Hailing from the pacific territory of the Cook Islands, Elmay Viking is competing in Europe for the first time in her career.
The 31-year-old golfer, who turned professional in 2014, will participate in only her third LET Access Series (LETAS) event at the August 12-14 Ladies Slovak Golf Open at TALE Ski Golf & Hotel Resort among a field of 115 players.
“I’ve always wanted to challenge myself overseas and see how I compare against different levels of competition,” Viking said. “I felt like now was the right time to step outside my comfort zone and give Europe a proper go.
“It’s definitely an adjustment, especially being away from home for such a long time. I’m still getting used to traveling from one country to another, managing accommodations, flights, food and everything that comes with being on the road.
“But I’m enjoying it. I think you learn a lot about yourself when traveling and competing, and I’m trying to embrace the experience rather than overthink it.”
Throughout her 12-year professional career, Viking, who is based in Brisbane, Australia, has been competing primarily on the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour events in China, Thailand and Taiwan.
She has also played in the LET’s Australia events such as the Australia Women’s Classic, Ford Women’s NSW Open and Women’s Australian Open.
“I don’t really see the joy in it,” she said. “I’ve done it for many years, and I thought for a change to come to Europe. I think the level on LETAS is very strong. There are a lot of really good players who can shoot low scores, you can’t really afford to make too many mistakes compared to the WPGA.
“I met a lot of girls who play on here and they say it’s really good. I know it will cost a lot of money. It was the money that always was a problem because I was helping my parents with rent so it was kind of hard. Also, since I work full time, I don’t really play much.”
Working as a forklift operator, Viking is taking no-pay leave from her job to play on the LETAS. Her journey into golf began when her father brought back a seven-iron from the dumpster.
“I picked up golf back home in the Cook Islands when I was younger,” she said. “It wasn’t something I initially thought would become my career, but I really enjoyed playing and competing. Growing up on a small island, golf was a big part of my life.
“I was lucky to have people around me who encouraged me to keep playing. Eventually, I realised I wanted to see how far I could take it, and that’s what led me to turn professional.”
She started playing left-handed from the age of nine but was forced to switch hands when she turned 12.
“They don’t sell left-handed clubs,” she said. “It was hard because I swing left-handed, but I had to literally do the opposite, which I’m not very used to. It was something that my parents wanted me to do. They said there’s more varieties right-handed than left-handed.”
Now, Viking is focused on making the most of her Europe adventure to fly the flag of Cook Island on the biggest stages of women’s golf.
“I want to gain as much experience as I can and put myself in a position to move up the rankings and earn more opportunities,” she added. “I’m focused on improving and being consistent, giving myself more chances to compete at the top.
“I would love to play on the LET and compete at the highest level possible. I also want to enjoy the journey and see how far I can take my golf. I’ve been playing professionally for a long time, but I still feel like I have more to achieve.”
Viking will begin her first round of the Ladies Slovak Golf Open at 12.46pm (local time) from the 10th tee alongside Italy’s Elena Verticchio and Slovak amateur Frederika Rychtarikova.
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