Three amateurs are in Women Olympic Tournament field
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (August 16, 2016) -- As golf
continues its return to the Olympics, the focus turns to
the Women's Olympic Tournament. The field of 60
includes many of the top-ranked players in the world
including three amateurs.
All tee times are reflective of Rio de Janeiro
local time
Tiffany Chan (8:41 a.m.,
10:36 a.m.): The USC
senior will be representing Hong Kong. During her first
year at USC, following a transfer from Daytona State of
the NJCAA, Chan played in 10 tournaments, with her
best
finish being a fourth place tie.
Chan took a big step towards qualifying for the
Olympics when she won the TLPGA Future Open in
Taiwan last August.
“It’s been a long, long journey because it started
last August when I won the TLPGA event," Chan told the
South Morning China Post. "I still can’t tell you how
excited I am and I’ll practice harder than ever and try to
prove that I will treasure this chance."
Leona Maguire (7:30
a.m., 9:25 a.m):
Representing Ireland, Maguire has a had a decorated
amateur career so far. Maguire, a junior at Duke, has
twice finished as a WGCA first All-American and was
also the 2015 National Player of the Year.
Speaking on the RTÉ Radio 1’s The Ray D’Arcy
Show in June Maguire said, "It’s a complete honour and
privilege to be going. I’d give my right arm to go to Rio
to get the chance at a gold medal."
Albane Valenzuela
(9:25 a.m., 7:30 a.m.): The incoming Stanford
freshman will be representing Switzerland this week at
the Olympic Golf Course. Valenzuela qualified for the
Olympics after she made the cut at the U.S. Women's
Open.
Valenzuela did everything possible to qualify for
the Olympics after the dream became possible following
low amateur honors at the ANA Inspiration.
After the strong showing at the ANA Inspiration,
Valenzuela had a pair of top-five finishes in Ladies
European
Tour events, helping her punch her ticket to Rio de
Janeiro.
“If someone would’ve told me at the beginning of
the year that I’d be part of the Olympics,” Valenzuela
told Golfweek. “I probably would’ve just laughed.”
The tournament will begin Wednesday and run
through Saturday.
-South Morning China Post, Ray D’Arcy
Show and Golfweek contributed to this story