LET long-hitter Bruce shoots for LPGA Q-Series

Samantha Bruce just finished her rookie year at the Ladies European Tour as the lone Filipino campaigner with 12 starts and rank of 115th in the order of merit.

Decent start for someone who didn’t have a coach, let alone a sponsor, to back her up. The only support group she had was her dad, who is based in the Philippines and didn’t get to follow her in tournaments in and around Europe.

“I think she showed a lot of potential,” said her dad Bobbet.

“She had flashes of brilliance. One of the longest if not the longest on tour off the tee with a driver (266 yards average). Learned a lot and will still need more to learn more.”

The 23-year-old, 5-foot-11 Samantha even drilled a hole-in-one during the NSW Women’s Open. Her best finish was seventh in the US Open PQ. Lowest round: 68.

“She can have a great future in the sport,” Bobbet said.

But just how much does it take to launch a pro career? Like outside the mental and emotional toil playing in a foreign land and living on a suitcase?

By Bobbet’s estimate, it would take $100,000 just to play a full schedule in the pros. Double that amount if you want a coach to accompany you.

To play competitively and rise in the game, one would need to play at least 22 tournaments in a year, he said.

“For Sam I think she would need to play one or two complete seasons with full funding,” he added.

In a week, Samantha will vie for outright spot in the LPGA via the Q-School Series in the United States.

Only Bianca Pagdanganan and Clariss Guce have full status in the LPGA among Filipinos. But Guce is playing more in the Epson Tour, while Dottie Ardina is active on both tours.

The Q-Series resumes 22 to 25 October at the Bobcat and Panther course of Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida.

If successful, Samantha will proceed to the final qualifying on 5 to 9 December at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama.