Lahaina, HI – Professional golfer, Tiffany Chan was the only player under par today and shot 70-71-141 (-1) in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier on the Royal Ka’anapali Course. Chan earned the single spot to play in the 73rd U.S. Women’s Open at Shoal Creek Golf & Country Club in Shoal Creek, AL May 31 – June 3. Maui High Junior Reese Guzman took second place, 13 shots off Chan.
Chan, a rookie on the LPGA Tour this year is the first golfer from Hong Kong to land a spot on the LPGA Tour. “I am really enjoying my season so far – I don’t feel like my scores have really reflected how I am playing, but the pressure for me being the first from Hong Kong is really big and I am learning a lot from the other Tour players,” Chan commented. Adding, “I know I just need more time for experience and (I’ll) grow from there – so far I have made the cut 5 out of 8 times.”
Chan’s strategy for today’s qualifier at Ka’anapali was to take one shot at a time. Chan stated, “It was windy out there and I just needed to stay calm and keep focused, even on my short putts.” In today’s first round, Chan bogeyed the second hole but then made back-to-back birdies on 3 and 4. “This was my first visit to Maui - Ka’anapali, I love it! The course conditions were perfect, the greens were rolling really good so I had some opportunities for birdies,” Chan commented.
Chan struggled a bit on the back nine of the second round, missing a few key putts and bogeyed holes 11, 13 and 14. Chan said, “I started to scramble a bit out there - the wind had picked up and after missing a few putts, I told myself, ‘Let’s make some putts coming in’ and I did – I was really happy with my finish.” Chan would go on to birdie 15, 16 and 17 to finish the second round even with a 70-71-141 finish. From Ka’anapali, Chan heads home for the Hong Kong Ladies Open, then back to the mainland for the Kingsmill tournament and then on to compete in her first major, the U.S. Women’s Open.
High school Senior, Maui Guzman shot 79-75-154 and commented on her round, “I have been super busy with school and states coming up so just wanted to go out today and play my own game.” Guzman T1 in the 2017 HHSAA Girls Golf Championship and lost in a playoff to Honolulu’s Clair Choi on the same course.
“The Royal course is tough, the finishing hole is tough - but today, for the first time ever – ever, and I’ve played it many times - for the first time ever, I made par on that hole!’ exclaimed Guzman. Continuing, “I hit a great drive down the middle on the final hole today and had about 190 yards in. I was talking to my caddie and we decided to take the safe route and aim more left to take the bunker out of play (and the lagoon). I then hit a great flop shot into the green and made the 12 footer for par. I was so happy, it was a great way to end the day.”
Guzman heads to Turtle Bay tomorrow for the 2018 HHSAA Girls State Championship. She is the only qualifier from Maui High School heading to states. “I’m looking forward to it – so many of us have played that course since we were little so there will be some great competition next week for sure,” said Guzman. Ka’anapali was one of only 25 sites chosen for the women’s qualifier.
The U.S. Women’s Open is one of 13 national championships conducted by the USGA and is open to professionals and amateurs who have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4. For a list of all scores and placements, please visit the Golf Genius website. For more information about the USGA and Hawaii State Golf Association (who helped to run the Ka’anapali event), visit the Hawaii State Golf website..
ABOUT KA’ANAPALI GOLF COURSES:
The Royal Ka’anapali Course, a Robert Trent Jones Senior design, opened in 1962 and has tested the skills of golf professionals and amateurs alike. A Par 71 stretching 6,700 yards, the Royal Course combines wide fairways and undulating greens, making it both distinctive and demanding. Home of the Champions Tour Ka’anapali Classic for 14 years, the Royal Ka’anapali Course also hosted Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, the Canada Cup and LPGA Kemper Open, donning such golfing greats as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Jan Stephenson and Betsey King.
The Ka’anapali Kai Course is a Par 70, 6,400-yard course and boasts an array of strategically placed bunkers, contoured fairways, and re-shaped and resurfaced greens. This course, host of Golf Channel’s #1 series Big Break Ka'anapali, is a challenge to play and places a premium on strategy off the tee, accuracy with approach shots, and a deft touch around the greens. In 2005-2007, Ka’anapali Golf Courses invested over $13 million in renovations and infrastructure.
Golf course architect, Robin Nelson, was brought in to oversee the rework of the Ka’anapali Kai Course and enhancements to the championship Royal Ka’anapali Course. Ka’anapali recently celebrated 50 years (1962-2012) and was host of the Champions Tour SKIN GAME January 2008-2011. For more information about Ka’anapali Golf Courses visit our website or call (808) 661- 3691.
