N.j.'s Karen Chung Fulfills Dream Of Reaching Lpga Tour; Totland Finishes Strong

On a chilly December afternoon in Daytona Beach, Fla.,, New Jersey’s Karen Chung realized a dream. The 21-year old Livingston native is now a professional, with an LPGA Tour card in her pocket.

Chung , a fourth-year member of the University of Southern California women’s golf team, shot rounds of 69-71-73-71-72 to tie for 19th place at 4-under par 356.at Stage III of Q-School at LPGA International, in Daytona Beach.

Taylor Totland of Hollywood Golf Club, winner of the 2014 and 2015 NJSGA Women’s Amateur and runner-up this past summer, also played in the event, making the cut to the final round. She placed T-55 and will return to Furman University for her senior season, and can play on the Symetra Tour next summer.

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Chung was one of 20 players to earn LPGA Tour exempt status for 2017 and one of only two amateurs and the only current collegiate player in that group of 20.

She will forgo her final semester of NCAA play to begin playing professionally in January of 2017. She will join N.J. native Marina Alex of Wayne, who will begin her fifth year on the LPGA Tour.

It was, naturally, an emotional moment.

"This was my dream all along since I started golf," Chung said, "and just to hear that I finally made it to the LPGA; I teared up so hard when I found out. It was the feeling ever. I can't even describe it."

Chung was one of 37 players in the field of 157 (156 actually started) who had to get through the first two stages of Q-School merely to earn a place in the finals, arguably the most grueling event in women's golf.

In 2016, she was third on USC's team in stroke average (72.29) as a 2016 junior with four top 10s and one win on the year, earning WGCA All-American honorable mention and All-Pac-12 first team honors.

Chung, home-schooled from the on-line Zion Academy, earned 2008, 2011 and 2012 AJGA All-American first team status and was second team in 2009 and 2010 and went undefeated while representing the U.S. in the 2012 Jr. Ryder Cup.

"There are (157) girls and I knew all of them were going to be playing their hearts out," Chung said. "They're just as talented as everyone else is and honestly, just staying in it and not giving up the whole week is kind of what got me through it."

Chung, who played three seasons-plus at Southern California (she was an All-American as a freshman in helping leading USC to the national championship) said the key to her week was staying consistent.

"I have a tendency to blow up on one hole," she said, “but I knew coming into final stage I had to showcase a really consistent game all week. It got rough the third or fourth day but I tried to just stay in it and come back from all my double bogeys. I did, I got lucky."

Last month, Totland, the senior at Furman University who lives in Tinton Falls, N.J., tied for fourth in Stage II of the Symetra Tour and LPGA Qualifying School at the Plantation Golf Country Club in Venice, Florida, and earned full status on the Symetra Tour. She had placed T-18 in Stage I of Q-School.

“Originally, I had no intention of going to third stage because I thought you had to declare professional in order to play, which I found out was not the case,” stated Totland, who lives in Tinton Falls. “So going into second stage I really had no expectations, which I think led to me playing well.

“I was just going there trying to get the best Symetra Tour status I could get and ended placing T-4 which has made going to third stage very tempting.”

Finishing in the Top 20 at Stage III receives full status on the LPGA Tour and placing 21-40 earns partial LPGA status.

“I probably will go to third stage, play the best I can and in the end see where I stand,” said Totland, who has one season left as a senior standout at Furman University.

If she does well at Stage III, she would have to accept LPGA Tour status immediately, if she wishes, and forego her senior season at Furman. She already has full status for the Symetra Tour, which she can join following the Furman season.

Last spring, Totland finished 20th at the NCAA championships and was named honorable mention All-American for the third straight year. As a sophomore, she was Southern Conference Player of the Yer and Furman Female Athlete of the Year.

In 2012, the Red Bank Catholic graduate was New Jersey Girls Player of the Year and claimed the state title at the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions. That year, representing Colts Neck Golf Club, she won the NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions.

She has played in four U.S. Amateurs and three times advanced into match play.

Totland played a practice round earlier this fall at her home course (Hollywood Golf Club) with LPGA Hall of Famer Betsy King. King urged Totland to go through the Symetra and LPGA Qualifying School now to try and earn status.

“Betsy told me that it is better to go through it now so I can play as a pro right after I graduate,” said Totland. “I really want to finish my career at Furman.”

- Rick Woelfel contributed to this article

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