No plan B for Hoskin as she chases cash
OTAGO No 1 Laura Hoskin has played her last round as an amateur and is off to China to chase some cash.
The Arrowtown player leaves for China next week to begin her quest on the China LPGA Tour where she will compete in tournaments with prize money on average from $NZ100,000 to $180,000.
Hoskin (23) is looking forward to taking the next step in her career, which started when boarding at St Hilda’s Collegiate in Dunedin.
From the age of 10 she biked every day in all weathers to practise at the Otago
Golf Club.
‘‘It was characterbuilding and how I became the golfer I am today,’’ she said.
In her final school year she was homeschooled so she could concentrate on golf.
In 2014, she ventured to the United States on a golf scholarship, ending up at the University of Mississippi as it is known.
‘‘The thing about college golf is you have a coach and other girls training alongside you practising all the time, developing skills you then have to put into action on course.
‘‘We are all friends but travelling the country playing weekly we had to learn how to separate a friendship and a rivalry. After all you are one of a squad of eight competing for the travelling five.’’
Hoskin returned home in June last year and continued to work hard on her game.
She was at No 1 for Otago and won six of her seven matches in an outstanding week at the national interprovincial tournament in December.
In January, she ventured to Hainan Island in China to attempt to qualify for the China LPGA Tour.
Of the 120 players competing, she needed to finish in the top 30 to qualify. She finished 14th.
Last week’s New Zealand Open was her last event as an amateur. Playing in the ProAm with Michael Long she performed admirably with rounds of 67 and 70.
The tournaments in China are in clusters with as many as 16 tournaments from March through to December.
‘‘I will play the first two then come back for a month. I will then head back for several events over a twomonth period around the Hong KongBeijing area.’’
She has no sponsorship as yet. If things go well, she may head to the United States in August for the Symetra tour qualifying school, the tour below the LPGA. But cost will come into it.
‘‘That is more of a dream as it is very expensive with four stages of qualifying.’’
The Korean tour is another option as is the Japan tour.
‘‘It is hard work but that is golf and that is why I love it.
‘‘ I’m not considering anything else; there’s no plan B.
‘‘I will stick to Dad’s words ‘Never let go of that work ethic’.’’