If it hadn’t been for one American Junior Golf Association tournament – the 2016 Rolex Tournament of Champions at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga. – no one in the Western golf world might have known about the Hou sisters until they became professionals.
The Hou (pronounced “Ho”) sisters, Yu-Sang and Yu-Chiang, had no plans to go to college. Both expected to turn pro in their native Taiwan when they turned 18. But plans change.
Now, Yu-Sang, 20, is a junior at the University of Arizona, while Yu-Chiang, 19, who goes by Vivian when she’s in the States, is a freshman for the Wildcats. Both are making a splash in the college and amateur ranks.
But if it hadn’t been for that AJGA tournament, a quiet affair beside the lapping waters of a man-made lake an hour’s drive west of Augusta, Arizona head coach Laura Ianello might never have found this dynamic duo.
“I was actually out there recruiting (former UCLA standout) Patty Tavatanakit,” Ianello said. “But I saw Yu-Sang and that’s how our relationship formed. … We recruited her heavily after that tournament.”
It wasn’t until later that Ianello found out Yu-Sang had a younger sister who was just as good, if not better. And so the Hous became the kind of two-for-one special that coaches dream about but almost never find. And, for Ianello, that afternoon in Georgia was like finding the Corvette in the widow’s barn, a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that has bestowed a lot of rewards.
Yu-Sang, who is 5-foot-3 and 115 pounds, is a pure power hitter who as a freshman in 2018 helped Arizona capture the NCAA Championship. Former Arizona standout Haley Moore is remembered for sinking the winning putt in the finals, but without Yu-Sang Hou, that moment might never have happened.
As a sophomore, Yu-Sang won her first collegiate tournament, the Pac-12 Preview. She is currently No. 27 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Vivian, who has won three professional titles in Asia, joined the Arizona squad last fall. And although she hasn’t won a tournament yet for Arizona, she has two runner-up finishes and has jumped to the top of the college golf rankings for the first time this season. Her game is also the polar opposite of her sister’s. According to Ianello, Vivian “is probably one of the shortest hitters on our team, but she knows her clubs, and is spot-on with her distance control – probably the best I’ve ever coached.”
And she is now one of the best in the world. Vivian is No. 2 in the WAGR and inching closer to the No. 1 spot, held by Frenchwoman Pauline Roussin-Bouchard.
The sisters’ respective rankings helped both gain entry into this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur, set to take place April 1-4 in Augusta, Ga. It will be the second start for each in the championship – both missed the cut by two strokes last year.
Both are striving for more this time around, believing they can win and hoping to be battling each other in the final round. They know their way around that part of Georgia now, and they know what to expect.
“Especially at Augusta, you really need to practice short game and putting,” Yu-Sang said.
“We will focus on that. Plus, the greens were super fast,” Vivian added.
Like a lot of talented college players before them, the Hous’ ultimate goal is to play on the LPGA Tour.
Ianello understands the Hou sisters’ future as professionals could come sooner rather than later. But at the moment, the Hous are content to play and study at Arizona.
“There were big draws here at Arizona, like Ya Chun Chang and Bianca Pagdanganan from the Philippines, who they knew and respected,” Ianello said. “I think they knew of Haley Moore. They obviously weren’t ranked what they are now, so I think they knew deep down that surrounding themselves with great players like Haley, Bianca, and Ya Chun, who’s on the team now (would be a good thing). I think they knew competing in college, they could grow. They see these ladies stay in school, but also grow as people and players. These college events are just like semi-pro events, playing against Andrea Lee, Maria Fassi and Jennifer Kupcho.
“It’s a great way to test where your game is, even if it’s (only) for a year. But if you’re dominating and winning at the collegiate level, you’re definitely going to be ready for the pros.”
Ianello understands the Hou sisters’ future as professionals could come sooner rather than later. But at the moment, the Hous are content to play and study at Arizona.
But don’t be surprised if that changes. And when it does, look out Jutanugarns and Kordas, there will likely be a new sister act on the LPGA Tour.