While the world's No 1 woman's golfer Anna Sorenstam controversially teed up in the men's Colonial event in Texas, a slip of a schoolgirl from the West Country made headlines in Europe.
Henrietta Brockway from Yeovil enjoyed her greatest golfing moment in Portugal.
The 13-year-old Gillingham School pupil, who plays golf for Dorset and her club Yeovil, became the youngest player ever to appear on European Women's Professional circuit.
She and another, slightly older 13-year-old, Germany-based Florentyna Parker, were given special invitations to the Lancia Ladies Open.
While the best professionals in Europe competed for around £120,000 in prize money, the girls were simply playing for experience and pride.
Both girls owe much to England's greatest post-war golfer Nick Faldo, the winner of six major titles.
He set up the Faldo Series of tournaments and coaching sessions to develop young golfing talent in this country. Henrietta was one of six youngsters chosen to spend a week at Faldo's Florida training base in Orlando in November.
She is now playing to a handicap of four the highest allowed for an amateur in a European women's tour event.
The most recent of her many successes was becoming the youngest winner of the Dorset women's championship this month.
Her parents, who are both prominent members at Yeovil, accompanied her to Portugal.
They watched her every shot on the Aroeira course near Lisbon.
They will also be in Ireland this month when Henrietta plays in the Irish Open at the famed Killarney Golf Club.
Stuart Shapley, a 16-year-old from Gloucester, also crept into the record books as the surprise winner of the Gloucestershire junior championship at sodden Henbury.
The unknown six-handicapper carded 76 and 73 and then beat David Lake (Knowle) and Sam Tanner (Cirencester) with a par four on the first play-off hole.
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