LOOKING IN ON: GOLF

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 | 2:26 a.m.

When Da Sol Chung signed a letter of intent to play golf at UNLV, Rebels coach Missy Ringler predicted Chung would make an immediate impact.

Chung, one of the top amateur golfers in Korea, did not disappoint. The freshman led the Rebels with a 72.7 scoring average, won the individual title at the Mountain West Conference Championships, finished third at the NCAA Women's Golf Championships and became the first UNLV women's golfer to earn first-team All-America honors.

So when Chung last week qualified for the 61st U.S. Women's Open, to be played next week at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, Ringler wasn't surprised.

"I knew when I was recruiting her that she was an outstanding player," Ringler said. "Everything that she has been able to accomplish, I pretty much thought that that's where she should be - even coming in as a freshman."

Chung, on the other hand, was not as confident as her coach.

"No, I didn't expect it," she said.

Chung, 20, had made only a few trips to the United States to play in junior tournaments before moving from Seoul to Las Vegas in July. She's had to make plenty of adjustments in the past 11 months.

"Everything is different from Korea," Chung said. "At the first, I was a little nervous, but this semester I feel better than last semester. I'm getting used to things."

Ringler wasn't surprised that Chung has been able to adapt to a new country and, at the same time, excel on the golf course. The coach said the strong work ethic Chung developed while playing for the Korean national team has served her well.

"She's very meticulous about how she approaches the game - even when she's in a practice round," Ringler said. "She understands the game, and she understands what she needs to do, and she doesn't let things bother her.

"She's very stoic on the golf course; sometimes you can't tell whether she's playing bad or good. She's very calm and doesn't display a lot of emotion ... and I think that helps her to keep everything in perspective."

That attitude should come in handy next week when Chung goes to Rhode Island and sees the 6,616-yard Newport Country Club for the first time. Although she never has played the course, Ringler said she expects Chung to adapt quickly.

Earlier this spring, UNLV played in a tournament hosted by BYU in St. George. Because the team had played in Arizona the day before in another tournament, UNLV was unable to get in a practice round. Playing the course sight unseen, Chung finished in a tie for second place and helped the Rebels to the team championship.

Chung set simple goals for her first U.S. Open.

"I just want to do my best because it's my first time to play on the LPGA Tour," she said. "If I play good, it's good for my career, and if I play bad, I think it's going to be a good experience."

Ringler, of course, expects a little more from Chung.

"My expectations are that she'll go there and play well and make the cut and just really enjoy the experience for what it is," Ringler said. "It's a great chance for her to really show off the ability that she has."