Jennifer Chang began her career in golf at the young age of nine years old. Now, being a strong competitor and a four time defending North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4A State Champion, Chang recently set the new state record for high school competition that has never been done before. Chang plans to graduate a semester early and attend University of Southern California (USC) this upcoming winter on a golf scholarship that will fund for her whole college career at USC.
“Golf is a unique sport compared to all the other sports because usually you are scoring higher, but in golf you are scoring lower and you play different courses and in different conditions vs. other sports like basketball and football where you play the same format,” said Chang, senior.
In the game of golf there are usually nine or 18 holes with a large varying amount of strokes. Chang scored a par-61 on a par-71(a par is the measure of how many strokes it should take to hit the ball in the hole) course at a Tri-6 conference championship tournament at Pine Hollow Golf Course that Athens Drive won by 14 strokes. It was the lowest 18 hole score for high school competition, for both men and women, in North Carolina history.
“Talent is overrated. Jennifer works hard to improve. She takes nothing for granted,” Henry Hammond, golf coach.
Chang was also awarded player of the match after this tournament. Her score was three strokes better than the previous record set in 2013 by Gabby Weiss. The current boys record was set in 1971 by Chris Tucker with a score of 62, and later tied by J.D. McNeill in 1999. Chang is on her way and making plans to be a professional golfer one day to achieve her dreams.
“My parents are my biggest supporter; golf is an expensive sport and tournaments are expensive so for them to pay that for me, and it is a lot of traveling so without their support I definitely would not be where I am today,” said Chang.
When Chang graduates from Athens Drive, her current high school records will go down as the state’s best high school golfer ever. At school Chang plays with a team of 10 other girls, working together all them time, they support each other and make their team a family.
“Jennifer strives for continuous improvement. This endeavor is the hallmark of great champions. Jennifer’s greatest strength is in her mind,” said Hammond.
