Golf:

The five rounds of LPGA Tour Qualifying School can be some of the most pressure-packed golf a professional will play. Jane Chin found out how difficult it was to earn one of those precious tickets to the big time.

The 23-year-old former UC Irvine All-American played in the toughest tournament in professional golf, but said that UCI helped her to make the transition to trying to get on the LPGA Tour.

“I think it helped me to realize what I’m facing,” Chin said. “So, that’s kind of what I learned the most I guess. I know I’m not the longest hitter, so that kind of put me down during the Tour, but I just have to keep playing.”

Q-School has even more significance this year with the changes to the schedule. Finishing in the top 20 at the tournament is even more vital since there are only 13 full field events on the schedule.

The top 20 players at the conclusion of the event will earn Priority List Category 11 and should be able to get into many of those events. Players finishing in the 21st through 30th spots will earn Priority List Category 16, where tournament entry won’t be so automatic. The 31st to 40th spots receive Priority List Category 20 and will have a tough time getting into any tournaments.

Chin played her first round at the Legends Course and shot a one-over par 73, tied for 29th. Not a great round, but certainly not a round that would put her out of the event. That is the key at this tournament, not to have a huge round that you can’t recover from.

“I was pretty nervous the first few holes, and then it kind of all sunk in,” Chin said. “Then I’m just thinking that it’s a regular tournament. That’s what I’m trying to keep in my head at least.”

In the second round, Chin shot a 65 — the low round of the tournament — and suddenly found herself as the co-leader.

Chin’s career low round did not begin that spectacularly. She made a bogey on the second hole, but then birdied the next five and six of the next seven holes.

She shot a 31 on the front nine and made three more birdies on 12, 13 and 16, but bogeyed 18.

“This course is just so wide open, so I just kept doing what I’m doing,” Chin said. “I feel pretty confident about my game.”

That confidence was tested the next two days as Chin put up some big numbers and was slipping down the leaderboard. Weather was certainly a factor as heavy rains delayed the third round for two days. On Sunday Chin finished up both her third and fourth rounds.

She shot a third-round six-over par 78 and slipped to a tie for seventh. The fourth round she again was above par, shooting a 76 and plummeted to a tie for 43rd.

Chin had easily made the cut of top 70s and ties for the final round, but she was more interested in thriving rather than surviving.

Monday Chin knew she needed a low round to have any chance to move up the leaderboard in the top 20. She began the round at four-over and had to shoot at least four-under for any chance.

Chin shot a final-round 71 and finished tied for 36th. It will be tough to get into any LPGA Tournaments so she will have to play on the Futures Tour.

It is very difficult to earn a tour card in the first attempt.

With Chin’s game though she will be back and could very well be successful next year with the experience she gains playing in professional events.

JOHN REGER’S golf column appears Thursdays. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].