Courtesy of Stanford Athletics
Brooke Seay earned the historic final honor of low amateur at the 51st edition of the Chevron Championship in uncontested fashion over the weekend. The Stanford junior was the only amateur of five to make the cut at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills, finishing tied for 65th at 2-over par.
As
Jennifer Kupcho, winner of the 2022 Chevron Championship, answered interview after interview on the 18th green, Seay standing nearby absorbed the accomplishment for her fellow 2019 Augusta National Women’s Amateur competitor.
“I look up to Jennifer a lot,” Seay said. “I played some junior tournaments with her as well. I was there watching her win the Augusta Women’s National amateur a few years ago, I remember feeling so inspired seeing the energy there.
“To see her come out, turn professional, and win her first major a few years later. It was really cool to witness that, and see how she’s come so far.”
Texas freshman
Bohyun Park and Ole Miss junior
Isabelle Fierroboth missed the cut by a stroke. San Jose State’s
Natasha Andrea Oon missed it by two. Baylor senior
Gurleen Kaur missed the cut by four.
“I was really excited,” Seay said Sunday, “Playing on the weekend at major is an unmatched experience, especially out here with all the crowds. On 17, 18 the energy is so fun.”
As top-ranked Stanford barrels towards the postseason, Seay’s heeded the advice of 2017 Chevron Champion So Yeon Ryu, a former world No. 1, on turning professional.
“It was really interesting talking to her [Ryu] because she wasn't sure if she wanted to go pro at first,” Seay said. “That was really interesting to me because I think a lot of people just know from a young age that's what they want to do and are really set on that. So it was interesting to hear her talk about the decision to go. She just kind of tried it and she said, you know, you just know when you try it. It's hard to know what an experience is going to be like until you get there.”
Seay is coached by her father Gordon, who also caddied for her this week. Seay's mother, brother and grandfather were also in the gallery.
“My dad has been coaching me for a long time,” Seay said. “He was there since I first started golf and so he knows my game really well.”
Kupcho, 2019 August National Women’s Amateur Champion, earned her first major title with the victory. She fended off a Sunday charge from
Jessica Korda to win by two, becoming the last winner at the Dinah Shore course.
“It's surreal to be able to say that I was the last person here and first person at Augusta,” Kupcho said of her win.
ABOUT THE Chevron Championship (ANA Inspiration)
First women's professional major of the year,
the Chevron (formerly the ANA Inspiration, and before
that the Kraft Nabisco)
Championship draws more than
100 of the best women professional golfers in the
world, as well as the top-ranked amateurs in the
country.
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