Lily May Humphreys has to wait another year to turn professional but bounces back in front of the Sky cameras in Rose Ladies Series event alongside Bronte Law
The impact of Covid-19 has put paid to Lily May Humphreys’ target of turning professional in 2021 – but she did not let that disappointment affect her game as she swung back into action in fine style.
After a three-and-a-half month competition hitatus, the Stoke-by-Nayland Golf Club starlet shone in front of the Sky cameras to finish in a tie for fourth place at the third Rose Ladies Series event.
The 18-year-old Great Cornard-based player was one of three amateur invites for the behind-closed-doors event at Buckinghamshire Golf Club at the end of last week.
Sponsored by former world number one Justin Rose and his wife Kate, the seven-series event was devised to give British professional women’s players a competitive platform while the Ladies European Tour (LET) remains suspended.
Humphreys, who won the Welsh and Irish amateur events in 2019, bounced back from the disappointment the recent cancellation of LPGA and LET qualifying school events with a terrific one-under par round of 71 on Thursday.
And now the England Women’s player is seeing the positives of another year on the amateur circuit.
“I was disappointed at first but now I’m happy to have another year to play the amateur team events that I’ve missed this year,” she said.
This includes her invite to the Augusta National Women’s Women which is being held over to next April as well as the Curtis Cup at Conwy in Wales in September 2021.
“A good thing that has come out of this is the Rose Ladies Series which has been an amazing success,” she added.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in one and hopefully will get a chance to play in another.”
Humphreys said she learnt a lot from getting the chance to witness the methods and mentality of Solheim Cup star and LET player Bronte Law, who was in her playing group, last week.
“I was a bit nervous on the first tee,” confessed Humphreys.
“I didn’t know where the ball was going to go and just thought to myself ‘Don’t put it in the water’ – especially playing with Bronte!
“My drive was fine – and although I got a bit of a dodgy par on the first hole, which is a straightforward par five, I was able to calm my nerves.
“It was a great experience to play with Bronte. She put me at ease and chatted a little bit about her plans for the season.
“It was great for me to see her play and even if she didn’t score as well as she’d have wanted, I could see how tough her mentality is.
“I could clearly see that she was still trying on every single shot and determined – even if it wasn’t going to be her day – to shoot the best score she could.
“I could see how she reacted to certain situations and it made me think about aspects of the game differently.
“I don’t get the opportunity to see much of the girls playing on TV so to be invited to the Rose Series and to get this chance to play with Bronte was amazing.
“I was very pleased with how I played and while I’m a bit disappointed that I couldn’t get one or two more birdies and at least make a play-off it doesn’t take away from the day.”
And there was memorable experience at the end of this week as she got set to play alongside Dame Laura Davies in the Pro Clutch Tour’s The Open Access Masters at Sunningdale Heath.
It continued her preparations ahead of the The English Women’s Amateur Championship at Woodhall Spa, in Lincolnshire, from July 28 to August 1. Both the men’s and women’s events will be held together this year.
