 1979, and in Edmonton in 1983, when Australia won the title for the first time. Other highlights of her career iriclude three Australian amateur titles and, while family commitments have sometimes

kept her from travelling overseas, she has represented Australia in three World Amateur Teams Championships, four Queen Siriklt Asian Teams- Championships and four Tasman Cup PVAfItQ Thinking back on her

long career, Goggin admitted she pondered at length about turning professional in her early years but has no regrets that she remained an amateur. “The amateur women in Australia are so good that we get a lot of oppor-

tunlties to play and I can’t say that I would have changed It for anything. In my early days it was a much bigger step to turn professional. You had to go to America and there wasn’t the. sponsorship that is available these days.” Goggin lives in Hobart and has three children aged 15, 13, and two. She_ has won the Tasmanian State Championship 17 times between 1967 and 1987, and admitted that the lack of strong competition sometimes made it trying for her. “I have had to travel a lot and also find that I have to set very high standards for myself. Mind you, it is only 50 minutes to Melbourne where the cream of Australia’s golf courses are.” Australia has a strong team at Shirley and Goggin is certain it has the ability to do well. “There is good balance in the team. We have some confident and exciting players plus the experience to go with IL” After practising yesterday she pronounced herself happy with the course. “It is in very good condition and should suit our team.”