In her second year competing on the Epson Tour, Robyn Choi (Gold Coast, Australia), fired a career-low 9-under 63 today in the first round of the ninth annual Epson Classic at LPGA International.
“I feel good, I just broke my personal best,” said Choi. “The last low score I had was earlier this year at the ISPS Handa Vic Open. I shot a 65 in the second round with it being a par-73.”
The 22-year-old Australian’s putting has excelled in 2020 on both the LPGA and Epson Tour. This year, Choi made five cuts in five starts on the “Road to the LPGA” and fell just short of a win in South Bend, IN. After three-top ten finishes and putts falling, Choi is happy with what she sees.
“It’s really hard to score if you are not putting well. If there was one area this year, I have really improved upon it would be my putting,” said Choi. “I was hitting it well, but I was also making a lot of putts which always makes me feel good. After sixteen I was walking over to the tee and I maybe started thinking about scores, but I really wasn’t in my head at all today.”
FEELING REFRESHED, KIM RETURNS TO COMPETITION
After taking a break from the Tour due to COVID-19, August Kim (St. Augustine, FL) is in Daytona Beach and making her second start on the Epson Tour since the Florida’s Natural Charity in March.
“My family and I took a lot of precautions with everything going on. I was super happy the tour came back around to Florida so I can play again,” said Kim. “Over the break I also got to practice a lot with my sister, and it was so nice to have that and have her keep me ‘sane. I don’t remember the last time I was home for this long continuously.”
Coming off of practice with sister, Auston Kim, who competes for Vanderbilt University, August picked right up today carding a 6-under par 66. She is taking a refreshed mindset going into tomorrow three back from the lead.
“It’s a lot of perspective coming back out here to remember the good things and to focus on and being grateful to play out here. It was very smooth today,” said A. Kim. “Last week and this week my game plan is to stay grounded, stay calm, take one hole at a time.”
BELAC BUILDING ON MOMENTUM
First year professional, Ana Belac (Portoroz, Slovenia), has not missed a cut this year yet in her first five starts on tour. Belac finished the first round with a 6-under par 66, tied with August Kim and Roberta Liti (Siena, Italy).
“I feel like I had a really calm and put together round. I played consistent and didn’t make the silly mistakes I have been this year,” said Belac. “Now I feel like I have it down a little bit, calming myself after every shot and just staying in the moment. But also hitting every shot like it is the most important.”
Despite not having been home to Slovenia since December 2019, 23-year-old Belac has continued working hard and the results show. The Duke University alumna has three top-fifteen finishes on the Epson Tour and competed in her first LPGA event as a professional. This week Belac has her mom caddying for her.
“It feels good having my mom out here traveling with me. She is taking some pressure off for things like driving around and pushing my cart. It helps me stay less tired,” said Belac. “When I am on the course, I try not to think too much about the top-five or where I am standing, more on posting a good score and not make mistakes this weekend.”
NOTABLE QUOTES
Peiyun Chien (-8, 2) on going low on day one:
“I just wanted to keep it simple and I hit very well today. With my driver I always hit very hard, but I am really trying to control it. I’m feeling confident and comfortable and am excited to be out here on the Epson Tour.”
Anna Redding (-6, T6) on a short break to refresh mindset on and off the course:
It was really nice to go check in with my coach and see where everything was. It was a great mental check for me to remember to be happy on and off the golf course. With the conditions the past few days I was honestly a little worried. So I talked to my sports psychologist and told them the conditions are going to be rough. They told me ‘Just go out there and grind it out, it’s the same for everybody. Get your feet muddy and go out there and go for it, but honestly the maintenance staff did a great job and the course looks much better than I expected.”
Vicky Hurst (-5, T6) on starting strong with a solid opening round:
“it feels really nice yeah he was hitting the ball well today and I I putted well so you know it feels good to start out with a solid 5 under you know this course for some reason I haven't always like play really well out here so it's good to start out strong.”
Katja Pogacar (-4, T14) on competing in the states while the Ladies European Tour (LET) is on a break:
“With the two-month break on the LET, I wanted to switch it up a little bit and see some people know over here. It felt really good out there today, I have seen a lot of improvements these past few weeks and I am happy with what my game looks like. I feel the course is playing differently last year, so I am adjusting to that and the grass because we don’t have much like this on the LET.”
PLAYER NOTES
Robyn Choi
- Choi, 22, is a native of Gold Coast, Australia
- Represented native country at 2016 World Amateur Team Championship
- Qualified for both the 0217 and 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship
- Set the University of Colorado program record for scoring average by a sophomore (72.69)
- Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Honorable Mention All-American and All-Pac 12 First Team in 2018
- Finished T45 at the 2018 LPGA Q-Series to first earn LPGA and Epson Tour membership as a 2019 rookie
- Made seven cuts across nine starts on the Epson Tour in 2019 with a season best T18 at the IOA Golf Classic
- Made three cuts across 12 starts on the LPGA Tour in 2019 with a season-best 36th at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational
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