b'THE ELLESMERIAN Claudia Hastings- Woodard 2021 I am so excited to have this opportunity to spend the next 4 We are delighted for Claudia Hasting, who has recently signed ayears in the States which will provide me with the greatest formal National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend Limestoneopportunity to take my game to the next level. I will be179University in South Carolina on a 4-year golf scholarship with thecoached by the Womens Head Coach Trey Taylor, in-Saints. between studying for a degree in Sports Management. It was quite daunting at first looking at universities in AmericaIm sure I will miss the UK and my coaching sessions with PGA and I had calls with several university coaches to hear moreProfessional Tim Hastings (Dad), whos played an important role about their golf programmes and the facilities on offer, and Iin my development.worked with a specialist golf scholarship consultant who has experience in the American college sports system and a networkThis summer I will be competing in England, Scotland, Ireland & of contacts to help find me the right fit. They guided me throughWales at the Womens Amateur Championships before heading the registration with the National Collegiate Athletic Associationoff to America in August.(NCAA).The dream: to play on the LPGA tour. The college system in the US is very structured, with access to world class resources, elite facilities, and respected coaches. This makes it an enormously beneficial pathway for aspiring athletes and elite amateur golfers from all over the world to compete for golf scholarships.I enjoyed an extensive junior golf career, achieving top 3 finishes in over 12 Junior Opens and claimed victory at three, including the best gross score at Wallasey Golf Club in 2020. I won the Lancashire Girls Millennium trophy two years running and I was the winner of the Champion of Champions Junior Invitational at Lytham Green Drive Golf Club in 2019. In 2020 I qualified at Telford Golf Club to play in the Champions Week Final of the Junior European Open held at Alcaidesa golf club in Spain - which took place in November 2021 due to Covid-19. It was an amazing experience making the cut and finishing in 9th place. The tournament was televised on Sky Sports Golf and I got to meet Nick Dougherty at the presentation dinner. I now play for the Lancashire County womens A team and I am part of the ladies scratch team at my home club, Royal Birkdale, helping them win the Lancashire interclub scratch trophy in 2020 at Royal Lytham Golf Club. In 2021 I won the Royal Birkdale Ladies Centenary Salver with the best gross of 1 over par. I finished 4th at the Faldo series in Wales, playing 3 rounds at Ruddlan Golf Club. finished in the top 10 at the Comboy Scratch Trophy at Delamere Golf Club, and finished T25 at the Irish Ladies Strokeplay Championships in Baltray with scores of 77 75 79. I feel very privileged to have attended Ellesmere. The schools extensive sports facilities are exceptional and the performance programme at the Golf Academy gave me the opportunity to practice regularly and develop my game whilst undertaking my academic studies. Even during lockdown, I was able to practice every day and make use of the 9-hole golf course and the indoor swing room in bad weather. The gym was also a bonus as I built up my fitness with a strength and conditioning programme designed and supervised by one of the fitness coaches. As a team we played competitively in the ISGA at a number of different courses around the country competing against other schools. I had huge support from my teachers, who were always very helpful, especially if coursework deadlines clashed with any golf commitments.'