Parker's local knowledge

By Matt Cooper Last updated: 27th July 2010

Florentyna Parker is coming home.

Why? Because this week the Royal Birkdale member returns to the course to play the Ricoh Women's British Open; a sign that her fledgling professional career has completed an early circle.

That, at least, is how it appears from the outside but, in truth, the 21-year-old Englishwoman's background is a little more complicated than that.

The daughter of Tim Parker, a club professional based in Hamburg, she and her brother Ben (also a touring professional) were born and brought up in Germany.

And although she has been a member of Royal Birkdale for some years she admits: "It is my favourite course but I've probably only played it about 20 times! My extended family is based in the area but I've not had much time to visit in the last few years."

It is not only her background that is deceptive however; so too is her appearance and demeanour.

Whilst there is something in her vocabulary (the odd German word creeps in) which hints at her continental education, she is in all other ways a very English rose: tall and elegant, demure and polite.

But don't mistake any of these characteristics for frailty; in her 18 months on tour Parker has proved that she is mentally strong, independent thinking and in possession of a dependable, quality swing.

Talking to Golf365 at the recent Tenerife Ladies Open, Parker discussed an early decision in her amateur career which demonstrated many of those qualities.

Prompted by her father she opted to compete in England rather than Germany.

"I could have stayed in Germany and almost taken advantage of there being a limited number of good amateur girls," she explained. "But I wanted to test myself against the best. It was going to be more difficult in the England set-up. But those challenges would be beneficial in the long-term."

Playing for England in British competitions she found herself competing alongside and against the likes of Melissa Reid, Krystle Caithness, Breanne Loucks, Henni Zuel and Carly Booth, all of them now contemporaries on the Ladies European Tour.

She performed with credit in the 2005 Junior Solheim Cup and 2008 Curtis Cup before taking the decision to turn professional after claiming a tour card at the LET Qualifying School in early 2009.

Acknowledging her youth (she was only 19-years-old) Parker adopted a relaxed strategy for her rookie year: "I didn't have very high expectations. I just went out and played. I enjoyed my time on Tour and felt I settled in after a short period of time, which helped me feel comfortable on the course and play well."

The highlights of the year were fifth place in the Portugal Ladies Open followed, two weeks later, by finishing runner-up in the AIB Ladies Irish Open.

She started the year a callow amateur and ended it ranked 24th in the Henderson Money List; only Anna Nordqvist's inspired year prevented her claiming the Rookie of the Year title.

Reflecting on her maiden year as a professional she says: "I learned to become independent in 2009, to feel more grown up."

Typically, when assessing what she had done wrong in her first year, Parker is under-stated but very clear: "I noticed that I usually played poorly in the first round and especially the first hole, which gives me a slow start and a lot of catching up to do. I often start badly in other rounds too. So this year I wanted to try and play a steady first round (and first hole!)."

In 18 starts in 2009 she averaged 73.83 in the first round and was in the top 20 on just four occasions after 18 holes. She was in the top ten at that stage twice.

Acting on her intentions in 2010 she has changed those stats around: in 11 starts she has averaged 72.18 and been placed inside the top 20 after 18 holes seven times; the top ten four times.

Of course the proof of the pudding is not where a player ends round one, but where she finishes after the final round - but Parker's better starts have reaped improved final positions.

After some fine early season form (finishing sixth in both Morocco and Turkey) she headed to the Unicredit Ladies German Open with high hopes but (ironically maybe) faded after a good start.

Two weeks later in Slovakia it was a different tale as she rallied from a poor start, but that effort provided confidence as drove from Hamburg to Rotterdam with her cousin Ella for the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in June.

Ella was to be her caddie for the week and the issue of bag-men is another that demonstrates Parker's strikingly independent attitude.

With little prize money on the tour the cost of a professional caddie eats into the earnings of the players ranked outside the top 20 in the money list.

But many of those players feel the need for that additional help. Some genuinely find it a help; others, one suspects, take a caddie to feel more like a successful professional golfer; as if the accoutrements of the top pro will help them perform like one.

That latter idea is not entirely without merit, but it is also one which Parker does not subscribe to.

For one thing she is quite content to have family and friends do the job when they are around, but if none are available she is comfortable pulling a trolley around herself.

Asked about the lack of a professional on her bag, her answer is simple and uncomplicated: "I've never felt like I need one."

The assurance and simplicity of her words is telling. She is not reluctant to expand, she just sees little point; she's made the decision and to explain would be to justify.

This clarity of decision-making is reminiscent, admittedly in method rather than style, of Laura Davies who remains the highest ranked Englishwoman in professional golf and is someone Parker played with in the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open.

Never overlook the power of inspiration - one week later Davies won the German Open and Parker was able to consider how her game had measured up not just to one of her sport's legends but also a recent winner.

And in Rotterdam, further bolstered by her improving form, a course which suited her strength from the tee and her time between shots discussing "anything but golf" with Ella, she started the final day with a two-shot lead after rounds of 71-66.

Which returns us to that New Year resolution to stop starting rounds with poor first hole scores. So, when it really mattered how did she start that final round?

"I started with a bogey!" she laughs. "But, as I said, I usually do that!"

On the day it was a rare error and she soon settled to complete a victory that earned her a first professional win in just her 26th start (and also earned a nice bonus for Ella!).

There was an understandable dip on her next start: "I missed the cut but a few experienced players have told me it often happens after a first win."

Indeed, the following week she was fourth in Portugal, then 14th in Tenerife before making the cut on debut in the lucrative and high quality Evian Masters.

That final result will be another boost to her confidence before she heads "home" to Southport.

"I'll have plenty of support, I'm going to feel comfortable, I'll be staying at my grandparents house and I'm really looking forward to the week," she said. "It's great to return to Birkdale for a major."

Flory Parker's Guide to Royal Birkdale:

Key to playing well? The wind. If we're really lucky it won't blow, but that doesn't happen very often! And it can be such a different course when it blows in different directions. Some holes can be difficult to reach in regulation if the wind is in your face.

Top tip? A good and inventive short game. The greens are great but can present some really problems if you miss them.

Toughest hole? I'm not entirely sure at this stage what par some of the holes will be and the wind will be such a factor. But the sixth can be so tough if it is into the wind!

Favourite hole? The final hole is my favourite. It's a great finishing hole whether played as a par four or five because lots can happen, good and bad. And I love the sight of the clubhouse in the background.