Moving on from Q-School Stage I

I’m thrilled to share that I made the cut at LPGA Q-School Stage I in Palm Springs, CA after 4 rounds of golf at Mission Hills and Shadow Ridge. I have played some amazing golf even though the scores weren’t extremely low, and I truly feel good about where my game is heading. Huge shout out to my mom for driving the golf cart with me for 7 days and keeping me in the moment and reminding me to eat, drink, and providing cold towels in the 100+ degree weather!

I arrived in Los Angeles on the Sunday to meet up with my parents who had already been in California for a couple of days and then drive down to Palm Springs. I had a practice round at 7:30 every morning, starting off at Shadow Ridge on the Monday, followed up by Arnold Palmer and Dinah Shore at Mission Hills. It was 3 great practice days spent together with my fellow Swedes, Beatrice Wallin and Anna Nordfors. We had lots of fun while also prepping well for the event that started on the Thursday.

I started off at Dinah Shore, the major course… It is a course that fits my game; beneficial to hit it far, longer par 3’s, and some big greens with undulating greens. I started off the tournament very well and was -5 after 13 holes and a clean card. I was nervous, excited, and ready all in one, and the nerves didn’t quite go away as it usually does once I’m out on the course. However, I managed it very well. I had 2 bogeys on the back nine and finished the round at 69 (-3) and was 30th in the field.

The second day was at the Arnold Palmer course at Mission Hills. Beautiful and great golf course in my opinion, and probably my favorite of the three courses we played. I played incredibly well, one of my best rounds this year. I did not make many mistakes, it was incredible how well I struck the ball, and I putted the ball straight on the line and with good pace over and over. However, in some way, I end up +3 after the round, after having literally 15 putts rolling over, or lipping out, on the edges. It was just a crazy day and I kept telling myself to have patience, but it was so frustrating to not see anything drop. I was really down after the round, it felt so unfair and a really bad timing for such a round to happen, and I knew I had to go low at Shadow Ridge the next day…

… and so I did. I began a birdie race, and for all the putts that had lipped out, I putted lights out and the ball was dropping from all over the greens. Long and short putts- the hole was a magnet. I was -5 on the front and made another birdie on 11. I had thereby made 6 of 10 birdie putts (one great sandy on 10). We were rushed after looking for my playing partners golf balls on two holes and I forgot to wipe off my hands from the sweat (yes it was humid for once in Palm Springs…) and I almost lost the club and the ball flew straight left into a bush on the par 5 15. It is one of the widest fairways on the course and a really easy par 5, if you put the ball in play that is. I end up with a double bogey and made another bogey on the super tough par 4, 18. It felt so weird to only be 2 under par after that round when I had made so extremely many birdies. Now the last day was still very important and I had to play well to make the final cut.

The last day was so fun and nerv wracking all in one. I played okay and made some birdies, then had one shot OB and had to fight back to stay in the mix. I made bogeys on my 15th and 16th hole to be in on the number, to then make a huge birdie on 17. Then I could make a bogey on the last hole 9, par 5, and still be fine. I made a solid par and made the cut, which means I will go to Stage II at Plantation GC in Venice, Florida in October. Super exciting stuff and I look forward to the coming weeks of playing, practicing and also competing on LETAS before flying over to the US again!