NOT having a care in the world seems to have been the secret behind Kristy Hickey’s win in The Golf Centre’s Coffs Coast Ladies Classic played at the Coffs Harbour Golf Club over the weekend.

As a home-club member, Hickey’s win in the Ladies Classic was a popular one in the clubhouse but she admits it was one she wasn’t expecting as she teed off for the event’s second round on Sunday.

“I had no expectations, absolutely none,” Hickey said.

“I was coming seventh at the start of the day. When you’ve got nothing to lose, you just go out, hit the ball, find it and hit again.”

Hickey shot an opening round 88 on Saturday and found herself seven strokes behind Grafton teen Annalese McKee, a pair of fellow Coffs Harbour members in Keryn Little, who shot an opening round 83, and Trish Nance who fired an 85 on Saturday to be tied in third place with Narelle Anderson from Safety Beach.

Hickey added that having a lot less preparation than usual also contributed to her lack of care.

“This is the least prepared I have ever been for a tournament,” she explained.

“Normally I would be out here every day, practicing, practicing, practicing.

“But I’ve just played a couple of Ambrose events, 4-Ball events so I’m really surprised.”

Hickey fired a final round 81 to finish the Ladies Classic three-strokes ahead of previous winner Adele Douglas from Bonville.

Anderson was leading until a double bogey on the second last hole put paid to her chances of victory while Little finished in fourth place.

Hickey said it wasn’t until all the scores were handed in that she realised she had won and reversed a run of runner-up and third place finishes in the tournament.

“I wasn’t aware of any scores that were happening in the last group. I didn’t know what their best game was and I just thought that the only thing I can control out there is my game and that’s just what I kept doing to the best of my ability.”