It's not easy juggling parental duties with par-busting on the professional circuit.
That’s why Glasgow-born Mhairi McKay is not setting her expectations too high on a rare return to her homeland this week.
The 36-year-old, who was at Stanford University in California at the same time as former world No.1 Tiger Woods, forms part of a limited, 60-strong field for the 54-hole Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open, which gets underway today, at Archerfield Links near Gullane.
A regular on the LPGA Tour for more than a decade, New Mexico-based McKay’s schedule has been limited recently as she tries to balance competitive action with her role as full-time mum to Angus, her two-year-old son.
The fairier sex are always better than us bumbling blokes at multi-tasking but McKay, who has made just one cut in her six events this season, has not found it easy.
“Angus is on the tour with me most weeks and since he came along, life has changed,” said McKay, a three-time runner-up on the LPGA Tour. “My category is not as good these days and I missed out on a few events at the start of the year and now I’m trying to play catch-up. The players you’re competing against have the momentum that I don’t have.
“It has been very difficult. You play one week than have a month or so off and then play again. It’s hard to get a rhythm going. When Angus is with me, I have to try and manage my time around day care at events. You’re always looking at the clock. But, at the end of the day, it’s always exciting to get back and see him. Whatever you’ve scored, they’re happy to see you. Somebody still loves you. I’m happy to be here this week but I’ve not set any targets. I’m just going to enjoy playing in Scotland again and see what happens.”
McKay, the winner of the 2003 Australian Open and a two-time Solheim Cup player, will be joined in the East Lothian field by Catriona Matthew, another of the golfing supermums, .
The 41-year-old from North Berwick won the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham in 2009, just 11 weeks after the birth of her second daughter, Sophie, and knows all about the rigours of being a parent and a professional.
“It’s a strange way of life, dotting from place to place,” she said. “You meet normal housewives and mothers and they might look at you a bit oddly but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
McKay and Matthew are just two of a host of home hopefuls contesting the £200,000 event, which will be played in the pro-am format and will also feature Gavin Hastings and Alan Hansen.
Carly Booth, Lynn Kenny, Clare Queen, Kylie Walker, Gemma Webster, Vikki Laing, Heather MacRae and Krystle Caithness make up a strong Scottish presence while France’s Virginie Lagoutte-Clement returns to Archerfield to defend her crown.
England’s Melissa Reid will be aiming for her third Ladies European Tour title while Germany’s Caroline Masson, who led last month’s Women’s British Open at Carnoustie after three rounds only to crumble to a closing 78, has made the trip back to Scotland for another title tilt.
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