2013 Golf Chic (pdf version) - Ladies European Tour

Hazel Irvine is one of the most recognisable sporting presenters in the United Kingdom who playeda key role in the BBC’s coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games.Over a 21 year career in broadcasting she hascovered sporting events from The Summerand Winter Olympics to Football World Cups,Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, WorldSnooker Championships as well as multiplegolf tournaments such as The Masters, OpenChampionship and The Solheim Cup.Speaking ahead of a packed 2013 season,Hazel discussed her incredible broadcastingcareer and lifelong passion for the gameof golf.Hazel: You were born and educated in theHome of Golf: St Andrews. How much hasthe game been a part of your life?It’s pretty much in my blood when youconsider I was born in St. Andrews and wentback to study there at the university for fouryears! These days my work takes me backon a number of occasions and every time Ireturn it’s a thrill both professionally andpersonally. Clearly, I have great memoriesfrom my Uni days where I met my best friends.Indeed, around every street corner there isa memory for me which is associated with atime half-my-life ago. Also in a professionalsense, it’s where some of my earliest sportingmemories were formed through watchingthe Open. I’ve also galloped around the OldCourse as a spectator many times and thesedays, I’m involved in bringing the pictures toeveryone else. I led the TV presentation in StAndrews the year Louis Oosthuizen won theJug and was in the chair when Lorena Ochoabecame the first woman professional to winan event at the Home of Golf. That was a veryspecial and significant week. So there aresome amazing milestones, both professionaland personal, wrapped up in St Andrewsand to think about going back there in 2013absolutely thrilling.Who are your golfing heroes?That’s easy! Nancy Lopez and SeveBallesteros. Those two really formed a lotof my early golfing memories. Nancy Lopezwas an icon for me from a very early age.When she was coming on the scene in 1977I was 10 or 11 and starting the game aboutthen. A bit later Seve came on the scenewith an incredible freshness of talent. Forme, Nancy was a really force of nature andI had the great privilege of interviewing herwhen I was in the early part of my workinglife – boy, was I nervous! It was a programmefor Five Live called “Playing Through” andit touched on the external events that hadshaped certain people’s careers and impingedupon the decisions they made. Nancy’s lifeis obviously very interesting especially withthe early tragedy of losing her Mum and thenheading, almost immediately thereafter, on tothe LPGA tour. There, of course, she won thatincredible number of tournies in a row fromthe get-go. I just thought she was the mostamazing breath of fresh air. I guess in a waythat sort of freshness was mirrored by theteenage Seve. I just loved the spirit and theattitude they both had.Sandy Lyle also made a big impression on me.When he won the Open at Royal St George’s in’85, I was actually helping to run St AndrewsUni’s golf holiday programme that summer.I remember so vividly the final round andcelebrating in the town that day. Believe it ornot, my friends and I got up and watched theSaltire being hoisted in his honour at the OldCourse Hotel as the sun rose the followingmorning! But so many golfers have shapedmy love of the game and those are just a fewof them.Bespoke glazing solutionsin timber aluminium & compositeKloeber’s advanced glazing solutions are available in bespoke or set sizes,with low U values and double or triple glazing options. View our websitefor further details of our extensive product range.folding sliding doorssliding doorsfrench doorssingle doorstelephone01487 740044windowsshaped glazed screensentrance doorsroof lightsKloeber’s timber bifold doors and FunkyFront entrance doors areSecured by Design. Our timber bifold doors are the only timberfolding sliding doors with Secured by Design accreditation.info@kloeber.co.ukwww.kloeber.co.uk74