|
Ji Young Oh started playing golf when she
was 12 years old. She quickly became a star in Korea, where
by 2005 she had made the national team.
In 2006, she came to the States and enrolled
at the Leadbetter Academy. She played on the Future Collegians
World Tour, a second tier amateur golf league, and won all
six events she entered. Her average winning score was an astounding
7.5 strokes. At the end of the year she entered LPGA Q-School,
where she finished tied for 9th to earn exempt status for
2007. She turned pro immediately thereafter.
Ji Young's rookie season started in rough
fashion, with her missing the cut in 9 of her first 11 events.
In the other two she came close to making top twenties, however,
so at least there was some promise there. But her rookie season
reached a turning point at the Safeway Classic in August.
She took the first round lead and played with Lorena Ochoa
in the final group on day 2. Only a final hole bogey prevented
her from finishing with a top five; she wound up 6th.
Although she would not make another top ten,
she played well in three of her remaining four events of the
year, including a tie for 12th at the Kolon-Hana Bank Championship.
She easily maintained her exempt status for 2008.
|
