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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s top woman amateur Jeneath Wong aims to soak in the experience when she makes her Major debut in this week’s 78th US Women’s Open Championship.
Jeneath is also hoping to make the halfway cut in the prestigious championship, which tees off at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links in California on Thursday.
“I’m excited to be playing in my first Major! My target is to make the cut, but I also want to have a memorable experience at Pebble Beach,” said Jeneath.
The 18-year-old secured her spot in the Major, with a runner-up finish in the Qualifying Tournament at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club last month.
Jeneath noted that she is really looking forward to taking on the iconic Pebble Beach layout, which is hosting a women’s Major for the first time.
Pebble Beach has been the venue for seven men’s Majors, including six US Opens.
“I have not played at Pebble Beach yet, and I’m super excited to play at one of the world’s most famous courses.
“I plan to head there on July 2, which will give me four days to get used to the golf course and its condition,” she said.
After completing her freshman year at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Jeneath headed to the United Kingdom to play at the Women’s Amateur Championship last month.
She reached the match play stage at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, England, before bowing out in the second round.
“It was a great experience playing in the Women’s Amateur, and I learnt a lot about how to play in super windy conditions.
“The wind was either blowing left or right, and that made it much more challenging, so I definitely picked up a thing or two about how to play in those conditions,” said Jeneath, currently ranked 52nd in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Jeneath moved to Melbourne, Australia, with her family when she was 10 and established herself as one of the region’s top amateurs.
She enjoyed a stellar freshman year with the Pepperdine Waves women’s golf team, amassing a 72.72 season scoring average to break the previous freshman record of 73.22 set by Danielle Kang in 2009-10.
In May, Jeneath and her teammates created history when they reached the quarter-finals of the NCAA Women’s Division 1 National Championship, a first for the Pepperdine Waves since the match play format started in 2015.
“The best part about college life is being able to play in all the big tournaments in the United States.
“If you win, you are exempt into some of the LPGA tournaments. It can be tough juggling school and golf, but I’m enjoying it.” – The Vibes, July 4, 2023
