Bon edges closer to professional dream

Whangarei's Caroline Bon has taken a big step toward reaching her goal of becoming a professional golfer by qualifying for the final round of the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School.
At La Manga Golf Club in Spain, Bon finished with two rounds of 77, to finish two shots above the cut in 55th position at 10-over - along with 10 other golfers on 154.
After the first day of the tournament in Cartagena was washed out by heavy rain,  the tournament was reduced to 36 holes. Bon finished her first day on the club's North Course at six-over, sinking a birdie on the par-four third hole of the second round  to finish the round at four-under and comfortably make the cut.
Australian Kristie Smith and Spain's Maria Hernandez Munoz finished first-equal in the tournament carding four-under 140s over the two rounds.
The 22-year-old now faces an even tougher task as she takes on a stronger field of golfers  to become one of 30 women, who will receive their professional players' card and LET playing rights for 2010.
Auckland sisters Wendy  and Angela Hawkes were the only other Kiwis in the 121-strong field. Wendy shot a combined total of 155 to make the cut by a single shot while Angela never recovered from a poor first round and finished well down the field.
In an email from the south-east corner of Spain, Bon said she was pleased with her two rounds in the pre-qualifying tournament. She believed she was hitting the ball well. Her putts were dropping for her and that had kept her in contention.
She knows the next stage of qualifying will require her game to improve even further if she wants to make the top 30.
Bon now has to contend with the exempt players, who had poor seasons in the LET this year and need to requalify for the 2010 season, as they join the field for a further 54 holes. There will be another cut made before playing the final 36 holes to find the final top 30 qualifiers.
The Northland number-one amateur is mindful that gaining a card will see her play her home tournament, which is a part of the LET - the New Zealand Women's Open in January - as her first professional competition. Bon was 16th overall last year at the tournament, ahead of many professionals and it would be a fitting start to her pro-career.
The young golfer will return home for the tournament anyway but would prefer to do so as a professional. If she doesn't achieve it in the coming days, she has vowed to try again at the qualifying tournament next season.