Backing in pipeline for Catriona Matthew

CATRIONA Matthew's manager is confident the North Berwick golfer will have strong corporate support behind her when she defends the Ricoh Women's British Open title at Royal Birkdale later this year.

Vicky Cuming, who works for IMG and also looks after the interests of Sam Torrance, was responding to Matthew expressing her disappointment over the lack of backing she'd received since becoming the first Scot to win a women's major last year.

While admitting the situation was "crazy" given what the 40-year-old had achieved at Royal Lytham – she beat a world-class field to lift the title just 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter – Cuming said it was simply down to tough financial times.

She said that Matthew, who has played most of her professional golf on the lucrative LPGA Tour in America, had secured one sponsorship in the shape of a bag deal with Golf Live and is hopeful two more backers will be on board in the near future – in time for the Scot's defence of the Ricoh title in Southport at the end of July.

"It has been frustrating for all of us and it is crazy really when you think about what Catriona has achieved," said Cuming. "But, to be honest, it is a reflection of how tight things are at the moment. I was out in Germany (at a Ladies' European Tour event] this week and I was talking to one player who said she did not know a single girl out there who had any sponsorship whatsoever.

"In representing Golf Live, Catriona has one new sponsor (since last year] and I am very hopeful about one or two other things that are in the pipeline. We don't look at Catriona as being someone who can only be sponsored by Scottish companies. She is a global brand and I am confident she will have a good corporate team around her by the time the Ricoh Women's British Open comes around."

According to Cuming, ladies' golf struggles to match the sponsorship levels generated in the men's game due to the fact it doesn't get the same profile.

"People question what they are going to get from it (putting money into ladies' golf]," she said, adding that one area where Matthew has become more popular as a major champion is corporate days. "Companies believe they get value for money from these events," said Cuming.

Kevin Craggs, who recently took over from Florida-based Dave Whelan as Matthew's swing coach, said he found it hard to believe that she hadn't attracted a queue of potential sponsors – and not just because of a major win.

"For someone of Catriona's calibre and ability not to have a sponsor is sad," said Craggs, who saw at close quarters the influence Matthew has on the young Scottish players trying to follow in her footsteps when she accompanied a squad to Desert Spring in Spain earlier this year for a training camp organised by the SLGA.

"The fact that Scottish golf has someone of Catriona's stature is fantastic," added Craggs who, during a five-year stint as the SLGA's national coach, has established a strong working knowledge of the ladies' game. "She's been a top professional for more than ten years and what she achieved last year was amazing.

"She had a colourful amateur career and was has been a great ambassador for the organisation (the SLGA]. She was at Desert Spring with us and really took to her mentoring role – she was fantastic.

"Quite frankly, I've seen the girls take a completely different look at the way they go about their business, both in terms of practice and also expectations – and that's as a result of Catriona's influence."