IT IS 12 years since an eight-yearold schoolgirl was taken for a golf lesson by her grandfather, Des Warren. The years of practice that followed will all be worthwhile as later today Jodi Ewart fulfils her childhood dream.

Ewart is part of the Great Britain & Ireland team at St Andrew's over the next three days and she is looking to help end the USA's dominance of the Curtis Cup.

More than 8,000 spectators are expected at the home of golf each day and the 20-year-old's inclusion marks a new chapter in her burgeoning career.

Before her first coaching lesson, few would have predicted that Ewart would have been destined to take part in the female version of the Walker Cup; most who knew her would have expected an equine career.

Her father, Harvey, operates as head lad for trainer Mark Johnston, while her mother Zoe helps sort out the colours for another Middleham stable, that of Chris Thornton.

But with little interest in horses' the pair's daughter got a feel for a completely different sport and her grandfather will be high in her thoughts over the course of the next few days.

"I remember liking golf and my grandad showed me what to do," said Ewart. "It was my grandad who took me down to the Catterick Golf Club for my first lesson with Andy Marshall and it has continued ever since.

"My grandad passed away five years ago and it is sad he's not around to see me play at St Andrew's in the Curtis Cup. He'd have loved to have seen me play there, he knew how much I wanted to play in the Curtis Cup."

Marshall, the Catterick professional, has coached her ever since and is full of admiration for the way Ewart has progressed on to the world stage since that first coaching session.

And it is those early days in the game that have eventually led to her starting a four-year scholarship at the University of New Mexico in autumn 2006, where she is studying psychology and minoring in sociology.

The classroom, however, is a side-issue for the gifted golfer, who won last year's English stroke-play Championship. She has always aspired to reach the top of the game and the Curtis Cup offers her the chance to make huge inroads towards that.

But given Great Britain & Ireland's history in the competition, even the most optimistic golf enthusiast from these shores would find it difficult to predict a home win on Sunday night.

It is 12 years since GB last won the Curtis Cup, with five straight defeats contributing to a record of 25 United States victories to just six. Ewart, however, is confident the current squad have enough quality to surprise.

"Four of us play in America already so we know what we are up against and what to expect," said Ewart, named the co-Mountain West Conference player of the year and freshman of the year in 2007 on the college circuit.

"The American team do get a lot more coverage and are used to the spotlight, so they are undoubtedly favourites. But we are going to give them a very difficult few days and I think we can do it.

"We have an extremely young team. I think I'm the third oldest and I'm only 20, but it is a very experienced squad despite our age.

"I would like to think the Americans will struggle at St Andrew's, particularly if the wind blows. They also only arrive on Sunday so they will have the jetlag to contend with as well, I know all about that."

Ewart, also gearing up for a push for the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championships on June 11, flew over from the States well before she met up with the the Great Britain & Ireland squad on Sunday. And, after days of practise on the incredible greens on the east coast of Scotland, she feels mentally and physically prepared to help her country to glory.

"I am really looking forward to it, I can't wait," said Ewart. "It's by far and away the biggest event that I have played in and it's just what I have been looking forward to since I started playing."