Last month, a soon-to-be sophomore at UCLA entered the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links (WAPL) Championship, held at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado with a lot of ambition.  A week later, the 19-year old left Colorado a national champion, after playing nine competitive rounds of golf and besting 143 of the top female amateurs in the country to win the coveted trophy.  Though she constantly talks down her talent, lately, her game has been speaking for itself.  Tiffany Joh, from San Diego, California, began her golf career in a junior golf program and is now a USGA champion.  In 2004, Joh was a first-team AJGA Rolex All-American and winner of the Las Vegas founders tournament.  In 2005, she finished tied for 13th playing as an amateur in her first professional event, the ANZ Ladies Masters held in Australia, where she recorded a double-eagle on her last hole of the event.  The USGA champion recently sat down with me to answer some questions, and definitely share in some great laughs!

Matt Hazzard
Tiffany, when did you begin playing golf, and who taught you how to play?

Tiffany Joh with the championship trophy after winning the final match of the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship held at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado, Sunday, June 25, 2006. (Copyright USGA/Robert Walker)

Tiffany Joh

Name: Tiffany Sung-Hee Joh

Birthday: December 8, 1986

Equipment:  Titliest 670 Blades, Callaway Fusion Driver, Taylor Made 3-wood, Scotty Cameron Black X Putter

Favorite Food: Honey O's with no milk (only cereal with good things in the middle)

Music: Pretty much all music

Favorite Movie: Anchorman, Dodgeball, Dumb and Dumber

Favorite TV Show: Even Steven on the Disney Channel

Hero: Jesus Christ

Tiffany Joh
I actually started when I was 12.  My parents’ house sat on a golf course, so it was hard not to be interested in playing.  Nobody really taught me how to play; I just went and hit balls.  For the first year, I didn’t take any lessons, so I would just step up and hit it over and over again.  When I realized I wasn’t really doing it as well as I could, I went to The First Tee of San Diego (also known as the Pro Kids Golf Academy) and got hooked up with some of the professionals who assisted with the program.  So, I really consider Pro Kids my start.

MH
When did you become involved in competitive golf?

TJ
To be honest, right off the bat.  My parents were supportive and signed me up for local tournaments.  To start, I finished last or second-to-last in every tournament I entered.  I didn’t know the Rules, so I would putt the ball with the flagstick still in the cup, and things such as that.  Actually, one time, I picked up my ballmark without replacing my ball.  That was pretty embarrassing.  Thankfully though, Pro Kids taught me the rules through training seminars, which in turn, taught me how to become prepared for the tournaments. 

MH
When did you win your first tournament?

TJ
I won for the first time when I was 13 in the Coranado City John Ruedei Memorial Tournament.  I shot 78 and beat my future UCLA teammate, Hannah Jun, in a playoff.  She wasn’t very happy! (laughing)

MH
So when did you first shoot under par?

TJ
During my third AJGA event.  It was the All-star event at Cimmaron.  I shot 68, but still got beat by Jennie Lee (2006 NCAA Championships Runner-Up from Duke University) who ended up shooting 65. 

MH
Up to this point, what has been the biggest highlight of your golfing career?

TJ
This is kind of funny, and this is the dead honest truth, but in my second week of college at UCLA I beat my teammate Jane Park in a chipping contest.  That was the first and it probably will be the last time I will beat her at anything.  Honestly, I can not even beat her at who can brush their teeth the fastest, much less golf.  Plus, anytime you can beat the U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion (2004), it is that much more rewarding.

Tiffany Joh during the final match of the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship held at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado, Sunday, June 25, 2006. (Copyright USGA/Robert Walker)

MH
So, that is bigger than winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links? 

TJ
Honestly, yeah, she is my best friend and such an accomplished player.  I mean, she just finished tied for 10^th in the U.S. Women’s Open.  Don’t get me wrong, the U.S. W.A.P.L.  means so much, and winning any USGA event is a highlight in itself.  Whether it is the U.S. Women’s Amateur, the Public Links, or even if you are lucky enough to win the U.S. Women’s Open, it just means you have done something and accomplished so much.

MH
Absolutely!  Winning a national championship means so much to every player, but obviously you can’t do it alone.  So, with that said, who has had the biggest impact on your career?

TJ
I would say my swing coach, Derek Uyeda.  He used to work at Pro Kids and I have been with him for at least five or six years.  Having a coach with you for that long helps you improve your game.  Bouncing back and forth between coaches in my mind can only hurt your game.

MH
Very true.  So when did you decide that you wanted to make your golf your lifelong profession?

TJ
Right now, I’m still not sure if it will be my career.  I’m still trying to figure it all out, but I do know that I want to have a degree to fall back on. 

MH
So, you will definitely be at UCLA for all four years?

TJ
I would say most likely yes, I will make it all four years.  I figure why not?  I mean, if Bobby Jones can graduate from Georgia Tech at 18 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, then go to Harvard and earn in English degree in only three semesters, then to go to law school for a year and pass the bar exam all while finishing runner-up in the U.S. Open, then why can’t I get one degree?  However, right now I’m an undeclared major, so I need to get a move on it! (laughing)

MH
Well, he was definitely impressive, and obviously dominated the sport in his era.  So, what kind of suggestions can you offer a junior golfer looking to play competitively?

TJ
Just don’t take everything too seriously.  Have fun, work hard, but don’t make it the center of your life.  I eat, sleep, and play golf.  That is it.  Right now, I don’t have any room for anything else, and it is tough.

MH
Understandably.  Well, what is your favorite golf course?

TJ
At the moment Walking Stick Golf Course (site of the 2006 U.S. WAPL)! (laughing)  Pumpkin Ridge, site of the U.S. Women’s Amateur sounds like it will be a great place, but it is kind of freaky playing a golf course called Witch Hollow.  If I was to win anywhere

Tiffany Joh during the final match of the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship held at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado, Sunday, June 25, 2006. (Copyright USGA/ Robert Walker)

   though, I would want it to be a ridiculously hard place like Winged Foot or Newport Country Club where scores are really high.  If you win at places like that you are known as a grinder. 

MH
I noticed at the W.A.P.L that you draw a bird on your ball before you tee off to represent birdies.  Do you have any other interesting superstitions that you must do before or during each round?

TJ
Well, the bird on the golf ball is the biggest.  I have been doing that since I was 12.  Another would be that I hate to change my golf balls.  So even if the ball has a huge cut in it, I don’t like changing it. 

MH
So, at Walking Stick, did you change balls in between the two rounds during the 36 hole final? 

TJ
Actually yes.  But, it is only because I couldn’t find the ball I used during the 18 holes. 

MH
What goals have you set for yourself in the next 5 years?

TJ
To keep doing what I’m doing.  Whether I will still be in school, or not, where my job will be, who knows.  I don’t even know what I’m having for dinner tonight; nevertheless what my future holds.  I hate setting goals, because then I feel that I have an obligation to meet an expectation.  I generally just think hit the ball, find it, and hit it again.

MH
Good answer!  Are there any players on the LPGA tour that you try to model your game after?

TJ
I personally like the way Christina Kim plays and her attitude.  Nowadays, there are so many great players and they are all great role models.  Paula Creamer has great determination. Michele Wie has accomplished so much at such a young age.  Overall though, I would say Christina Kim, because she has so much fun.

MH
Christina Kim often goes unnoticed by a lot of people.  So, here is a tough one.  Arnold Palmer’s fans were known as Arnie’s Army.  Now after reading this article, kids across the country are going to become instant fans of Tiffany Joh.  What do you want your fans to

Tiffany Joh plays her tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship held at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, Colorado, Friday, June 23, 2006. (Copyright USGA/Robert Walker)

be known as?

TJ
Haha, I’ll have fans?  Wow!  Well, I just hope they aren’t invisible and I can see them.  (laughing)  Well it needs to start with a “T”, so how about Tiffany’s Troop?  I’m not sure.  Oh wait, how about G.I. Joh’s.  There we go. 

MH
G.I. Joh’s is perfect!  Last question.  What is the one thing you want say to junior golfers across the country, who are reading this article right now, about golf?

TJ
Golf takes a lot more time than you think.  You need to practice.  Even if you think you won’t get angry, there will be times when you get frustrated.  But you need to persevere through tough times.  Inevitably there comes one day where you get frustrated. 

MH
Tiffany, thank you so much for taking the time to chat.  You are one of a kind, and obviously have a bright future.  I’m going to proclaim myself as the first member of the G.I. Joh’s.

TJ
Thanks.  It was a lot of fun.