Inez Ng Clinches First Collegiate Victory in the United States
Singaporean golfer Inez Ng reached a significant milestone in her young career on September 24, securing her first collegiate victory in the United States. However, just 20 hours later at 9 am, the University of North Carolina (UNC) third-year student returned to her academic routine, shifting her focus from the golf course to an introduction to programming class, followed by a lecture on international relations and global politics.
A Well-Deserved Celebration
To celebrate her achievement, the team planned a dinner after Ng not only claimed the individual title but also contributed to her UNC teammates’ victory in the overall team championship at the Cavalier Regional Preview women’s golf tournament, where she also set a new record.
Ng, a 21-year-old national golfer, dominated the tournament by winning the individual title with an impressive eight-stroke lead. Her stellar performance, which included five birdies and a bogey, concluded with a four-under 67, bringing her total score to 12-under 201 for the 54-hole event held at the University of Virginia’s Birdwood Golf Course.
In the 71-player field, Amanda Sambach from the University of Virginia and Ng’s teammate Megan Streicher tied for second place, both finishing with a four-under 209.
Ng’s outstanding performance allowed her to break the all-time UNC record for the lowest score in a 54-hole tournament by three strokes, according to the UNC Athletics website. The previous record of 204 was set by Krista Junkkari at the Cougar Classic in 2021 and Kelly Whaley at the Briar’s Creek Invitational in 2018.
Reflecting on her victory, Ng credited her success to a positive mindset. “I didn’t perform well at our last tournament, where I finished joint-51st at the Folds of Honor Collegiate. So, I decided to focus on enjoying myself while competing. I play my best when I’m having fun and not stressing about the outcome. This win is very special to me as it is my first college victory,” she shared.
UNC Takes the Overall Championship
UNC clinched the overall championship by defeating 11 other teams with scores of 278-271-281, finishing with a 22-under 830 total. The host team, the University of Virginia, came in second with a four-under 848, while the University of Tennessee placed third, trailing UNC by 38 strokes at 16-over.
After finishing their rounds, Ng and her teammates drove back to campus. When asked about their celebration, she said, “We got some cookies when we arrived back home, and we will be having a team dinner to celebrate the victory.”
UNC coach Aimee Neff expressed her pride in the team’s performance on the university’s website, stating, “I’m incredibly proud of the team. Despite the challenging weather and course conditions, they showed consistency from top to bottom. With Inez and Megan finishing first and second, and five players in the top 10, it was an outstanding effort. Inez’s performance was particularly impressive, winning by eight strokes. She was steady throughout, even managing to birdie two of her last three holes with a comfortable lead.”
Ng’s recent success comes nearly a year after her impressive showing in Abu Dhabi, where she finished joint-fourth in the individual standings at the Espirito Santo Trophy during the World Team Amateur Championships.
With this latest achievement, Ng has not only set new records but also gained a significant boost in confidence. She remarked, “It feels great to know that my training is paying off and that I have the capability to win anywhere in the world.”r for them.