It’s been exciting out theret
There is still a little way to go and our star player is look ing forward to it
IT has been an exciting and rewarding run of tournament golf that I’ve played recently.
I have enjoyed many new experiences and I’ve put myself in good positions from which I have learned a lot.
Just this past week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, I had a share of the lead after the first round – something new and eyeopening for me. But having said that, the conditions in the Thursday round at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania were tough and windy.
The course was playing really hard and fast, just like how a Major championship should. The tournament set up was first-class, all the way to player services in the clubhouse with great food.
I finished the tournament in a tie for 13th place, which is my personal best at a Major championship. I was told that it is also a new record performance by a Malaysian golfer – men or women at a Major.
I’m really pleased with my week and super happy about my achievement. I know my game is trending in the right direction and I’m really excited to finish the rest of the year on a high note.
Golf has obviously treated me well so far this year. But I would like to take you back a year in my career, to where I think it’s important to note that as you are reading this, the results and success did not just fall out of the sky.
I’ve had to work hard and find the positivity you need to give yourself a lift, when things are not going too well or don’t look so good.
As I left Aronimink last Sunday, it was exactly a year ago that I was getting myself prepared to head out to Pinehurst for the LPGA Qualifying Series.
It’s a brutal two weeks of golf that you have to play well consistently to gain your full status back on the LPGA Tour – really rescuing my job (career).
I remember entering the week at Q-Series last year knowing what I’ll get and not get. The pressure level was immeasurable as the only option was to play well and finish as high as I could over the two weeks.
As things went, I played good enough to finish at T20, which in turn gave me the start that I had earlier this year in Australia – giving myself a confidence boost for the rest of the season.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic came into it and the Tour took a downward turn like the rest of the world and the tournaments were postponed, including the Olympic Games in Tokyo (something that I was looking forward and hoping to qualify for).
But looking back now, I feel like I took advantage of the five months quarantine time to really train hard physically and mentally, and be as prepared as I could be for the restart of the Tour in July.
There are only five tournaments left to go in this season, including a Major – the US Women’s Open conducted by the USGA at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas from Dec 10 to 13 and the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida from Dec 17 to 20. I’m working on and look forward to keeping my good stretch going.
I know I’ve kept a lot of Malaysians and fans elsewhere on the edge of their seats watching me play this past week, but I just want to say thank you to all of you. I feel the love and support and, really appreciate it.