Singapore: Eila Galitsky has announced her arrival on the American college golfing scene in suitably dramatic fashion.
In just her second start for the University of South Carolina, the Thai teenager triumphed in the Moon Golf Invitational, defeating World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) number one Lottie Woad in a sudden-death play-off.
It was the second time in as many months that 18-year-old Galitsky had taken down England’s Woad having beaten her in their singles clash at January’s Patsy Hankins Trophy.
At Al Hamra Golf Club in the United Arab Emirates, Galitsky’s singles success helped the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to a comfortable triumph against their European Golf Association counterparts in the biennial Solheim Cup-style team match play event.
From there, Galitsky, the 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) champion, headed Stateside to begin the next phase of her golfing education in South Carolina.
And it hasn’t taken her long to adapt and stamp her mark.
At Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Florida, Galitsky and Woad topped the leaderboard with matching 54-hole totals of five-under-par 211. Galitsky carded rounds of 72, 70 and a closing 69 to catch Woad who led after rounds of 71 and 69 before signing off with a 71.
Down three strokes with four holes of regulation to play, Galitsky drove the downwind par-four 15th hole to set up the first of two consecutive birdies. Woad, meanwhile, bogeyed 15 and needed a birdie at 17 to regain a share of the lead. Neither player could birdie the par-five 18th in regulation, but in the play-off, Galitsky nailed a 35-foot birdie attempt to seal the deal.
According to South Carolina Athletics, she becomes the Gamecocks’ second champion this season and the first freshman champion since All-American Pauline Roussin-Bouchard won twice during her first season on campus in 2019-20.
Although it’s early days, Galitsky is clearly enjoying her new lease of life in the US. “It’s been a good experience so far. My team-mates have been great, and I’ve made some great friends,” she was quoted as saying by the Golf Channel.
“After I won the Asia-Pacific, I totally thought I was going to turn pro. But I talked to a lot of players, and most of the ones that didn’t go to college, wanted to go to college, and the ones that did go never regretted it.
“So I was like: “Might as well try it out. If I hate it, I’ll go on Tour, and if I love it, I’ll stay. So far, it’s been really good.”
With her victory, Galitsky, who will miss next week’s seventh edition of the WAAP in Vietnam due to her college commitments, has risen to 18th in the WAGR – one spot ahead of her fellow-Thai and Patsy Hankins Trophy team-mate Suvichaya 'Hut' Vinijchaitham.
Like Galitsky, Suvichaya has been savouring her maiden college win in America, achieved at the Alice and John Wallace Women's Golf Classic at Monterey Country Club in Palm Desert, California.
The University of Oregon scholar fired rounds of 68, 69 and 64 for a 12-under-par aggregate of 201 and a two-shot success.
