Oh off to a flying start

KIRK HARGREAVES/The Press

HOT CONTENDER: Sarah Oh will be one of the players to watch in the inaugural $125,000 New Zealand women's Open tournament starting this morning at the Clearwater Resort.

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There is no substitute for hard work. Just ask 20-year-old Sarah Oh.

The Korean-born Australian professional spent two weeks over Christmas and New Year playing and practising golf 15 hours a day, and last weekend she won the New South Wales women's Open tournament by two shots with a 15-under-par total.

Oh has suddenly become hot property on the Australian LPGA tour after beating players of the calibre of Laura Davies, Katherine Hull and Gwladys Nocera.

Oh had an outstanding career as an amateur and in her first year as a professional in 2007-08 she was Rookie of the Year, and finished third on the Australian LPGA Order of Merit behind Karrie Webb and another accomplished Australian, Joanne Mills.

She seems destined to add many more wins to her success last weekend.

Oh will be one of the players to watch in the inaugural $125,000 New Zealand women's Open tournament starting this morning at the Clearwater Resort.

She had six months out of golf last year recovering from a hip injury and the two weeks over Christmas and New Year were a chance for her to work on some specifics of her game.

She joined a number of Korean professionals for a two-week camp at Bateman's Bay in New South Wales. It meant 5am rises and 8.30pm finishes. But it did not deter Oh.

"I struggled late last year with my short game and I worked hard on it during those two weeks and it improved a lot."

It certainly helped her last weekend where she putted and chipped superbly.

Oh was able to play only a handful of tournaments in Korea in the middle of last year because of the hip injury.

"I had tight muscles around my lower back, thighs and hamstrings. I heard cracks on my backswing.

"I had a lot of physio, massage and acupuncture in Korea and I'm fine now."

Oh has struggled to find a place in professional golf in spite of her success on the small Australian tour.

She dabbled on the American tour a year ago, but played only two tournaments because of the cost.

Women play for much less prizemoney than the men and many of the players in the New Zealand Open are billeted with Christchurch families. Oh is one of those and grateful for the kindness extended to her.

After the Australian tour finishes in two weeks she will go back to Korea to play a limited number of tournaments. She cannot get entry into the Korean tour qualifying school until she has spent a year on the Korean tour.

Meanwhile Oh is looking to finish two steps higher on the Australian Order of Merit this year and a one-under-par 71 in the pro-am yesterday suggests the hard work might bring further rewards on Sunday at Clearwater.