‘I want to be world number one’ says Olivia
She has set her sights on completing a Northern Irish double by claiming the world number one spot in golf’s female world rankings, emulating Rory McIlroy’s success in the men’s game.
And why not? The 17 year-old is certainly proving to be a born winner already. On Sunday she clinched the Irish Girls U18 Open Strokeplay Championship for the third year in a row.
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Hide AdAnd now full of confidence, she hopes her dominance in Irish golf can spread worldwide.
“I want to give myself a chance of becoming the world number one and winning majors,” she said.
“Then plan is to turn pro and play of the American Tour once I finish university at Arizona State, where I will be starting in September 2016. We have a really good team at university so it will be great preparation for me.”
It took a birdie at the second play-off hole for Olivia to secure victory over England’s Samantha Fuller at Roganstown on Sunday.
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Hide Ad“It was brilliant, especially when it’s a win that means so much,” she said.
“There had been a lot of pressure on me because everybody was talking about me completing a hat-trick but I had so much support as well. Even a lot of the older Irish girls came down to cheer me on.
“I didn’t feel much pressure going going into the final round because I was coming from three shots behind. I just wanted to go out and card a good score so I was happy to get into the play-off and give myself a chance of winning.
“Once I got there, I wasn’t nervous. A year or two ago, I probably would have been but I’m getting more used to it now. I was focused on getting that birdie and I managed to get up and down on the second play-off hole to win.”
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Hide AdNow it’s off to Royal Troon for the Banbridge High School pupil, who will this weekend compete for the Helen Holm Scottish Open, where she finished six shots behind last year.
“Now I’ve got that first win of the season and I’ve got more confidence so hopefully I can give myself a chance again,” she said.
Whatever happens this weekend, another Banbridge sporting star is on the rise.