Amari Avery plays her shot from the 11th tee during the second round of The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods on April 21, 2023 in The Woodlands, Texas.
Amari Avery, a USC sophomore and rising golf star, had a whirlwind schedule leading up to the Chevron Championship at the Nicklaus Course at the Club at Carlton Woods in Texas. Fresh off a team victory at the Pac-12 Championships, Avery arrived at her hotel close to midnight the night before the tournament began. Despite the late hour, she was unfazed by the upcoming competition, saying, “To be honest, I didn’t really have that much nerves coming in just because I came straight off the plane from playing the final round at Pac-12s. I was kind of like, ‘Oh, just more golf.’ Hopefully four more rounds, and I think we’ve secured it.”
However, Avery found herself four over through five holes on the first day of the tournament when play was suspended due to weather. Despite the rocky start, Avery bounced back and played her last 31 holes in 6 under par, ending the second round in a share of 26th place.
Amateur golfer Amari Avery has been juggling multiple tasks this week. Apart from preparing for the Chevron Championship, she is also a communications major who spends about an hour daily on her coursework. Avery, one of seven amateurs in the field, admits that she has been falling behind in school lately. However, her adviser and coaches have been reminding her to keep up with her studies. Despite the challenges, Avery is determined to stay on track.
This is Avery’s third start on the LPGA tour, and she has already made the cut. She is in a share of 26th place at 2 under for the tournament after two rounds. Avery’s impressive performance has put her in a good position to climb the leaderboard as the competition progresses.
Avery’s success on the course is not a surprise to those who know her well. Her former coach, Tiffany Joh, credits her ball-striking skills, which are marked by power and a high ball-flight. However, Joh feels that not enough people talk about Avery’s touch around the greens, which is equally impressive.
Avery’s father, Andre, is on the bag this week and has scouted the course to help his daughter prepare. Her younger sister, Alona, who competed on the same course last Saturday at the Mack Champ Invitational, also provided helpful tips. Alona has committed to UC Irvine for collegiate golf.
New profile pic ? #Pac12Golf champs pic.twitter.com/DY5FOxuZdZ
— USC Women’s Golf (@USCWomensGolf) April 19, 2023
Despite the busy schedule and academic pressure, Avery is determined to make the most of her opportunities on the LPGA tour. This week has been an unforgettable experience for her, filled with remarkable achievements in both golf and academics.
Former LPGA player and USC assistant coach Tiffany Joh noted that Avery’s ball-striking abilities, which are marked by power and a high ball-flight, are often the focus of attention, but not enough people talk about her touch around the greens. This skill proved valuable during the tournament, especially since Avery had never seen the Nicklaus Course before.
While Avery played the course blind on the first day of the tournament, she received some helpful tips from her younger sister Alona, who had played on the same course a few days earlier at the Mack Champ Invitational. Avery’s father, Andre, who is also her caddy, scouted the course as much as he could in the days leading up to the tournament, with the help of his friends who are also caddies.
Despite the challenges of a demanding schedule and playing on an unfamiliar course, Avery showed resilience and a strong mental game, which will likely serve her well in future competitions.
