Meghan MacLaren is relishing the chance to once again take on the men as she tees it up this week in the 2021 Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika.
The event is a first on the European Tour as it features 78 men and 78 women going head to head on the same course competing for one prize fund and one trophy.
But MacLaren has already proved she can take on her male counterparts, having finished second at the Jordan Mixed Open - a 2019 European Challenge Tour event where the field included players from the Ladies European Tour and the Legends Tour.
Later that year she also played in the GolfSixes Cascais for England Women, and the two time LET winner is delighted that events like this week's at Vallda Golf and Country Club are no longer seen as a rarity in golf.
"I think they’re huge," she said of the mixed environments. "I think golf has a really unique position in sport in that it can bring together different genders and even playing some of the mini-tour stuff last summer when golf restarted, they had a lot of mixed events then as well.
Practice rounds with a difference 🚹🚺#ScandinavianMixed pic.twitter.com/UtoIMNqSjI
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) June 9, 2021
"For us players it offers a new perspective, which I’ve personally really enjoyed, but I also think for the whole equality movement and for showcasing that there doesn’t have to be this big divide between men’s sport and women’s sport.
"I think events like this are really important to just bring that to a wider audience.
"I think the last couple of years have been really big. An event like this, it maybe isn’t talked about as much right now which is actually, I think a sign of the progress.
"Jordan was this massive innovation, and can it work? How is it going to be? Will the players enjoy it? It went really really well and this event almost feels a little bit more normal which I think is the way that golf should be moving and sport should be moving.
"Fingers crossed more fans can see it happen this week and enjoy a whole range of golf."
