Nikki made a huge impression in her first season as a professional in 2006, and earned 99,445.05 € to finish 12th on the New Star Money List. She comfortably won the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year Award for the best newcomer to the LET and was also the highest ranked player on the New Star Money List not to have won a tournament.

How much have you enjoyed your first year on Tour?

I’ve definitely enjoyed it. It’s been a lot different to amateur golf. You’ve got to be more organised. But it’s been a great year golf wise and on and off the course. It’s been a nice year all round. Everyone I’ve met had been really nice. I had heard before I came here that it was the friendly tour and I can definitely agree with that now.


What were the highlights looking back?

The highlight was probably the Wales Open. That was a really great year for me. Playing in the last group on the last day was a goal you always set yourself and to play well on that last day and not drop out of contention was a really big bonus too. It was funny because I wasn’t nervous all day and I thought I would have been really nervous; so it was a big goal to achieve and then I followed it up with another third the next week; so that was really good too.


What are your main goals now?

I would love to win a tournament. Being so close this year it would be nice to get one. To get more top tens too. I’ve had a few top tens but then there were a lot of 30s as well so I want to bring the 30s down to 20s. I want to get more consistent and another goal is to putt better.


What do you enjoy doing outside of golf?

I like sitting in the lounge! When playing a bit of squash. I like trying to do a bit of boxing with a friend of mine who teaches it. I haven’t been able to do it for at least six months so I’m going to try and get back into that over the summer. I get so bored with going to the gym. I hate it!


What attracts you to boxing?

It’s always something different and I’ve got my friend there telling me that I’m a whinger; so I think you get to mix things up and have fun while you’re doing it.

It’s always a chore to do weights. It’s a bit of fun to get some cardio in there as well. You do a bit of skipping and things like that so I really enjoy it.


You’re not into surfing?

I don’t really like the beach much. I was learning to surf when I was younger and I fell off and moved vertebrae in my back; so I haven’t really been back on a surf board since then and I think that put me off the beach a little bit.

I’m more of a swimming pool person because you don’t get the sand everywhere and if you want you just get out. I like looking at the beach and I like occasional walks along the beach. My boyfriend and I used to do a lot of stair running and we’d do that at the beach. It was nice because you’d go through so much pain going up the stairs on the way back down you could look at the beach. It was more calming and relaxing. I’ve got really sensitive eyes too so the salt water stings them, I’m a big wuss!