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Kevin Craggs, coach to LPGA Tour rookie Melissa Reid, says meticulous goal-setting has been crucial to her recent on-course success.

Reid achieved her sixth Ladies European Tour title at the Oates Vic Open on Sunday – a week after finishing T13 on her full debut as an LPGA Tour member – overcoming German Sandra Gal in a play-off at Beach Golf Links in Australia.

Melissa Reid

“The second goal was that we were going to do everything in our power
to learn what it took to win again. She did that by winning in Turkey
[May 2015].

“The next time was using everything she’d built up in those four areas mentioned previously to get into the Solheim Cup team. She did that (above). Once we achieved that, the main focus switched to getting the LPGA Tour card. She’s done that.

The next goal is to win on the LPGA Tour

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In the following months and years, her form nosedived and she credits Craggs for ‘saving her career’. But, now 29, does she feel at a disadvantage joining the LPGA Tour in an era of so many young stars such as Lydia Ko (above), Brooke Henderson, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lexi Thompson.

Not at all, declares Craggs, but he admits Reid had to earn her LPGA Tour card in order to progress in her career.

The gulf between the LET and LPGA is massive, it’s absolutely huge

“We’ve spoken about this,” he said. “Mel’s 29 but it’s just a number.
The way she sees it, a lot of these young players become superstars
when they’re 16, 17, 18. By the time they’re 23, they’re sick of golf
and are looking at retiring.

“On the flip side of that, Catriona Matthew (below) turned
professional at 24 and, at 47, she’s still competing. I can still see
Mel still playing competitively in another 15 years.”

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“But she had to progress to the LPGA for her career, to compete with
the best players, to give herself the best chance in majors and to work,
practice and play to a schedule with far more continuity and
consistency as the gulf between the LET and LPGA is massive, it’s
absolutely huge.”

So what are the primary aims for Reid in 2017? Well, the No.1 goal is simple.

“Solheim Cup is definitely top of the list for this year,” added
Craggs, with Reid’s win taking her to top of the LET Solheim Cup Points
List. “We’d like to contend in a few of the key LPGA events – if a win
comes, it comes – and, if we finish the year comfortably inside the
world top 30, then I think we’ve done really well.”

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