Hello friends! Here is a brief recap of the Canadian Women's Amateur Championship...

My time in Lethbridge, Alberta was fun but I played far from my best golf.  The course was fair, the weather cool, and the tournament was well run.  However, it was just one of those weeks where golf seems like the hardest game ever played.  I drove the struggle bus around the course during the first round, making a costly triple bogey on the back 9 that led to a whopping 79.  The second day I came back with a 1-under 71 which ensured I made the cut (from 156 players to the low 70).  I shot 74-75 the final two rounds.  On a positive note, I was pleased that I managed to shoot some decent scores the last 3 rounds despite feeling like I was playing left handed.  Also, often times you can learn more from the weeks where you play poorly and are forced to grind out every hole than the weeks where the game comes easy.  This was definitely the case for me, and I am now looking forward to making myself better because of it.  

I am working out, practicing, and playing all week here in Boise in preparation for the US Am.  My dad and I fly out to Cleveland, Ohio early Friday morning.  I have practice round tee times scheduled for Saturday and Sunday with my Husker teammate Steffi Neisen and her 16 year old sister, Mackenzie Neisen.  Tournament play begins Monday and can be followed on the USGA website.  I am incredibly excited for the adventure to begin!

In other exciting news, I am officially registered for Stage I of LPGA Q-school and have booked my plane ticket to Daytona Beach!  This made the reality of it all sink it- and it is a great feeling.  :) 

After a fun week in Kansas City, I headed down to Roswell, Georgia for the Judson Collegiate Invitational & Legends Tour Pro-Am.  This tournament ended up being one of the greatest experiences I have had on the golf course.  The Judson was named for Jim and Beth Judson, parents of collegiate golfer Lauren Judson, who were killed in a 2010 plane crash on their way home from one of Lauren's tournaments.  Lauren created the JCI as a way to honor her parents.  This unique event combined a 3-day stroke play tournament for collegiate players with a 1-day LPGA Legends Tour event, and the week began with a Pro-Am which raised $13,000 for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.  The strength and vision of Lauren and her brother, Dean, was amazing.  They put on an incredible week of events that would have made any parents proud. 

My experience at the Judson was highlighted by the time I spent playing alongside the LPGA Legends Tour women.  My Pro-Am partner was Val Skinner.  Skinner was a former NCAA #1 Ranked player, a 6 time winner on the LPGA Tour, and is now an analyst for the Golf Channel.  The next day I played with LPGA greats Donna Caponi and Jane Blalock.  Caponi won an impressive 29 times on the LPGA tour and collected 4 major titles, including back-to-back US Women's Opens.  Blalock won 27 times and was LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1969.  All three women were kind enough to offer a great deal advice about life on tour.  It is not very often (i.e., never) that I get to have an extended conversation with women who have actually accomplished the things I am trying to do, so this was a dream come true.  My final highlight was talking to Nancy Lopez.  I asked her how she stayed calm when leading a tournament and she answered, "Lots of deep breaths" and "As long as I've got a backswing, I go for the pin." ...such awesome advice from a true legend.  

The first two days of the event were so much fun that I almost forgot that I was there to play golf, too.  I started off 75-74 and was in 5th place going into the final round.  I then carded a 2-under 69, tying the low round of the tournament, and came away with a T-2nd place finish.  Full results are listed here.  

A quick 36 hours in Boise gave me time to workout, practice, and repack before my mom and I headed north to Canada.  Tomorrow begins the first round of the Canadian Amateur here in Lethbridge, Alberta.  This tournament features a top-notch field so I am looking forward to some fierce competition the next 4 days.  You can follow scores on the Royale Cup Canadian Women's Amateur Leaderboard.  Wish me luck, eh!

This week began my "busy season" of tournaments, and I am proud to say I kicked it off with a bang! Yesterday  (July 11) I was medalist at the USGA Women's Amateur Qualifier in Kansas City.  I shot a 1-under par 70 to beat 33 other competitors and punch my ticket to the Am!  Full results can be found on the KC Golf Association's website.  I managed my way around the course with only 23 putts - mainly a result of being 10 for 12 on successful up and downs.  I am very thankful to be able to rely on my short game when my ball striking isn't on point :)  

I will spend the remainder of the week here in Kansas City with some of my "Husker family."  I then head to Atlanta on Saturday and begin play in the Judson Collegiate Invitation & Legends Tour Pro-Am on July 15.  After a brief 24 hours at home, I will drive from Boise to Alberta for the Canadian Women's Amateur, played July 24-27.  My next stop will be Portland to try to qualify for the LPGA Safeway Classic on August 3.  From there, I will fly straight to Cleveland for the US Am.  At times the travel sounds a bit overwhelming, but the time spent in tournament play makes it all worth it to me.  I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to play golf all over the country, and I look forward to soaking up every moment over the next month!