The 2024 rookie class has been exceptional in the first half of the Epson Tour season, with three rookies already securing victories and four ranking in the top 10 in the Race for the Card.
However, this is not the reality for most players in their rookie season. The transition from amateur golf to professional golf is much more challenging than it has seemed this year. Understanding the travel, booking your accommodations, and fighting for your paycheck week in and week out should not be taken lightly.
Alexis Miestowski has shown that she has the skills to compete at the highest level but has yet to find her footing in professional golf as a rookie.
"Professional golf is definitely a new animal. Things are a little bit different when you're playing to eat dinner at night," said Miestowski. "It is a different feeling. When you have a three-footer, you have a 30-yard or 130-yard shot; a lot more is on the line. Obviously, people tell you like, 'Oh, you're not supposed to think about that' and 'Don't think about the money and don't think about the cut,' but I think as a rookie, unfortunately, that's all that I think about, and it is just about getting comfortable dealing with that getting comfortable being uncomfortable."
Miestowski was uncertain if she would be able to continue her professional golf career after suffering a torn serratus anterior muscle while at Indiana University. The injury, which occurred just above her rib cage, caused her to miss her entire junior year. Coupled with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Miestowski became unsure if pursuing professional golf was feasible for her and took a break from the sport.
"I had Covid in college, and I had almost a career-ending injury. I packed my golf clubs away for a while and realized that maybe this wasn't going to happen for me," explained Miestowski. "I tore my serratus anterior just from overuse and had no clue. I was having some rib problems, and we had no idea what it was. I ended up going a while without getting an MRI, and it ended up that I had a few hairline fractures in my rib from playing on it for so long. You know, everyone out here has injuries. I'm not the only one."
The injury didn't stop the 24-year-old from pursuing her passion. While playing casual rounds at her home club, she wanted to compete in golf again. The thrill of playing for something more was what she missed the most. Later that year, she participated in the 2023 LPGA Qualifying Series and earned her Epson Tour card for the first time.
As the season progresses, the former Hoosier is hoping for better results. After the upcoming Dream First Bank Charity Classic, a good performance could improve her chances of earning her card for next year or securing a higher standing on the priority list for the rest of the season. Despite the uncertainty, Miestowski's positive outlook on the season is truly commendable.
"Maybe I've been a little too nice to myself. Honestly, I haven't had the best start to the season, and that's all right, but it's really disappointing," said Miestowski. "It's hard because you live your whole life for this, and you know, something that I've realized is how brave everybody is out here. No matter how much anxiety we have, how bad we're hitting the ball, or how many cuts we've missed, we still have to put the tee in the ground and tee it up. Sometimes you don't know where it's going, and sometimes you do. But I'm looking forward to being a little bit more confident in myself and, you know, getting how this works."
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