OB Sports Golf & Leisure

OB SPORTS GOLF & LEISURE x FALL 2015 x obsports.com l Q&A When were you first introduced to the game of golf? My parents both loved to play golf. When my older brother was born, my dad built a seat for him on top of a push cart – they didn't want kids to keep them from playing. So I guess you could say I was introduced to the game before I was even born! At some point in high school I realized that I could possibly get a scholarship to golf in college, so I pursued that to help out my parents, who had offered to help me with college tuition. But even then I didn't realize how much golf would come into play in my life – at the time I wanted to become a fi- nancial planner. When did you realize you wanted to pursue golf professionally? One summer day in between college se- mesters I was interning at a financial planning office. I very distinctly remem- ber looking out the window and wishing I was outside playing golf underneath that blue sky. As soon as I thought that, it hit me – I actually could be playing golf right now! That's when I really de- cided to invest everything I had into pur- suing a golf career. I made a goal to be ready to play on the LPGA Tour by the time I graduated from college. What was one of the defining mo- ments in your early golf career? I qual- ified for the U.S. Women's Open in 2005, and placed 13th. There was a moment that week when I was coming off the course after a practice round and a whole group of junior golfers wanted my autograph. I was 21 and just an ama- teur, so that alone was really cool for me. After I made my way through all the kids and started walking back to the course, the parents started clapping be- cause they were grateful I had taken the time to chat with their kids. I realized then that the sport was about more than just playing golf on my own. What is your favorite part of being on the LPGA Tour? Just being around really successful, motivated women. The people that play on the Tour are the rea- son you stay out there. You have to love the game, the competition, and the prac- tice. But when I'm not playing, it's the people I miss the most. There's a unique common bond among Tour players, male or female. I did a joint interview with Brandt Snedeker once, and we were an- swering questions and going back and forth just like old friends. Someone asked how long we'd been dating – they assumed we were because of how close I soon learned that I had to show up to work well-prepared and well-researched, and I had to figure out quickly how to gather my thoughts in a concise, efficient way." FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME "My mom tells me I was completely uncoordinated until I was about 6, and that's when it started to kick in. I started competing in tournaments at the age of 7, after my mom convinced city officials to let me play in the 8-11 age group. At the time, I enjoyed golf be- cause it was a family thing, and I enjoyed the competi- tion. Then I really fell in love with the game of golf a little bit later." – Paige Mackenzie CLICK HERE TO VISIT PAIGE MACKENZIE ONLINE Mackenzie's successful golf career seamlessly led to a position at Golf Channel. " fi

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