Davies Hoping for Rio 2016 Gold

Laura Davies, one of Britain’s leading sports stars, will be going for golfing gold in the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters taking place at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on the outskirts of the capital just after London 2012

The eyes of the world are fully focused on London for The 2012 Olympic Games but Britain’s Laura Davies is relishing the opportunity to celebrate when the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters takes place on the outskirts of the capital in a fortnight’s time.

The tournament will be played the week after the Olympic Games and before the Paralympic Games on Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th August at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in Denham, just a 20 minute drive from the city of London.

Not surprisingly, Davies, from Lyne in Surrey, is thrilled to be playing at home on her own doorstep and at such an exciting time for British sport.

“I’m really looking forward to competing in front of a home gallery with the support of the British public so it will be one of the highlights of the year for me,” Davies said.

Davies admits that she’d love to be competing at the Games, which is a possibility in four years time in Rio de Janeiro, when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.

Britain’s most successful golfer, she has won the Ladies European Tour order of merit a record seven times and racked up 79 tournament wins including four major championship victories, but says that playing in the Olympics would be the icing on the cake.

“To me the Olympic Games are the ultimate sporting events and of course I would love to represent my country playing in it. Whether or not I will play, I don’t know, but I will certainly be watching it on television this year and cheering on Team GB.

“I am playing in the Ladies Irish Open this week, but it is a very special time for the country and I hope that the festivities carry over to the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, which will give sports fans a taste of what’s to come in Rio in four years time.” 

The ISPS Handa British Masters is being played for the first time at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, which has excellent rail links, with Denham train station located right next to the golf course.