Ji Young Oh started playing golf when she was 12
years old. She quickly became a star in Korea, where
by 2005 she had made the national team.
In 2006, she came to the States and enrolled at the
Leadbetter Academy. She played on the Future
Collegians World Tour, a second tier amateur golf
league, and won all six events she entered. Her
average winning score was an astounding 7.5 strokes.
At the end of the year she entered LPGA Q-School,
where she finished tied for 9th to earn exempt
status for 2007. She turned pro immediately
thereafter.
Ji Young's rookie season started in rough fashion,
with her missing the cut in 9 of her first 11
events. In the other two she came close to making
top twenties, however, so at least there was some
promise there. But her rookie season reached a
turning point at the Safeway Classic in August. She
took the first round lead and played with Lorena
Ochoa in the final group on day 2. Only a final hole
bogey prevented her from finishing with a top five;
she wound up 6th.
Although she would not make another top ten, she
played well in three of her remaining four events of
the year, including a tie for 12th at the Kolon-Hana
Bank Championship. She easily maintained her exempt
status for 2008.
