The younger players have been vital to the UCLA women’s golf team’s success this season.
UCLA is currently No. 2 in the country according to Golfweek magazine, and a large part of that has been because of the performance of the underclassmen – particularly that of freshmen Erin Choi and Lydia Choi.
Since sophomore Alison Lee’s departure in the fall, Erin Choi and Lydia Choi have picked up the slack, and both have competed in the starting lineup for every event.
Both golfers have local ties and came into the UCLA program with their own share of successes.
Lydia Choi was inducted into the Beverly Hills High School Hall of Fame in 2014, and won the Southern California PGA Junior Tour 2012 Toyota Tour Cup Championship.
For Choi, competing for UCLA has been her dream.
“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted, competing for UCLA, and so far I’ve enjoyed every moment, including the competition, pressure and schoolwork,” Choi said. “My most memorable moment from this season was my last round at (NCAA) Regionals, because it showed me that I was capable of shooting low rounds, and I felt like I could be an asset to the team.”
One of Choi’s most key performances occurred a little more than a week ago during her NCAA Regional performance, as her score of 6-under par, which placed her fifth individually, aided the Bruins to a second-place finish at the event.
“Lydia has come a long way since coming into the program, because she started sloppy and wasn’t consistent with any part of her game,” said coach Carrie Forsyth. “However, she’s a totally different player now and she’s worked hard to raise the bar for herself, and you can definitely see it starting to show in her scoring.”
On the other hand, Erin Choi has had a different season competitively.
Choi comes from West High School, and her accolades include winning the American Junior Golf Association 2012 Genesis Junior Championship as well as the league individual title during her 2013 high school golf season.
However, she has had her share of obstacles in her first season. While Lydia Choi has recorded four top-20 finishes as well as five rounds under par, Erin Choi has finished in the top 20 just once and had one round under par.
Still, according to Forsyth, Erin Choi has been a positive force on the team, showing maturity at an early stage in her UCLA career through hard work and a tendency to stay out of trouble.
“Coming to UCLA as a freshman was very exciting, but it was also very overwhelming, because I was in a slump since I committed in my junior year of high school,” Choi said. “However, I think many things have changed. Beforehand, I would get into slumps if I shot bad, but since I came to UCLA, my willpower has gotten stronger and I definitely have more faith in myself than I did before.”
Erin Choi has not had a standout performance like Lydia Choi did at the NCAA Regional this year, nor has she had an impressive season like sophomore Bronte Law.
Nevertheless, Erin Choi has relished in the experience of competing with her teammates and making the most out of her opportunity at UCLA.
“I wasn’t sure where Erin would fit on the team, because she hasn’t played much since last summer,” Forsyth said. “Most of her problems have been about (not) believing that she can shoot good numbers, but I think she has progressed a long way since the beginning, and she’s getting closer to playing more consistently and shooting good numbers.”
Both contributing freshmen have a chance to make an early mark in their young careers as Bruins when they compete in this week’s NCAA championship.
While Lydia Choi will be riding the momentum off her performance in the NCAA Regional, Erin Choi will have an opportunity to showcase her improving skills on collegiate golf’s biggest stage.
“I’m very excited and I’m very blessed, because not everyone gets to play in the NCAA championships,” Erin Choi said. “I just want to think about enjoying every moment and making the most of it while I’m there.”