Kiran Matharu, the first Asian girl to play golf in the UK, speaks to DNA about her game, meeting Tony Blair and being an inspiration.
Saturday takeaway
Kiran Matharu, the first Asian girl to play golf in the UK, speaks to DNA about her game, meeting Tony Blair and being an inspiration to other girls.
LONDON: She is only 17-years-old, but she is already rated as a golfing sensation. Kiran Matharu is the only Asian to play golf in the UK. She has already won the English Ladies’ Amateur Championship, represented Great Britain and Ireland against the United States in the Curtis Cup and has just turned professional.
Kiran is a Yorkshire-born-and-bred Sikh whose British-born parents Amarjit and Bubbly run a corner shop in Leeds. Her grandparents migrated to the UK from Punjab but she has yet to visit India.
In February this year, Kiran was named Junior Female Sports Personality of the Year. Kiran has an amazing golf handicap of +3.4 which is the lowest female classification in Great Britain, putting her at number one on the UK golfing circuit and holds a rank of number two in the world, in the under 19s category. The year 2005 saw her collecting numerous honours again, including the European Girls Winner 2005 as well as holding onto The Nick Faldo National Series Champion, which she has kept for two years running.
Kiran Matharu spoke to DNA about her plans.
How did you start playing golf?
When I was about 11, I went with my dad to the golf course. I would just watch him hit balls on the range. I was getting bored, so I decided to have a go with his clubs just messing about. Neil Harvey, a local professional then walked past and told my dad that I had a natural swing. It was the first time I had tried golf. I wasn’t really interested in it before. I started playing from then on and now I think it’s great.
You are the first Asian girl to play golf in the UK. How do you feel about it?
I’m proud to be the only Asian girl playing golf, but I don’t know why other Asian girls do not play. None of them play sport really, it’s a bit of a problem.
My Asian friends say that golf is boring. They have always expressed a desire to play golf but have never tried. I keep insisting that they cannot complaint about the game being boring without having played the sport. However, if I asked them down the range, they’d just say no.
Would you like to do for golf what Sania Mirza has done for tennis among Asian girls?
I think I am already the Sania Mirza of golf. Now Asian girls have someone to follow if they want to break into golf. I have never met Sania but would love to meet her.
Who have you been inspired by?
My father has been my real mentor. He is now my coach too, but he is the one person who I look up to for guidance on everything.
Who are your favourite golfers?
I love Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstem.
Which professional coaches have you dealt with?
I have had regular meetings with Nick Faldo and spend some time with David Leadbetter in America. It was great to have a lesson with the best coach in the world. Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Nick Dougherty were there at the time and I met them all.
You have met Tony Blair too.
I went to 10 Downing Street for the launch of London’s 2012 Olympic bid. I got to speak to Tony Blair, but he didn’t really know much about golf.
What are your future plans?
I would like to play on the LPGA Tour and qualify for the Womens US Open. I want to carry on improving my game and become the best golfer in the world.
Swinging away to glory
Kiran Matharu started playing golf at the age of 11. She was selected to play for Yorkshire Girls U16 in 2000 and won her first match. She captained Yorkshire later in the year.
In February, Kiran was named Junior Female Sports Personality of the Year. She has a golf handicap of +3.4 which is the lowest female classification in Great Britain, putting her at number one on the UK golfing circuit.
She holds a rank of number two in the world in the under 19s category. The year 2005 saw her holding onto The Nick Faldo National Series Champion.
Her achievements in 2004 include reaching final qualifying for the women’s British Open and helping England retain the Stroyan Cup in the girls' home internationals.
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