India’s top woman golfer Irina Brar has set her sights on the European tour for which she intends to qualify in two months’ time.

The Chandigarh-born 23-year-old, the country’s no 1 woman golfer for years but for a three-year break between 2002 and 2004 because of back and knee injuries, said on Monday, “I am going in October to try and qualify for the European tour. I have fully recovered from my injuries now.

“I also intend to take part in the Asian tour from January to March and in the proposed tournaments in Dubai and India prior to that if and when they happen. That’s my schedule for now,” she explained.

Irina, who spoke to the reporters on the sidelines after the launch of youth networking website bigadda.com promoted by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambhani Group, said women’s golf was looking up in India with more prize money coming in and some widening of the players’ base.

“It cannot be compared to the men’s progress because golf as a career option for an Indian woman is still at a nascent stage. But I am seeing a good future for it with increased prize money,” she said.

The Punjab woman, who created ripples by winning the national crown as a 16-year-old in 1999, rued her narrow miss in the British Open pre-qualifiers in July at Berkshire in England.

“I missed to make it to the qualifiers by one stroke,” said Irina who is currently ranked 23rd in Asia of her tied 30th finish in the event.