The women’s golf competition at the Paris Olympics kicks off on Wednesday, August 7, and preparation is coming to a close. The best women from around the world are ready to tee it up at Le Golf National and represent their countries on the biggest stage in sports.

For Malaysia’s Ashley Lau, a first-time Olympian, it feels like she is living in a dream, and despite being ready to compete for a spot on the podium, she hasn’t quite soaked everything in yet.

“I guess calling myself an Olympian still hasn't really sunk in,” said Lau. “I'll probably soak everything in once it's done. But right now, it just feels like any other tournament. I'm ready for it to start and can't wait for it to start.”

Lau has been so focused on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card that it’s been a bit tough to truly feel like an Olympian in recent weeks. The Race is a season-long points competition that awards the top 15 athletes in the standings with LPGA Tour membership at the end of the season, something that has been a lifelong goal for Lau ever since she started playing the game.

If she were to earn her LPGA Tour card, Lau would follow in fellow Malaysian Natasha Andrea Oon’s footsteps, who graduated from the Epson Tour in 2023 and earned Gaëlle Truet Rookie of the Year honors but has yet to make a start in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour and failed to qualify for the Olympics due to injury.

Lau has made eight cuts in 12 starts on the LPGA’s Official Qualifying Tour in 2024, earning a season-best result of T11 at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. The 24-year-old’s focus on the Race for the Card has proven to be well-placed, as she most recently moved up six spots in the standings from 80th to 74th.

Now, with medals on the line at one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Epson Tour sophomore has turned her focus to the Olympics and is happy to have a brief distraction from the season-long Race for the Card.

“It didn't feel real until I was on the flight to Paris. All the preparation and all that, my mind was kind of distracted because I was still playing on the Epson Tour,” said Lau. “I couldn't get distracted from that because obviously, my goal is also to get my LPGA card. But this week, it's nice because it feels like I have a little distraction from getting an LPGA card.

“Golf has been kind of tough the last couple of months, so I’m taking a little breather, and I think the Olympics has been helping because it feels like I'm in a dream and can escape reality for a little bit.”

Since arriving in Paris over a week ago, Lau has been fully immersed in the Games. The Malaysian participated in the Opening Ceremony, which was a bit of a rainy experience on the Seine River, but it was nonetheless a moment for Lau’s memory book.

“It was really fun, other than the rain,” said Lau. “It was really cool because the athletes on the boat, we were all getting rained on. We were getting cold, and my arm was getting numb from waving, but just seeing the fans still sitting there in the rain and sucking it up, it was very energizing seeing them still cheering for everyone. It energized me to still wave. It was one for the memory books for sure.”

The same crowd that energized Lau during the Opening Ceremony is also helping her prepare to manage her emotions and expectations once the competition begins. The University of Michigan alum has played in front of large groups of people before on the Epson and LPGA Tours, but she knows the Olympic crowd will be the biggest yet.

Anticipating the nerves that are sure to come on her first tee shot, Lau has walked through it in her head numerous times, reminding herself that she’s fortunate enough to be living other people’s dreams.

But even with all of the overwhelming emotions, Lau has a support system of both family and total strangers to lean on. Her older brother, younger sister, cousin and Michigan teammates will be in attendance this week, while her parents will be rooting for her from afar.

Lau also has what feels like the whole country of Malaysia wishing her luck and cheering her on in her direct messages on Instagram, faithfully supporting their lone representative in this year’s women’s golf competition.

“I get a lot of DMs on Instagram saying, 'Good luck! do Malaysia proud!' It's a lot, and they probably don't realize it because it's only a text for them, but for me to receive so many of that kind of text, it's really heartwarming,” said Lau. “For a lot of us playing in the Olympics, it's bigger than just us. We're doing it for us, for our family, our country. That's such an honor. This is something bigger than just us. I think that's really cool.”

Lau tees off at 10:33 a.m. local time on Wednesday and will be playing alongside Italy’s Alessandra Fanali and Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom. Fans can follow live scoring here.

Malaysian Ashley Lau Makes Olympic Debut in Paris

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