A week later, Ms. Chua reached another milestone when she finished second at an event that promoted her to full status on the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the L.P.G.A. She flew to Malaysia to sign a $60,000 sponsorship deal with Sime Darby, a trading conglomerate.

After returning to the United States, she joined Mr. Griswold at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for the Open, where they shared a room and strategized her game. “He was an amazing caddie,” she said. “I made the cut and was paired with the No. 1 and No. 3 players in the world.”

During the Open, Mr. Griswold took notes, carried the bag, cleaned her clubs, did the laundry, planned their meals and kept their room spotless. “I wanted her to rest and stay focused on golf,” he said. “Making the cut was a big deal. The entire week was an experience we will always cherish, especially since it was the beginning of our relationship.”

The next month, in August 2011, she was touring full time and they rented an apartment together in Winston-Salem, where Mr. Griswold had one more year of college. He caddied for her on weekends, and she helped him with math. He finished a degree in interdisciplinary studies.