Top English woman pro golfer to sue Qantas over lost clubs

An article in The Herald Sun says that furious English golfer Samantha Head [pictured right] will sue Qantas for losing her clubs on the way to Australia last week, with Head believing it cost her a chance to win the Australian Open after she finished 10 shots behind playoff rivals Karrie Webb and Ji-Yai Shin.

She had to play with borrowed clubs in the opening round – and shot 10-over 83 at Kingston Heath on Thursday.

The four-time winner on the European tour followed with a pair of two-under 71s and closed with a four-under 69 yesterday, eight-under for the last three rounds, to finish at two-over for the championship.

“I want to sue now after this.”   Qantas lost my clubs and it took five days to get them,” Head said.

She is adamant that she would have posted at least an even-par 73 first round with her custom-made clubs which she said the airline finally found in Los Angeles.

“I could have been eight-under (the playoff score).”  “I’m trying not to think about it,” Head said.

The 34-year-old who flew from London via Los Angeles, was reunited with her golf bag on Thursday night.

“Everyone was saying it will be good and I’m thinking no way will it be good,” Head said.

“I don’t have my clubs and using another set of clubs unless they’re exactly to my spec (specifications) is just not the same.”  “Callaway were unbelievable.”  

“They supplied me with everything.”  “This is nothing against Callaway, they didn’t have time to do anything”.   They got them (to her dimensions) as close as they could.”

Head said she would seek compensation when she returned home to Surrey after playing in this week’s Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast.

“Yes, I’m going to, definitely.”  “My boyfriend’s parents are both lawyers, so I won’t have any fees,” she said.

“I’m not going to let it go because I think most people do. “

“I was very laid-back when it was all going on, but when you get to the head (airline) guys, I think you can say ‘look, this is my tournament and look what happened’.”

Head spent six months last year being tested and fitted for irons to suit her, under the supervision of her American-based boyfriend.   “He’s a club fitter, he works for a golf company (in Orlando, Florida) and he did everything perfectly for me, even my putter,” she said.

“It’s difficult when you play without your own clubs.”

The Englishwoman said she felt like she was playing like a novice as she ran up three double bogeys and six bogeys around the testing 6082m layout in the first round.

“And I kept it together.”  “I couldn’t have played any better, but the ball was going everywhere.”  “I kept my head and just played,” Head said.

“Friday morning I woke up and thought ‘OK, yesterday was a practice round’, so I started the tournament then.

“I believe everything is for a reason and I’ve learnt a huge lesson and that is to have a spare set of clubs.”

“Callaway have given me this set I used for the first round and they’re going to be my spare set,” she said.

“When I get home, I’ll change the shafts and get a new putter to be ready in case it happens again.”

A Report by The Mole from The Herald Sun