(Photo by Tristan Jones/LET)

The new LET Order-of-Merit leader likes what she sees at Emirates Golf Club.

By Kent Gray
A reconnaissance lap of the Faldo course has given Nuria Iturrios a booster shot of something she has in abundance heading into the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic.

As the Ladies European Tour’s latest winner, the 23-year-old Spaniard oozes confidence coming into the new 54-hole Pro-Am. Following her opening practice round in Dubai after winning last week’s Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco, her stocks seem to have risen even further.

“I really like it,” Nuria said of the event’s new 6300 yard, par-72 layout after the LET’s previous 12 events in Dubai were held on Emirates Golf Club’s neighbouring Majlis layout.

“The par 5s are easy to reach in two, so that’s great for me; I really like that. There is one short par 4, the 13th, which I can reach in one shot and the par 3s are interesting because they are not that long, but these greens are difficult to hit it where you need to go, because there are a lot of breaks.

“I think we had a good training last week in Morocco, where the greens were sloping and tricky too. There are some breaks which you can’t see from the fairway, so you have to have a good strategy.”

While the 285 yard 13th will be in reach in the right conditions – she averaged 269 yards off the tee in Rabat – Iturrios’ winning formula last week paid more to precision. How about driving accuracy a whisker under 85 per cent which led to a 74 per cent greens in regulation return, 18 birdies and a final, title-clinching 13-under-par total?

A repeat of those impressive stats won’t be easily achieved of course but Iturrios seems to have that covered too courtesy of a relaxed attitude.

“Over three days, the winning score here could be 13-under or 14-under, because the par-5s are easier to reach [than in Morocco]. But this is another tournament and another week and another experience for me. I just want to enjoy it.

“I worked really hard in the off-season, so my game is really solid now. My putting is so good. The chipping is good too, so I just want to enjoy it and keep calm.”

That said… “It would be fun to win again.”

Indeed, a Solheim Cup debut beckons at Gleneagles in Scotland if Iturrios can keep the momentum going but September, it seems, isn’t on her immediate radar.

“I have the Solheim Cup in mind but I’m only 23 years old, so if it happens this year it’s going to be great, but if not, it will be a goal for the next few years.”