Glasgow-based Sabrina Wong continues golfing progression

The Herald Scotland

21 hours ago

Back in April, she became the youngest winner of The R&A's Girls' under-16 Championship.
Over the past few days in sun-seared North Wales, meanwhile, Wong has been making a spirited assault on the prestigious Girls' Amateur Championship crown at Conwy.
Her brave bid, however, was thwarted by France's Lily Reitter who beat her on the final green of the semi-finals yesterday afternoon. It was good while it lasted.
You have to go back to 1934 for the last 13-year-old Girls' Amateur champion. The Glasgow Herald, as it was known in ye day, headlined Nancy Jupp's success as an 'amazing performance at Stoke Poges' while the write-up of the Longniddry teenager's success declared that it was, 'unparalleled in the game'.
Wong may not get the chance to win it at 13 again, but she'll certainly have a few more cracks at this cherished event. Watch this space.
Wong has been making a name for herself for a while now and she has made Scotland her home after her mum and dad decided to up sticks and move from Hong Kong to Glasgow a couple of years ago to aid their daughter's golfing education.
You could say it was a case of Cathay Pacific to Cathkin Braes?
After a scouting mission in and around Glasgow, Wong decided that the southside club was the best base to hone her considerable talents.
'It's great,' she said with a ringing endorsement of a club that produced a DP World Tour winner in Scott Jamieson
'We explored a few clubs, and Cathkin Braes had such great facilities. I went for a round, practiced there and, pretty quickly, I said, 'yeah, this is the place'.'
If she continues her triumphant progress, she'll be getting a commemorative cairn next to Queen Mary's Seat.
The Scottish golf writers, meanwhile, are always keen to stick a kilt on a story so we'll be claiming her as one of our own pretty soon. Wong has already picked up the accent. Forget Cantonese, it's more Clarkston.
'I tend to pick up accents very quickly wherever I am in the world,' smiled Wong, who is a pupil at Williamwood High School.
Shouldn't she have been back at school earlier this week, though? As far as Wong is concerned, school is still out for the summer.
'The school have really helped me out,' added Wong. 'I've been away a lot with my golf, but they have supported me and helped me catch up with schoolwork.
'Hong Kong education is good but it's strict and there's not as much flexibility there. It wasn't suitable for me trying to pursue a golf career.'
As this pursuit of golfing excellence continues, the Wong family are certainly not cutting corners. Moving from the other side of the world to the home of golf, after all, was quite a big decision.
'We had no connection to Scotland at all,' said Wong. 'I was only 11 at the time and my parents made the choice. It was the right one for my golf. They've been supporting me since I started competing in events when I was five or six.'
This dedication is bearing fruit as Wong continues to make her mark. 'I feel like I'm getting better and better,' she said. 'Last year was good and it was the start of me playing in these big junior events. But I was still only 12.
'When you're that age, you're not expecting to be beating 17 and 18-year-olds who are a foot taller than you. It was tough but a good learning experience.
'This year, I feel more prepared. I worked hard to try to gain more driving distance, my mental game has improved and I've done a lot of on course practice in general.
'I've been over to big events in Vietnam and Japan too. I made the cut at the Women's Amateur Asia Pacific. That was a major step for me as that event is so strong and it means so much to me.'
She may not be big in stature but Wong, who gives the ball a fair old thump with a full-blown rotation, proves that guid things come in sma' bulk.
Keep an eye on her.