Virginia golfer Jennie Arseneault has a talent for accomplishing things ahead of schedule: last winter she graduated high school a semester early in order to join Virginia's golf team for the spring season and two weeks ago, at the ripe old age of 18, she qualified to play in the upcoming U.S. Women's Open next week.
Three other members of the Virginia golf team also played in the qualifying rounds but ultimately did not make the cut. Indeed, Arseneault will be the first woman golfer that Virginia has ever sent to the prestigious U.S. Open.
"I have dreamed of playing in this tournament since I was so young," Arseneault said. "I kept telling myself that I can play in this tournament for the rest of my life but it just feels so great to qualify while I'm still just 18."
Of the 155 spots in the Open, 71 players were exempt from the qualifying rounds. Of the 84 remaining spots, 64 went to professional golfers while only 18 were claimed by amateurs.Arseneault earned her spot when, out of a field of 85, she finished as the first place co-medalist for the sectional qualifier in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
"The whole time while I was playing I tried my best to stay in the present and not think about the Open," Arseneault said. "But, as soon as that last putt dropped, I knew I had made it. First I got really excited, and then I was just like, 'Oh my gosh, what did I just do?'"
To prepare for the Open, Arseneault spent last week in Hilton Head working with her swing coach, Hugh Royer.Royer, who played on the PGA tour for nearly 15 years, has been working with Arseneault since she was 15.
"It was really calming for me to just go down there and relax and work on my game," Arseneault said. "[Royer] is coming up to Rhode Island to caddie for me, and I think that will really help me a lot."
This week, she is playing in the Women's Western Golf Association National Amateur Championship.Because Arseneault has not played in many tournaments this summer, Virginia Coach Jan Mann suggested that she play in this one last tournament before the Open in order to sharpen her mental game.
"Jennie has to enjoy the experience and play her own game at the Open," Mann said. "She needs to stay patient throughout the tournament -- the fast greens, narrow fairways and high roughs make it easy to get frustrated so it is important for Jennie to use good course management."
Regardless of Arseneault's overall performance, Mann believes that playing in the U.S. Women's Open will be a beneficial experience for her.
"This will provide a big boost to Jennie's confidence," Mann said. "I think it will be very significant to her success as a collegiate player. Making it through qualifying should itself be a big boost -- it reinforces the fact that she is a great player who can compete against the very best and come out on top."
The U.S. Women's Open will be held June 29 through July 2 at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island.Following the tournament, Arseneault will take some time off before playing in the Iowa Amateur in late July and then the US Amateur Open at the beginning of August.
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