Chelsea Truong seems to have it all in golf, including a commitment to the NCAA Div. 1 University of New Mexico Lobos, despite only being in Grade 11 at Oak Bay Secondary.
The 17-year-old now also has the 2023 sa国际传媒 Women’s Amateur Championship trophy after a breathless rally from seven strokes down heading into the final round Friday at Arbutus Ridge in Cobble Hill.
“I wasn’t even in the final group and I just waited as they came in after I finished,” said the Victoria Golf Club member, who also plays at Uplands and Gorge Vale.
The final round bookended a strong first round Tuesday in which Truong led by one stroke. NCAA Div. 1 Kent State sophomore Jennifer Gu of West Vancouver led by three strokes after the second and third rounds.
“All week I felt I really close and knew I just needed to catch fire,” said Truong.
That she did with a final round 5-under 67, a female course record, to win the 118th sa国际传媒 amateur championship by one stroke over Gu.
“I never lost hope and just stayed patient and in the moment,” said Truong.
“It’s an unreal feeling and hasn’t really sunk in, yet.”
It will, as the win lifted Truong into the 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship Aug. 1-4 at the Ashburn Club in Halifax, N.S., where she will chase a title that has been won by the likes of current LPGA pro players Yealimi Noh of the U.S. in 2018, American Jennifer Kupcho in 2017, Choi Hye-jin of South Korea in 2016, Brooke Henderson of sa国际传媒 in 2013, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand in 2012, the late LPGA players Dawn Coe-Jones of Lake Cowichan in 1983 and Jocelyne Bourassa in 1965 and 1971, and legendary Canadian amateur Marlene Streit 11 times between 1951 and 1973.
The Canadian amateur champion will earn exemptions into the 2023 CP Women’s Open Aug. 24-27 at Shaughnessy Golf Club in Vancouver and the 2023 U.S. women’s amateur championship Aug. 7-13 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.
At five-foot-two, Truong knows power isn’t her game as she chases her aspirations in the sport.
“I’m not the longest hitter. I rely on my short game, approaching, chipping and putting,” she said.
Playing smart and within herself like that has carried her a long way and will into the future. Asked the inevitable question about a potential pro career, Truong answered: “Pro golf would be nice. I want to put in a solid four years at New Mexico and re-assess from there.”
The end result will be just the by-product of why she plays the game.
“I know I will have a sport for life, no matter what happens. I enjoy the friendships it has led to along the way,” said Truong.
She began playing at age six at Cedar Hill with her dad before joining the Little Vikes program.
“That really started me off,” said Truong.
She was also a guard in basketball at Oak Bay and also club play before having to leave the court in order to concentrate her sporting energies fully on the golf course.
Truong was 4-over 292 over the four rounds, runner-up Gu 4-over 293 and third-place Rebecca Kim of Surrey 6-over 294 as stubborn Arbutus Ridge stood up to and took the measure of the golfers this week.
Veteran Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, 53, was ninth overall at 17-over 305 as she is coming off a massive 2022 in which she won the U.S. senior women’s amateur championship, Canadian amateur, mid-amateur and mid-master championships, sa国际传媒 senior women’s championship and mid-master championship and Pacific Northwest senior women’s championship.
Cindy Cruise-Koira of Victoria was 12th overall at 312.
CHIP SHOTS: The Island will also host the 121st sa国际传媒 Men’s Amateur Championship July 11-14 at Morningstar in Parksville as Jackson Rothwell of Victoria, a graduate of St. Michaels University School who plays in the NCAA Div. 1 with the University of San Francisco Dons, looks to defend his title from 2022 at Christina Lake.
