Amanda Michin began her professional golf career in May when she competed in a CN Canadian Tour event in British Columbia. Minchin has competed in two tournaments thus far and her best result was a sixteenth place finish in Barrie, Ontario.

They might be small steps, but Estevan golfer Amanda Minchin has begun the walk towards a career in professional golf.
Minchin has played a pair of pro tournaments thus far in 2006 and will be competing in a handful of other competitions later this year.
A lifelong Estevan resident, Minchin, who spent four years at Eastern Illinois University on a golf scholarship, is competing on the CN Canadian Tour which has stops throughout the country.
She says he has been thinking about a professional career in the two years since she completed college and felt the CN Tour was a good place to start.
"This is just a little developmental tour, there is no qualifying school," said Minchin.
"It's used as a qualifier for the LPGA Canadian Open. It is small but there is a little bit of money out there."
Although it might be small, the CN Tour has played a key role in launching the careers of Canadian golfers.
Lori Kane, who is one of the country's top professionals, is an alumni of the tour which is sanctioned by the Royal Canadian Golf Association.
It is open to all professional, amateur and junior golfers as long as they have a handicap of six or better.
Each tournament carries a prize purse of $30,000 with the exception of the tour championship which is $50,000.
As well, the winners of the first three tournaments earn a spot in the Canadian Open where many of the world's top golfers compete for a purse of $1.7 million.
Minchin's first tournament was the tour stop at the Duncan Meadows Golf and Country Club in Duncan, B.C. where she finished in 32nd place.
In the first of her two rounds, Minchin shot 80 while on the second day of the tourney she carded a 79.
"I played OK, I didn't make any putts," Minchin said. "The first one I was really nervous. I went out by myself, it was pretty nerve wracking. But it was a good nervous."
Minchin's second tournament was at the Settler's Ghost Golf Club in Barrie, Ontario in late May.
She cut her finish in half, placing 16th overall. After a tough opening round of 77, Minchin improved by five strokes the next day to shoot 72.
With two tournaments under her belt, Minchin said she has found the play very competitive.
"The scores on the first one might not be what people think of a pro event but that was early in May and you don't get a lot of Americans out to B.C.
"The winners in Barrie were four under so it's good quality play."
Although the competitor in her always wants to do better, Minchin said she was happy with her play in the first two competitions.
At the same time she realizes that it is going to be a lot of work as she attempts to improve her game.
"I know I can hit the ball as well as most of those girls out there. They make more putts than I do right now. I need to work on scoring, everyone out there can hit the ball straight and on the greens but it is what you do around the greens.
"That comes with experience, learning how to make birdies, learning how to hang on to a decent round and minimize your mistakes. You can always work on your shotmaking, working the ball. A lot of girls know how to play different shots and I am working on that and getting better at that."
To help her get to the next level, Minchin has enlisted the help of one of Saskatchewan's top coaches, David Semko.
Semko, who won the Saskatchewan Golf Association's teacher of the year award in 2005, has learned from many of the top teaching pros in the world and currently works out of the Greenbryre Country Club in Saskatoon.
"I started with him last year, he came recommended from some girls I played on Team Saskatchewan with. I was struggling a lot last year and went to see him, I think he's great."
Minchin's support team also includes Estevan residents Parnell Pidhorny, who is serving as her club technician, and Tareina Blackburn who is handling her media and marketing. Blackburn also operates Minchin's Web Site, www.amandaminchin.com
Minchin has also benefitted from the support of a number local residents and businesses who have sponsored her pro aspirations.
"I've gotten a lot of help so far from companies and individuals around town. I am still working on it, it's an ongoing thing. It is expensive playing golf with all the trips and stuff," said Minchin.
"It helps coming from a town like Estevan and knowing a lot of people down at the golf course. I really appreciate it."
If anyone is interested in supporting Minchin they can contact her by going to her Web Site.
As for the future, Minchin will stay busy throughout the rest of the year.
The CN Tour has three events left on its schedule culminating with the tour championship at the Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.
Minchin also has an eye on attending the qualifying school for the Futures Tour which is being held this November in Florida.
"It is the biggest developmental tour in the world basically. It is one step below the LPGA Tour. It is a four day event and there is a cut after every day. If you make it to the last day you get some kind of conditional status on the tour. Events start in March and they are all over the States."
Between now and then Minchin says she will continue to work on all aspects of her game, both physical and mental.
"I would like to build my confidence up and become a player that expects to go out and shoot good rounds everytime I go out."

Minchin embarks on pro career

By David Willberg of Lifestyles
July 7, 2006

Estevan's Amanda Minchin has competed in a couple of professional events since gaining her professional status.

When the Saskatchewan Women's Amateur teed up at the Deer Park Golf Course July 4, a perennial contender was conspicuous by her absence: Amanda Minchin.
The Estevan golfer, who has competed with Team Saskatchewan at the national level on four occasions, couldn't play after she opted for the professional route earlier this year.
"It's weird not to be there," said Minchin. "I've played in that and the juniors for the last eight years. A lot of my friends are up there playing. I'll miss it, I'll miss Team Saskatchewan, but you have to make changes in your life."
Minchin finished in a tie for 32nd in her pro debut at a CN Canadian Tour event in Duncan, B.C., from May 8 to 10. She improved to a tie for 16th at a tournament in Barrie, Ont., from May 28 to 30. The winnings were small, not enough to pay for airfare, but Minchin valued the experience she gained. Three more tournaments dot her plans for this year: a tournament in Ottawa from July 16 to 18, the Canadian PGA women's championship August 11 to 14 in Oshawa, Ontario, and the CN Canadian Tour championship in Quebec from August 29 to September 1.
Minchin will travel to Florida this fall for the Future's Tour qualifying school. If she's successful, she'll be just one step away from the Ladies PGA (LPGA) Tour - the top women's golf circuit in the world.
The Future's Tour is the largest developmental golf tour in the world, with six different rungs. If she is successful, her finish at qualifying school will determine her level. Players at the A level, for example, will play in more tournaments than their F level counterparts.
Minchin said the Futures Tour qualifying school will be an arduous test, with 300 golfers entered, and cut-downs after each of the four rounds.
"Every shot counts and every round counts," said Minchin. "It's like any other round of golf, but you have that cut-off." Minchin deliberated joining professional ranks for about two years.
She felt she had advanced as far as she could at the amateur level, and she wanted the extra motivation that comes with playing for money and competing in bigger events.
"I love golf, so I wanted to make it a career," said Minchin. Minchin cracked the top 20 of the Canadian Women's Amateur for the first time last year. She said the field at the national amateur is equivalent to a professional tournament.
"All the women there could be playing professionally, but they are choosing to pursue an amateur career," said Minchin.
"I viewed it as now or never, so give it a go, give it everything you have and see if you could make it." The LPGA tour is a dream, one that Minchin admits would require a lot of hard work. Minchin would like to qualify for next year's LPGA Canadian Women's Open, which is in Edmonton. Minchin said her short game - putting and wedge shots - needs work. But she also said she's hitting the ball well. A couple of years ago, Minchin had the opportunity to meet with Kim Brozer, another Saskatchewan golfer who has dabbled with the LPGA Tour. Brozer said the short game must be a priority.
"That short game is going to take you far as long as you work on it," said Minchin. "Stay positive and never give up. It sounds like a cliché, but that's all you can do."

Minchin treasures first cheque

By Murray McCormick of Regina Leader-Post
July 6, 2006

A copy of Amanda Minchin's first cheque earned as a professional golfer occupies a special place in her Estevan home.
"I have it on my fridge,'' Minchin said. "You might laugh at only $178 but I could have finished out of the money.''
Minchin earned her first payday as a professional on the CN Canadian Women's Tour, a developmental loop designed to help professionals and amateurs prepare for the next level. Minchin earned the $178 after tying for 32nd at an event in Duncan, B.C., in early May. She collected $371 when she tied for 16th at an event in Barrie, Ont., in late May. It's not too bad considering this is Minchin's first season as a
professional.
"It's humbling to be around those players but I definitely feel like I belong out there,'' Minchin said. "There are girls who have played on the LPGA Tour and played around the world. It just makes you want to work harder.'' Minchin hopes to reach the LPGA with of the backing of small-town Saskatchewan. She has a Web site (www.amandaminchin.com) with an impressive list of eight local sponsors. Minchin said finding that kind of support was nearly as challenging as golfing. "It's harder to a point,'' Minchin said. "It's hard to walk in and ask people to help me out financially. It's an ongoing progress and I will eventually have to get bigger and a little more sponsorship.''
It helps that Minchin, 24, is a native of Estevan. She was able to take advantage of the contacts she has developed while working at the Woodland Golf Club since she was 13. She still works there and travels to the tournaments on the Canadian circuit.
"It's OK being here right now because it's summer and I can practise at my golf course,'' Minchin said. "This winter I will definitely have to make a move down south. There isn't any way around it. I'm looking into my options and where I can play for two or three months this winter.''
Minchin graduated to the pros after a solid amateur career. Minchin won Saskatchewan junior women's titles in 1999 and 2000. She qualified for five Canadian women's amateur championships, finishing in the top 25 each time. She earned a golf scholarship at Eastern Illinois University. She graduated in 2004 with a degree in kinesiology and was an academic all-American. She made the decision to pursue a professional career after giving it some thought for a couple of years.
"I reached the point where I felt that I was only going to get as good as I was an amateur,'' Minchin said. "If I took it to the next level, it would only me get motivated to take it there.''
Professional golf may be one of the toughest games to crack. It takes skill, financial backing and a little luck. It also requires patience as one works their way through the smaller tours with an eye towards the LPGA. Minchin said she tries not to think about the challenges that lay ahead. "I just think that I have this many tournaments this month and I will play them, then I review my goals,'' she said. "If I can reach these goals, I can set new ones. I don't think if I play golf, I will win lots of money. That won't happen unless I put in the work.''
Minchin has already done that. Her job at the golf course allows her access to the 18-hole layout. She plays in the early mornings and late afternoons while fitting in practice sessions around her work in the pro shop. It's hard but there isn't anything else she would rather do.
"I love playing golf,'' Minchin said. "I love being on the tee and having to make putts. I could go back to school and get a 9-to-5 job and try to make $100,000 a year, but why? I just want to play golf.''
Minchin returns to competitive action Sunday through Wednesday when she heads to Ottawa another Canadian Women's Tour event. Then it's off to Oshawa, Ont. (Aug. 11-13) for the Canadian PGA championship. The Tour concludes with the Tour Championship, Aug. 29-Sept. 1 in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.