It was a move that made sense for the young Kiwi golfer. <\/p>\n
\u201cTexas is obviously ranked really well in the States. I think we\u2019re ranked like 10th or 11th right now. So, it\u2019s definitely a very strong team and we have a really good shot at winning a national championship, which is one of my goals,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Vivian Lu was part of team She Loves Golf in the Chasing The Fox exhibition event at Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n
\u201c[I want to] get that ring, and I just wanted to be in a better environment, like weather-wise, and also like everyone on my team is very competitive, so I\u2019m getting pushed over there, which will help me get better. That was one of the reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lu, who is completing a degree in communications and leadership, began her time with the Longhorns during the fall swing and will resume early next year. She will, however, take time out of her season to return home to New Zealand as one of nine Kiwi golfers invited to play in the Women\u2019s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships at Royal Wellington Golf Club in mid-February. <\/p>\n
It will be her sixth appearance in the tournament, which offers massive opportunities for the winner, with invitations to play in three of the five majors later in the year; the AIG Women\u2019s Open, the Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m actually missing one of my college events to come play the Women\u2019s Amateur,\u201d Lu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoach was a little reluctant to let me go, but she understood that it was in my home country and I told her that it was really important for me to be here, so she let me go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lu will be joined by Eunseo Choi, Caitlin Maurice, Darae Chung, Emma Zheng, Teresa Wang, Chloe So, Juwon Kim and Cherry Lee in the amateur tournament, with New Zealand boasting the largest contingent of players.<\/p>\n
For the Texas golfer, who was competing at home as part of team She Loves Golf in last week\u2019s Chasing the Fox exhibition event, the 2026 edition looks likely to be one of the last Lu will be able to take part in, with plans to go professional in the not-too-distant future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely want to make it to the LPGA,\u201d she said of her goals for the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely do want to graduate. I\u2019m so close to graduating. So, I\u2019m definitely going to finish out my degree and then go pro.<\/p>\n
\u201cI might head to Q School [qualifying school] at the end of next year, so I can hopefully get some status and then hold on to that so I can go straight to the Epson [Tour] after I graduate, but I haven\u2019t decided on that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n