STACEY Keating has come a long way since the nights she spent practising chipping by the headlights of her car at Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club.
“I never used to think there was enough daylight, so I used to take my car around the back of the driving range to use the lights and security would always come and tell me off,” the 26-year-old recalls.
Before making the move to Point Cook, Keating spent her early years belting golf balls in the paddock before school in the western Victorian town of Cressy.
Her tireless efforts are proof that persistence pays off.
Australian golf’s newest international star, Keating returned to Sanctuary Lakes last week after taking home consecutive titles in two of the world’s most prestigious tournaments.
The second-year pro came from three shots back to snare the Ladies Open de France from Italy’s Diana Luna.
The win followed her triumph in the Spanish Open two weeks earlier, when she prevailed in a play-off against Germany’s Caroline Masson.
“It’s great, I’m very confident with my game at the moment,” she said.
“I’ve got two more European events this year and I’m looking forward to keeping on playing.”
Keating thanked the Sanctuary Lakes Foundation, which awarded her a grant to kick-start her professional career. “It meant I could travel and play against the best players in the world. I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise, and that’s what you need to be able to get your game up to the next level.”
