The Next Chapter
Happy New Year everyone!
My apologies for going MIA again…these past few months since LPGA Stage II Qualifying have been full of travel, time spent with family and friends and lots of golf.
After my season ended in mid-October, I traveled to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Gibraltar with my mom and dad, made a trip home to Oregon for the holidays and spent a weekend snorkeling in Mexico. I have been spending time with my friends in San Diego surfing, cooking, crafting and running. I also spent the past few months submitting applications to four Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs and going through the interview process for each.
After not advancing from Stage II of Q-School, I knew I wanted to do some things differently in the coming year. I love golf and I will always look forward to competing, but I am also ready for the next chapter in my life.
Beyond golf
If you know me, you know my dream to become a physical therapist has been something I have talked about since high school (even before my dream of playing professional golf.) Throughout my life, I have suffered injuries that led me to work with incredible physical therapists. These experiences caused me to become interested in movement, the human body and the injury rehabilitation process.
At Oregon State, I double majored in kinesiology and public health. Taking classes like anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanical physics and other topics also sparked my passion for a future as a physical therapist.
During the past three years on the road playing professional golf, I have learned the importance of physical activity, paying attention to my body and working to ensure I stay as healthy as possible, even developing my own personal regimen to balance the demands and pressures of travel, practice and competition. I also spent the past year shadowing at multiple physical therapy clinics, studying for the GRE and working on my graduate school applications. I did all of this while playing in tournaments across the country on the Annika Women’s All Pro Tour and having my best season ever as a professional. This gives me great confidence that I will be able to balance a rigorous three year doctor of physical therapy program while still playing occasionally in tournaments, including local qualifiers, in California and Oregon.
My next stage
Last week, I formally accepted an offer from San Diego State University in their Doctorate of Physical Therapy class of 2029. The program starts on May 26th, 2026. This does mean I will no longer be playing full-time professional golf, as my schedule will not allow me to do both full time school and golf. I am looking forward to this transition and getting back into the classroom!
I will continue to play in local tournaments such as the US Women’s Open Qualifier. Just because I am not going to be playing professionally on Tour full-time does not mean I am giving up golf completely. I am excited to have a more relaxed tournament schedule and see what it brings.
I couldn’t have done it without you
With all this being said, I want to say thank you to every single one of you for every ounce of support, encouragement and love you have shown me over this chapter. I could not have accomplished everything over the past three years without all of you. My experience on tour has led me to grow so much as a person and I am beyond grateful for the experiences I have had. This dream of mine to play professionally was made possible by all of you who helped by sponsoring me, donating to my golf fund, believing in my success and rooting me on (both in person and online). Thank you with ALL of my heart.
And for a few extra thank yous to the people who truly were the backbone to my success and love for this game…
To my lifelong swing coach, Al Cross, thank you for the countless hours on the Salem Golf Club range in both rain and shine teaching me just about everything I know about the game of golf and sharing your incredible stories that inspired me.
To my brother, Tim, thank you for being my lifelong practice buddy and chipping contest opponent. Thank you for following me around the country caddying, for pushing me to be the best golfer and person I can be, for challenging me, holding me accountable and occasionally letting me get a candy treat at Plaid Pantry on our walks home from Salem Golf Club.
To my Mom and Dad, thank you for sacrificing so much of your own lives for my dreams. Thank you for always being there for me on the good days and the bad, for pushing me to grow, and teaching me to set my goals high and work hard. Thank you for always believing in me and showing your support at every single tournament. And thank you for the hours spent spectating, caddying, making PB&Js, researching fun things to do off the golf course and making my competitive golf experience so positive.
There are so many more of you who helped me along the way through junior golf, amateur golf, competing collegiately and as a professional. Through golf, I have met some of the kindest, most generous and supportive people in the world. I am so grateful for every single one of you and this incredible chapter of my life! Thank you, thank you!
