US-based Malaysian national player Ashley Lau is keeping herself busy in the collegiate off-season by playing in selected events, including last week’s Michigan PGA Women’s Open where she chalked up an impressive joint runner-up finish.
Currently waiting to start her senior (final) year at University of Michigan, Ashley carded rounds of 70, 67 and 71 for an eight-under-par total at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville. She shared low amateur honours with Northwestern University junior Kelly Sim, just two shots behind winner Trystin Nowlin.
Ashley noted that it was her short game that kept her in the mix as her ball-striking was not at its best. “I was happy with my performance but at the same time a little disappointed too. Usually my ball-striking is what keeps me going on the golf course, but I was not hitting it well and had to depend on my short game.
“But that’s golf. When one thing doesn’t work out, you think of other ways to make it work,” said Ashley, who enjoyed a standout junior (third) year with the University of Michigan ‘Wolverines’ women’s golf team.
This was Ashley’s second experience playing in a professional event, the first coming way back in 2016 at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Then only 16, she finished 68th at TPC Kuala Lumpur to claim low amateur honours.
“It has been five years since my last professional event, so I was not expecting anything except to just play my own game. I knew that if I stayed in my own bubble and not think too much about competing against the pros, I would do just fine. I did what I had to do and it paid off,” said Ashley, who hails from Bintulu, Sarawak.
Unfortunately, Ashley will most likely miss out on the US Women’s Amateur Championship as she finished T6 in last week’s qualifying event at St Claire Golf Club after shooting 74 . She is a potential alternate for the prestigious main event at Westchester Country Club in New York early next month.
“I will be playing in a few more events this month and then I want to take the opportunity to do a little bit of travelling the rest of this summer, since school starts back up pretty soon,” shared Ashley.
Ashley led the Wolverines with a 72.64 scoring average in the 2020/2021 season and helped her team to six top-five finishes. She earned her first medalist honour at the Indiana Invitational with a four-under-par tally.
In the the Big Ten Championships, Ashley tied for third individually as Michigan matched their best finish in joint second place. This earned them a spot in the NCAA Columbus Regional, where she tied for 25th to help the Wolverines to joint fifth placing. They advanced to their fourth NCAA National Championship where Ashley finished 53rd and the team 20th.
