Dutch success at Orvelte - Esther de Schiffart and Michel Van Zijl
Esther de Schiffart is enjoying being European ladies strokeplay champion “It feels really good! A little bit strange also, but in a good way.”
Esther hugely relished the whole European Strokeplay championship experience. “The weekend started really relaxed and nice on Friday. It was a pleasure to see all the players practising for the weekend and good to see everybody again. Saturday was a lovely day and I had a great flight. I was excited and focussed to try to play at my best. The performance was not superb and I was not fully satisfied with my game but it was steady.”
The prospects were looking good after 36 holes?
“Saturday night I was feeling good. I was 8 strokes in front of the other ladies but tried to put that out of my head because when you think you have a good lead it might just get wrong and the lead will dissappear. So I started on Sunday with a lot of good energy that this round must be the best.
What was the final round formula? “What I did well on Sunday was to play my own game and be patient. That might sound simple but it’s always simple for me.”
Was there some dissatisfaction that so few ladies played?
“When I saw the list of entries I was a bit disappointed indeed. I do not know the reason why so few ladies played, but I can mention quite a few ladies who belong at a European Championship and in my opinion they should have be invited to play.”
Esther is another devotee of the Orvelte layout and feels it boasts it’s very own “Amen Corner”!. “The course is beautiful and the greenkeeper has done a very good job. And when I mention the very hard "corner" of holes 11,12 and 13, people who played the course know what I mean!
What's next for Esther de Schiffart?
“First enjoying my holiday!!! And about Pitch and Putt..... I just want to continue competing and to try to play my best. I hope to keep playing the International Opens and try to qualify again for the World Championship!”
FIPPA.org caught up with 14 year old Michel Van Zijl a couple of weeks after his memorable Under 16 victory at Orvelte.
Q. Michel, How does it feel to be the European Champion?
A. “It feels great to be European Juvenile Champion and still unbelievable because I had a ten shot deficit before the final round.”
Q. What went well for you over the weekend?
P. “My putting went okay but especially my pitching went well and for the final round my chipping was great too.”
Q. Did you enjoy meeting Ivan Ponsdemenech and Carla Puig?
P. “I met Ivan on the Friday after the matchplay competition and we played afterwards - 15 holes of matchplay and I lost, so I was a bit scared for the weekend. And when he made 50 in the first round and I scored 59 I knew it would be a tough weekend. I didn’t know who Carla was untill I met her on the teebox for the final round and I did enjoy playing with them.”
Q. To what factors do you attribute your 53 on Sunday in difficult conditions?
A. “Even though there was a lot of wind I kept concentrating good and I knew that I was 5 shots better after the first 9 and it went bad for Ivan at 11 because he shot a 9 and I a shot a 3 so I was 1 in front of him and at that moment there was a lot of pressure for me but also for him.”
Q. What are your future ambitions in Pitch and Putt?
A. “I play golf too but my ambition for pitch and putt is to practise my short-game for golf.”
Q. Did you practise a lot at Orvelte in advance of the event?
“A. I didn’t practise a lot before the tournament - only 18 holes every Wednesday evening for club competition.”
