Brittany Altomare, a seasoned professional, last participated in an Epson Tour event eight years ago, a competition in which she emerged victorious by shooting even par at the 2016 Guardian Championship. This marked her first and only win as a professional. Since then, Altomare has carved a successful career both on and off the course, with 17 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour and representing the United States in two Solheim Cups. Her most recent triumph has been embracing motherhood.

Altomare's journey back to the competitive arena has been a test of her resilience. As a first-time mother, she is eager to return to the course while cherishing every moment with her son, Wyatt. Like many mothers, Altomare quickly realized the physical toll of pregnancy on her body, a challenge she is determined to overcome.

Altomare's return to the course is not just a personal journey, but a team effort. "Leaving him for the first time, even though it was just with my dad, was really hard because I had been with him for 12 to 13 weeks straight," said Altomare. "It was just me and him, but it's been really good. I was itching to get back to practice, so it's been fun being able to practice and workout again. I feel so out of shape. I didn't appreciate how good of shape I was in before I was pregnant, but it's been it's been great."

Following her maternity leave, the 33-year-old has the chance to play against the future stars of the LPGA Tour, briefly returning to the Epson Tour before she returns to the LPGA Tour herself. The Massachusetts native teed it up on Friday at the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship, and despite her nerves on the first tee and what she called a sloppy front nine, Altomare posted an opening round even-par 72. The round consisted of five birdies and five bogeys.

"I'm just trying to learn a lot from this event. It's nice to practice, but I don't think that you really get a sense of what you need to work on until you actually play a competition," said Altomare. "So it's really nice that they give us these test events that we can play against really great players.

"I definitely felt nervous on the first tee and the first couple of holes. It was just a little sloppy for me on the front, but, you know, I got it together on the back, which felt nice, but still hitting it short. So I need to go home and work on my swing speed."

In the eight years that have passed, the competition on the Epson Tour has increased significantly. In the short time, Altomare has been back inside the ropes, she is already starting to see how much the game and talent have grown since her last event. But it wasn't just the talent that impressed the LPGA Tour veteran. Thinking back to her time on the Epson Tour, Altomare is glad to see better golf courses and well-known sponsors, like Great River Golf Club and Hartford HealthCare, committed to the women's game.

"The competition for women's golf has gotten so much better, and I think the Tour's gotten deeper, too," said Altomare. "This golf course is amazing. We didn't play super great golf courses when I was out here nine years ago, and this golf course is amazing. The practice facilities are great, and I feel like they treat us a lot better now. I feel like the sponsors are really stepping up, which is really great to see."

Altomare's plan was to return for the LPGA's newest event, the FM Global Championship at TPC Boston, in late August, but realizes now that it may be aggressive. While months pass and her son is growing as she blinks, the 33-year-old has been thinking hard about her timeline. Nothing is off the table, but the new mom has more than just golf to think about now.

"I did have an aggressive start date, and I really wanted to be back for TPC Boston," said Altomare. "I'm definitely not saying no yet, but it's coming up a lot faster than I realized. I also want to take advantage of the time that I have at home with Wyatt and my husband and also be able to work on things that I really never got to work on, like swing mechanics and stuff with my coach so that I can get ready."

For now, Altomare keeps her sights set on getting back into competition mode, starting with the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship. After a four-hour-long weather delay on Saturday morning, she'll tee off Great River Golf Club's 10th at 5:58 p.m. local time. Fans can follow along with live scoring HERE.

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Brittany Altomare Begins Return to Golf After Becoming a Mom

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