Time out for Holland's Solheim Cup player in America
As the first tournament of the 2017 Ladies European Tour season teed-off in Australia this week (9-12 February), I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness. It was five years ago here ‘down under’ that Holland’s Christel Boeljon won her second LET title with victory in the Gold Coast RACV Australian Ladies Masters. She went on to successfully defend her 2011 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open title later that year. The young budding golfer from Beverwijk was on her way to the top. Destined to become not only Holland’s best ever female golfer, but a player of world-class calibre.
Incredible to realise that it’s now two months ago since Christel stunned her fans with news of her retirement from professional golf. She has decided to hang-up her golf bag, or at least not compete on the Tours for the foreseeable future. Holland’s best ever lady golfer is taking a sabbatical year, or maybe two.
Christel, whose big 3-0 birthday looms in July, admitted in an interview with Golf.nl that she needs time out from travelling and the constant pressure of playing competitive golf at the highest level. She plans to relax and spend more quality time with her American girlfriend Katie at their home in Texas, USA.
The icing on the Solheim Cup cake
Back in 2011, Christel made history when she became the first player from the Netherlands to play in the Solheim Cup. She qualified automatically for the European Team from the points standings after two consistently good seasons on Ladies European Tour. And then, the icing on the Solheim Cup cake: she earned a vital point towards Europe’s historic 2011 victory after defeating America’s Brittany Lincicome by two holes in the singles. With nerves of steel, Christel struck probably the most perfect iron-shot of her career to the final green: a master-stroke with a 6-iron.
A move to America to compete on the LPGA tour was inevitable but, with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps not such a wise decision.
Now, some four years later, after being saddled with an unfair share of life’s baggage of woes which include a stalker who followed her all the way from America to Europe, as well as other issues in her personal life which even saw her pull-out of the Ricoh British Women’s Open in 2015, Christel has reached the end of the fairway. Early last December, the reigning Dutch Ladies Open Champion announced her decision to give up playing golf on the professional circuits. She admits that even as long as a year or two ago, she was beginning to doubt whether she still wanted the life as a Tour pro.
She found it more and more difficult to pack the suitcases and fly away to the next tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Even though she played 17 tournaments in 2016, she admits: “My heart was seldom there”.
“More and more I walked around the course with the feeling that I’d rather be at home …”
– Christel Boeljon
One wonders what impact the decision by the Dutch Golf Federation (NGF) and sports marketing bureau TIG Sport to replace the Deloitte Ladies Open with an invitational team event last year had on Christel. Instead of flying back home to Holland to defend her 2015 Dutch Ladies Open title she was relegated to representing her country in the ‘Ladies Nations Invitational’ along with a handful of other players from the Ladies European Tour. The three-day match-play event for teams of three was played over nine holes at The International, near Amsterdam and formed part of a new ‘Golf Week’ initiative.
Not exactly stimulating for such a class golfer. The shy, young Dutch girl who had taken up the game as a seven year old and since blossomed into a winner of four European titles. The Solheim Cup hero who had ventured to America in order to further improve her game by competing with the best, had always remained with her feet firmly on the ground. Yet, life on Tour is tough, especially when you’re abroad, away from family and friends.
Since turning professional in January 2009, Christel has played in 81 tournaments on the Ladies European Tour. As well as four tournament victories, she finished twenty times in the top-10. Her official earnings in Europe alone amount to 518,666.19 euros.
Some would say that the writing had been on the wall for a long time for Holland’s number one golfer. Indeed, Christel had been losing her sparkle for some time. It was plain to see that she was enjoying her golf less and less. It had also been reflected in her world ranking. The former European number one had slumped to 238 in the world.
“I miss the pleasure in golf and the motivation …”
– Christel Boeljon talking with the Dutch press recently
In an interview with Golf.nl, Christel talks open-heartedly about her decision: “I’m enjoying a well-stocked fridge now, but most of all it’s nice not have to go to the golf course or to the airport and not to have to perform – to do my best all the time. And that feels good.”
Christel’s new routine means that she now has time to chill-out with a good book, listen to music, take stock of life, and maybe even pursue some of her other favourite sporting pastimes such as hockey and tennis. Top of her priority list, however, is to enjoy some well-earned quality time with her friend Katie in America.
As they say, absence makes the heart grow stronger. And, as many a golfer has proven over the years, a happy and fulfilled home life makes for a happy golfer. Enjoy this new chapter in your life, Christel. When you’re ready, we look forward to your return to the golf course.
Wendy Hoad
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Christel Boeljon in happier times. Amsterdam 2015. Christel as the newly-crowned 2015 Deloitte Ladies Open Champion making a ‘selfie’ with the volunteers in the Crew Café at The International (centre) and (below) a year later, Christel ponders her future …
© Photography by Golfing Inspirations.