April 23, 2025 • 42 mins
Professional golfer Mariah Stackhouse swings by the Par-Tee to share insights on her journey from junior golf to Stanford, challenges on tour including injuries and loneliness, and her passion for growing the game for underrepresented communities. Plus, Mariah reveals her thoughts on the current state of women's golf and what she would do if she were the LPGA Commissioner.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I feel like my chapter with golf it just hasn't
been written, and so like that. With that approach, I'm
just I still have things I want to accomplish, and
they don't feel out of grass, you know, And so
I think that allows me to keep my head down
and just work. But if I felt like I'd missed
the boat, then this probably would make me sad because'd.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Be a terrible way to go out. Yeah, not the time.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
But I don't feel like this is going out. It's
just a pause and a reset, which maybe I needed.
That's just the way I'm choosing to view it, and
it makes me feel like anything still possible, y'all.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I am so excited for today's guests. I know I
say that every time, but listen, we go way back,
like I'm talking baby pictures in junior golf. Back we
grew up competing against each other as junior golfers, and
she racked up an unreal ninety seven wins during her
amateur career. Yeah ninety seven, and I was just out
there trying to survive. She then took her talents to
Stanford University, where she not only picked up four wins,
(01:04):
but also led her team to a national championship title.
After college, she went pro and kept her momentum going
and made a history as just the eighth African American
woman to earn her LPGA Tour card. Off the course,
she's making waves too, playing a major role in Steph
Curry's underrated golf Tour, where she mentors student golfers and
works to make the game more accessible for everyone. Now,
(01:25):
real talk, the only reason I was able to finally
catch this girl for an interview is because she's currently
sidelined due to a recent shoulder surgery. But even while
she's off the course, she's got big plans and an
even bigger comeback in the works. I can't wait for
you to hear all about her journey, her thoughts on
professional golf, and what's next. So, without further ado, please
welcome my dear friend, Mariah Stackhouse. Mariah, welcome to the party.
(01:50):
I'm so excited have you. I can't believe that this
is the way that we are reuniting right now.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
I don't know how many years.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
It's been too long, And of course I did it
here in the atl So I'm happy to be in
your hometown.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Welcome to my city.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, the traffic wasn't too bad.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
So okay, we like to start each pod with a
little bit of fun and games, and we have rapid
fire questions of would you rather Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm ready?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
All right, here we go. Okay, would you rather play
golf with your favorite male pro or your favorite celebrity celebrity?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Who's your celebrity?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I don't even know if she plays golf, but it's
always been Rihanna.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
You know what, She's gonna play golf now, okay, all right,
win a major tournament or a hole one at augusta
major tournament. Yeah, yeah, life without social media or without FaceTime?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Without social media, I think okay, I would.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Die out of the way. But okay, all right, get
caught on live TV arguing with your caddie or go
viral for celebrating a win with a cringe TikTok dance.
That was kind of a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It was a lot.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yeah, I think I'm gonna choose the caddyash and forgot
what that was, but TV, Okay, I feel like if
the TikTok is cringe, then that means I made an
embarrassing and I do not want that circulate.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So I'm gonna go okay, okay, all good.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I feel that, Okay, all right, be known for your
swaggy style off the course or for having the smoothest
swing on tour.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Swaggy style off the course, because you don't have to
have the smoothest swing for it to be successful.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I feel like you're already like really swaggy.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
You know. That's exactly why I'm asking this, all right.
Last one for would you rather date behind the scenes
Baddy who supports your every move or be Golf's version
of Meghan Rapino and super We love a good power,
but we love a support of battye at the same time.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, that's funny, dang making making sewer like but also
to have that support.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
I can't do this, okay, okay, So you're opening both.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
You're opening both. Okay, that is the answer.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
All right, So let's go a edd and get started.
For everyone who is listening or watching, Mariah and I
have actually known each other for a very long time
and we've actually been playing together since we're talking like
three oh four oh five. I don't even know if
you remember, like we probably have pictures. Yeah, Yet, you're
not wrong, You're not wrong, And I think it's just
(04:29):
so exciting to be able to like watch your career
and everything that you've been able to do. So it's
really cool to be able to just like sit down
and like hear your whole career from your point of view.
So we had to start from the very beginning, and
I don't actually think I know this journey of how
you got into the game.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
My dad, My dad got me started.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I was two years old, okay, and let my parents
tell it, he left the house.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I wanted to go wherever he was going, so.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
He cut me down some sticks, took me to the
golf course and literally let me walk around, and then
when I got bored, chased the birds. But it was
just like spending time with him and hanging out. And
then when I was about five years old, like he'd
done some work on my swing and I think he said,
she's got a good swing, she's got a little talent
for this. Then when I was six, he put me
in my first tournament and the rest of system.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Okay, so your first woman was at six years old.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Okay, same here.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So you know, one of my favorite memories of us
when we were kids, I think we were at Pepsi
Little People's. I don't even know if anyone even know
what tournament is. I don't even know if it's alive anymore.
But it was called the Pepsy Little People's. It was
a big tournament for us, and I think we were
playing together and you were playing US kids clubs at
(05:39):
the time. Yes, And basically your driver looked like a hybrid.
It looks so small, but you were bombing that thing.
And you saw my driver and I had a cut
down men's Adams driver seven degrees and we're like seven
eight nine, And you and your dad were.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Like, good lord, play.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And I'll never forget it because me and my dad
from that point on, anytime something surprising would happen, my
dad would be like.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Good lord.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
That growing up because of you guys, but you, you
and your dad were always like so positive. I felt
like amongst our peers in our golf world, I felt
like you two had a really like healthy relationship growing up.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yes, yes, for sure. No, my dad, I mean sports
dads right, Like, yes, he's scary. Yeah, But I think
one thing that I loved about my dad's approach to
coaching me was he was always open to correcting himself
as well, and so it's not to say that he
wasn't tough on me. He pushed me and we had
those bumping head moments, but he was always willing when
(06:40):
he calmed down, to hear my point of view and
then improve with his approach to my teaching. And so
I think that was beautiful. And I even think of
some of my other friends in junior golf, middle school,
high school ages, their dads would come to my dad
for help on how to control their emotions. Wow, as
a parent, a coach, so he was just great.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I feel like so many especially like the up and
coming talents, could really like learn from that, like exactly
what you just said. So following up on that, who
would you say were your biggest influences in golf growing up?
Your idols?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
My dad, right, he was.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
He was my coach. He literally was at every single
practice with me until I went to college. So he
was so committed and so I think he's one of
my big influences in golf. My mom, who never played
golf but came to every tournament. I remember she'd have
her little stacked card, she'd keep my score my playing
competitors score. She was so into it. Sometimes she tell
me she couldn't even follow the ball, and I knew
(07:38):
it because sometimes she clapped and I'd be like, there's
nothing to class for her for that shot.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
But she was.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Always my biggest cheerleader. So those two just poured everything
into me. And then on the professional golf side, I
really loved Loraino o'choa, So she was my favorite golfer.
And I feel like when we were in that kind
of middle school, high school age, that's when she went
on that dominant tear.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I mean, it's incredible.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
So she was my favorite golf of growing up. Posted
her in my room an article that my dad printed
out of a magazine. But I would say, like definitely
my parents. On a personal level.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I will say that I only have ever heard anyone
answer with loreno Choa, So I think that's really cool.
I think she doesn't get as much flowers as she deserves.
You know, people sleep on her. But yeah, Lorena is
the goat too. You can't you cannot play games. So
before we even skip the section of childhood, you weren't wrong,
and I dug this up and I wanted to actually
(08:34):
bring you these and.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Show you picks.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
We got some picks.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You wouldn't believe that these are dated in O five
is yes, Yeah, she's also play.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
The glasses.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
You didn't play with those?
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yep, yeah, those glasses ginger. Uh huh, oh gosh, remember that.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
You were totally welcome to keeping some of those photos.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Tell me.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Assumed you would have said tiger wood because you're wearing
red and all of the photos, like you're wearing actual red.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
You can't escape the tiger floor.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Oh you can't, you can't.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
And we would always hang out.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
We would always hang out.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We were such a big crew.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
That was of course, of course.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
So moving on, clearly, once you began competing at six,
you just started dominating. And if I have this number right,
it says that you won ninety seven amateur tournaments.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (09:42):
That is I can't confirm.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Okay, did you just show up and you're like, I'm
gonna win that?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Like like there was there, I was definitely there was
an era of just completely being locked in, right. I
think a lot of that has to do with the
way my dad approached like my golf development to so
we stayed and he wanted me to be the best
at the local level, So that was playing like Atlanta
Junior Golf Tour when I was little Leonard Junior Golf Association,
which GSGA now owns. Once he felt that I was
(10:09):
the best there, then we went on to state tournaments
junior and amateur for GSGA, like women's tournaments, junior tournaments.
And it wasn't until he felt like I was the
best there that we could go on to Southeastern Junior
Golf and so then that was Yes, that was why
I was able to do that, because he was like, no,
you need to be the best here too.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
We could go here, and so I think that helped
me re reco.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I feel like that's like the method, because like I
can't imagine like the confidence that gives you to know
how many tournaments you're winning. And then now fast forward,
you committed to Stanford, and I think I remember seeing
this is back to like Facebook days, seeing the commitment
and being like so thrilled for you, and you not
only committed to one of the most elite programs, but
you dominated over there. You led your team to a
(10:55):
national championship title, you won four times while you were there,
all Americans as well, Like you crushed it. What was
that like being able to play for such an elite program.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Funny enough, my coach, Coach Walker was actually came in
the same year as me, so she didn't recruit me.
So I was really going in with no idea what
to expect as far as how the program was going
to be run. And she was just a gym of
a coach. I think she's one of the best coaches
there is in college sports. But she was just very supportive,
(11:28):
very methodical, but coach just as individuals, not necessarily a
team formula. So whatever this player needs to work on,
you can do this. Whatever this player needs to work on,
you can do that. And I think that that's really
important for a coach to have as individual attention because
we're all different, we all need different focuses in our games,
and a lot of coaches just want you to do
(11:48):
one specific formula and that doesn't always serve the athlete.
So I think I was able to continue to develop
really well under coach and we had a lot of
fun like she encouraged us to be friends and a
healthy bond. And I think one thing that I've learned
is fearing a team. Teams that don't like each other
can't win, right, you have to have that report. Yeah,
(12:09):
and so she cultivated that as well. So when I
think about how much I loved, like my academic experience,
my friends outside of golf, but then also be even
able to come together under the team and have fun
together like my four years of college, I have no regrets.
I loved it. It was just fantastic. And then you
add a championship in the not really stills to do
(12:30):
year That was my junior year, junior year, and it
was women's programs first one.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, that's awesome. That's right.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing. You crushed it during your
term there. I mean, I have a lot of listeners
who are either parents who are very much they want
their kids to go to an elite program. How did
you manage balancing the academics and also playing at a
very high level?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Actually, funny enough, everybody when I committed Stanford was like,
you want to go pro?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Ride?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Is that going to be too difficulty?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I remember being on the plane ride out and
we would go about two weeks early just to do
qualifying get ready for fall season. And I was on
the plane and I think that was the closest thing
I've ever had to a panic attack.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
It's like, what did I do?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Like, am I going to be able to handle everything?
Like I really freaked out. But once you get started
and like you have your practice schedule, I realized it
was actually easier to manage, I think than high school
because there was no busy work right you got your
syllabus at the beginning of the quarter. Every assignment that
you were going to have was right there, and so
if you had the ability to time manage, then it
(13:31):
was actually a little bit easier. It was okay, And
so that was my saving grace. I was like, yeah,
if all you have is papers and exams to study for,
it's actually in some problem sets, it's not too difficult
to be on top of. And I would say, like
freshman is probably the most stressful, just because I did
a little more partying that you're clears.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I was having my fun.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Do you fit that in?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
You don't even know how you fit that in with
the training and the school.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I was just like that was a whirlwind, and I
don't know how I accomplished anything. And I managed to
do everything pretty well too, But I was just like
I was committed to one. I want to perform on
the golf course. I knew that I needed to invest
in my studies, but I also was like, I'm going
to have a college life experience as well. So I
feel like once you commit to them all, it's just
(14:18):
you just get it done.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Yeah, you were living it up and you did so
well that you shot a low score of sixty one?
Is that your lowest?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Can you just quickly walk me through what happened? Did
you just like, make no mistakes, no bogies.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
No. I actually had to bogue wild for that. Yes, focus,
and I'm like, that could have been my fifty nine
sixty enough. I was late to team huddle that day.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I hit like three balls on the range, maybe five balls,
three puts straight to the tea box, so there was.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
No warm up.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I was panicked, Like I think I was staying with
my mom at a hotel off site, and something just
happened and I ended up late, and I was like, oh, man, coach,
gum be upset. We have one rule that's don't be
late to team got on, but I just had to
get to the course of tea off But I ended
up eagling the very first hole and then that's the momentum.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Yeah, let's get moments of the par five and made
the putt, and then after that it was just like
a birdie fest.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
By the time I got to number nine and made
the turn, like the front nine is kind of back
away from the west of like the clubhouse. I got
to number nine up on the green, and all of
a sudden there were people there, right, So it's like
rumor like it was already traveling around. And by the
time I got to whole seventeen there were some professors there,
got in around that I was on fifty nine watch,
(15:38):
which was pretty cool, but it was fun.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
So do you feel like competing and playing for Stanford
really helped you prepare yourself for the tour or do
you feel like the tour is like a whole different beast.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
It definitely helps you prepare, like game wise, so as
far as being able to compete your skill being there, absolutely,
and it just helps you develop as a person too,
Like I think maturity wise, I was able to handle
like the challenges both on and off the course better.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But tour life.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Still is a different beast all in its own right,
Like it's a different. It's a different process. It's a
different approach. Yes, more events, golf all the time, more traveling,
living out of a suitcase.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
It's a huge adjustment.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
What was your transition Like, rough.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It was you ga well out of the gate, but
I think emotionally it was it was more challenging. Like
I was playing well, that was fine, but I think
that I realized like as the process the season was going,
I got lonely.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Right.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
The second year was much better because a lot of
like my friends from Underground stuff were also on tour
my second season, but I didn't have as many people
that I played with growing up out there with me
that first year. And so I'm in the dining hall
like eating by myself, like in player lounge, and you know,
that went away pretty quickly, like he makes some friends.
But I also am staying by myself, So I'm in
(17:16):
hotels most of the time. Somehow I missed the memo
on host families and I don't know if I was
to sleep at that part of rookie orientation or what,
but I didn't really know that that was a thing.
So I was staying in hotels, either eating restaurants or
picking up my food going to my hotel room to
eat in the evenings, and like that's just that's a
little bit isolating, right for a sport that's already individual,
(17:38):
and once you're a pro, there's no team aspect to
golf ats you you're caddy and that's it. And so
at the end of the season, actually I got a
therapist because I was like very unhappy. So I reached
out found a therapist to talk about and then one
of my buddies, Jane actually Jane Park and Molmartin kind
of like adopted me as little sisters out there and
are really sweet and so just gave me some advice
(18:01):
on how to just find pieces of home on tour.
So I traveled with friends a lot the next season,
and I got Hulse families and I have Whose families
that I've stayed with for like eight or so years
now at certain tournaments, and that really made it a
lot better. It's just you don't think about the fact
that it's all golf all the time, right, And so
(18:22):
when you leave the golf course, if you can find
something that makes you feel like, you know, I've got
a little more peace and I've got people around me
who care, then that makes you feel better.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
So I guess that leads me, Like I'm very curious
just because like I played professionally for a little bit,
I realized it wasn't for me. But like for any
rookies that come onto the scene, whether it's from the
EPSEN or just straight from college, is there truly like
all man for themselves, like they're like no one bothered
when you first came onto the tour to be like
hey like this is this is how we do it,
(18:54):
like you know, oh, come on, let's go to dinner
like it or you were like just straight up.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yes, yeah, straight up. And I think now actually there
are rookie pods, so you have some vets that volunteered
to like maybe have four or five players in their pod,
and you have somebody basically to mentor you and somebody
you go.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
To for questions. I don't think that exists a microcan
If it did, I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
If I get it was on me, But I think
that that's something that I know for sure the tour
does now, which I think is fantastic for me because
you should have somebody to go to without feeling like
you're bothering someone. You know that that person volunteered to
be there and to mentor you, and that just an
open and welcoming space.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So that's cool.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Let's talk about some career highs.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
What would you say is your favorite moment or career
highlight this since being on tour.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Oh, performance wise, my career high was definitely twenty nineteen
shop right where I ended up T five but was
second place going into that final round. That's my first
time experiencing the final wave, final group, and that's just
a really really cool experience. Like the crowd size that
you get you're in contention, that was awesome and definitely
something like to aspire to and to feel excited about.
(20:06):
I remember my mom got a flight Saturday night up
or Sunday morning, so I think to make sure that
she could watch that round. The text that I got
coming in following that performance. You just you don't realize
how many people are supporting and rooting for you until
you're in that situation. You realize thing everybody's watching, everybody
supporting makes you feel loved. So that was definitely one
of my most fun experiences competition wise, But honestly, it's
(20:28):
also just the moments that I have off the course
with friends that I have on tour that just makes
the journey special.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Who's your closest friends on tour?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Gemma Driver right now is probably one of my best
buds on tour and actually a pet that I see
lpga an Elise.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
She's also probably one of my favorite people.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Charlotte Thomas and Lauren Kim. Lauren was my college teammate
and then Charlotte went to Washington, so we played a lot.
They've both since retired, so that's that's.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Kind of that happens a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
But no, I definitely still have plenty of friends on tour,
and I'm not one of those people that like only
hangs out with a certain amount of people. I have
like friendships with a lot of the younger players that
are coming up as well. Like I'm a pretty friendly person,
so it's it's it's easy to build those relationships. But
those were like my those are like yes, yes, especially
Lauren shar like playing so much together. We played Washington
(21:22):
pretty much all the time at the tournament because we
were in the same conference RP Pack twelve. But yeah,
that just kind of makes you, you know, tight.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, yeah, So of course, like what comes with highs,
there are some lows, and so how do you feel
like golf has been treating you?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeahs of late. I mean the last few years have
definitely been rough. I had it glip maybe about three
and a half seasons ago, where putting just kind of
became a little bit of a mental block for me.
And I've always been a pretty solid putter ever since
junior golf, and so that was tough to navigate, but
it was also fun to fight through. Like I feel
like when you have challenges, kind of have to embrace
(22:02):
them and it's a time to develop a new approach.
So I did that, got over that, and then started
having various physical issues. So I ended up having some
back tightness one summer that I had to fight through.
This was like twenty twenty two, got pretty bad, and
then start experiencing like some hip and upper back stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Like I've since figured out.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Like what's going on, But as you're seeing now, I'm
in a sling. Actually just had shoulder surgery at the
end of March. But it's those little things that actually
contributed to this. And so now what I'm hoping is
this is going to be probably about a three to
four month recovery process, and so I have time, Like
you don't really have time as a golf right, we
(22:43):
talked about it. It's all year round, so when you
have those little issues, it's like you want to try
to fix it, but it's not like you can stop playing.
So I've never really had time to loosen that hip up,
work on that glute firing, and do the things I
need to do to be a smooth and well oiled
machine so that I'm not using the wrong parts my
body to perform certain functions. So now I actually finally
(23:03):
get time to address the whole chain, which I'm looking
forward to and hopefully that.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Makes me a brand new golfer. You have no swing
issues and everything.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
That's a great approach.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
I mean, it's so true, like as a golfer, you
don't have time. And I think people can argue that, like, oh, golf,
it's a low contact for you know, you're not going
to get injured. You're only hurting like maybe ten nights
here whatever here. But like when that thing adds up
and you're off a season, you can completely lose your
status or lose whatever you have. But I think you
have such like a positive outlook. Yeah, maybe it's just
(23:35):
your body saying you need a break.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, really like pill out.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Work on some things.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So, speaking of status on tour, can you explain to
our listeners and viewers, like, what is your current status
right now and how does that work?
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yes, so right now I'm pretty much playing on epps
and tours, so I have LPGA status, but in the
class that won't get me into a lot of tournaments.
So with my LPGA status, specifically with people in my position,
the ideal goal for everyone would be to get into
a season before the first reshuffle, which typically happens sometime
in May, and reshuffle means priority list, and a priority
(24:11):
list determines which events you get into for the rest
of the year. And so if you before the first
reshuffle can do a Monday qualifier and make a cut
or get a sponsor exemption make a cut, you shuffle
up pretty quickly then and then you'll be playing for
the rest of the season until the second reshuffle. There's
two reshuffles in the season, and each time you just
(24:31):
want to climb the priority list, and so obviously can't
do this year, so I won't be able to play
any of those spring LPGA events. But as soon as
I'm healed and doctor clears me to go compete and
swing full ya again, then I'd be playing Epsen. And
so the route for Epsen you can top ten I
think actually now top fifteen and earn LPGA status for
(24:53):
the following season. So it's basically corn Ferry for the
women's tour, and so you tap fifteen for US, you
get LPGA status and then we still have on the
Women's Qualifying Series And so the last resort then would
be to go to second stage. I would start there,
play in Venice qualify and then go play the later
(25:13):
two events in Alabama and gotcha get your card that way.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
So there's there's several avenues.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Okay, So since you are injured right now, in a
perfect world, what would be your path when you get
better and when would you like to start competing again?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Yes, I would hope to start competing into July early
August of this year.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Okay, Yes, I'm a comeback.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yes, that gives about four month period and so obviously
it'll just be getting back into the swing of things
for a while. So I think it's probably a little
too late at that point to go to EPs and
root unless you get a couple victories very quickly, which
is not impossible, but at that point the points list
for apps and tours pretty solidified. But what I'd want
to do is compete, play and work as much with
(25:59):
my coaches possible, get ready and be ready for second stage,
our second yeah, stage two of Q series down in Venice,
and be able to play for the cards through that way.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
Got it?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
And so then by next year, best case scenario, you
just be back in a better situation with the LPGA.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
Yes, okay, all right, got it?
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Man? What a grind.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
It is such a grind.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
It is not easy.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
I think when I was talking to Cheyenne and Angel,
we were just talking about the difficulty of like it's
such a win to be on the tour, yes, but
to keep yourself on the tour and to be healthy
both mentally physically everything like that is a whole different
ballgame in itself, and I can't, like, I just can't
imagine like the emotional roller coaster that you let's go through,
(26:44):
which it leads to the next question is how are
you mentally?
Speaker 1 (26:48):
You know, I think right now, mentally I'm feeling really
solid and feeling optimistic, like when you battle through stuff
where you just don't feel physically, that becomes aware mentally.
I would say the strongest part of my golf game
has always been my ball striking. But once my body
wasn't loose enough, once my body wasn't strong enough for
(27:09):
certain areas, there's no consistency there anymore, and so that
was a struggle as well. So I think right now
I just feel hopeful, which makes me feel mentally sound
because I have an opportunity to course correct, work on
these things and hopefully come out better than I was before.
So that's where I am right now.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
So like as we know, like as being a professional
ath that you're juggling a lot of things. It's not
just mental and it's not just physical, but you also
got the marketing side of things. You have your sponsors,
you have to show up to your shoots and whatnot.
How do you juggle that part of things?
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Yeah, that part is actually I view that for me
the fun part of this job.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Some players think it's kind of like a burden. Yeah,
you know, it takes away from the game, but no,
that's so good to get.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
All looks and my sponsors make it possible for me
to play the game.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Like, look at me right now.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I'm not able to compete, which means I'm not making
money on the course, but I have my sponsors to
be able to rely on financially to get me through
this part of the journey. And so not only do
I find it enjoyable, it's what I do to say
thank you, right Like it's obviously part of the contract,
but for me, it's also.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
A thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
My sponsors use me a lot for client interaction and
things like that, and I enjoy that. I think the
part of me that didn't play golf probably would have
gone to the corporate world, Like I enjoy being in
that space and just seeing what that side of life
is like and getting to interact with people in different spheres.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
I find that like enriching. And I don't get that
on the golf course. Maybe in the programs, but that's
just about it. That's the easy stuff. That's the easiest stuff.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
For you had a couple of shots and smile. That's
the easiest stuff. I can't even complain about that.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
So your sponsor is through your injuries and you know,
any stepbacks like they just they just ride with you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yes, And I'm incredibly grateful I've got a great team
around me. It's a blessing and I'm thankful for it.
So when they need me to show up, I show
up fully and happy to do so.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
I love that. I think that's always like a fear.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Right. I could lose everything if I say too much,
or if I if I get hurt, and so I
love that. Sure people are are right behind you. Yeah,
and so, like you said, you feel like you still
got a lot more gas in the tank to play golf.
So if you could give a timeline, how much longer
in a perfect world would you want to keep going.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
If I get through this and I get my game
back to a point where I feel like I'm competitive
in the way that i'd like to be, I'll go
until that's gone. I don't see me playing fresh at forty,
but I'm willing to give a good chunk of the
rest of my thirties to it. If I feel like
I still have my game, I feel like that's it.
It's just about being competitive.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
No, I love that answer. I can't wait to see
the comeback. That's gonna be amazing, all.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
Right, So we're gonna shift gears for a little bit.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
You know, women's golf has actually gone through a lot
of positive change in my opinion, from the professional golf
perspective with the purses, from the social perspective, women's golf
as a whole lot more programs for younger girls, which
we didn't really we didn't get the y'all. We didn't
get to see each other unless we played well. Literally
our win was seeing one another okay and having a
(30:20):
rain delay and then hanging out. So that being said,
how do you feel about just the state of golf
right now? There's been a lot of change since we've
got into it.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
I think it's incredibly promising. Like that's the word I
we use for golf right now. And I think it's
not just golf, it's women's sports. We're just in a
place where I feel like the sports world and sports
lovers are open right now to consuming women's sports as well,
and so I think that golf has a unique opportunity
to take advantage of that interest and I think that
(30:47):
they're doing so, but it could even increase. I look
at social media for other sports organizations, I'm like, I
want to see a little bit of that fun.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
In that life.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
I'm going to ask you about this but you're already
talking about it, so I'm going to let you go
with it.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yes, I love to see some of that life come
to it. So I think what makes golf both unique
and challenging in terms of marketing is that it's not
a team sport, so you are marketing individual people who
oftentimes might be shy, who oftentimes might not. It's harder
to take advantage and push yourself on like social platforms,
and I find this challenging for myself as well. I'd
(31:21):
i'd love to do more, But it's not like I'm
in a locker room with my teammates and say, hey,
can you hold the phone and get this for me.
I go to the golf course here at home and
buy myself. I go to the golf course on tour.
I have my caddy, but we're focused, We've got a plan.
So I think that the tour could do a good
job of finding players like personalities and bringing it out
in different ways, whether that's getting into some of the
(31:43):
TikTok challenges or ig real challenges, coming up with something
on their own that's like golf specific, and then getting
the players that you can to buy into it and
like pushing those little clips, because I think women's sports
do best when people are connected to the players personalities
and journeys. Right, Like a lot of times when men's
sports are like if you're great, you're just great, right,
(32:04):
But I think women's sports, when I've seen them do
the best, it's because people get attached to the players
as a community. And so I feel like right now
on women's sports is just on the rise, Like that's
something we could do to bring off to the forefront.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
I mean, just amen, you're speaking my language, literally goose
bumps the moment that I knew I wanted to walk
away from playing professionally, Like that's all I ever wanted
for you guys. It's like to show how amazing you
all are, the grind that it takes, and like.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
You literally pulled the words from my mouth. I'm like, LPGA,
you listening, I can do this. We can do this.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
And so basically you're saying your solve is is to
try and just highlight those personalities, really allow the audience
to fall in love with the girls so that we
can make the same changes just as these other sports.
So as we know, we don't really have an LPGA
commissioner at this moment, and if Mariah Stackhouse was the
(32:59):
l PGA commissioner, what is something that you do change
add what would you do to try and help the
girls feel more supported?
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I think from an on course perspective, the tour actually
does a really great job of providing like things players need.
We have a player board, and I think they listen
and implement that stuff faster. So I think my focus
would be on growing the brand of the tour, and
in order to do that, you have to grow the
brand of the players, right they are the draw and
(33:29):
so I think that I would actually spend a good
bit of time with the media side just coming up
with a vision and saying, what can we do to
make the LPGA on par with the growth of the WNBA,
right on par with the growth of the NWSL. I
think that that would be really cool to see. I
(33:50):
think I'd spend a lot of time, like in different
markets in the US and try to tap into some
new sponsor engagement. I think that's another side we're on
the rise. Try to get some more tournaments in different
cities and the states, Like right now Atlanta doesn't have one.
Georgia is a big golf state, Atlanta is a big
golf city and we have no LPGA tournament here and
I just think that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I tell I've told the whole commissioner. I'll talk to
the people on tour about this.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
But I'm like, literally, anytime you all are in the
Atlanta market looking for someone, tap me in. Like, if
you're trying to get one of these Atlanta based companies,
I will come with you and go play with the
exacts who are like I will do whatever I can
to support the cause. But yeah, I think that there
are cities in the US that don't have golf tournaments
that could and obviously getting sponsorship. It's not like cookie cutter.
(34:36):
I'm saying that like it's easy. I know that it's
and I know that the tour does everything they can
to continue to grow and continue to provide those events.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
But those will be my two focuses.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Again, you just taking the mean mo, you just got
to be the commissioner.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
You're just preaching.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I mean, I think all very very tangible things. Yes,
and I think that we are heading in that direction,
which is great, But I think my only concer and
I don't want us to miss the mark of the
growth of women's sports as a whole, Like we like
women's golf is always just a little bit behind, right
or golf in general. Yes, we're always a little bit
behind the trends or what's cool or what's happening. And
it's like, this is not that time to be.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
We need to get on this wagon right now.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
You don't have to throw away tradition to progress, and
I think golf gets so tied. So this is how
we've always done it. You can stay traditional and progress
at the same time, and it has to be done.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Yeah, no, great answer. Clearly you're really big on wanting
to grow the game, not only for the other women
that are playing at a professional level, but I know
that you're really big about creating more accessibility, especially for
the African American community. And fun fact, I just learned this.
So you are one of eight African American women to
get your LPGA Tour card and you're the youngest female
(35:48):
Black woman to qualify for the US Women's Open. Did
you know these things of yourself, because I know, Okay,
I love that. I'm I mean, you're breaking barriers and
like not to say that in a cheesy way, but
legitimately you really are making a difference. And like that
being said, I've also been seeing your involvement with Underrated
(36:09):
with is Steph.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
Curry's new tour. Can you tell me a little bit
about the tour?
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Yeah, role, Yeah, it's really just tapping in and saying here,
here are some athletes who have promised. And I love
the term underrated right because what it says talent is there,
it just needs opportunity and a platform, and so it's
just tapping in across the country. I love the tour
format because it's kids that might not have played say
AJGA or local tours and understand the process of like
(36:37):
playing events, earning points and then getting to championships at
the end of the year. So it's teaching about what
it is to be a part of a garth organization
and get points and progress. And so I think it's
fun to educate the kids and the parents on like
what that process looks like. And then that the championship.
KPMG and I come on and they support the kids
(36:58):
throughout the season. But then I come and specifically along
with Underrated Golf Tour and KPMG and show up for
the championship event and do some programming for both the
parents and the kids, because golf is like you could
do a whole couple of segments. So I'm like, what
it takes to get through the junior golf circuit, right,
Like how parents navigated that.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Not knowing it themselves, like shut out to them.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Like, Okay, let's put some money down.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
That's a big tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
This sounds good. Everybody says, play this one.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Let's do it right, But like it's overwhelming the junior
golf space because there's so much out there.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Where do I start?
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Okay, how do I get here? So we get the
opportunity to connect with the parents and the kids. I
talked to them about a lot about golf, the mental process,
affirming themselves. My dad even does a session with the parents.
But then there's also programming like a college recruiter will
come in and talk about that process. Someone will talk
about how you navigate like rankings and different golf tours
(38:00):
across the country. But I think that it's just an
informational session for them. We're investing in them as young golfers.
We're giving them the opportunity to play premier courses all
across the country and honestly giving them a platform getting
them noticed, right, Like I know a couple of players
based on their Underrated performance at the Championship have gotten
college interests. So that's that's the goal, right, we want
(38:20):
to get you to college, and we want to get
you to professional golf. And that's if that's what you endeavor.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
But I realized that Underrated does that much.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
Yes, yes, it's truly an investment in these young golfers
and they love it. They have a great time, and
it just it's wonderful to be a part of and
it feels impactful. And I know that it has been
based on what we've seen from some of the juniors.
So I am grateful to be a part of it.
Love that KPMG was excited to come on board as well.
Like that's the beauty of having like a good sponsorship
(38:48):
team around you is you get to bring your passions
and their passions together and make a difference. As staph
Are always loved golf, Like I thought it was so
cool when he did the Underrated Golf.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
It's like stuff, still playing it at the top of
his game. It takes the time to do stuff for
so many other people.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It is he cool.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yes, a person he's as cool as you think he's like,
but just like truly a man of the community. I
love junior golf. It's just one of the favorite things
that I do. Like I love to do clinics. I
love to go and teach the kids. So whatever I
can do to like support the youth and the pipeline
of junior golf to professional golf, and especially to get
more young black golfers into that space as well. Like
you that statistic, he said, it's crazy, Like, let's make
(39:28):
that so much, like, let's get us out there to
where there's no statistic even needed, right, So, yeah, whatever
can I can do to the support the growth of
the sport, like I'm here for the kiddos, you definitely are.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
All right, So we are already whining down, but we're
gonna end with a fun game, okay, and the game
is called What's in the DMS? Okay, all right, soon
I'm going to hit you with the scenario, okay, and
you're gonna tell me if you would just heart it,
like it, block it, okay, respond?
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Okay, all right, are the options here we go?
Speaker 3 (39:57):
All right, Let's say a fan makes a TikTok montage
of you and all your best shots and tag you.
How would you respond or would you respond?
Speaker 2 (40:07):
If I see it?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
I would definitely heart it, and you see it is
a point like I miss so much stuff with Ig,
like it's terrible, especially like my message request, like sometimes
I just forget to go hit them and I need
to get that I like.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
You could be sitting on money and sponsors.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Right, you're right, okay, but I would definitely heart it.
Probably would even comment like.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Yeah, okay, all right, Tiger would sends good round today.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
That's it freaking out, like you better see that one.
Better see that one? No, that would be that would
be incredible. I'd probably just been like, oh my god, Tiger,
thank you.
Speaker 4 (40:46):
Okay, you're responding. That would be crazy work if you
just hearted.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
It like the insane we're responding to Tiger. Okay.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
A major golf friend says, let's collab, but you never
like their stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
It's gonna have to be anough for me.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
So it's just a left unseene yes, yeah, yes, fair, okay,
all right, it gets harder.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Last one, a golf influencer you've never met, sins hey,
let's shoot content together, but she's more of like a
sexy golf babe.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
It depends on how much we're talking. I feel like, honestly,
I don't I don't care.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
It would just feel like what what am I expected to?
What do I need to do in this content? I
would I would probably just want to hear more.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, so I would respond, you would respond, Okay, I
like that. All right, So before I let you go,
where can everybody find you?
Speaker 1 (41:51):
I am most stax birdies on every single platform.
Speaker 3 (41:54):
I like that, Marian, Thank you so much for joining
the party. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
I had a great time. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Welcome to the Party with Tasha Allen is an Iheartwoman's
sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports Entertainment.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
I'm your host Tisha Allen.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Christina Everett is our executive producer, and Jennifer Bassett is
our producer. Sound mixing and mastering by Mary Doo. Special
thanks to Jesse Katz at iHeart and to Jess McCallister
and the teams.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
At GERSH and Catalyst nine.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
Listen to Welcome to the Party with Tisha Allen on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts,
I feel like my chapter with golf it just hasn't
been written, and so like that. With that approach, I'm
just I still have things I want to accomplish, and
they don't feel out of grass, you know, And so
I think that allows me to keep my head down
and just work. But if I felt like I'd missed
the boat, then this probably would make me sad because'd.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Be a terrible way to go out. Yeah, not the time.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
But I don't feel like this is going out. It's
just a pause and a reset, which maybe I needed.
That's just the way I'm choosing to view it, and
it makes me feel like anything still possible, y'all.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
I am so excited for today's guests. I know I
say that every time, but listen, we go way back,
like I'm talking baby pictures in junior golf. Back we
grew up competing against each other as junior golfers, and
she racked up an unreal ninety seven wins during her
amateur career. Yeah ninety seven, and I was just out
there trying to survive. She then took her talents to
Stanford University, where she not only picked up four wins,
(01:04):
but also led her team to a national championship title.
After college, she went pro and kept her momentum going
and made a history as just the eighth African American
woman to earn her LPGA Tour card. Off the course,
she's making waves too, playing a major role in Steph
Curry's underrated golf Tour, where she mentors student golfers and
works to make the game more accessible for everyone. Now,
(01:25):
real talk, the only reason I was able to finally
catch this girl for an interview is because she's currently
sidelined due to a recent shoulder surgery. But even while
she's off the course, she's got big plans and an
even bigger comeback in the works. I can't wait for
you to hear all about her journey, her thoughts on
professional golf, and what's next. So, without further ado, please
welcome my dear friend, Mariah Stackhouse. Mariah, welcome to the party.
(01:50):
I'm so excited have you. I can't believe that this
is the way that we are reuniting right now.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
I don't know how many years.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
It's been too long, And of course I did it
here in the atl So I'm happy to be in
your hometown.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Welcome to my city.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, the traffic wasn't too bad.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
So okay, we like to start each pod with a
little bit of fun and games, and we have rapid
fire questions of would you rather Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm ready?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
All right, here we go. Okay, would you rather play
golf with your favorite male pro or your favorite celebrity celebrity?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Who's your celebrity?
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I don't even know if she plays golf, but it's
always been Rihanna.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
You know what, She's gonna play golf now, okay, all right,
win a major tournament or a hole one at augusta
major tournament. Yeah, yeah, life without social media or without FaceTime?
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Without social media, I think okay, I would.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Die out of the way. But okay, all right, get
caught on live TV arguing with your caddie or go
viral for celebrating a win with a cringe TikTok dance.
That was kind of a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It was a lot.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yeah, I think I'm gonna choose the caddyash and forgot
what that was, but TV, Okay, I feel like if
the TikTok is cringe, then that means I made an
embarrassing and I do not want that circulate.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
So I'm gonna go okay, okay, all good.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
I feel that, Okay, all right, be known for your
swaggy style off the course or for having the smoothest
swing on tour.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Swaggy style off the course, because you don't have to
have the smoothest swing for it to be successful.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I feel like you're already like really swaggy.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
You know. That's exactly why I'm asking this, all right.
Last one for would you rather date behind the scenes
Baddy who supports your every move or be Golf's version
of Meghan Rapino and super We love a good power,
but we love a support of battye at the same time.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, that's funny, dang making making sewer like but also
to have that support.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
I can't do this, okay, okay, So you're opening both.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
You're opening both. Okay, that is the answer.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
All right, So let's go a edd and get started.
For everyone who is listening or watching, Mariah and I
have actually known each other for a very long time
and we've actually been playing together since we're talking like
three oh four oh five. I don't even know if
you remember, like we probably have pictures. Yeah, Yet, you're
not wrong, You're not wrong, And I think it's just
(04:29):
so exciting to be able to like watch your career
and everything that you've been able to do. So it's
really cool to be able to just like sit down
and like hear your whole career from your point of view.
So we had to start from the very beginning, and
I don't actually think I know this journey of how
you got into the game.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
My dad, My dad got me started.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
I was two years old, okay, and let my parents
tell it, he left the house.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
I wanted to go wherever he was going, so.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
He cut me down some sticks, took me to the
golf course and literally let me walk around, and then
when I got bored, chased the birds. But it was
just like spending time with him and hanging out. And
then when I was about five years old, like he'd
done some work on my swing and I think he said,
she's got a good swing, she's got a little talent
for this. Then when I was six, he put me
in my first tournament and the rest of system.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Okay, so your first woman was at six years old.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Okay, same here.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So you know, one of my favorite memories of us
when we were kids, I think we were at Pepsi
Little People's. I don't even know if anyone even know
what tournament is. I don't even know if it's alive anymore.
But it was called the Pepsy Little People's. It was
a big tournament for us, and I think we were
playing together and you were playing US kids clubs at
(05:39):
the time. Yes, And basically your driver looked like a hybrid.
It looks so small, but you were bombing that thing.
And you saw my driver and I had a cut
down men's Adams driver seven degrees and we're like seven
eight nine, And you and your dad were.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Like, good lord, play.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And I'll never forget it because me and my dad
from that point on, anytime something surprising would happen, my
dad would be like.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Good lord.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
That growing up because of you guys, but you, you
and your dad were always like so positive. I felt
like amongst our peers in our golf world, I felt
like you two had a really like healthy relationship growing up.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yes, yes, for sure. No, my dad, I mean sports
dads right, Like, yes, he's scary. Yeah, But I think
one thing that I loved about my dad's approach to
coaching me was he was always open to correcting himself
as well, and so it's not to say that he
wasn't tough on me. He pushed me and we had
those bumping head moments, but he was always willing when
(06:40):
he calmed down, to hear my point of view and
then improve with his approach to my teaching. And so
I think that was beautiful. And I even think of
some of my other friends in junior golf, middle school,
high school ages, their dads would come to my dad
for help on how to control their emotions. Wow, as
a parent, a coach, so he was just great.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
I feel like so many especially like the up and
coming talents, could really like learn from that, like exactly
what you just said. So following up on that, who
would you say were your biggest influences in golf growing up?
Your idols?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
My dad, right, he was.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
He was my coach. He literally was at every single
practice with me until I went to college. So he
was so committed and so I think he's one of
my big influences in golf. My mom, who never played
golf but came to every tournament. I remember she'd have
her little stacked card, she'd keep my score my playing
competitors score. She was so into it. Sometimes she tell
me she couldn't even follow the ball, and I knew
(07:38):
it because sometimes she clapped and I'd be like, there's
nothing to class for her for that shot.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
But she was.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Always my biggest cheerleader. So those two just poured everything
into me. And then on the professional golf side, I
really loved Loraino o'choa, So she was my favorite golfer.
And I feel like when we were in that kind
of middle school, high school age, that's when she went
on that dominant tear.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I mean, it's incredible.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
So she was my favorite golf of growing up. Posted
her in my room an article that my dad printed
out of a magazine. But I would say, like definitely
my parents. On a personal level.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I will say that I only have ever heard anyone
answer with loreno Choa, So I think that's really cool.
I think she doesn't get as much flowers as she deserves.
You know, people sleep on her. But yeah, Lorena is
the goat too. You can't you cannot play games. So
before we even skip the section of childhood, you weren't wrong,
and I dug this up and I wanted to actually
(08:34):
bring you these and.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Show you picks.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
We got some picks.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You wouldn't believe that these are dated in O five
is yes, Yeah, she's also play.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
The glasses.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
You didn't play with those?
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Yep, yeah, those glasses ginger. Uh huh, oh gosh, remember that.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
You were totally welcome to keeping some of those photos.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Tell me.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Assumed you would have said tiger wood because you're wearing
red and all of the photos, like you're wearing actual red.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
You can't escape the tiger floor.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Oh you can't, you can't.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
And we would always hang out.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
We would always hang out.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
We were such a big crew.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
That was of course, of course.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
So moving on, clearly, once you began competing at six,
you just started dominating. And if I have this number right,
it says that you won ninety seven amateur tournaments.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Is that correct?
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (09:42):
That is I can't confirm.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Okay, did you just show up and you're like, I'm
gonna win that?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Like like there was there, I was definitely there was
an era of just completely being locked in, right. I
think a lot of that has to do with the
way my dad approached like my golf development to so
we stayed and he wanted me to be the best
at the local level, So that was playing like Atlanta
Junior Golf Tour when I was little Leonard Junior Golf Association,
which GSGA now owns. Once he felt that I was
(10:09):
the best there, then we went on to state tournaments
junior and amateur for GSGA, like women's tournaments, junior tournaments.
And it wasn't until he felt like I was the
best there that we could go on to Southeastern Junior
Golf and so then that was Yes, that was why
I was able to do that, because he was like, no,
you need to be the best here too.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
We could go here, and so I think that helped
me re reco.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
I feel like that's like the method, because like I
can't imagine like the confidence that gives you to know
how many tournaments you're winning. And then now fast forward,
you committed to Stanford, and I think I remember seeing
this is back to like Facebook days, seeing the commitment
and being like so thrilled for you, and you not
only committed to one of the most elite programs, but
you dominated over there. You led your team to a
(10:55):
national championship title, you won four times while you were there,
all Americans as well, Like you crushed it. What was
that like being able to play for such an elite program.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Funny enough, my coach, Coach Walker was actually came in
the same year as me, so she didn't recruit me.
So I was really going in with no idea what
to expect as far as how the program was going
to be run. And she was just a gym of
a coach. I think she's one of the best coaches
there is in college sports. But she was just very supportive,
(11:28):
very methodical, but coach just as individuals, not necessarily a
team formula. So whatever this player needs to work on,
you can do this. Whatever this player needs to work on,
you can do that. And I think that that's really
important for a coach to have as individual attention because
we're all different, we all need different focuses in our games,
and a lot of coaches just want you to do
(11:48):
one specific formula and that doesn't always serve the athlete.
So I think I was able to continue to develop
really well under coach and we had a lot of
fun like she encouraged us to be friends and a
healthy bond. And I think one thing that I've learned
is fearing a team. Teams that don't like each other
can't win, right, you have to have that report. Yeah,
(12:09):
and so she cultivated that as well. So when I
think about how much I loved, like my academic experience,
my friends outside of golf, but then also be even
able to come together under the team and have fun
together like my four years of college, I have no regrets.
I loved it. It was just fantastic. And then you
add a championship in the not really stills to do
(12:30):
year That was my junior year, junior year, and it
was women's programs first one.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Yeah, that's awesome. That's right.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing. You crushed it during your
term there. I mean, I have a lot of listeners
who are either parents who are very much they want
their kids to go to an elite program. How did
you manage balancing the academics and also playing at a
very high level?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Actually, funny enough, everybody when I committed Stanford was like,
you want to go pro?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Ride?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Is that going to be too difficulty?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
So I remember being on the plane ride out and
we would go about two weeks early just to do
qualifying get ready for fall season. And I was on
the plane and I think that was the closest thing
I've ever had to a panic attack.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
It's like, what did I do?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Like, am I going to be able to handle everything?
Like I really freaked out. But once you get started
and like you have your practice schedule, I realized it
was actually easier to manage, I think than high school
because there was no busy work right you got your
syllabus at the beginning of the quarter. Every assignment that
you were going to have was right there, and so
if you had the ability to time manage, then it
(13:31):
was actually a little bit easier. It was okay, And
so that was my saving grace. I was like, yeah,
if all you have is papers and exams to study for,
it's actually in some problem sets, it's not too difficult
to be on top of. And I would say, like
freshman is probably the most stressful, just because I did
a little more partying that you're clears.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I was having my fun.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Do you fit that in?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
You don't even know how you fit that in with
the training and the school.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I was just like that was a whirlwind, and I
don't know how I accomplished anything. And I managed to
do everything pretty well too, But I was just like
I was committed to one. I want to perform on
the golf course. I knew that I needed to invest
in my studies, but I also was like, I'm going
to have a college life experience as well. So I
feel like once you commit to them all, it's just
(14:18):
you just get it done.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Yeah, you were living it up and you did so
well that you shot a low score of sixty one?
Is that your lowest?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Can you just quickly walk me through what happened? Did
you just like, make no mistakes, no bogies.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
No. I actually had to bogue wild for that. Yes, focus,
and I'm like, that could have been my fifty nine
sixty enough. I was late to team huddle that day.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
I hit like three balls on the range, maybe five balls,
three puts straight to the tea box, so there was.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
No warm up.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I was panicked, Like I think I was staying with
my mom at a hotel off site, and something just
happened and I ended up late, and I was like, oh, man, coach,
gum be upset. We have one rule that's don't be
late to team got on, but I just had to
get to the course of tea off But I ended
up eagling the very first hole and then that's the momentum.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Yeah, let's get moments of the par five and made
the putt, and then after that it was just like
a birdie fest.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
By the time I got to number nine and made
the turn, like the front nine is kind of back
away from the west of like the clubhouse. I got
to number nine up on the green, and all of
a sudden there were people there, right, So it's like
rumor like it was already traveling around. And by the
time I got to whole seventeen there were some professors there,
got in around that I was on fifty nine watch,
(15:38):
which was pretty cool, but it was fun.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
So do you feel like competing and playing for Stanford
really helped you prepare yourself for the tour or do
you feel like the tour is like a whole different beast.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
It definitely helps you prepare, like game wise, so as
far as being able to compete your skill being there, absolutely,
and it just helps you develop as a person too,
Like I think maturity wise, I was able to handle
like the challenges both on and off the course better.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But tour life.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Still is a different beast all in its own right,
Like it's a different. It's a different process. It's a
different approach. Yes, more events, golf all the time, more traveling,
living out of a suitcase.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
It's a huge adjustment.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
What was your transition Like, rough.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It was you ga well out of the gate, but
I think emotionally it was it was more challenging. Like
I was playing well, that was fine, but I think
that I realized like as the process the season was going,
I got lonely.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Right.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
The second year was much better because a lot of
like my friends from Underground stuff were also on tour
my second season, but I didn't have as many people
that I played with growing up out there with me
that first year. And so I'm in the dining hall
like eating by myself, like in player lounge, and you know,
that went away pretty quickly, like he makes some friends.
But I also am staying by myself, So I'm in
(17:16):
hotels most of the time. Somehow I missed the memo
on host families and I don't know if I was
to sleep at that part of rookie orientation or what,
but I didn't really know that that was a thing.
So I was staying in hotels, either eating restaurants or
picking up my food going to my hotel room to
eat in the evenings, and like that's just that's a
little bit isolating, right for a sport that's already individual,
(17:38):
and once you're a pro, there's no team aspect to
golf ats you you're caddy and that's it. And so
at the end of the season, actually I got a
therapist because I was like very unhappy. So I reached
out found a therapist to talk about and then one
of my buddies, Jane actually Jane Park and Molmartin kind
of like adopted me as little sisters out there and
are really sweet and so just gave me some advice
(18:01):
on how to just find pieces of home on tour.
So I traveled with friends a lot the next season,
and I got Hulse families and I have Whose families
that I've stayed with for like eight or so years
now at certain tournaments, and that really made it a
lot better. It's just you don't think about the fact
that it's all golf all the time, right, And so
(18:22):
when you leave the golf course, if you can find
something that makes you feel like, you know, I've got
a little more peace and I've got people around me
who care, then that makes you feel better.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
So I guess that leads me, Like I'm very curious
just because like I played professionally for a little bit,
I realized it wasn't for me. But like for any
rookies that come onto the scene, whether it's from the
EPSEN or just straight from college, is there truly like
all man for themselves, like they're like no one bothered
when you first came onto the tour to be like
hey like this is this is how we do it,
(18:54):
like you know, oh, come on, let's go to dinner
like it or you were like just straight up.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yes, yeah, straight up. And I think now actually there
are rookie pods, so you have some vets that volunteered
to like maybe have four or five players in their pod,
and you have somebody basically to mentor you and somebody
you go.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
To for questions. I don't think that exists a microcan
If it did, I didn't know.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
If I get it was on me, But I think
that that's something that I know for sure the tour
does now, which I think is fantastic for me because
you should have somebody to go to without feeling like
you're bothering someone. You know that that person volunteered to
be there and to mentor you, and that just an
open and welcoming space.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
So that's cool.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Let's talk about some career highs.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
What would you say is your favorite moment or career
highlight this since being on tour.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Oh, performance wise, my career high was definitely twenty nineteen
shop right where I ended up T five but was
second place going into that final round. That's my first
time experiencing the final wave, final group, and that's just
a really really cool experience. Like the crowd size that
you get you're in contention, that was awesome and definitely
something like to aspire to and to feel excited about.
(20:06):
I remember my mom got a flight Saturday night up
or Sunday morning, so I think to make sure that
she could watch that round. The text that I got
coming in following that performance. You just you don't realize
how many people are supporting and rooting for you until
you're in that situation. You realize thing everybody's watching, everybody
supporting makes you feel loved. So that was definitely one
of my most fun experiences competition wise, But honestly, it's
(20:28):
also just the moments that I have off the course
with friends that I have on tour that just makes
the journey special.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Who's your closest friends on tour?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Gemma Driver right now is probably one of my best
buds on tour and actually a pet that I see
lpga an Elise.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
She's also probably one of my favorite people.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Charlotte Thomas and Lauren Kim. Lauren was my college teammate
and then Charlotte went to Washington, so we played a lot.
They've both since retired, so that's that's.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Kind of that happens a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
But no, I definitely still have plenty of friends on tour,
and I'm not one of those people that like only
hangs out with a certain amount of people. I have
like friendships with a lot of the younger players that
are coming up as well. Like I'm a pretty friendly person,
so it's it's it's easy to build those relationships. But
those were like my those are like yes, yes, especially
Lauren shar like playing so much together. We played Washington
(21:22):
pretty much all the time at the tournament because we
were in the same conference RP Pack twelve. But yeah,
that just kind of makes you, you know, tight.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah, yeah, So of course, like what comes with highs,
there are some lows, and so how do you feel
like golf has been treating you?
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeahs of late. I mean the last few years have
definitely been rough. I had it glip maybe about three
and a half seasons ago, where putting just kind of
became a little bit of a mental block for me.
And I've always been a pretty solid putter ever since
junior golf, and so that was tough to navigate, but
it was also fun to fight through. Like I feel
like when you have challenges, kind of have to embrace
(22:02):
them and it's a time to develop a new approach.
So I did that, got over that, and then started
having various physical issues. So I ended up having some
back tightness one summer that I had to fight through.
This was like twenty twenty two, got pretty bad, and
then start experiencing like some hip and upper back stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Like I've since figured out.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Like what's going on, But as you're seeing now, I'm
in a sling. Actually just had shoulder surgery at the
end of March. But it's those little things that actually
contributed to this. And so now what I'm hoping is
this is going to be probably about a three to
four month recovery process, and so I have time, Like
you don't really have time as a golf right, we
(22:43):
talked about it. It's all year round, so when you
have those little issues, it's like you want to try
to fix it, but it's not like you can stop playing.
So I've never really had time to loosen that hip up,
work on that glute firing, and do the things I
need to do to be a smooth and well oiled
machine so that I'm not using the wrong parts my
body to perform certain functions. So now I actually finally
(23:03):
get time to address the whole chain, which I'm looking
forward to and hopefully that.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Makes me a brand new golfer. You have no swing
issues and everything.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
That's a great approach.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
I mean, it's so true, like as a golfer, you
don't have time. And I think people can argue that, like, oh, golf,
it's a low contact for you know, you're not going
to get injured. You're only hurting like maybe ten nights
here whatever here. But like when that thing adds up
and you're off a season, you can completely lose your
status or lose whatever you have. But I think you
have such like a positive outlook. Yeah, maybe it's just
(23:35):
your body saying you need a break.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yeah, really like pill out.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Work on some things.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So, speaking of status on tour, can you explain to
our listeners and viewers, like, what is your current status
right now and how does that work?
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Yes, so right now I'm pretty much playing on epps
and tours, so I have LPGA status, but in the
class that won't get me into a lot of tournaments.
So with my LPGA status, specifically with people in my position,
the ideal goal for everyone would be to get into
a season before the first reshuffle, which typically happens sometime
in May, and reshuffle means priority list, and a priority
(24:11):
list determines which events you get into for the rest
of the year. And so if you before the first
reshuffle can do a Monday qualifier and make a cut
or get a sponsor exemption make a cut, you shuffle
up pretty quickly then and then you'll be playing for
the rest of the season until the second reshuffle. There's
two reshuffles in the season, and each time you just
(24:31):
want to climb the priority list, and so obviously can't
do this year, so I won't be able to play
any of those spring LPGA events. But as soon as
I'm healed and doctor clears me to go compete and
swing full ya again, then I'd be playing Epsen. And
so the route for Epsen you can top ten I
think actually now top fifteen and earn LPGA status for
(24:53):
the following season. So it's basically corn Ferry for the
women's tour, and so you tap fifteen for US, you
get LPGA status and then we still have on the
Women's Qualifying Series And so the last resort then would
be to go to second stage. I would start there,
play in Venice qualify and then go play the later
(25:13):
two events in Alabama and gotcha get your card that way.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
So there's there's several avenues.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Okay, So since you are injured right now, in a
perfect world, what would be your path when you get
better and when would you like to start competing again?
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Yes, I would hope to start competing into July early
August of this year.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Okay, Yes, I'm a comeback.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yes, that gives about four month period and so obviously
it'll just be getting back into the swing of things
for a while. So I think it's probably a little
too late at that point to go to EPs and
root unless you get a couple victories very quickly, which
is not impossible, but at that point the points list
for apps and tours pretty solidified. But what I'd want
to do is compete, play and work as much with
(25:59):
my coaches possible, get ready and be ready for second stage,
our second yeah, stage two of Q series down in Venice,
and be able to play for the cards through that way.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
Got it?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
And so then by next year, best case scenario, you
just be back in a better situation with the LPGA.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
Yes, okay, all right, got it?
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Man? What a grind.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
It is such a grind.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
It is not easy.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
I think when I was talking to Cheyenne and Angel,
we were just talking about the difficulty of like it's
such a win to be on the tour, yes, but
to keep yourself on the tour and to be healthy
both mentally physically everything like that is a whole different
ballgame in itself, and I can't, like, I just can't
imagine like the emotional roller coaster that you let's go through,
(26:44):
which it leads to the next question is how are
you mentally?
Speaker 1 (26:48):
You know, I think right now, mentally I'm feeling really
solid and feeling optimistic, like when you battle through stuff
where you just don't feel physically, that becomes aware mentally.
I would say the strongest part of my golf game
has always been my ball striking. But once my body
wasn't loose enough, once my body wasn't strong enough for
(27:09):
certain areas, there's no consistency there anymore, and so that
was a struggle as well. So I think right now
I just feel hopeful, which makes me feel mentally sound
because I have an opportunity to course correct, work on
these things and hopefully come out better than I was before.
So that's where I am right now.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
So like as we know, like as being a professional
ath that you're juggling a lot of things. It's not
just mental and it's not just physical, but you also
got the marketing side of things. You have your sponsors,
you have to show up to your shoots and whatnot.
How do you juggle that part of things?
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Yeah, that part is actually I view that for me
the fun part of this job.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Some players think it's kind of like a burden. Yeah,
you know, it takes away from the game, but no,
that's so good to get.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
All looks and my sponsors make it possible for me
to play the game.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Like, look at me right now.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I'm not able to compete, which means I'm not making
money on the course, but I have my sponsors to
be able to rely on financially to get me through
this part of the journey. And so not only do
I find it enjoyable, it's what I do to say
thank you, right Like it's obviously part of the contract,
but for me, it's also.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
A thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
My sponsors use me a lot for client interaction and
things like that, and I enjoy that. I think the
part of me that didn't play golf probably would have
gone to the corporate world, Like I enjoy being in
that space and just seeing what that side of life
is like and getting to interact with people in different spheres.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
I find that like enriching. And I don't get that
on the golf course. Maybe in the programs, but that's
just about it. That's the easy stuff. That's the easiest stuff.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
For you had a couple of shots and smile. That's
the easiest stuff. I can't even complain about that.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
So your sponsor is through your injuries and you know,
any stepbacks like they just they just ride with you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yes, And I'm incredibly grateful I've got a great team
around me. It's a blessing and I'm thankful for it.
So when they need me to show up, I show
up fully and happy to do so.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
I love that. I think that's always like a fear.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Right. I could lose everything if I say too much,
or if I if I get hurt, and so I
love that. Sure people are are right behind you. Yeah,
and so, like you said, you feel like you still
got a lot more gas in the tank to play golf.
So if you could give a timeline, how much longer
in a perfect world would you want to keep going.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
If I get through this and I get my game
back to a point where I feel like I'm competitive
in the way that i'd like to be, I'll go
until that's gone. I don't see me playing fresh at forty,
but I'm willing to give a good chunk of the
rest of my thirties to it. If I feel like
I still have my game, I feel like that's it.
It's just about being competitive.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
No, I love that answer. I can't wait to see
the comeback. That's gonna be amazing, all.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
Right, So we're gonna shift gears for a little bit.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
You know, women's golf has actually gone through a lot
of positive change in my opinion, from the professional golf
perspective with the purses, from the social perspective, women's golf
as a whole lot more programs for younger girls, which
we didn't really we didn't get the y'all. We didn't
get to see each other unless we played well. Literally
our win was seeing one another okay and having a
(30:20):
rain delay and then hanging out. So that being said,
how do you feel about just the state of golf
right now? There's been a lot of change since we've
got into it.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
I think it's incredibly promising. Like that's the word I
we use for golf right now. And I think it's
not just golf, it's women's sports. We're just in a
place where I feel like the sports world and sports
lovers are open right now to consuming women's sports as well,
and so I think that golf has a unique opportunity
to take advantage of that interest and I think that
(30:47):
they're doing so, but it could even increase. I look
at social media for other sports organizations, I'm like, I
want to see a little bit of that fun.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
In that life.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
I'm going to ask you about this but you're already
talking about it, so I'm going to let you go
with it.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Yes, I love to see some of that life come
to it. So I think what makes golf both unique
and challenging in terms of marketing is that it's not
a team sport, so you are marketing individual people who
oftentimes might be shy, who oftentimes might not. It's harder
to take advantage and push yourself on like social platforms,
and I find this challenging for myself as well. I'd
(31:21):
i'd love to do more, But it's not like I'm
in a locker room with my teammates and say, hey,
can you hold the phone and get this for me.
I go to the golf course here at home and
buy myself. I go to the golf course on tour.
I have my caddy, but we're focused, We've got a plan.
So I think that the tour could do a good
job of finding players like personalities and bringing it out
in different ways, whether that's getting into some of the
(31:43):
TikTok challenges or ig real challenges, coming up with something
on their own that's like golf specific, and then getting
the players that you can to buy into it and
like pushing those little clips, because I think women's sports
do best when people are connected to the players personalities
and journeys. Right, Like a lot of times when men's
sports are like if you're great, you're just great, right,
(32:04):
But I think women's sports, when I've seen them do
the best, it's because people get attached to the players
as a community. And so I feel like right now
on women's sports is just on the rise, Like that's
something we could do to bring off to the forefront.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
I mean, just amen, you're speaking my language, literally goose
bumps the moment that I knew I wanted to walk
away from playing professionally, Like that's all I ever wanted
for you guys. It's like to show how amazing you
all are, the grind that it takes, and like.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
You literally pulled the words from my mouth. I'm like, LPGA,
you listening, I can do this. We can do this.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
And so basically you're saying your solve is is to
try and just highlight those personalities, really allow the audience
to fall in love with the girls so that we
can make the same changes just as these other sports.
So as we know, we don't really have an LPGA
commissioner at this moment, and if Mariah Stackhouse was the
(32:59):
l PGA commissioner, what is something that you do change
add what would you do to try and help the
girls feel more supported?
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I think from an on course perspective, the tour actually
does a really great job of providing like things players need.
We have a player board, and I think they listen
and implement that stuff faster. So I think my focus
would be on growing the brand of the tour, and
in order to do that, you have to grow the
brand of the players, right they are the draw and
(33:29):
so I think that I would actually spend a good
bit of time with the media side just coming up
with a vision and saying, what can we do to
make the LPGA on par with the growth of the WNBA,
right on par with the growth of the NWSL. I
think that that would be really cool to see. I
(33:50):
think I'd spend a lot of time, like in different
markets in the US and try to tap into some
new sponsor engagement. I think that's another side we're on
the rise. Try to get some more tournaments in different
cities and the states, Like right now Atlanta doesn't have one.
Georgia is a big golf state, Atlanta is a big
golf city and we have no LPGA tournament here and
I just think that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I tell I've told the whole commissioner. I'll talk to
the people on tour about this.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
But I'm like, literally, anytime you all are in the
Atlanta market looking for someone, tap me in. Like, if
you're trying to get one of these Atlanta based companies,
I will come with you and go play with the
exacts who are like I will do whatever I can
to support the cause. But yeah, I think that there
are cities in the US that don't have golf tournaments
that could and obviously getting sponsorship. It's not like cookie cutter.
(34:36):
I'm saying that like it's easy. I know that it's
and I know that the tour does everything they can
to continue to grow and continue to provide those events.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
But those will be my two focuses.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Again, you just taking the mean mo, you just got
to be the commissioner.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
You're just preaching.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I mean, I think all very very tangible things. Yes,
and I think that we are heading in that direction,
which is great, But I think my only concer and
I don't want us to miss the mark of the
growth of women's sports as a whole, Like we like
women's golf is always just a little bit behind, right
or golf in general. Yes, we're always a little bit
behind the trends or what's cool or what's happening. And
it's like, this is not that time to be.
Speaker 4 (35:14):
We need to get on this wagon right now.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
You don't have to throw away tradition to progress, and
I think golf gets so tied. So this is how
we've always done it. You can stay traditional and progress
at the same time, and it has to be done.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Yeah, no, great answer. Clearly you're really big on wanting
to grow the game, not only for the other women
that are playing at a professional level, but I know
that you're really big about creating more accessibility, especially for
the African American community. And fun fact, I just learned this.
So you are one of eight African American women to
get your LPGA Tour card and you're the youngest female
(35:48):
Black woman to qualify for the US Women's Open. Did
you know these things of yourself, because I know, Okay,
I love that. I'm I mean, you're breaking barriers and
like not to say that in a cheesy way, but
legitimately you really are making a difference. And like that
being said, I've also been seeing your involvement with Underrated
(36:09):
with is Steph.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
Curry's new tour. Can you tell me a little bit
about the tour?
Speaker 1 (36:13):
Yeah, role, Yeah, it's really just tapping in and saying here,
here are some athletes who have promised. And I love
the term underrated right because what it says talent is there,
it just needs opportunity and a platform, and so it's
just tapping in across the country. I love the tour
format because it's kids that might not have played say
AJGA or local tours and understand the process of like
(36:37):
playing events, earning points and then getting to championships at
the end of the year. So it's teaching about what
it is to be a part of a garth organization
and get points and progress. And so I think it's
fun to educate the kids and the parents on like
what that process looks like. And then that the championship.
KPMG and I come on and they support the kids
(36:58):
throughout the season. But then I come and specifically along
with Underrated Golf Tour and KPMG and show up for
the championship event and do some programming for both the
parents and the kids, because golf is like you could
do a whole couple of segments. So I'm like, what
it takes to get through the junior golf circuit, right,
Like how parents navigated that.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Not knowing it themselves, like shut out to them.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Like, Okay, let's put some money down.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
That's a big tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
This sounds good. Everybody says, play this one.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
Let's do it right, But like it's overwhelming the junior
golf space because there's so much out there.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Where do I start?
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Okay, how do I get here? So we get the
opportunity to connect with the parents and the kids. I
talked to them about a lot about golf, the mental process,
affirming themselves. My dad even does a session with the parents.
But then there's also programming like a college recruiter will
come in and talk about that process. Someone will talk
about how you navigate like rankings and different golf tours
(38:00):
across the country. But I think that it's just an
informational session for them. We're investing in them as young golfers.
We're giving them the opportunity to play premier courses all
across the country and honestly giving them a platform getting
them noticed, right, Like I know a couple of players
based on their Underrated performance at the Championship have gotten
college interests. So that's that's the goal, right, we want
(38:20):
to get you to college, and we want to get
you to professional golf. And that's if that's what you endeavor.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
But I realized that Underrated does that much.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
Yes, yes, it's truly an investment in these young golfers
and they love it. They have a great time, and
it just it's wonderful to be a part of and
it feels impactful. And I know that it has been
based on what we've seen from some of the juniors.
So I am grateful to be a part of it.
Love that KPMG was excited to come on board as well.
Like that's the beauty of having like a good sponsorship
(38:48):
team around you is you get to bring your passions
and their passions together and make a difference. As staph
Are always loved golf, Like I thought it was so
cool when he did the Underrated Golf.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
It's like stuff, still playing it at the top of
his game. It takes the time to do stuff for
so many other people.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It is he cool.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yes, a person he's as cool as you think he's like,
but just like truly a man of the community. I
love junior golf. It's just one of the favorite things
that I do. Like I love to do clinics. I
love to go and teach the kids. So whatever I
can do to like support the youth and the pipeline
of junior golf to professional golf, and especially to get
more young black golfers into that space as well. Like
you that statistic, he said, it's crazy, Like, let's make
(39:28):
that so much, like, let's get us out there to
where there's no statistic even needed, right, So, yeah, whatever
can I can do to the support the growth of
the sport, like I'm here for the kiddos, you definitely are.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
All right, So we are already whining down, but we're
gonna end with a fun game, okay, and the game
is called What's in the DMS? Okay, all right, soon
I'm going to hit you with the scenario, okay, and
you're gonna tell me if you would just heart it,
like it, block it, okay, respond?
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Okay, all right, are the options here we go?
Speaker 3 (39:57):
All right, Let's say a fan makes a TikTok montage
of you and all your best shots and tag you.
How would you respond or would you respond?
Speaker 2 (40:07):
If I see it?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
I would definitely heart it, and you see it is
a point like I miss so much stuff with Ig,
like it's terrible, especially like my message request, like sometimes
I just forget to go hit them and I need
to get that I like.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
You could be sitting on money and sponsors.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Right, you're right, okay, but I would definitely heart it.
Probably would even comment like.
Speaker 4 (40:30):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Yeah, okay, all right, Tiger would sends good round today.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
That's it freaking out, like you better see that one.
Better see that one? No, that would be that would
be incredible. I'd probably just been like, oh my god, Tiger,
thank you.
Speaker 4 (40:46):
Okay, you're responding. That would be crazy work if you
just hearted.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
It like the insane we're responding to Tiger. Okay.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
A major golf friend says, let's collab, but you never
like their stuff.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
It's gonna have to be anough for me.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
So it's just a left unseene yes, yeah, yes, fair, okay,
all right, it gets harder.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Last one, a golf influencer you've never met, sins hey,
let's shoot content together, but she's more of like a
sexy golf babe.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
It depends on how much we're talking. I feel like, honestly,
I don't I don't care.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
It would just feel like what what am I expected to?
What do I need to do in this content? I
would I would probably just want to hear more.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Yeah, so I would respond, you would respond, Okay, I
like that. All right, So before I let you go,
where can everybody find you?
Speaker 1 (41:51):
I am most stax birdies on every single platform.
Speaker 3 (41:54):
I like that, Marian, Thank you so much for joining
the party. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
I had a great time. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Welcome to the Party with Tasha Allen is an Iheartwoman's
sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports Entertainment.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
I'm your host Tisha Allen.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
Christina Everett is our executive producer, and Jennifer Bassett is
our producer. Sound mixing and mastering by Mary Doo. Special
thanks to Jesse Katz at iHeart and to Jess McCallister
and the teams.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
At GERSH and Catalyst nine.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
Listen to Welcome to the Party with Tisha Allen on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts,
Host
Tisha Alyn
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