KSU sophomore Kaew Preamchuen traveled to Cleveland, GA to compete in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The nationally recognized golf tournament took place at the Cleveland Country Club Aug. 6-12. The 19-year-old joined her sister, Ket Preamchuen, who competed in 2011, as one of only two athletes in KSU history to qualify for this event.
The U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship is held by the United States Golf Association and is one of the most distinguished amateur golf tournaments in the world.
“They are treated like celebrities,” said Rhyll Brinsmead, head coach of KSU’s women’s golf team. “The match play rounds are being televised on the Golf Channel, so it’s really good exposure.”
Preamchuen qualified for the 112th championship after a nail-biting playoff round at Eagle’s Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, GA in early July. Preamchuen sealed her ticket to the event with an impressive five-foot downhill birdie putt, earning her a spot alongside more than 150 competitors in the championship.
The event drew athletes from as far as the Philippines and Scotland and included players from the ages of 10 to 64. Preamchuen also had local company in the competition, playing alongside Brenda Pictor, who also plays at Pine Tree Country Club where the KSU women’s golf team holds practices.
Preamchuen, who had been in Thailand visiting friends and family with her sister, met coach Brinsmead at the airport to fly to Cleveland, where the two began planning and discussing strategy.
After two practice rounds Saturday and Sunday, Preamchuen and her coach felt well prepared and ready to play the first round Monday.
While she shyly admits that nerves still get the best of her sometimes, she felt primed for her match and soothed her anxiety by reminding herself to, “just be patient in every shot that I had to play, to take my time.”
Ket Preamchuen, who competed at the 111th championship, missed the event this year because of her planned trip home to Thailand.
“The experience from last championship was very exciting. I learned a lot from that tournament,” Ket said. She spoke with Kaew during the championship, telling her sister to play every shot wisely and also playfully adding to, “have fun and do her best!”
The first day of the championship was a nervous one for Preamchuen, who was weary from her travels and had just gotten a new club.
“On the first hole my driver pulled to the left and I was like ‘Oh, okay. Let’s be calm, you can do it,’” Preamchuen said. The first day ended with her one shot back from the cut line, placing pressure on the rising star entering her second round.
“It’s very, very competitive to make that round,” Brinsmead said.
Preamchuen’s run at the championship ended after an error in the second round threw her game. She shot only six strokes shy of the five over par 149 to tie for 99th place, missing the cut line of 64 players.
“We got off to a great start in the second round, I’d say the biggest difficulty we had was just a mental error,” said Brinsmead. With a second round double bogey that sent Preamchuen three over par, Brinsmead knew that the cut line was looming near.
“I knew the line was going to be about five or six over and that shot put us seven over,” Brinsmead said. “With 10 holes left we just pushed to make birdies and had some great scoring opportunities we just didn’t take advantage of. We ended up missing the cut by a few shots.”
When asked what they would do differently next year, Brinsmead and Preamchuen agreed that they handled the event well.
“We wouldn’t do it a lot differently. It was difficult that Kaew had been (to Thailand) to see family and friends, and then we’re talking a 23 hour flight back (to Atlanta) and then we went straight to Cleveland,” Brinsmead said. “I think that Tuesday she was tired so probably leading up to the tournament I’d like her to be here practicing…I think it would be a little more ideal.”
“I really enjoyed it. It was a great time for me,” Preamchuen said, reflecting on her time in Cleveland.
“To be in the position to make the cut is really great, overall it was a phenomenal experience,” said Brinsmead. “I think hopefully next year I’ll have both Ket and Kaew stay during the summer and try to qualify.”
The KSU women’s golf team resumes practice in two weeks and will begin traveling to tournaments three weeks later. By mid-September the season will be in full swing, leaving Preamchuen with less than two months to prepare for a season full of out of state tournaments and events.
“There are four or five tournaments coming up in the fall and I’m very ready for them,” Preamchuen said.. “I would like to be in the Top 10 for two or three tournaments.”
The KSU women’s golf team will tee-off its first match of the season on Sep. 10 at the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational in West Point, Miss.
