She’s taken on the men, now Becky Kay has a pro career in her sights
Having taken on the men at the Queensland Open, 19-year-old amateur golfer Becky Kay wants a professional career in the United States.
Kay made history this week by defeating some of the best young male players in the state to qualify in the men's draw for the Queensland Open.
Although she missed the cut, finishing 10-over, Kay said she hoped her performance would encourage the country's best female golfers to try and qualify alongside men in the future.
Kay has been a prodigious talent since she took up golf as a 10-year-old.
When she was 12, she won the Queensland Primary School Championships by 13 shots, then she tied for 6th overall in 2015 at the Australian Ladies Masters as a 16-year-old.
Now Kay wants to realise her dream and play as a professional on the US women's tour.
"It's been an absolute dream since I was 10. Since I started golf, it's what I've wanted to do," Kay said.
Traditionally, golf has been a male-dominated sport.
At St Andrews in Scotland, the venue considered the home of golf, women only started being invited to join the club as members four years ago.
But Golf Australia says more young girls are playing the game than ever before, and it had 5,500 girls participating in its MyGolf junior program this year.
"Definitely there's a lot more men than women in the sport but I have friends all over the world playing it," Kay said.
"There's definitely a rise up in it. It's getting more popular."
Kay's father Scott described his daughter's career to date as "a magnificent adventure".
"She's practiced nearly every day since taking up golf. She's put in the hours and hours of practice and it's got her this far," he said.
Kay says her father, who was her caddie at the Queensland Open, offers more moral support than golf advice. Sometimes he even sings on the course.
"He's not a massive golfer, he's probably definitely more nervous than me," she said.
"He just keeps me chilled."
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ABC .net
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