Amelia Garvey has high hopes for this year

By Neville Idour 

“Her talent pops off the page “ said Justin Silverstein, the golf head coach at the University of southern California. 

Silverstein was talking about New Zealand golfer Amelia Garvey from Canterbury and it was great to catch up with her at The Hills Pro-Am in Arrowtown recently and learn much about this young golf professional as she looks to achieve her goal of playing full time on the LPGA Tour, the world’s richest golf circuit for women.  

 

Garvey, 21, graduated from the University of Southern California (USC), in May 2021. 

 

She explains: “I turned professional straight after so it has been a big year for me.’'

 

 More on that later.

First let’s go back to the beginning.

 “I first started golf when I was six years old after being born in Manchester (in England) and the family moved to New Zealand when I was five. My parents Lee and Beverly are British so I have a British passport.

“Dad played golf socially but I played many sports. I was a Tom boy for sure. 

``Dad had got me a set of plastic golf clubs I could play with in the backyard. So there I was swinging it in the backyard and dad goes that is not normal for a six-year-old to be swinging it like that. Let’s get you out on a golf course''.

Her father’s eye for talent was spot on. 

“So I started with a little junior programme at a course near home. The funny thing was, I was playing soccer competitively until I was about 14, and in the New Zealand development squad. But I was also playing golf for New Zealand at the same time.

“So it got to the point where I had to decide which one to concentrate on. It was an easy choice really because I loved golf and saw a better future in that for me. Ever since then I have put my head down and got the scholarship to the University of Southern California.” 

Did you apply for that?

“No. I was recruited. I went to the USA with mum and played the Junior World Champs in 2016 at San Diego a year before finishing high school.

``That was when they realised there could be a significant future in golf. They were shocked. It was quite overwhelming. 

``Suddenly there were 15 coaches watching me. It is like a coach fest over there. Coaches are all trying to put teams together for the next four or five years.” 

She impressed many of them and received several scholarships from major universities including USC. Garvey visited half of them with her Dad and half with her Mum.

“ So I got really lucky because USC was ranked in the top three in the USA for the time I was there. For most schools like that, girls are committing to them when they are 12 or 13.” 

When Garvey and her mother arrived at USC the reaction was instant.

 “When I saw USC I fell in love with the whole environment. I knew straight away this is where I wanted to be. It was the right decision and an amazing experience.

“I was 16 at the time, about to graduate from high school. What happened was two girls from USC had decided to turn pro after their second year so two spots opened up. They offered me a position as a quick fill in because everyone else was already committed even though I was a bit of a latecomer. This was January 2018.’'

 So she was going to be a trojan as USC students are known.

It was straight from high school in New Zealand to university and she graduated in three and a half years with a degree in communications. 

A typical day for Garvey would be start at 5.30am when she travelled to practice at Rolling Hills Country Club. After a couple of hours on course it was back to campus for workouts at 11am. After they ended it was time to head to class. 

She finished her career as a trojan in the world’s top 25 amateurs. After graduation in May last year she turned professional.

“I made my debut at the 2021 US Open after qualifying. I also played Augusta at the Augusta Women’s Amateur Nationals in April during the week before the Masters. It was unbelievable. The whole week was amazing. We played two rounds elsewhere then Augusta where I shot one under par.

“We had dinner there and went to Berckmans Place which is like a huge house left of the 11th tee. No phones are allowed and photos are a no no. 

``It is only open the week of the Masters for patrons who are the members or players. When you go in it is like a little town There are three bars and restaurants in there. 

``There is the room with the Eisenhour tree plus Augusta memorabilia. The gift shop is like a warehouse and will make a hole in the wallet. It is amazing. Then outside there is a mini putt course which mirrors the 18 most famous putts sunk by winners at Augusta in the Masters.''

After all that excitement, later in the year Garvey played at at the LPGA qualifying school where she secured full status on the Symetra Tour. “ I’m very happy with that.”

Will that give her any rights to the main LPGA Tour?

 “I can try for sponsor invites if I play well and I can also play Monday qualifiers. I played once last year and missed by two shots. It is worth it especially if it lines up with the next Symetra Tour event. I will play a lot of Mondays this year because all you need is one opportunity and your life can change within two weeks. 

``Just look at Steven Alker who played Mondays and got in and won. So you have to keep giving yourself opportunities and chances to play and that is what I want to focus on this year. “

As for living in the United States, Garvey makes no secret of it.

 “I love it and I have been fortunate enough to make a few friends so I almost feel at home. Obviously I love New Zealand and my home is here but I know a lot of girls who get homesick when they are over there. I hadn’t felt that until this year, because of covid, when I wasn’t sure if I could get back to see my family, but I do have a lot of people over there supporting me.”

One of those closest to her is coach, New Zealander and former PGA Tour player Grant Waite.

“I started working with him in June 2021. He is based in Orlando so I am really looking forward to continuing that relationship. “

Garvey is no slouch with her driver and averages around 260 metres. Her secret is her swing speed which has her in the top five players. The average on the LPGA Tour is around 225 metres. Playing in The Hills ProAm in December last year, on the 13th hole a 420 metre (453 yards) par five with a little following breeze she only needed driver and nine iron to make the green.

What does Garvey see as her strong point?

“I would say my short game is pretty sharp. I can shape the ball and hit it a long way but my chipping and putting has come on significantly in the past two years. Give me a chip and I feel confident of an up and down.”

Lydia Ko has been her inspiration from a young age and remembers playing against Ko when just an 11-year-old. 

Garvey is clear about her ambitions.

“I want to play majors especially the British Open and representing New Zealand at the Olympics as well as joining Lydia on the LPGA Tour.”

On that positive note we leave Amelia Garvey with best wishes for a successful 2022 in her search for a place on the LPGA main tour alongside Lydia Ko. The words of her USC coach Silverstein make a fitting and encouraging conclusion.

 “She is one of the funniest people I have met. She has a great work ethic and I think she has got a great chance to be one of the best players in the world.