- May 2023
Personal Statement
My soul awakens when the alarm clock goes off, it is 5AM and the world is quiet around me, as I get ready to hit the road with my father before morning rush hour commences. A 45min commute to escape a city inhabited by 9 million people, to only hear birds chirping and the morning dew shining with the sun rising above the golf course. I set foot on the driving range and the dopamine releases itself through my body to tackle a new day, a day closer to my athletic and academic dreams.
I have devoted myself to my studies and books for most of my life. Living in a more conservative country which has only recently opened itself up in the past three years, has made me discover the world through books. It was only recently that I was introduced to the sport of golf. How, you may ask? Covid-19 has been a curse and a blessing in my life, the latter however, has forced me to get out of my four walls as our school had closed its doors during the pandemic. Covid restricted most sports activities in the Kingdom, but golf was not one of them. I held a golf club in my hand, and as cliché as it may sound, it was love at first touch. A passion and an obsession started to develop, which led me to train every single day since. Two and a half years later, here I am, reducing my handicap from a 27 to a 11 within six months. I don’t deny it, I still have a long way to go, but at the speed I am going, with the dedication and love for this sport, I intend to reach the top in a short timeframe.
As the Kingdom is still developing golf on a greenfield level, there aren’t any junior golf tournaments or adult tournaments in that case. This requires me to travel around the Middle East, as well as internationally in order to gain the required experience. My father is supporting my dream from his own pocket, and I am eternally grateful. Being one of few female golfers in Saudi, I had the great privilege to play at the Saudi International Open and ARAMCO Team Series Pro-ams in KAEC Saudi Arabia. Playing alongside these champions has not only been an honour but an amazing experience, as I got to pick their brains throughout the days.
I understand that most universities look for golfers who have a lengthy track record, but rest assured, I am doing my very best to obtain such experience and to prove that I can be part of your team, from a performance perspective, as a team player, to share my motivation, dedication and love for the game, together with my academic achievements – I believe I can be an added value to your team. My dreams are to attend a renowned university which has a strong golf team, to eventually turn pro and be an Olympian. As you can see my dreams are big and I have no intention of letting any hurdle stop me from attaining them.
I thank you for your kind consideration and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely LuJain (“LJ”) Khalil
