Taste of big-time motivates Chua

MARION - People hovered around the fairway as Jean Chua stepped to the opening tee at the 2011 Women's U.S. Open.

Jean Chua of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia watches Carling Coffing tee off the 18th tee during the final round of the Ladies Titan Tire Challenge at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion on Sunday, June 5, 2011. Chua and Coffing tied for second place one stroke behind Kathleen Ekey. Chua is back for this week's tournament. (David Scrivner/SourceMedia Group News)

The world's No. 1- and No. 3-ranked golfers watched the Wake Forest graduate. Chua wasn't used to it then, but it's an experience she wants to have again.

“Just standing on that tee with the rush of hitting that shot, pulling it off with the crowd cheering, that rush is just unbelievable,” Chua said.

Chua's aspirations are like those of many young golfers. However, most of their chances of competing in events like the U.S. Open rely on their performances on the Symetra Tour. The tour is a lot like an internship for women golfers looking for permanent status on the LPGA Tour.

“It is more of a steppingstone,” Chua said. “They try to set it up a lot like the LPGA is set up so that we learn how it works, because when you make a mistake on tour it's serious.”

Players who finish in the top 10 on the Symetra Tour money list get an LPGA membership card. Chua sits at No. 3 after finishing in a tie for third at last weekend's My Marsh Gold Classic in Indiana. Only $9,000 separates No. 2 from No. 10.

Although the prize is large for these players, the competition is friendly, according to Symetra Tour player Victoria Elizabeth.

“We are all here for the same thing and we are competitive, but we are out here supporting each other more than you would think,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth recently became a top 10 money list member after finishing second in last week's tournament. She jumped from No. 41 to No. 9, showing how the list fluctuates quickly.

Elizabeth and Chua will take their common goals into competition in the Titan Tire Challenge this weekend at Hunters Ridge Golf Course.

Chua said she is ready to go.

“I don't want to put my expectations too high, but I'm definitely out here to win,” Chua said.