Tessa Lapradez 4/14/25 Tessa Lapradez 4/14/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - April 14

Reporting live from the first hole, where we are ready to tee off and hammer away with this week’s breaking news in the vast green landscape of golf. My name is Tessa Lapradez, and I am here to give you an update about the sport and all things golf on and off the court. With the 2024 end-of-the-year TV deal secured between LIV and FOX Sports and the debut of TGL, this is the year of innovation for golf. Off into the course we go!

Caddy Chaos:

This year's Masters marks the first major event where Max Homa does not have his trusted caddie, Joe Greiner, at his side. The split comes as a shock not only to fans but also to Homa himself, who said it was not his choice.

“We always had a deal that we’re friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,” said Homa. Greiner’s decision came from a desire to preserve the friendship, which began in the early years of their childhood when they met at Vista Valencia Golf Course.

In a turn of events, Greiner stepped in as Justin Thomas’ caddie for the esteemed event at Augusta National. However, it’s only temporary.

“I’m very lucky Joe Greiner is a great friend and able to help me out at the last minute,” said Greiner.

Amateur Activities:

Amateur golfer Jose Luis Ballester turned heads on the Augusta National fairways. The Spanish amateur golfer, known for winning the 2024 U.S. Amateur, caused discourse among fans who disapproved of his “Sun Devils” hat.

The cap was an homage to Arizona State University, where Ballester is a senior. Many golf fans were angered by the messaging and the fact that the letters were arranged upside down.

“This hat choice by Jose Luis Ballester at #TheMasters is just outrageous,” said Damien Lisi, an avid X user who posts about golf.

Online chatter only grew louder when the amateur urinated into Rae’s Creek on the 13th hole. Ballester took the opportunity to pee in the river while his group, consisting of Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler, dealt with an issue on the green.

“If I had to do it again, I would do it again,” Ballester said.

Crowning a Major Champion:

Rory McIlroy can take a sigh of relief and satisfaction. With a birdie on the 18th hole during a sudden death playoff with Justin Rose, the Irish icon won the Masters Championship. 2024 Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler placed the iconic green jacket on a relieved McIlroy, who was overcome with emotion.

“I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” said McIlroy. His win on Sunday cements him as one of the all-time golf greats, achieving the Grand Slam.

Tiger Woods, a mentor and inspiration to Rory McIlroy, celebrated the monumental achievement on X. “Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you’re a part of history,” said Woods.

Tessa Lapradez 4/7/25 Tessa Lapradez 4/7/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - April 7

Trump and the Game:

Trump was spotted at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach last Friday amidst the announcement of widespread tariffs. In a “billionaire bubble,” as Senator Chuck Schumer called it, Trump decided to trade tariff talk with golf clubs as his supporters cheered him on from the sidewalk of the course.

“While the American people are trying to put food on the table, I see that Donald Trump’s out there playing golf,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján.

The next day, on April 5, Trump secured a victory in a senior golf club championship. “The President won his second round matchup of the Senior Club Championship today in Jupiter, FL, and advances to the Championship Round tomorrow,” the White House said.

Champions and Courses:

Brian Harman, 4-time PGA Tour winner, secured a win at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, Texas.

While reflecting on the challenges of the four-day tournament, Harman shared that it was especially hard to get through the week because his close family friend, Cathy Dowdy, was put into hospice care. Despite the mental toll, Harman pushed through and beat out golfer Andrew Novak, who needed the win to qualify for the esteemed Masters Championship.

“So I just tried really hard today to not let my emotions get out in front,” said Harman. “As much as I wanted to think about winning and holding the trophy and calling my wife and telling her how happy I was, you don’t get to do that until the job’s done.”

Amateur Aces:

Lottie Woad, ranked 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, was not able to defend her title as Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion.

Her Florida State teammates and coaches served as a cheering squad throughout the round and witnessed the unlucky streak of lip-outs, faulty tee shots, and bogeys.

Woad blamed the loss on one wrong club selection on the 10th hole of Augusta National Club, where she hit a 5-iron that landed her ball into an unplayable bush. The double bogey that came as a result of the iron shot dropped her further down the leaderboard.

“You can’t win every time,” said Woad. “The goal coming into it was just to be in contention, so I got that, and, yeah, it was a pretty good defense in the end.”

Tessa Lapradez 3/31/25 Tessa Lapradez 3/31/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - March 31

Media Moves:

Comedian and actor Andrew Santino is launching a golf podcast! Known for his roles in “Ricky Stanicky” and “Me Time,” Santino is entering the sports world with his podcast, “No Bad Lies.” Debuting on April 9, the actor will have on-course conversations and studio interviews with not only PGA and LIV golfers but also golf content creators and influencers.

“From LIV to the PGA and everything in between, there’s so much happening in golf right now,” said Santino. “I can’t wait to explore the sport from every angle with the people who love this game as much as I do.”

Andrew Santino has been teasing guests who will appear on the podcast, such as LIV’s very own Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, two of the most successful and widely known golfers.

Champions and Courses:

Min Woo Lee is officially a PGA Tour winner!

The Australian golfer outperformed world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by one stroke, as well as PGA favorite Gary Woodland, at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Lee took home his first PGA title and prize money worth $1,710,000. Woodland and Scheffler each went home with $845,000.

“This was my first time being in front and trying to hold a lead, and I’m glad I got it done,” said Lee. “It was a lot of mental grind, and I’m so proud of the way I handled myself.”

Min Woo Lee’s last win was at the November 2023 Australian PGA Championship, but he has competed in the 2024 Presidents Cup and in the 2024 Olympics. His social following has made him a fan favorite, with over 600,000 followers on Instagram.

Amateur Aces:

The 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship will bring together some of the greatest female amateurs in the game.

All but one of the top 50 golfers in the World Amateur Golf Ranking are in the field for the prestigious 72-player event. Lottie Wood, who is No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will compete as the reigning champion. Jasmine Koo, who is ranked No. 2, will arrive at the tournament as a standout freshman from USC with four wins during the 2024-25 season.
The final round of the competition will be held at Augusta National Golf Club on April 5, just a few days before the Masters Tournament, the first major men's golf tournament.

Tessa Lapradez 3/24/25 Tessa Lapradez 3/24/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - March 24

Range of Relationships:

5-time Masters champion Tiger Woods announced that he is dating Vanessa Trump through an Instagram post with photos of the couple. “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” said Woods.

Rumors of the relationship sparked after Vanessa Trump and her daughter, budding golfer Kai Trump, were spotted at a TGL event in Florida. Woods’ son, Charlie, attends the Benjamin School with Kai, and the two have bonded over a shared passion for golfing.

In his caption, Woods requested privacy regarding the relationship, but is that really possible? With him being one of the most famous golfers in the world and her the former wife of Donald Trump Jr., individuals invested in the world of sports or politics will be sure to keep an eye on the couple.

LIV Feud:

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler is commenting on talks of a LIV-PGA deal finally coming into fruition.

During a pre-Masters global press conference, a journalist asked Scheffler if he misses playing with top players such as Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, who moved to LIV.

“If we want to figure out why the game of golf is not back together, go ask those guys,” said Scheffler. “Go wherever they are playing this week and figure out when the game is going to come back together.”

Scheffler was confident in stating that the divide within the world of golf was caused by the creation of LIV and the players who decided to join the new golf league. Though he has no ill will toward the LIV golfers, it’s assumed that he will put some of that energy into his bid to win another green jacket.

Media Moves:

Good for Good Good Golf!

The media and lifestyle company’s CEO, Matt Kendrick, announced a $45 million fundraising round that was initiated by Ben Grubbs at Creator Sports Capital and investment management executive Brian Kabot. More than 50 individual investors participated, including football royalty Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.

Grubbs was deemed an ideal fit because of his investment in the creator industry and monetizing internet content. Good Good utilizes content creation through YouTube to sell and market golf products and the game itself.

“Let’s build something so that you don’t have to make a video for the rest of your life,” said Matt Kendrick. For the CEO, that means jumping from the comfort of over 1.75 million YouTube subscribers into the uncharted territory of major golf brands.

With the reach and scale that Good Good has achieved in only 5 years, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it became one of the five biggest golf companies in the world.

Tessa Lapradez 3/10/25 Tessa Lapradez 3/10/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - March 10

Leaving LIV:

Is Brooks Koepka moving on from LIV?

64-time PGA Tour winner Fred Couples ignited the conversation on KJR 93.3 FM radio, suggesting that Koepka confided in him about his wish to return “home.”

“I talk to Brooks Koepka all the time.. he wants to come back,” said Couples.

The comment coming from Couples’ mouth is no surprise, as he has been one of the fiercest advocates against LIV since Spanish golfer Jon Rahm joined the Saudi-backed tour in 2023.

Disgraced (at least to most) LIV golfer Phil Mickelson fired back at Couples by commenting on Golf Digest’s post on X about Koepka’s potential move.

“If it’s not true he damaged a relationship which he cares about,” said Mickelson. “Either way, this is a low-class jerk move by Fred.”

Why did Mickelson delete his posted comment? One can only assume that he doesn’t want an awkward reunion with Couples come the Masters this April.

Uphill Journeys:

Tiger Woods and his Jupiter Links Golf Club rounded out their TGL season, losing to Atlanta Drive GC by 9 to 1. Although the team did not move on to the playoffs, Woods appeared to enjoy the experience of playing alongside Kevin Kisner, Max Homa and Tom Kim. And after all, a lot of the joy in playing golf comes from the experience.

Woods shared that the tournament was only the third time he touched a club since his mom, Kutilda, passed away on February 4.

“My heart is not really into practicing right now,” said Woods. “Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I'll start looking at the schedule.”

There are moments where golfers choose to place their personal and mental health before the game, and this is certainly a time where Woods should take a breather and process the deep loss.

Scoring Superstitions:

You know those odd “solutions” that golfers swear can change their game?

Well, Norwegian favorite Viktor Hovland is proof that not only amateur golfers have come to strange conclusions on how to improve their games.

To improve his putting, Hovland is not only switching back to the Ping prototype DS-72 but is also choosing to believe that going back to old Nike shoes can save his putting game.

“I feel I can read the slopes of the greens better with my feet,” said Hovland. “They are so light and actually a bit unstable compared to the Puma shoes I’ve been using for a while now.” The golfer is making the change despite his exclusive shoe-only agreement with Puma that was signed in 2024.

Don’t blame it on the shoes, Hovland! Focus on fixing your fundamentals and call your coach for a 9-1-1 putting practice.

Tessa Lapradez 3/3/25 Tessa Lapradez 3/3/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - March 3

Streaming Scores:

The newest season of Full Swing is out! Time to binge the Netflix series and see a whole new side of the world of golf–and the players who made it so.

Season 3 highlights Scottie Scheffler’s infamous arrest just before he entered the ropes of the PGA Championship, which was held last year at Valhalla Golf Club. The major streaming service obtained never-before-seen footage of the arrest and every movement of the police officers, who did not even know who Scheffler was.

Golf Digest came out with a review of the latest seven episodes, and it’s not looking too good. It turns out that Scheffler’s arrest, the McIlroy divorce that almost happened, and Bryson DeChambeau’s redemption arc with golf fans are all in one episode! Why Netflix decided to jam-pack all this *steamy* content into one episode, only the golf gods can say.

Uphill Journeys:

Brian Campbell’s life changed on February 23rd. The PGA tour professional won a playoff to earn the title of the 2025 Mexico Open Champion.

The journey has been nothing short of challenging for Campbell, who lost his PGA card in 2017 and had to work hard to gain a coveted spot back into the tour. Though the golfer hits the shortest distance compared to any other PGA golfer, he was able to secure the win.

His girlfriend, Kelsi McKee, jumped into his arms after Campbell completed the second playoff hole. The golfer, who has been a professional since 2015, was visibly emotional when talking to commentators about his well-deserved win.

“To be in this position is just so unreal,” Campbell said.

There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a longtime athlete receive their flowers.

Media Moves:

YouTubers are coming to the golf world!

YouTube and the PGA Tour are partnering to create The Creator Classic Series, which comprises three golf events and curated content by YouTube’s leading golf influencers.

The Creator Classic at TPC Sawgrass on March 12 is the first event, which actually takes place the day before The Players Championship in Florida. Creators confirmed to participate include Grant Horvat, Bryan Bros, Gabby Golf Girl, Fat Perez, Roger Steele, Kyle Berkshire, Tisha Alyn, and a yet-to-be-announced Barstool golfer.

The second event will be the Creator Classic at Philly Cricket on May 7, and the last event will be the Creator Classic at East Lake on August 20.

“The PGA Tour is intently focused on delivering unique, premium content and experiences like this to our diverse and growing fanbase, all while amplifying the voices of our participating creators,” said Chris Wandell, the PGA Tour's Senior Vice President of Media.

All events will be live streamed on YouTube, giving fans and those intrigued easy access to view.

Tessa Lapradez 2/24/25 Tessa Lapradez 2/24/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - February 24

More than the Game:

Tiger Woods returned to TGL for the first time following the death of his mother, Kultida, on Feb. 18 at SoFi Center. The last time his mom watched him play was in the very same stadium on Jan. 27.

Competing with the Jupiter Links Golf Club, Woods reflected on the impact of his mother’s support throughout his career. “She was very direct about her feelings, her emotions – she’d let you know either way,” said Woods.

Kultida frequently watched Tiger Woods compete on various occasions and felt pride when watching his 16-year-old son, Charlie, rise as an amateur golfer. “I had a really hard time getting here and then reliving all the moments that we’ve had, my mom, how excited she was to have Charlie drive her here,” said Woods.

It’s amazing to see those who love the game come together and rally around the legendary icon during such a difficult time.

Laughing over LIV:

Aussie golfer and 14 PGA Tour winner Adam Scott is joining in on the commentary around LIV and the golfers who “betrayed” the PGA Tour. “I wouldn’t hold it against anybody if there were negative emotions attached to it, the thought of players coming back,” said Scott.

Scott is among the athletes at the helm of the PGA-LIV discussions as a member of the PGA Tour board. He even went to the White House with Commissioner Monahan to speak with Trump about mending the two golf worlds.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund closely tied to LIV, was also in D.C. in an attempt to reunify both parties.

The athletes seem to feel the same way as golf fans around the world, who want to wrap the conflict up and move forward.

Community Champions:

8-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel is being awarded the 2025 Charlie Barnett Award in recognition of using his platform for “unselfish contributions for the betterment of society”.

The honor is largely thanks to the Horschel Family Foundation, which he founded with his wife to support veterans, amplify mental health and addiction resources, and encourage diversity in the game of golf. “One thing my wife, Brittany, and I have talked about from the very beginning was making sure we give back and help out people who aren’t nearly as fortunate,” said Horschel.

Horschel joins an esteemed list of former recipients such as Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer.

Tessa Lapradez 2/17/25 Tessa Lapradez 2/17/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - February 17

Politics and Putts:

Northern Irish royalty and 27-time PGA Tour winner Rory McIlroy revealed that he shared a round with President Trump last month in South Florida. The World No. 3 stated that the current president is not a fan of the current format used by LIV.

Trump’s connections to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the directors critical to the merger between PGA and LIV make him essential to the negotiations. Players realize that, and maybe that’s why they are sticking freakishly close to him.

“He has direct access to Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s boss; not many people have that,” McIlroy said.

Rory may think that Trump is siding with the PGA, but who can know for sure?

Slow Pace:

Pace of play may not be an issue with LPGA players anymore!

After receiving a notice that there will be repercussions and fines given to players who take too long, the professional golfers worked to speed up their game and finished with a median round more than 40 minutes less than the previous two days.

Stacy Lewis, 13-time LPGA Tour winner, was a part of the committee who worked on the pace-of-play policy being implemented in March.

“I just think everybody knows that we need to play faster,” said Lewis.

More than the Game:

Before the Genesis Invitational from Feb. 13-16, the namesake company announced an $8 million donation to California wildfire relief, which includes both monetary funds and 100 vehicles. Genesis, TGR Live, and PGA Tour are collaborating to give back to Los Angeles with the “California Rises” initiative, which will give proceeds to World Central Kitchen, American Red Cross, California Fire Foundation, and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation.

The Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades has historically been home to the tournament.

Tessa Lapradez 2/10/25 Tessa Lapradez 2/10/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - February 10

Club Changes:

Dustin Johnson and TaylorMade are breaking up.

After 18 years full of extreme highs and little lows, Johnson made the decision to not extend his contract with the sports company at the end of 2024. The 24 PGA Tour title winner was an integral player to Taylormade, donning their clubs and apparel during his time being the world number one for over 130 weeks.

Beginning as a competitor on the PGA Tour and now being one of the top stars for LIV, who Dustin Johnson decides to partner with will be a topic of major conversation in the weeks ahead.

Leaders for the Long Game:

Trump began his Super Bowl Sunday by enjoying a round of golf with none other than Tiger Woods. The 82 PGA Tour title winner brought his son Charlie Woods for the occasion in West Palm Beach.

One might wonder if the spontaneous gathering was in hopes of mending the PGA-LIV feud, which began in June 2023. President Trump has previously expressed his hopes to bring the sport back together and is actively working with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan toward a solution. Last week, Monahan and Aussie golfer Adam Scott went to the White House for negotiations.

Amateur Aces:

Welcome Bryan Newman to the lexicon of amateurs heading to a major championship!

The 17-year-old amateur from South Africa won the African Amateur Championship, earning him a coveted ticket to the 2025 Open Championship, a tournament with high stakes for a newbie looking to make his mark.

The moment was all the more special as his win was in his home country at Leopard Creek, a course that he frequently practiced at. Let’s see how his nerves will impact him as he makes his major debut with world-class golfers.

Tessa Lapradez 2/3/25 Tessa Lapradez 2/3/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - February 3

Championship Clothing:

Malbon debuted their new collaboration with Willie Nelson, the acclaimed outlaw musician and longtime golfer. The apparel line includes a Texas-centric t-shirt, straw hat, and simplified polo. Ranging from $68 to $118, the pricey pieces are a blend of what Malbon calls Nelson’s “iconic bandana and braids look.” The collaboration melds together the worlds of golf and country.

Leaders for the Long Game:

There is nothing golfers hate more than playing a slow round of golf.

Dottie Pepper, former LPGA pro turned golf broadcaster, was not shy in expressing her disdain for the slow pace of play in a passionate rant on air recently. While covering the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, Pepper called pace of play a form of “respect.”

The PGA Tour, during a “Fan Forward” initiative , said that it is looking to address the longstanding issue by possibly enacting violations, adding a shot clock, or implementing more rangefinders to speed up the round.

Speeding up each group’s pace will also help to engage fans like me, who cannot stand waiting for a group to tee off for long periods of time.

Range of Recoveries:

The world number one is back!

Following a night of making ravioli that resulted in a hand injury, 2024 Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler will return to the course at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Now, how exactly did ravioli contribute to Scheffler missing the world stage for a few tournaments?

The golfer says that he didn’t have the right tools to cut the pasta, so he used a wine glass. Then he said, “It broke and the stem kind of got me in the hand.” a relatable story, but an unfortunate incident for the world-class golfer who wants to maintain his reign.

Rory McIlroy joined in the conversation, saying that he wondered why Scheffler was cooking for himself. But I say, why blame the man for wanting to have any sense of normalcy?

Tessa Lapradez 1/27/25 Tessa Lapradez 1/27/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - January 27

Media Moves:

Justin Thomas is reaching out to his fellow PGA class to help bring up ratings ahead of the first tournament broadcast at Torrey Pines. In a letter first obtained by The Athletic, Thomas suggested that player interactions with the broadcast during the round would help to engage more viewers. He is putting in the work as a member of the PGA Tour Advisory Council, and one can hope that other players give more to the program!

Politics and Putts:

In another one of his unwarranted rants, Trump bragged that he could resolve the LIV and PGA conflict in only 15 minutes during his appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. PGA confirmed that Trump invited Commissioner Jay Monahan to play a round in West Palm Beach, Florida. The following day, Trump went to a UFC event and spoke with Yasir al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, who funds LIV. It’s almost like he is trying to prevent the separated tours from reaching an irreparable divorce.

Tour Tracker:

The home of the Genesis Invitational is moving to Torrey Pines this year. Because of the devastating Los Angeles Wildfires, the iconic Riviera Country Club will not be hosting the event, where celebrities and athletes come to watch their favorite players compete. Many PGA pros shared their excitement and support of the change. “No pushback from me,” Ludvig Åberg said in a statement.

Tessa Lapradez 1/20/25 Tessa Lapradez 1/20/25

Teeing Up This Week’s Breaking News - January 20

Reporting from the first hole, where we are ready to tee off and hammer away with this week’s breaking news in the vast green landscape of golf. My name is Tessa Lapradez, and I’m here to give you an update about the sport and all things golf on and off the court. With the 2024 end-of-the-year TV deal secured between the ever-divisive LIV and FOX Sports and the debut of TGL, this is the year of innovation for golf. Off into the course we go!

If DJ Khaled isn’t screaming, “Let’s go golfing,” he is announcing another major collaboration. During Reggie Jackson’s Celebrity Golf Classic, the golf fanatic and mogul gave a sneak peek of the Travis Scott and Cactus Jack golf collection with Nike (Hypebeast). Add a line to explain what the collection is, how much it costs, target audience, etc.

Take a peek at what you can wear on your next outing to the course in Summer 2025:

https://www.instagram.com/djkhaled/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=66f505cc-24b0-4732-9669-feedc3893100

Major Moves:

Good for Good Good Golf!

The golf influencers, who have amassed almost 2 million followers on Youtube, announced that they will be sponsoring PGA Tour professionals in a deal including apparel and content creation (FOX Business). They’ve signed Joel Dahmen fresh off of Netflix’s “Full Swing” docuseries, as well as Beau Hossier, Willie Mack II, Michael Block, and PGA rookie John Pak (Golf Week). What will they do, exactly?

The deal signifies the growing influence and popularity of YouTube and content influencers in offering the intersection between professional players and rookie golfers. The sport is made that much more entertaining when seeing a new side of the athletes who are predominantly viewed in a demure and calm manner. I like the shoutout to demure, but how does this deal do that?

Leaders for the Long Game:

Bye, Greg Norman! After indelibly marking the game and ushering in a new era of golf filled with intrigue and conflict, Norman is being replaced as CEO of ??? with Scott O’Neil. “Scott has the passion, the tenacity, and the vision to continue leveraging LIV Golf’s position as a preeminent global sports and entertainment company and to lead our amazing teams and players for years to come,” said LIV Golf Board Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan in a newly released statement (Golf Week). Did they say why? If not you should say that .. also it wouldn’t hurt to remind us in a few words of Norman’s legendary status.

LIV Golf shook the foundation of the sport forever by challenging the PGA as a rival tour, stealing world-class golfers Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson. The PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund continue negotiations that aim to mend the two tours and heal the golf world (NBC Sports).

Tessa Lapradez 4/21/24 Tessa Lapradez 4/21/24

Stepping Up to the Tee

After a long and (at times) illustrious golf career, Tessa Lapradez writes about unrequited feelings for the “game on grass”.

A candid and beautifully honest perspective on finding identity in golf, grappling with ‘what ifs’, and welcoming the urge to head back to the tee.

Looking back at my golf career means looking back at different stages of myself. A mirror of my growth, with each tournament division signifying a pivotal place and time in my life.

As I grew in the game, I grew in myself. I fully savored the satisfying highs of my career, the purpose it gave me, and the pride it offered my family.

I reminisce painfully, imagining the “what ifs” and a future where I didn’t let the lows consume me and end my career. It’s painful to realize that the only limitation was me.

In reclaiming my relationship with golf, I claim the iterations of myself throughout my career and embrace how the sport was actually designed to make me limitless.

These are the precious minutes prior to my new introduction to the tee box.

When I was 7, my dad’s wish came true.

I began to accompany him to afternoons at La Mirada Golf Course, observing the thrill he felt with a pure seven iron, which more often than not was quickly humbled by a slice into the flimsy net meant to protect those on the 10th tee freeway. Such inconsistency I childishly and naively snickered at my dad for was a state of being that I would begin to know intimately from my first lesson to the last stroke of my career.

Connecting with my dad through the game he loves so dearly reinvented the meaning of the sport for our family, becoming a binder of our unit and tying me to a community of individuals with grit and resolve. The game taught me that the true champion of my life is my father, who imparted the passion he had for the game and exhausted all resources to build me into a formidable player, teaching me that I am capable of the greatness he envisioned within me. Throughout the rounds we shared, he gave me every opportunity to outdrive him and celebrate my wins. I became the only golfer he was thrilled to lose to.

My golf career was the fulfillment of dad’s dream.

I shortly came to the realization that golf is a family business.

Most afternoons from 2013 to 2022 were reserved for course practices with my mom.

Dropped off at the front of the entryway, I would rush to the café where Maria knew my signature order, then walk a few steps over to the pro-shop to greet attendees who would only charge $5 for 18, or on the rare occasion, point to the first tee for a cost-free round. In her exhausted yet giving nature, my mom would rush down the sloping walkway in her navy blue scrubs, grab the cart keys, and meet me at the tee box.

More than teaching me about the unpredictability of course play and necessity for adaptability, each practice was time to recount the day and make ‘chismis’ (gossip) over the club cafe’s fries with extra cajun seasoning. The course was a perfect environment for one-on-one time, where my mom and I found vulnerable confidants in each other.

Competitions were as much family trips as tournaments. Wearing apparel proudly purchased by my grandmother at Roger Dunn, alongside my heart on my sleeve, competition grounds were filled with a Lapradez at every corner, from mom struggling to fit the Clicgear chair in my cart, Dad looking for unnecessary trinkets in the pro-shop, and my Mita doing crossword puzzles in the cafeteria for hours. Win or lose, I could expect a freshly cooked dish from a local restaurant to greet me. A gesture reassuring me that, in their eyes, I am their daughter before I am a player.

The arrival of my decision to leave golf years later was all the more painful as golf infused itself into every inch of my life. I feared my parents’ resentment for cutting the strings to a meaningful connection.

Our memories as a family remain time-stamped by the golf courses we explored for hours.

Sisterhood: The Unifying and Divisive Nature of Competition

Entering a room and identifying myself as a golfer formed my sense of self at an early age, connecting me with diversely driven girls who understood the constant familial hopes and daunting expectations I assumed were a singular experience.

Social spaces were easier to penetrate with exclusive access into this unified sisterhood — one where you had to prove yourself before truly gaining entry. Luckily, not only did I have the prowess to earn my place in the most coveted golf groups, but a witty and humorous personality that reserved golfers resorted to for a laugh during tension-filled holes. The feeling of acceptance and recognition within these circles made me feel whole.

In the initial rounds of my now-expired career, silence of fear was my superpower, and the ability to “just hit” disrupted the stillness with a beautifully struck ball. Competitive golfers with a quiet mind and unshakeable demeanor are the most empowered. I never fully inhabited the “killer mentality” that those who soared developed into and embodied so well, almost transforming them into a separate identity. How I portrayed myself on the golf course was the exact same person I was outside of it: an expressive, emotional, and reaction-prone individual. This very trait brought me closer to my “rivals” as trusted companions and life-long girlfriends, but admittedly served as a disadvantage competitor-to-competitor.

Leaving the Course.

A rude awakening (to be frank, an existing thought temporarily subsided) overshadowed the championships that I had won as an independent and with my teammates. The tests of strength in mentality that come with devotion to golf heightened when I inched closer and closer to THE pivotal moment in a golfer’s journey: college recruitment. A choice to wholly dive in or step out.

With the accumulation of competition years came disruption. Winds suddenly spoke in a harsh tone, commanding the ball to disobey my orders. The uneven rough jeered at me and began to know my name, becoming a home for my “partner” to sink further into. Piercing the bermuda grass on the first tee meant trying to tame my shaky and sweaty hand, tightening my grip in fear of my club flying instead of the unruly ball. A desire for more beyond the sport coupled with undesirable results of falling behind the “pack” manifested anxiety into a dependable companion, one who distanced me from the passion that motivated me to be present an hour before each tee time. Burnout ultimately triumphed, as it had done with many golfers before me.

While the girls on the tournament range admirably sacrificed the weekend gathering or vacation, I sought to define myself out of the bounds of golf and the inescapable anxiety that became attached to competing. I swiftly realized that my “sisters,” who qualified for the next stages of their careers in Toyota Tour Cup and AJGA, all had to sacrifice components of life more important to me than the game. Golf was their whole world, and it certainly was not mine.

Following the final high school CIF season, I chose the revolving door.

“What If” I Stayed.

In recognizing my wholehearted decision to take a step back, unrequited feelings of potential untapped remind me that I have unfinished business with my beloved “friend,” who gifted me wisdom, maturity, indescribable fulfillment, and purpose. Occasional sighs exposing the unspoken feelings of my dad in the months following my “retirement” incessantly itched me, which would be assumed to be rooted in my people-pleasing tendencies but truly stemmed from recognizing the truth in his unsaid words.

I resort to leisurely golf in my post-competition world as a taste of what was before and have reclaimed joy simply from coaching my mom, showing off at TopGolf outings, and playing weekly rounds with cousins to be followed by a mandatory lunch. The greatness I experienced before was repurposed into a beautiful outlet for familial connection and a level of commitment I can most definitely handle.

Better yet, “casual” golfing is an obvious yet surprising boost to the ego, satisfying the urges of an individual accustomed to competition while inviting curiosity and questions of what could have been. Being placed in a random group of fellow aficionados, oftentimes a sweet and elderly Korean man, means hearing endless praise and asking when he will find me on the LPGA. Such words, reaffirming the continued existence of my talent, create images of a world in which I might have pursued college golf. I catch myself questioning why I quit in the first place.

Grip softened and mind as ease, golf once again has become peaceful for the mind. The swing has never left me and only needs my hands to reach out to the club.

5 Minutes to Tee Time.

I have come to realize that keeping a relationship with my sport is non-negotiable, a responsibility I place upon myself to repay for all that golf has molded and raised me to be.

The course of direction has aligned once more to land on an uneven cart path, leading me to the overgrown high grass, where I must plant my feet and find proper footing.

I am stepping up to the tee once more.