Jenny Bae had been warned in advance. Her coach from the University of Georgia told the senior star to be ready for a phone call.
Bae finished in the top five eight times in 2022-23, and Bulldogs Coach Josh Brewer hinted at something special.
“He told me to make sure I kept the phone on and that I was wide awake. Bae remembered, “You’re going get the most important call of your life tomorrow at nine.” “I was like oh, okay. I was a wreck the whole night. I woke up very early. Couldn’t sleep. “I got the call, and she said, ‘Hello, I’m Juli’, and then she announced the prize and I think I was silent for around 30 seconds.”
Bae was selected to receive the Inkster award presented by Workday in 2023, which recognizes the top-ranked Division I women’s collegiate golfer during her final year of eligibility. She was a fifth-year-old senior who finished the season ranked fifth in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings for women’s college and fourth in Golfstat.
Bae was a great golfer, but her phone manners were thrown out when Hall of Famer Inkster answered the call. The award’s name-sake, who was in Portland for the LPGA Portland Classic on Wednesday, wondered if the rising star had been properly introduced to her.
Inkster asked, “Are you there?”
“I was in shock,” Bae said. “I thought, Is this Juli Inkster telling me that I won the biggest award for the year on the phone right now? I was super pumped, super excited. After our phone conversation, I told my coach and my parents what had just happened. “That morning, I can honestly say it was one of the best days I have ever experienced in my life.”
Bae was well deserved of the honor, as she won titles at both the Illini Invitational, and Athens Regional where she recorded the two lowest scores ever in Georgia history. She had the lowest stroke average of any Georgian in history, with a season stroke average of 70.75. She was also runner-up in the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Rose Zhang beat her on the second playoff.
She received an exemption to this week’s tournament, which will be held at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, in Portland. Bae will also automatically advance to Stage 2 of LPGA Q-School, from October 16-20, at Plantation Golf and Country Club, in Venice, Florida.
Bae’s experience will be invaluable as she makes her LPGA debut this week. She’s won two Epson Tour events this summer, adding to her impressive collegiate career.
On June 28, 2013, in Southampton, New York, Juli Inkster walks the 17th hole at the Sebonack Golf Course during the second round. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images).
Inkster has won 31 LPGA titles, and two U.S. Inkster, who has 31 LPGA titles and two U.S. Inkster said that she did not give Bae any advice. She simply advised the 22-year old to enjoy the experience.
Inkster stated, “She has done a fantastic job.” “I believe she knows what she is doing. Georgia prepared her well for the next step. It’s a bit overwhelming right now, but will settle down. She’s probably trying to take in as much information, to play and practice. But my philosophy says that you need to have time away from the game to keep your mind sharp.
“My thing is that when you are out there you play and play and play but then you come home, you need to rest. You need downtime. You then get back to work. It’s less about quantity and more about quality. “That’s what I try and stress to these new players.”
Bae is looking forward to her first LPGA experience. She knows Portland will be a unique test, where many greats of the sport have excelled.
Inkster is one of ten past winners of the event who are LPGA Hall of Famer. Judy Rankin is one of the others. The other are Donna Caponi Amy Alcott Nancy Lopez Betsy King Patty Sheehan Dottie Peper Annika Sorenstam Lorena Ochoa.
She insists that she will keep Inkster’s advice in mind.
“I’m going to do my best at every shot and hole I can. I don’t have any expectations.” Bae stated that “just being able participate in this event is a great accomplishment for me.”
“I’m going to try and have as much fun as possible.”
