Malaysia’s top lady amateur Loy Hee Ying is proud to be flying the country’s flag at the fabled Augusta National Golf Club during this week’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).
“I’m very proud to have the Malaysian flag flying at Augusta National … very proud to represent the country. I don’t think there’s any better way to do it than at Augusta,” said Loy, who is in her senior year at East Tennessee State University. “It’s pretty amazing, it’s beyond a dream.”
The first two rounds take place today and tomorrow (April 3 and 4) at the nearby Champions Retreat Golf Club, with the top 30 players progressing to the final round at Augusta National on Saturday (April 6). Regardless of whether they make the 36-hole cut, the entire field will get to play the Augusta National course in the official practice round on Friday (April 5).
Loy noted that just being at the Masters venue was going to be special. “I think just being there is amazing and being able to play is like a bonus. I just want to experience the atmosphere at Augusta, as there is nowhere else you can find these feelings. It’s the week right before the Masters and everything will be so perfect – and I’m really glad to see it for the first time ever,” she said.
The 22-year-old received a phone call from Augusta National in late January informing her that she had been selected as a committee’s pick for the elite 72-player event. The field includes the 2018 winners of the US Women’s Amateur, Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship, Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, US Girls’ Junior, Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship and Girls Junior PGA Championship. The next 60 spots are filled using the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the end of 2018, with the 30 top US players not otherwise qualified earning invitations followed by the next 30. The remaining spots are championship committee’s picks.
“I was not expecting it at all – my world ranking was like 140? And for internationals you had to literally be in the top 30 to get in. And so, I was like, there was no way – and I didn’t know there was a chairman’s pick or anything,” said Loy, who tees off at 10.24am (10.24pm Malaysian time) in today’s first round at Champions Retreat with England’s Alice Hewson and Jessica Yuen of the USA.
“It feels amazing, the people at home are excited and are all looking forward to this weekend. Hopefully I can perform well,” she added.
Provided she remains an amateur, the 2019 ANWA champion will receive an invitation to the tournament’s next five editions, the 2019 US Women’s Open, the 2019 Women’s British Open, and any USGA, R&A and PGA of America amateur championships for which she is eligible for one year.
NBC Sports will be broadcasting the final round ‘live’ from noon to 3pm, while Golf Channel will carry highlights, live reports and news coverage throughout the event.
For more information, www.ANWAgolf.com.
Interview by Joy Chakravarty
