TAIWAN, 7 Aug 2015, (HK Golfer News Wire) - The 21-year-old, who broke into the top-10 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking late last year, started the day a shot behind overnight leader Hsieh Yu Ling but breezed past her more experienced opponent with a brilliant back-nine in high winds at Tong Hwa Golf and Country Club to shoot 69 and win the Taiwan LPGA-sanctioned event by four.
In doing so, the former Diocesan Girls’ School student becomes the first player from Hong Kong to win a professional tournament that carries Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking points.
“I came into the event with the aim of being the best amateur but I handled myself well in the conditions and played an almost perfect round.” said Chan, who finished with a nine-under-par total after opening up with scores of 72 and 65. “I’ve always liked playing in the wind - with the typhoon coming there was a chance the final round would be cancelled - so I’m really happy with the way the weather and everything worked out. It’s very satisfying.”
Still trailing Hsieh by a shot heading to the par-5 12th, Chan made her move with a chip-in eagle to take the outright lead for the first time all week.
“I knew I had to make at least a birdie there so to see the ball go in for eagle was a pretty exciting moment,” continued Chan. “But I knew there were a few holes to go and it wasn’t until the 15th, where I holed a 20-footer for birdie, that I thought I could win.”
Another birdie followed at the 17th, where she found the par-5 in two, allowing Chan to take a comfortable lead into the closing hole.
“I hit a good drive down the fairway on the 18th and I was pretty confident from that point that I was going to do it,” said Chan, who made a last-minute decision to play in Taiwan after failing to make it into the field at this week’s US Women’s Amateur.
As an amateur, Chan was not entitled to the winner’s share of the prize purse, which instead went to Hsieh.
By her own admission, Chan has struggled with her game in recent months. Despite solid results at the Queen Sirikit Cup and the inaugural Hong Kong Ladies Open, both of which took place at The Hong Kong Golf Club earlier this summer, Chan had been unhappy with her ball-striking. But three consecutive weeks of practice at Fanling, with input from the club’s director of golf, Dean Nelson, and HKGA national coach Brad Schadewitz, has her back to her best.
“I’m playing as well as I have in a long time, and I’m very thankful for the support I’ve had from both the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Hong Kong Golf Association,” said Chan, who will enrol at the University of Southern California later this month after two seasons at Daytona State where she was ranked the number one junior college golfer in the country. “It’s great to win an event as big as this before heading back to the States.”