Karen Stupples can begin preparing for her 10th year on the US Women's (LPGA) golf tour knowing that she has proved her doubters wrong.

The Deal 35-year-old finished 23rd on the LPGA moneylist last year with winnings of $726,436 and also rose back up the world rankings to 20th place - the highest British player ahead of Catriona Matthew (38th) and Laura Davies (66th).

But, just as importantly as far as Stupples is concerned, the 2004 British Open champion proved that she could be just as good a golfer after becoming a parent for the first time.

Nineteen months on from the birth of her first child, Logan, Stupples has every right to feel that the sponsors who dropped her when she became a mum may now be regretting that decision.

She said: "What I achieved last year was satisfying because when I had Logan people automatically seemed to put me on the back burner because they thought I would never be as successful again.

"Of course it’s harder when you are a parent and you have to juggle your time, but I’m a pretty determined character."

Although the 2009 LPGA tour starts in Brazil later this month, Stupples’ first appearance won’t be until the Honda LPGA tournament in Thailand at the end of February.

She said: "I was troubled by some trouble with the veins in my legs last year, so I am going to get that fixed in January and I will also be working hard on my general fitness."