Women's Open: Essex golfer Lily May Humphreys teeing off at 'dream' debut

A golfer who turned professional two years ago said it was a "dream" to be making her debut in the sport's most elite competition.

Lily May Humphreys, 21, from Essex, is due to tee off at 11:32 BST in the Women's Open at Walton Heath, Surrey, on Thursday.

"This is the dream growing up to play in the Open. You always watch it on telly and think you want to play," she told the BBC.

"It all happened very quickly."

Humphreys, from Great Cornard on the Essex-Suffolk border, first picked up a club at 10 years old and spent her junior years playing at Stoke by Nayland, near Colchester.

"I loved sport and I always wanted to be a sportsperson - it was just a matter of finding the right sport for me," she said.

Her amateur career was explosive, appearing in the Curtis Cup at 16 and picking up victories in the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh women's amateur championships.

Humphreys turned professional earlier than her peers - having not taken up a scholarship at one of the universities in the US - and she is now based at Royal Norwich.

She earned her place at the Open after winning her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) title.

The 21-year-old hopes for decent home support, given Walton Heath is a relatively short drive from her home town via the A12 and M25.

"I'm trying to soak up the experience, not put too much pressure on myself and hopefully this is the first of many," she said.

"It's been a lot of work, a lot of ups and downs, but I'm trying to make it worth it with this at the end, and hopefully there's plenty more to come.

"I know that if I play my best stuff I can compete."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a story? Email [email protected] or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830