Naomi Ko鈥檚 goals in golf are as crystal clear as the view of the ocean from where she is teeing it up this week, touring the fairways at Torrey Pines in the San Diego area.
鈥淚 have two of them, actually,鈥� said the 15-year-old, who recently made the shift from Olympic View Golf Course to the privacy of Royal Colwood. 鈥淢y long-term goal is to play in the 2016 Olympics.
鈥淭he short term goal is to become No. 1 on the national order of merit. I think I can eventually achieve them. There鈥檚 still a long way to go, but I鈥檓 happy with my progression.鈥�
She is currently a member of sa国际传媒鈥檚 development team and third on the sa国际传媒 Golf CN Future Links junior girls鈥� order of merit.
Of course, there is also the goal of attracting an NCAA Division I scholarship, preferably on the west coast, not too far from home.
At her current rate, don鈥檛 expect the Grade 11 Claremont Secondary student to fall short of achieving them as she is one of sa国际传媒鈥檚 future stars.
This week Naomi, her younger brother Ethan Ko, Keaton Gudz and Jeevan Sihota are all not only representing the Victoria area, but sa国际传媒 as well, part of a 48-member contingent competing in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships, which began Tuesday.
The four earned their way to the prestigious international event through Canadian Junior Golf Association qualifying tournaments.
Naomi is in the girl鈥檚 15-17 age group at Torrey Pines North, while her brother, 12, is competing at the Sycuan Resort at Oak Glen. Gudz, 14, is playing on the Morgan Run Resort and Club courses and Sihota is in the 9-10 boy鈥檚 age group at Welk Resort San Diego Fountains Executive Course.
鈥淚t will be a really strong field,鈥� Naomi said on the eve of the competition from her hotel room.
The travel is nothing new for Ko, who has put on a few miles this season competing across the country and North America and she is still slated to participate in the Canadian Junior, Canadian Women鈥檚 Amateur and the sa国际传媒 Summer Games, which also speaks to her talent.
鈥淵es, it has been busy,鈥� said Ko, who finished 11th at the sa国际传媒 Women鈥檚 Amateur and then third at the sa国际传媒 Junior Girls鈥� championship. She also placed fourth at a Future Links event in Ontario.
Ko began to play golf at age 7, gave it up quickly, then took it up again at 10 when her parents Adriana Choi and Tony Ko urged her back toward the sport that she now plays every day, unless she is travelling.
鈥淚鈥檓 a little surprised with where it鈥檚 taken me. On a bad day I鈥檒l shoot high 70s and that would have been a good score for me last year. My expectations have become higher,鈥� said Ko, who won a provincial bantam title at age 13. She also claimed a win at an American Junior Golf Association event in 2012 at the Aspen Junior Golf Classic in Colorado.
She recently competed in Philadelphia at the AJGA Rolex Invitational, but struggled there.
Ko will be heading east to Quebec and Ontario before she finally gets back in early August.
Brother Ethan, who will be attending Spencer Middle School, is equally as talented, and Gudz finished seventh at the sa国际传媒 bantam boys鈥� event in 2012 after back-to-back even-par rounds of 72. Ethan Ko (two years younger) was 10th in the same event with rounds of 77 and 76.
Gudz captured the CJGA Junior Worlds qualifier at Squamish Valley Golf Club with an even-par 72 in Round 2.
鈥淗e has no expectations, he just wants to play his best and enjoy the experience,鈥� his father Rick said through email from San Diego after his son opened with a 6-over 77. Naomi recorded a 3-over 75; Ethan shot 8-over 80; and Sihota turned in a 1-over 63 (on a smaller course).
Gudz will play in a Pacific Northwest Golf Association event at Bear Mountain starting Aug. 15, then the sa国际传媒 Juvenile at Crowne Isle the week following.
