Scotland’s Heather MacRae is looking forward to the inaugural Saudi Ladies International event on the LET later this month, after beating cancer. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

SCOTTISH pro Heather MacRae celebrated International Women’s Day by sharing her cancer ordeal.

Almost exactly a year ago to the day, MacRae’s world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Since then, she has gone on to win the 2019 Women’s PGA Professional Championship – held just two weeks before her surgery.

In turn, the 37-year-old topped the points table to earn her place on the Great Britain & Ireland team for the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup against America, Canada, Sweden, which was held at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, in October.

On International Women’s Day, on March 6, MacRae is looking forward to playing on an invite in the Ladies European Tour’s inaugural Saudi Ladies International later this month.

The new event – one of four on the LET’s 2020 schedule – takes place at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, from March 19-22 – and MacRae can look forward to playing on Tour again after recovering from surgery to remove the cancer cells.

MacRae, who is attached to Gleneagles, said: “You don’t ever think this kind of thing will happen to you and it’s not something you can prepare for – or know how you will react.

“It still amazes me how I dealt with the diagnosis as it was in a week where I was hosting a couple of golf days for International Women’s Day.

“Maybe it was because I was so focused on those being a success that it didn’t properly sink in for a while.”

McRae, who plays on the LET Access Series, also believes her coaching responsibities with also helped her cope with her fight with the Big C.

Heather, who won the 2007 British Ladies Strokeplay Championship before turning pro after that summer, added: “The girls coaching I do was a great distraction for me because you just want them to see a happy, positive role model and it helped me in keeping my head up.”

And when not coaching, playing, or preparing to play was the best medicine for the Stirling golfer, who won the Scottish Girls Championship in 2001.

“After the initial diagnosis, I would always be looking to see what tournament I could play,” added Heather McRae, “so that I always had a goal or something to aim for – something to give me a purpose.

“I would practice whatever I was able to practice – sometimes it was only putting, sometimes mental skills, sometimes only dreaming about playing tournaments again.”

‘Good news’ after cancer treatment

And the good news is that after treament, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Heather MacRae.

“I had my latest check-up just yesterday, one year on from the diagnosis. It was a good result, I am happy.

“To think where I was this time last year and now I am going to be playing the Aramco Saudi Ladies International – the biggest event on the LET outside the majors this year – is quite amazing.

“I have been working so hard on my golf and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. But I am just excited to be back playing on the LET this year knowing I will enjoy every minute of it.

“Everyone faces struggles and difficult times – you can’t compare yours to anyone else’s because to you, it’s yours that affect you the most.

“You can always try to help yourself, always try and do things just a little better each day.

“Set goals, big goals, then just try and chip away at them piece by piece.

“Some days are better than others. You will achieve more, but if you can make a tiny bit of progress even on the bad days, you can get there.

But her most simple messaged was: “Don’t ever give up.”

•Find out more about the field at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International by clicking here.

The post Heather MacRae can’t wait to play Saudi International after battling to beat cancer appeared first on Golf North.

Phil Mickelson is the seventh Major winner to sign up for the 2020 Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, from January 30-February 2. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FIVE-time Major Champion Phil Mickelson will tee it up alongside compatriot and fellow American Ryder Cup star Tony Finau when the Saudi International gets under way at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, in January.

The pair are the latest high-profile Americans to join an already world-class field for the second running of the European Tour event.

They will journey to King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) to compete for a prize fund of $3.5m with defending Champion Dustin Johnson, World Number One Brooks Koepka and Masters winner Patrick Reed for the Saudi Internatioal from January 30-February 2.

The Americans will also face stiff competition from a host of European Major winners, including Open Champions Henrik Stenson (2016) and Shane Lowry (2019), plus 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia.

Mickelson – a winner of 51 worldwide titles – has enjoyed a number of high-profile finishes in the Middle East but, despite 10 career European Tour victories, is still in search of a maiden win in the Middle East.

“I am really looking forward to playing in Saudi Arabia in January,” said Mickelson, the left-hander who spent more than 25 years in the world’s top 50.

“I watched Dustin win the title last year and thought the course looked like an interesting challenge.

“Having so many talented players on show also made it look like a much more established tournament than one in its inaugural year.

“I have enjoyed my previous visits to the Middle East and am looking forward to playing in a new country and doing my bit to grow the game in the Kingdom.”

Big-hitting American Tony Finau will seek his first European Tour victory at next month’s Saudi International. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Ranked firmly inside the top 20 of the Official World Golf Rankings, the big hitting American Tony Finau, adds to the star studded line-up, as the 30 year-old looks for a maiden European Tour title on his first visit to the region.

“I’ve always believed that to be considered a world-class player, you must compete in premier tournaments around the world,” said Finau, who made his Ryder Cup debut in 2018 at France’s Le Paris National.

Finau added: “Playing in Saudi Arabia for the first time will be a great experience, and I’m looking forward to competing against what is already an exceptionally strong field, on what I have learned is a great golf course.”

The Royal Greens Golf & Country Club was designed by European Golf Design on the shores of the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City

Saudi’s Royal Greens on the Red Sea

ROYAL Greens Golf & Country Club lies along the spectacular Red Sea coastline and is set alongside a series of stunning residential and recreational facilities.

The club not only boasts a championship golf course and world-class practice facilities, but a state-of-the-art clubhouse which was recently voted the ‘World’s Best Golf Clubhouse 2019’ and ‘Best Course in Saudi 2019’ by the World Golf Awards.

His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, chairman of the Saudi Golf Federation and Golf Saudi, said: “We are excited to add two more world-class players to our tournament and are firmly on track to deliver another successful championship in the Kingdom.

“Phil Mickelson has been at the top of the sport for more than 25 years and it will be fantastic for the people of Saudi Arabia to watch him play up close, while Tony Finau will no doubt wow the crowds with his incredible power hitting and skill.

“Both will be a fantastic advert for golf, and I look forward to them both helping us drive the game forward in Saudi Arabia.”

The second instalment of the Saudi International will place a special focus on families, community, charity and junior development as the Saudi kingdom looks to develop its golfing pedigree.

“Bringing the world’s best golfers to experience what is KAEC has to offer is an exciting proposition for us,” said Mr. Ahmed Linjawy, group chief exectuive of KAEC.

“We are delighted to be hosting two more first-class players at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, a multi-award winning development and the proud jewel of King Abdullah Economic City.

“Our goal is to establish ourselves as one of the region’s leading and most attractive tourism and leisure destinations on the Red Sea – in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 – and the profile this event attracts will speak for the quality of our experiences & offerings.”

•Tickets are now on sale for the Saudi International, priced at 50SAR per day or 160 SAR for a four-day tournament pass. For more information click here.

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