15 years on, Sarawakian golfer Ashley realises her Olympic dream

KUCHING (Aug 6):: From young, Ashley Lau Jen Wen dreamt of playing golf at the Olympic Games, a dream sparked by the sport making its debut at Rio Games in 2016.

She put in countless hours on the golf course to improve her game. After 15 years that cherished dream is now a reality in France.

Ashley is the first Sarawakian woman golfer to play in the Olympics. The golf pro will embark on that supreme challenge at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, Yvelines from Aug 7-10.

“I have to treat the Olympics just like any other golf tournament and, hopefully, my nerves will calm down before the competition,” she told The Borneo Post.

“Turning professional meant I am constantly on the road. I also have to manage all the associated golf matters on my own.

“With guidance from coaches, my past performance in tournaments earned me a top 60 spot in the Rolex rankings, securing me a spot at the Olympic Games at Paris.

“It is an honour to represent my beloved Malaysia at these games. I consider it a national service. Let’s all cheer for Malaysia and good luck to all the athletes,” said Ashley.

Despite humble beginnings the trail-blazing female golfer considers her situation as rather fortunate. Malaysia is quite well-regarded in women’s golf, hosting tournaments like the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and the Maybank Championship which attract top golfers from around the world.

She is thrilled that more and more local parents are bringing their children to play golf. She also hopes that her journey so far will inspire more Malaysians to take up the sport.

Growing up in Bintulu, Ashley picked up the game when she was just nine years old. It wasn’t a mainstream sport in her school but she found a supportive community through the Majlis Sukan Sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) which led her to compete with junior golfers from across Malaysia.

“My athletic journey began with a passion for swimming, under the programme set by a coach from China. He subsequently left and returned to his homeland.

“Soon after that, my father introduced me to golf where he brought me to the driving range of Bintulu Golf Club,” she recalled.

There were only a few junior golfers in Bintulu when she started. The first training programme she attended was at Eastwood Golf Club organised by Australian pro Paul Bryant. The coaching contributed significantly to the growth in her game.

“For tournament exposure, I started with junior competitions. It involved playing at other places. It means that I have to skip classes and curriculum activities at school that may be offset by tuition classes.

“Like any sport, golf demands training and tournament exposure.

“While there is ongoing debate about whether training or tournaments are more important, I believe both are important in the development of my game,” she said.

In Malaysia, there are tournaments organised by Malaysia Golf Association (MGA), MALGA (for women), Sportexcel (for juniors), state golf associations and golf clubs.

She gained valuable exposure from those tournaments which provided the platform for her to meet and play alongside some of Malaysia’s brightest young talents.

Her first overseas experience came in the form of a golf scholarship at Hill’s College in Queensland, Australia. The college boasts a golf academy and a team of dedicated coaches. It also provided the ideal balance of academic studies and golf as it taught students that participating in extra-curricular activities requires discipline.

“My two-year stint in Australia also provided me with countless opportunities to play with golfers from all over the world and I have observed how Australia had successfully produced several golfers playing internationally. It has reinforced my belief that Malaysia could also cultivate golfers capable of competing on a global stage,” said Ashley.

Before completing high school, she was honoured to receive a US scholarship to study in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor which is renowned for its world class facilities. The university’s golfers compete in top tier tournaments in the US National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tour.

“I hope that more Malaysians could benefit from the NCAA’s athletic scholarships,” she said and noted that such scholarships are also available for a whole range of sports.

Ashley graduated with a Bachelor degree after four years. During that period she also learned how some student-athletes advance their sports career from the amateur to professional ranks after college. It inspired her to follow in their footsteps.

After college, Ashley qualified for the Epson Tour as well as Australia’s WPGA tour. She also played in Asia at those invited tournaments.

Ashley’s first professional win was at the Victoria Open in February this year.