Aston Lim, 16, of Union City, reached new heights this past December when he won the FCG National Championship, finishing 7-under-par in the boys aged 15 to 18 division.
Lim’s victory has earned him the opportunity to compete on a professional level at the Swiss PGA Tour this summer.
“It feels great,” Lim said. “There were 160 other players and I was able to come out on top. It shows that all the hard work and practice that I’ve been doing is paying off.”
The FCG National Championship is one of the most competitive junior golf events in the world, designed to prepare young competitors for professional tournaments, according to their website.
Lim said that going into the tournament was intimidating due to its scale. But, at the end of the day, he maintained his mental composure and trusted the training and technique he spent so long developing.
“A shot is a shot,” said Lim. “Whether you’re practicing or on the first tee of this big event, it’s still going to be the same swing. The ball only understands being hit.”
This composure was clear throughout the event, as FCG’s tournament recap noted: “Lim’s steady play throughout the week and ability to perform under pressure earned him the top spot in one of the deepest fields in junior golf.”
Lim’s practice, especially ahead of tournaments, mainly focuses on analyzing where he went wrong in previous competitions so that he can work towards perfecting the skills he needs in order to succeed—which he now has more time for, after switching to online education this past semester.
Lim said that this change has given him greater flexibility in his schedule, so that he has the time to practice playing, travel for competitions, and forge his career in the world of professional golf.
