Amelia Garvey will make her professional golf debut in next weeks US Open.
The New Zealand amateur star had intended to turn pro at the LPGA Qualifying School in August, but a phone call with her coach Ryan Lumsden following her three-person playoff win at the US Womens Open Qualifier changed her mind.
Garvey finished her college career at the University of Southern California just a few days ago and said turning professional immediately made sense.
It doesnt feel real to be honest. To be able to call myself a professional is weird as its something Ive been working towards for so long and now the day has finally come. I dont think you could write the script any better.
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I actually didnt think about turning professional until I qualified for the US Womens Open a few weeks ago. I spoke to my coach that night and he asked if that was something I had thought about.
It worked out perfectly with my last college tournament being the NCAA Championship this week and not really having too much planned until LPGA Q-School.
Yes, it is a fairly quick transition, but I think its too good of an opportunity to pass up and everything has fallen into place really nicely since I made the decision, Garvey said.
Garvey will tee it up a day after her 21st birthday next week in San Francisco in a tournament also featuring Kiwi superstar Lydia Ko.
She now has ambitions of winning majors, after learning the game as a six-year-old at the Kaiapoi Golf Club.
Fittingly I want to win a major. I was born in England and Ive always wanted to win the British Open and now that golf is in the Olympics, I wouldnt mind being an Olympian and win a gold medal as well. Thats what gets me out of bed in the morning.
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Amelia Garvey decided the time was right to turn pro after finishing her US college career.
Those are my two ambitions, majors and medals.
Garvey played in the US Womens Open last year as an amateur, narrowly missing the cut.
I learned a lot from that.
Brooks Koepka overtaken by his disdain for Bryson DeChambeau.
Im still going out to play the game that I love and Im going to continue to do that into my professional career. I play my best when Im having fun. I was preparing to win the US Open as an amateur, and now Im preparing to win it as a professional.
My goals are around my processes and how I stick to them.
After the US Womens Open, Garvey will play four womens All Pro Tour events and one Cactus Tour event in preparation for the LPGA Qualifying School stages that starts in August and ends in December.
