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Annie Tu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on October 10, 1981. She moved to Canada at the age of two, where her family moved around the Greater Toronto Area for the next couple of years and finally settled in Brampton. Annie grew up playing many different sports and thoroughly enjoyed them all. At the age of 12, Annie was exposed to a sport her father had taken up. It was the game of Golf. In hopes of spending more time with her father, Annie began to watch golf on TV and having heard it was "boring" she was determined to give it a fair chance. While watching the Export "A" Skins Game, Annie noticed a man who seemed to stand out from the other three players. His name was Fred Couples, and he captured her imagination like no one in this sport ever has. Fred's mannerism and self-assurance were things Annie adored, not to mention his magnificant swing. So, from that day on, Fred Couples would become an enormous influence in Annie's golf career.
The Tu Family owned a restaurant, called Formosa, which took up most of their time. Annie's parents would often work 12 to 14 hour days which left very little time for Golf or use of a membership to a club. But Annie still wanted to improve her game. So she asked for a subscription to Golf Digest, which her father readily provided. Through magazines and The Golf Channel, Annie was able to learn more about golf and the golf swing. This is where her obsession began.
By 1996, Annie knew she was hooked. At the end of that year Annie had taken over her mother's clubs and shot under 110 in 5 out of the 7 rounds she played. In 1997 all 8 rounds played were under that mark including a season ending 93. Also in that year, Annie recorded her first birdies on a par 3 & a par 4. In 1998, Annie broke 90, by shooting 5 consecutive pars, and birdied her first par 5. Knowing that she would begin playing in tournaments the next year, Annie decided that this would be her last time playing from the red tees.
1999 was the official beginning of Annie Tu's junior golf career. She got her membership to the Canadian Junior Golf Association and signed up for 10 tournaments on the Buick Junior Tour. The first four tournaments were Annie's first seven rounds of the season, but she was surprising consistent, shooting between 94 and 89 every round. She also worked with Joanne Anderson, teaching professional at the Lionhead Golf Academy, as a season-long coach. In the first week of July, Annie attended the CJGA Junior Golf Camp, were she was given plenty of time to play and practice. Two weeks later she came back to the camp and volunteered as a councilor. Annie worked, for four weeks, with Dave Fritz, Head CPGA Professional at the Caitlyn Golf Academy, and Jay Shoom-Kirsh, Head Coach of the American University Men's Golf team, along with some fellow Buick Junior Tour players. This proved to be a valuable experience, because in the remaining six tournaments Annie shot between 92 and 79, in 12 out of those 16 rounds.
At the end of that season Annie realized she was exhausted. She had played three times the amount of golf she was used to playing. This was a key factor in her performance. So, during the winter of 1999, Annie worked on a fitness program that includes cardiovascular conditioning, strength training and flexibility exercises, in order to be physically capable of playing her best in her last year as a junior. She will also begin her season in March, when she will be working in an indoor facility with Don Lunn, CPGA Professional at Brampton Golf and Country Club. In the year 2000 season, Annie has entered 7 tournaments on the Buick Junior Golf Tour and the Ontario Junior Girls.
In September Annie will be attending the University of Toronto as a full time student in the Faculty of Physical Education and Health. Annie hopes to get a scholarship and play at the university level while she continues her education.
Updated: 2000/08/14