United States-based golfer Lucy Owen returned home to Central Hawke's Bay last week jet-lagged, but still buoyant after ticking off a major milestone in any golfer's life - that elusive hole-in-one.
After completing the third year of her golfing scholarship at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the 22-year-old returned home last Wednesday for her end-of-academic-year break, during which time she will host the fourth annual Lucy Owen Fundraising Golf Tournament at her home course at Waipawa Golf Club this Monday, June 4.
Owen had to battle injury as well as the death of her beloved grandfather, Monty, during her second year playing US college golf, but was pleased to report her third year had gone a lot better.
"I had a lot better results on course this year. I had two top-20 finishes the semester just been, I made a hole-in-one, my first ever, and I had my best tournament round, a one-under in Tampa - the same tournament I hit my hole-in-one," said Owen, who scored six birdies in her round, but admitted she scored her ace in the practice round.
"So it didn't really count for anything. But it was still pretty cool."