Hard work pay ys off for Winnie
Teenager awarded full golf scholarship at Universit y of Washington
MALAYSIA has a growing number of young, aspiring golfers who attend college in the United States in pursuit of a higher education and sports opportunities.
Ben Leong and Gavin Green, the Malaysian teammates at the World Cup of Golf that ended in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday are classic examples of this.
Now, 17-year-old Winnie Ng (pic) is preparing for a journey like that of her own.
A student at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) in Mantin, Seremban, Negri Sembilan, Winnie said she is excited about the prospect of going to the University of Washington in Seattle Washington, where she will undertake business studies.
“Yes, I am really looking forward to it and it’s a great honour for me,” said Winnie, who was due to sit for her SAT exam yesterday and IGCSE next May. She is scheduled to leave for University of Washington next September.
Hopeful of turning professional and playing on the LPGA Tour, the biggest and best circuit in women’s golf, after her studies, Winnie added that she would do her best, both academically and on the golf course.
“From what I have heard, it will not be easy for me but I’ll definitely do the best I can,” she said.
The University of Washington is one of the top-20 public universities in the US and one that won the collegiate NCAA National golf championships in 2016.
Winnie said she was also grateful to the Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar, where she was awarded a full scholarship in January 2016.
She thanked the governors and trustees of the college, who were on hand at the signing ceremony to accept her full scholarship to the American college.
Present at the ceremony were the chairman of the board of trustees and governors Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar, member of the board Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar, Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (Malga) Tunku Puteri Tunku Puan Sri Jawahir, Sportexcel executive director C. Sivanandan, Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar principal Dr Glenn Moodie, as well as teachers and students.
Winnie, who was in the Malaysian golf team at this year’s Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, is a multiple winner of junior tournaments and has a scoring average of 73.8.
Her lowest round is the five-under 67 she carded in the first round of this season’s EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open, an event on the professional circuit - the Ladies Asian Golf Tour.
Tunku Imran, who founded Sportsexcel some 27 years ago, said they were proud of Winnie’s progress and happy that she was awarded a scholarship, having seen her start in the sport as an eight-year-old.
“Winnie has done well, both academically and sports-wise, so to see her efforts recognised by a top US university is really very good.” he said.
“Now we wish her well and hope she goes on to realise her dreams of completing her business studies and playing on the LPGA Tour.”