There’s one thing rookie pro Helen Oh can’t do and that’s watch golf on television.
“In watching women’s golf my heart hurts knowing that I am not there and everyone else is and it makes me all sore inside, so I sort of avoid it,” the 19-year-old said.
Helen turned pro in August last year and immediately headed to the USLPGA qualifying school. Two bogeys on the final holes were cruel and costly. She missed making the second stage of qualifying by one shot – her American dream over.
The recently naturalised Aussie then left for Italy and again missed out on qualifying for the Ladies European Tour. It had to be tough watching fellow travelling partner and friend, Frances Bondad finish third to claim her maiden tour card at her first attempt.
According to Helen, all those experiences were a positive.
“Because I was so close to it, I know I can do it and it just motivates me,” she said.
“It goes back to Q school and I guess deep inside I know I am going to do well and to do well I have to put in the hard yards and get myself ready. I can’t just say ‘I missed it’ and sit at home and watch TV all day.
“I am a workaholic, I need to be practising.”
Fellow rookie pro, Sunny Park has also become philosophical since not gaining a tour card in her first year. But unlike Helen, Sunny has opted to ease up.
“Right now I am taking a break because I have never had a break since I started playing golf,” she said.
Last year’s Australian Amateur Champion made it through the first stage of qualifying on the Japanese Tour but then was unable to continue her good form and missed out.
She has had limited playing opportunities since and has found that quite frustrating.
“As an amateur there are tournaments all year round in Australia, whereas the professionals, we just have the Australian Ladies Professional Golf season, which is very short,” she said.
“There’s not much I can do to prepare in between tournaments. It is hard to compare where your game is compared to the other girls.”
Helen Oh was initially travelling to the US in April to compete in the inaugural Victory Tour but that was unexpectedly scrapped. While disappointed with the cancellation at first, in the end she believes it worked out for the better.
“I think I needed this time just to have time off, reflection and distance myself from everything else and refocus myself,” she said.
“Coming back from Q school everything was all confused in my head. I was really down on myself and I just needed time off tournaments to feel better about myself.”
Helen says she now is refreshed and ready to go. On Monday she will start the first round of qualifying for the US Open. If she makes it through she then heads off to Maryland and if things all work out, Helen will tee it up at the Open in Minnesota on June 23.
Sunny Park believes she needs to stay at home and is working towards the LPGA and LET qualifying schools later in the year.
“I think for me right now it is better to get a wide range of shots and improve my level up to USLPGA standard,” she said.
“I know it might take time. I have seen some of the standard at the Masters and the Australian Open and they are pretty solid.”
Sunny is weighing up her options and may consider the China Open. One of the stumbling blocks is the bane of all up and coming stars, the need to compete versus the need to balance the budget.
In season 2008 to date, Sunny has made just over $7,000. A recent trip to the Indian Open where she finished 23rd earned her around $1,000. It’s hardly a champagne lifestyle.
“You can’t worry about it too much but it does add to the stress,” she said.
Helen Oh agrees.
“I did my budget and realised I was $10,000 short of where I needed to be but luckily for me, my local club helped me out.”
“Having the Concord golf club members support me and believe in what I do really drives me to do my best.”
After months of practice and reflection it is now time for Helen to put herself to the test once again and there’s one thing she will be hoping for sure. Watching golf on television will soon become a whole lot easier.
