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I’m happy for Iben: Reid

Melissa Reid was left to rue some costly errors at the turn, and heading for home, in Saturday’s final round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

The Derby-born pro, 23, began the day joint level on the leaderboard alongside Denmark’s Iben Tinning, whom she was paired up against in the last group of the tournament to tee off.

She started well enough, with two birdies up until the ninth hole, when bogeys there, at the 10^th and the 18^th ultimately wrecked her challenge – in spite of another birdie at the 13^th.

Reid’s late lapse at the end also saw her slip to third behind Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and she admitted afterwards that an overtly aggressive approach hadn’t worked out to plan.

“I stepped on it really a bit too much on the 18^th hole. I came over the top and it was a bad drive,” the 2010 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open champion said.

“I made three really stupid mistakes that cost me three shots, but I hit it pretty good overall.

“I holed some really good putts to stay in there as well; there were big putts at the 15^th and 16^th holes.

“It was just a couple of club errors and that was my fault. All in all, I’m so close and – yet – so far away.”

Reid was though gracious in defeat, admitting that – were she not to run out triumphant – at least her next best preference had done so as a deserved victor.

“I’m happy for Iben,” Reid explained. “If it wasn’t for me to win, I’d want her to win her last tournament. I knew she was going to be tough to crack – she really wanted it this time. She played fantastic and didn’t make any mistakes at all.”

The English golfer now intends to use this encouraging campaign as a springboard to better things in 2011.

“I’ve had very consistent year, with a lot of top 10 finishes,” she added. “Next year, we’re going to step it up and – hopefully – win a few more tournaments.

“I’m going to take two or three weeks off and then I’m going to really hit it hard next year and massively step up my game.”

Reid’s star is seemingly relentlessly rising in the ladies’ game too, with even Tinning tipping her to go on and prosper across Europe’s fairways and greens.

“She has such a big future ahead of her,” the experienced Dane enthused. “She’s such a great golfer. I did try to keep my eyes on my own game, so I didn’t see many of her shots, but I know she’s such a talented girl. She’s going to do really well.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com