Garvey’s busy golf and school year swings into gear
A rising Kiwi star can’t wait to tee it up at the US Open. Ian Anderson
Pass exams. Play US Open. Finish college golf schedule. Graduate. Turn professional.
Amelia Garvey’s schedule for the next 12 months appears more demanding than a hungry toddler.
But the Canterbury golfer is relishing the challenges ahead after a frustrating 2020.
‘‘I’m really excited – I feel it’s been a long time coming — I’ve been waiting since I was six years old,’’ Garvey said. The 20-year-old recently was granted what she described as the ‘‘silver lining’’ to a year which saw her normal routine disappear, when she received an exemption to play at next month’s US Women’s Open, which will finally mark her major debut.
Garvey has been forced to spend most of this year in New Zealand due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, interrupting her stint at the University of Southern California.
‘‘ Usually I’m in the States at university competing over there but I came back to NZ in March, so I’ve had eight months at home.
‘‘ I’ve still been working hard but obviously I haven’t had proper competitions for the past eight months, so it’s been tough in terms of that. When I got back here however, my mental skills coach said you can become a better golfer no matter where you are in the world and what course you’re at.’’
She said she’s worked hard personally and with her ‘team’ on accountability.
‘‘ There’s a lot more distractions here, being back home, with friends and a lot more people I’ve known all my life, and I haven’t been here this long in such a long time.
‘‘I get my work done first and then I can go and make the most of being back home. It’s honestly easier than I first thought it would be. I’ve been doing all my classes online, going on live lectures, that’s taken up most of my mornings – I’ve been doing classes from about 8.30 til 12 every day then making time for golf in the afternoon. I have finals right now, all a bit stressful with everything going on, but once that dies down I can prioritise golf a bit more.’’
Garvey is a highly-promising amateur, ranked among the top 25 in the world.
In 2015, she became the second youngest player to win a professional tournament in New Zealand behind LPGA superstar Lydia Ko after capturing the Sir Bob Charles Tour Autex Muriwai.
She was the 2017 NZ women’s amateur stroke play champion and the following year Garvey tied for 23rd at the World Amateur Team Championships when representing her country.
Last year, she was the runner
‘‘I think what Lydia [Ko] has done is just amazing. She’s broken so many records and just been an absolute superstar.’’ Amelia Garvey
up at the British Women’s Amateur in Northern Ireland.
She’ll have a chance to make her mark in a professional event when she contests the US Open at the Champions Golf Club in
Houston, Texas, from December 11-14.
After Christmas, she aims to be back in the US.
‘‘I was always planning on getting back there by January any
way, which everything got postponed until. We’ve got nine tournaments scheduled between January and May.
‘‘ I feel like I’ve had my time here now, I’m ready to go back.’’
Garvey said the highlycompetitive environment as part of the leading US women’s collegiate golf team in the country means she tries to be at her best every week.
‘‘The constant pressure and learning how to deal with that – the only way you can learn how to deal with pressure is being in it.
‘‘You don’t really know how you’re going to act under pressure until it comes, so constantly getting those experiences. Not even just in the tournaments we play.
‘‘My team is ranked number
one in the country so we’ve got a really good squad and we play qualifying basically every week so I’m coming up against my own team-mates just to go and travel on the team.’’
Garvey is ranked among the top 30 players in the US college women’s game – but so are two other USC team members.
‘‘So constantly being put in situations where you have to perform and being able to learn from them – it’s not always going to go your way but looking at that as an opportunity to learn so you can trust yourself a little bit more the next time.’’
Garvey will join Lydia Ko as the other Kiwi to contest the US Open.
Given that Ko became the world No 1 in 2015 before she turned 18, just 15 months after leaving the amateur ranks, does that put more expectation on Garvey?
‘‘I wouldn’t call it any sort of pressure. I think what Lydia has done is just amazing. She’s broken so many records and just been an absolute superstar of the game.
‘‘I think we all know that as well, what she did isn’t the norm of becoming a professional golfer.
‘‘ She’s still the youngest to ever win a professional tournament at the age of 15 so — everyone’s different and you’ve just got to trust your own journey.
‘‘ She’s an inspiration – I feel fortunate to have access to someone who’s such a great player of the game; she’s always willing to give her time – I’ve actually signed up for a practice round with her at the Open.
‘‘We’re lucky to be from the same country as someone like her, she gives back to us . . .’’