Hannah Darling signs with Modest Golf Management.

The 22-year-old will make her bow in the paid ranks this week after bringing the curtain down on a glittering amateur career as she competes in the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. 

Three times a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team and a four-time participant in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the Broomieknowe star has been widely tipped as the Scottish player most likely to emulate the achievements of major champ Catriona Matthew.

However, she’s refusing to get carried away with those comparison and is instead focusing first and foremost on establishing herself in the ranks of those playing the game for a living. “I’m really excited for this,” Darling told bunkered.co.uk. “It’s been coming for a long time and I’m ready to go forward and give it my all.

“I’m going to Dundonald Links with the goal of winning. I don’t play any tournament not hoping and believing that I can win it.

“But I’m well aware it’s my first week out there and so I want to take it all and try to get used to it. It’s going to be a different feeling for sure but I’m looking forward to it.”

Darling, who has received the backing of Novellus, Vision Scotland, Titleist and Galvin Green as she moves into the next stage of her career, admits she has picked the brains of some of her fellow Scottish players about what to expect, and she will have compatriot Michele Thomson caddying for her in Ayrshire.

As well as the Women’s Scottish Open, she has also secured invites to three Ladies European Tour Access Series events, including one into the Rose Ladies Open at Brocket Hall courtesy of former US Open champion Justin Rose.

Modest Golf founder Niall Horan commented ‘We are delighted to welcome Hannah Darling to the Modest Golf business, we have been so impressed with Hannah and cannot wait to support her on this next exciting chapter’.