FIRST GIRL: Amelia fired a nine-over 81 to etch her name in the record books as Singapore's first golfer to compete in an event sanctioned by the LPGA. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM

The 15-year-old - the second- youngest in the nine-woman field - fired a nine-over 81 to take the host country's lone invitation to next month's US$2 million (S$2.9 million) HSBC Women's Champions tournament.

She thus etched her name in the record books as Singapore's first golfer to compete in an event sanctioned by the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

She will also get to rub shoulders with the world's best women golfers like Annika Sorenstam and Pak Se Ri at the inaugural Feb 28-March 2 Champions tournament - Asia's biggest women's golf event.

Her initial reaction? Shock.

'I won? Oh my gosh,' said the CHIJ St Joseph's Convent Sec 4 student, when told that she had won after she strolled into the clubhouse.

The women - all 18 years and older save for Amelia and Joey Poh, 14 - started 10 minutes apart in flights of three. Amelia was in the last flight with Joey and Michelle Ang, 44.

A see-saw battle unfolded, helped by the challenging Garden Course and its undulating terrain. The race was still on up to the final hole.

Amelia saved par with a sweet six-foot putt on the 18th to avoid a play-off with eventual runner-up Kristle Koh, 18, who finished on 82.

Liu Xiaoyan, 29, the only pro in the field, was third on 83.

'I really wanted the slot, but I didn't expect to get it,' said Amelia, a 1.6-handicapper who averages 230 yards off the tee. 'I thought I was playing quite badly. But I guess I didn't play that badly after all.'

Certainly not as bad as at last month's two-day Seletar Country Club Junior Championships. Then, she shot seven-over 151 to lose to 11-year-old Jennifer Yan (146).

Still, yesterday's scorecard of nine bogeys - including three-putts on the third, eighth and ninth holes - and no birdies, was far from desirable.

'I was struggling on the front nine because of my putting. I kept playing it short and I had no confidence,' said the daughter of sales director Edmund, 56, and housewife Janet, 51.

Tied fifth after nine holes and trailing early leader Stephanie Loi, 18, by three strokes, she nearly gave up.

But coach and caddie Greg Ankatell gave her the 'drive'.

He said: 'I told her, you never know what might happen, so we just kept trying.'

While others notched bogeys - or worse - on the back nine, Amelia kept her cool, bogeying holes 10, 12 and 14, and parring the rest.

Stephanie went out of bounds twice on the par-five 13th and double-bogeyed the 18th to fall out of contention, eventually finishing fourth - and in tears.

Ankatell, who has coached Amelia since she took up golf five years ago, called his protege a 'superstar'.

He said: 'She has so much talent. We'll be spending the next month working on her short game - a lot of chipping and putting.

'She's definitely got the game to be competitive with half the Champions field. It's just whether her nerves will hold up under pressure.'

Amelia, who confessed to putting studies before golf, practises just twice a week. But, with the prospect of a dream pairing with her favourite golfer Natalie Gulbis at the Champions event, she plans to go easy on her books.

'Maybe I'll neglect my schoolwork a bit to practise more,' said Amelia. 'This is a dream come true.'

jwang@sph.com.sg