Gachaga eager to punch ticket to Sunshine Tour

Former Kenya One is hoping to turn professional this year and take her game to a new level.

She has big dreams to grace prestigious championships across the globe.

Ochieng Oyugi, Naivasha

Former Kenya One, Kellie Gachaga had intentions to turn professional this year and take her golfing career to a new level by gracing international Tours.

Now, she is happy that the ongoing Sunshine Development Tour Qualifying School (Q-School) in Naivasha is actually giving her the needed pathway to realise the dream and aspiration of becoming a better golfer.

The well articulate Muthaiga Golf Club hard hitter is hopeful that she will be the lady who will eventually bag the women's special ticket to the Sunshine Ladies Tour tomorrow when the Qualifying School contest being held at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort comes to an end.

"The Sunshine Development Tour is an amazing opportunity, for Kenya and the entire East Africa region. I was actually excited, to hear last Thursday, that ladies have been included to participate in the Qualifiers. I got thrilled and registered for it, knowing that I also have a chance to play in the tournament and see where I stand," Gachaga told Standard Sports.

"This year, I was looking for chances that could take me into a either a Q-School, a Sunshine Tour or into the Ladies European Tour (LET) because I wanted to go pro at the end of the season. I'm happy that now I have that clear pathway to make it happen," she said.

The fact that the Q-School is giving the participating ladies a chance to take their game to the next level at the Sunshine Ladies Tour is such a huge step for Gachaga who is ready for the lofty challenge.

"Definitely, I want to be that top lady who will punch this ticket in the tournament," Gachaga, who has featured for the national team for over a decade said.

"Even though Day 1 was not kind to me. I'm very hopeful to bounce back and make the cut on Day 2, and even proceed to land a respectable finish on the Thursday's finals.

"It would be amazing if I win that slot because I want to test my golf skills against the best of the best across the world.

"The Sunshine Ladies Tour and LET are the places where I want to be playing consistently, that's definitely my goal and I will be much happy if I get that chance to globe trot," she said.

Even though she has targets in the ongoing Q-School contest, Gachaga is quick to admit that she did not prepare well for the Naivasha showpiece as she only came to realise that the tournament was also accommodating ladies last Thursday.

"I didn't want to put too much pressure as I embarked on the preparation for the championship. So, I only prepared myself mentally, but I'm already having fun here and enjoying the moments, with great hopes that my dream of winning the ticket to the Sunshine Ladies Tour will come true," she underlined.

And why does she badly wants to turn professional this year?

"Turning pro will allow me to make golf my job and comfortably play in the Tours across the world. I want my job to be something that I like and golf has forever been my love," the 24-year-old national team sensation said.

Asked what she feels can be done to improve the Sunshine Development Tour, Gachaga said: "So far everything is going on well at the Q-School, no hiccups at all. I think from next year, the Tour will be much clearer to the golfers.

"I will be much excited to play in the East Africa Swing Series if I qualify, especially in the Ugandan legs because have never visited that country," she said.