Opinion: Talent Needs Opportunity

Maria Salgado, marketing and communications director for Ladies European Tour, on how an event in Colombia is offering some of the biggest opportunities in sport in a bid to help the game thrive…

We focus a great deal on talent when discussing high-class professional sport. We often make the error in assuming the stars are a product of a meritocracy, a ‘level playing field’ where talent is enough to succeed in an environment in which ‘the cream will rise to the top’.

But talent needs opportunity to thrive.

Last week an event took place in Colombia that marks a big moment for the Ladies European Tour. For the first time young women golfers from Latin and South America are able to compete for places at an official qualification event, known throughout golf as ‘Q School’.

There are very few places in sport that match Q School for drama, where the line between success and failure is at its most stark: a single putt can take a young player closer to their dream career as a touring pro.

But the philosophy behind the Colombia event goes far beyond its ability to generate great stories. It’s about creating a clear pathway for talented players to maximise their ability, wherever in the world they play the game. The Q School at La Pradera de Potosi Golf Club reinforces the LET’s commitment to the global growth of women’s professional golf. Colombia is the third country to host an Official LET International Qualification event joining those in Morocco and The Mission Hills Resort Haikou in China supported by Mr Tenniel Chu, the Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group.

The is part of the tour’s strategy to extend its global presence ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where of course, golf will enjoy a high profile return to the Olympic Movement. For women’s golf in particular this will be a transformational moment and an exciting time for us in particular: The LET is supplying more than half the players who compete in Rio.

By stretching our reach in to South America, we will create a development pathway from entry level golf to the heights of professionalism through richer member education, services and integration with amateur bodies. The LET Development Department works in partnership with people, organisations and national federations to inspire women and juniors to play golf and encourage them to achieve their aspirations. For this reason, we are determined to be ‘more than a tour’, working closely with national federations to provide playing opportunities for amateur golfers at LET events, and by encouraging LET members to share their knowledge, experience and skills.

As a Colombian myself, it is exciting to be heading to my homeland. Colombia is experiencing rapid business and economic growth. The country’s economy is currently the third fastest growing in South and Central America, behind Brazil and Mexico. Our partners in the country see the potential for golf, both as a professional game and as a way of enriching the lives of girls and young women.

By exposing young players to the professional game, we are seeking to build a legacy that goes far beyond next Summer’s Olympics.