Golfer Amy Olson will play this week’s US Open SEVEN MONTHS pregnant at four-mile long Pebble Beach: ‘Golf has been a dream of mine and so is being a mom’
- Amy Olson qualified for this week’s tournament only last month in Minnesota
- She consulted other golf moms before deciding to play in California this week
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Amy Olson will be playing for two at the US Open this week – taking to the course at Pebble Beach in California seven months pregnant.
Olson qualified for the tournament – held at Pebble Beach for the first time – a month ago, shooting a score of six-under par at a qualifier in Minnesota.
Olson, who turns 31 on July 11, two days after the tournament ends, reveals she sort the opinion of other moms on tour to work out how late in her pregnancy she should play.
Pebble Beach is about four miles long and like all elite golf courses, far from completely flat.
‘When I found out I was pregnant, I texted some of the moms on tour,’ she told Golf Digest. ‘I asked about what the sweet spot was for them and when was their cutoff.
Amy Olson (left) will play the US Open at Pebble Beach seven months pregnant this week
Her husband Grant shared a video of her on the driving range Monday ahead of the event
Olson admits it will be difficult to compete but playing is ‘bigger than golf’ for her this week
‘I kept hearing from people who played from 28 to 30 weeks. Beyond that was pretty borderline. I thought, “I’m going to be 31 weeks when Pebble rolls around”‘.
Olson’s husband Grant shared a video of her on the driving range on his Instagram on Monday, and Olson also spoke about how her approach to her game has changed since she knew she was expecting.
‘One of the hardest things for me during my pregnancy was stopping and starting,’ she explained. ‘It used to take me five balls to warm up. Now, it takes me 50 to 55, and by then I’m tired.
‘I know what it takes to play at the elite level and play in a major championship.
‘Realistically, my ball-striking is not there right now. Do I think I can post a good score? Yes. But to say I can be competitive, that’s probably a stretch. With the weight gain, I don’t think this is going to be anybody’s formula for success.
‘That’s OK. This is just so much bigger than golf. Golf has been a dream of mine for so long, and so is being a mom.
‘I get to do both of these things, and I don’t want to put them at odds with each other. Both are really special, and I’m excited.’
Olson has career earnings of around $2.6m but has not played Pebble Beach before.
When she qualified for the tournament, she joked she would ‘waddle up there and do whatever I can.’
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