Sport | Golf
Egypt's Naela on lofty quest
Player hopes to become her country's first women's professional
- By Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 December 10, 2009
Dubai: Naela Al Attar is using her time on the Emirates Golf Club — where she is rubbing shoulders with the crème-de-la-crème of the ladies' game during the Ladies European Tour — to motivate herself to become Egypt's first women's professional.
Naela received a special invite from golf in Dubai, the tournament's promoters, to join the star cast that is playing for the 500,000 euros (Dh2.7 million) season-ending LET event.
The 22-year-old agreed she had an opening round she'd rather forget. She was paired along with Germany's Denise-Charlotte Becker and Barbara Genuini of France and the trio ended Round One with an identical 10-over score.
The Alexandria-born Naela shot four bogeys and a double-bogey on the opening nine to make the turn on 41. Her back nine was a tad better as she went par and picked up a shot on the 12th before bad luck struck once again. Her last six holes included three bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-four 14th.
Becker and Genuini too, endured similar fates and each will be hoping for a miracle to avoid the half-way cut. It has been thrilling all the way for Naela, who will be looking to take in as much as she can back with her.
"It's so much fun. I didn't score as well as I wanted, but this is my first professional event and it was exciting for me. With all of the girls on the LET out here, it's just amazing to be part of this prestigious field. I feel very fortunate to be the first [woman] representing Egypt and playing with all of the great players," said Naela, who trained at the Alexandria Sporting Club.
"The round wasn't good, I lost so many strokes, but I enjoyed being here and I feel like it's my lesson — all learning and hopefully I can do better [today]."
Naela has been a member of the Egyptian National Team since 2000 and has represented Egypt in the 2004 and 2006 Women's World Amateur Team Championship.
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