It's a well-known fact that winning in professional golf is a tough feat, often requiring relentless effort week after week. So, when a player, in only their second and third starts as a professional, manages to clinch a victory, it's nothing short of a remarkable achievement. This is exactly what Jenny Bae did, defying all odds and expectations, right after graduating from the University of Georgia.
Flashback one year to the 2023 Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship, and you would find Bae making only her second start as a professional at Great River Golf Cub. The new pro was coming off an excellent amateur career that included three All-American selections, multiple collegiate wins, the 2023 Inkster Award, and a runner-up finish to Rose Zhang at the 2023 Augusta National Women's Amateur. Her amateur career was marked by consistent performance and a strong competitive spirit, which she has successfully carried over to the professional circuit.
The impressive end of Bae's amateur career carried over almost immediately into the Epson Tour, winning the inaugural Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship in a 7-hole playoff over Minji Kang and Ssu-Chia Cheng on a Monday due to weather postponing Sunday's final round. The win immediately put Bae on the golf world's radar as the collegiate star started to make waves on the professional scene.
"It's definitely great to be back, and I'm excited to play at Great River again. I have so many good memories here," said the defending champion. Her excitement shows as she recalls her past victories. "Even playing the practice round today, I just kind of started thinking of all the shots out here last year, especially the two holes that I had to go back and forth for seven times in the playoff, and it really brought back good memories."
The good vibes rolled onto the following week at the Twin Bridges Championship, where Bae started the week with a 6-under round that put her in the solo lead. She maintained the lead until the end of the tournament, when Natasha Andrea Oon rolled in a birdie on her 54-hole to tie the leader, sending Bae into a playoff once again.
The playoff in New York lasted slightly less time, with Bae winning in a 6-hole playoff to capture her second title on the Epson Tour in less than a week.
Now Bae returns to the scene of her first win this week in Milford, Conn., a place that holds a special significance in her professional golf journey. As she passes the one-year mark in her professional golf journey, she is set to defend her title at this week's event. The two wins out East are still the only events Bae has won in her professional career, but her career is still young, and she feels more confident and comfortable as she looks to defend her first of two titles.
"I've come to know a lot of really good people and players. I definitely feel more comfortable being out here," explained Bae. "Golf-wise and physically, I feel much more comfortable with myself. I'm not so tense when I start every round and hope to play well again this week."
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