Last week I traveled to Calgary, Canada to play in the Canadian Open. The week didn’t start so smoothly when my clothes didn’t arrive with me to Canada. The good news was I had my clubs!
I spent Monday resting and going to the mall to buy everything from toiletries to clothes so I could survive until my bag arrived! Thankfully, I had contact lenses and a few other things packed in my carry on! My bag arrived Tuesday night, which was a relief that I didn’t have to go back to the mall to buy more clothes. It’s hard shopping for shorts when all the stores are carrying their fall lines!
I must say that Calgary has some of the most beautiful views on earth. Lake Louise and Bannf were only an hour away from the course. So it felt nice to breathe in the fresh air and take in the magnificent views. I’ll have to come back during ski season!
Wednesday was the pro-am and I had a fabulous group. We laughed our way around the course, which by the way was in great condition. I liked the layout and felt that it would be quite score-able. Thursday morning I played with confidence and shot 64. It really was my best mental performance all year! Not once did I think about the future or the past. I was great at staying in the moment. Unfortunately, when you’re leading the tournament it is so hard to not think about the future and winning, which resulted in me not doing as well on the course the next two days. I shot 73 and 72. Sunday I did better, but still got a little frustrated when I couldn’t get things going. I shot 70 and finished the tournament T18. It was great to be back at the top of the leader board, I had not been there in a while! It was especially fun to play in front of big crowds; the fans in Canada were awesome!
I was lucky to get a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday so I could spend a few days at home before I had to ravel to Arkansas for the P&G Beauty LPGA event. Don’t forget to tune in to the tournament starting Friday!
Last week I visited the Wyndham PGA tour event in Greensboro, North Carolina. Greatest thing about North Carolina is hands down Southern Hospitality. I didn’t pick up my Go Daddy Golf Bag all week; someone was always there to offer a helping hand!
It was very interesting to see how the PGA sets up their events and compare the differences to ours. It really felt much like our events, just perhaps on a bigger scale. On Monday I played in a pro-am with the CEO of Wyndham, Stephen Holmes and PGA player Ricky Barnes. We all played well with a score of -16. Ricky was great fun to play with. He was in great spirits even when he split his pants on the 3rd hole. The hole continued to grow and by the 9th he had to get the tournament director to bring him out a new pair! Everyone in our group decided we were glad the pants had split. I am all for going with something a little out there, but honestly these pants were hideous! Stephen joked that he could probably find another pair at the Salvation Army.
Tuesday, I headed out to Pinehurst to play #2. What a fantastic place! I loved the village, the hotel and especially the golf course. They are the most difficult greens I have ever played.
On Wednesday I played in the Pro-am with Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, CEO of Wyndham vacation ownership Franz Hanning and PGA player Fred Couples. We didn’t score as well as Monday, but we had plenty of chances. I found out that Doc Rivers is called Doc because his favorite player growing up was Doctor J. He also told me that he only has two requests when traveling with the team. #1 they either stay at the Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons and #2 only if they have the golf channel! He loves golf and has a pretty good game. On 18 he hit his 3 wood 246 yards to four feet! An impressive man indeed!
After the pro-am I flew to Charlotte, North Carolina via helicopter, which was scary and amazing all at the same time. Then caught a flight to Phoenix to film Diggnation for Go Daddy! Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht were so hilarious it was hard to keep quiet backstage. I had fun helping them with a putting competition in which Alex won! It was great to meet so many of the cool people that work at Go Daddy. Such a fun crowd! The rest of the week was back to work on the golf game to prepare for this weeks tournament in Oregon! Looking forward to competing again!
After leaving England on Monday my next stop was Cape Cod. It was my first time in the Cape and I must say I loved it! The weather was warm and balmy at night, which was such a nice change from England.
My only prior knowledge of the Cape came from the Freddie Prince Jr. movie Summer Catch. Remember that one?! So for those of you who haven’t been, it’s located on the Peninsula in the easternmost portion of Massachusetts. It has an adorable small-town feel with a large beachfront. It is also home to some fabulous Golf courses. I had a great time playing Eastwood Ho and Old Sandwich. They are both beautiful and fun courses. My time on the Cape flew by and before I knew it I was back in Los Angeles. I have to say it was nice to be home after 3 weeks on the road!
I was able to fit in a nice lesson with Dana on Friday before I was off to a good friend’s wedding festivities. This was my first time being in the bridal party and boy can I tell you it was hard work! The wedding was an absolute blast. There were lots of great people and the music made me want to dance all night! Thank you Brandon and Natasha for an unforgettable weekend!
Tune in to see Anna Rawson on E:60 this Tuesday at 7 pm EST on ESPN. Tom Farrey interviews Rawson about her unique career, controversial comments, and the state of the LPGA . Also see commentary by LPGA players Annika Sorenstam, Morgan Pressel, and Jan Stephenson.
Also, join Anna live on ESPN SportsNation to chat about her first year on tour, the financial future of the tour and her modeling career.
Last week I had the pleasure of flying to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet up with fellow Go Daddy sponsored NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski. And what a nice guy he was! We spent half the day on the golf course, were I managed to get him to hit one ball straight and about 200 yards down the fairway…the rest were…ummm… let’s just say not so straight. haha
The other half of the day we spent on a miniature track where it was Brad’s turn to be the instructor. He made driving a super charged go-kart look like a piece of cake. I could barely keep the steering wheel straight, and boy did my forearms get a work out! It was such a blast to hang with the Go Daddy team and learn all about NASCAR. I am so pumped to go to my first race; I’ve heard it’s a fan experience like no other! Make sure you check out the golf and driving lesson on Godaddy.com.
The rest of the week included a visit to Dave Stockton, who got my short game in shape for Royal Lytham (a course where he had played the Ryder Cup!), some swing work with Dana Dahlquist (where we tided everything up), lots of hard workout sessions and packing for two weeks in Europe. Can’t wait to get over there!
It’s amazing how one tournament roles so quickly into another. After winding down from such a good week at state farm, before I knew it, it was already Wednesday night of the LPGA championship!
Thursday morning I was a little tired and it showed. My first nine holes put me out of the tournament. I was +7 after 8 and then got it back to +5 but bogied my last two to finish back at +7. It really was all in my putting. My speed was way off for some reason. I putted quite a few putts eight feet past the hole!
The next day I went out trying to make birdies to get back in it. The problem with that is the Bulle Rock golf course is set up quite hard. It was playing long and wet so it’s not really the type of course you’re going to make 8 birdies!! I pushed a little to hard and ended up 3 over on the day. I must say I was quite disappointed. Perhaps my expectations were too high coming off the week I had before. On a positive note, I learned from it and I am hitting it well, so eventually the putting will come around.
After I missed the cut I stayed in Maryland for the 36 hole US Open qualifier on Monday. My body was feeling quite stiff so I only played 9 holes of each course Saturday and Sunday. Monday I teed off at 7.15 and it was very similar to the week before. I just started poorly. I was +5 on the front 9 and finished +6. The afternoon round was much better. I was -4 through 16 holes then 3 putted 17!! I finished -3. My total of +3 missed by 2 shots. It was unfortunate I didn’t start better. The funny thing is a lot of great LPGA players (Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis and Vicky Hurst) didn’t qualify. It’s really unfortunate for the tournament.
After the round I headed straight back to Los Angeles. I woke up Tuesday morning to get a sneak peak of my Go Daddy commercial! I am so excited for it to air and for all of you to see it. I had such a wonderful time shooting the commercial and the final product is better then I could have imagined. It’s very funny and I think you will all love it!
Why is it when I come off my busiest off-week of the year, I have my best playing week of golf? I guess I am built to be a busy person! So many people have asked me what led to such a good result in Springfield (T13 – rounds of 71, 71, 69, 65). To be honest there are numerous reasons.
First, I am so lucky to have such a great sponsor in Go Daddy. Bob Parsons gave me a wonderful pep talk in the off-week. He told me he believes in me and knows I can do this. I cannot tell you how great that feels. It’s so important to have that kind of support and he really made me feel he was behind me 100%.
Second, I put a call into my sports psychologist Bob Rotella. He reminded me that I play best when I am having fun. He said I play the worst when I grind and spend too much time at the golf course. This was such great advice. I flew into Springfield Tuesday afternoon and I only saw about 12 holes of the course and just practiced a little. I rested, had fun and surprise, surprise I got results! It’s so funny how I can make the game so hard for myself. I’ve watched what other top players were doing and tried to mimic them, but it just doesn’t work. I have to prepare in a way that makes me feel good and that is definitely not grinding out there for days on end.
Thirdly, I went back to basics with my swing. With so many off-weeks this year I had been getting too mechanical. I was trying to get my swing into a better position. For some reason I couldn’t trust this new position under pressure. I finally decided I don’t care what it looks like as long as I can hit it where I want. And that I did! It was so fun to hit punch shots, draws, fades and know that I could trust it. In Springfield my confidence and mental trust grew with each round. Last week was so fun to be near the top of the leader board. I am also excited that I shot my career low round 65 in the final round!
As my coach Ron Stockton says “Anna, champions go low on Sundays.” I like the sound of that!
Don’t forget to tune into the McDonalds LPGA championship this week!
Last week was a very busy off week, so perhaps I should call it an on week! After arriving back from Corning I took two days to just relax and get my mind on track. Saturday I caught up with friends and Sunday I went to the Dodgers game. I was back to work on Monday with swing coach Dana Dahlquist, before heading out to Industry Hills for a practice round for US open qualifying.
My tee time was at 12pm on Tuesday and I decided to carry my own bag for the qualifier. I figured it was time to appreciate my caddy!! (And I sure did). The greens were a bit rough at Industry Hills, but I trusted my stroke and swing and shot a great round of 68. The tune up with Dana really helped, as well as a quick call into sports psychologist Bob Rotella.
Wednesday I headed to Phoenix to shoot my Go Daddy commercial. I was so excited and nervous all at the same time. After a yummy dinner with Bob Parsons at Mastros I had a quick 5 hours of sleep. My call time on Thursday was 5am and from that time on it was pretty much non-stop till 7pm that night. In between shots I spoke with local TV and radio stations and even ESPN came out to check out the shoot. The crew was awesome and all the people at Go Daddy made me feel very comfortable. The commercial is so funny, especially Bob’s costume. I had such amazing time shooting and I can’t wait for you all to see it!
Don’t forget to tune into the LPGA state farm classic this week on ESPN!
It’s sad to think this is the last time I will ever write about a week at Corning. After 31 years, the tournament is no longer returning. However, the tournament went out with a bang and I was so happy to have been a part of it.
The weather there could not have been more perfect. Last year I had five layers on and was freezing – this year it was 85 degrees and absolutely beautiful. The scores were very low because of it and again I didn’t get off to a great start, shooting +3 on day one. And I finished with a double!
Round two was much better. I tried to relax and not get so caught up in the score. I knew I needed a 6- or 7-under round to make the weekend, so it was all about making birdies. I had so many chances. I did have 6 of them though, so I am encouraged.
The funny thing in golf is the harder you try, the worse you do. Unfortunately for me, I have been making this game very difficult on myself. I am not too far off though, so I need to stay positive out there and stop grinding so much. I know some good golf is just around the corner, so stay tuned!
Update: At the LPGA Corning Classic I shot 75, 70 for a total of +1. Cut was -3. I had six birdies in round two and a 32 on the back nine. See me play next at the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Illinois, June 4-7.
Last week I competed in the LPGA Sybase Classic, which was played at Upper Montclair Country Club, in Clifton, NJ. Hopefully you all tuned in to the action on ESPN. I had a fabulous week staying with the Hoit family in Summit, NJ. Seven-time club champion Roger Hoit hosted me at Baltusrol Golf Club on Tuesday, which was a great treat. I would have to say Baltusrol is the prettiest course I have ever seen. I loved the traditional set-up of the clubhouse and the course. Hopefully there will be another U.S. Women’s Open there soon.
On Wednesday, I had a great time at the Sybase Pro-Am. I was fortunate enough to play with the people from Geico Insurance and they certainly knew how to have a good time. I also got some inside information to share with you all. I bet you didn’t know that the Geico lizard was created at a bar and is supposed to have an Australian accent!
Thursday morning I was the first group off, and again I didn’t have such a hot start. I had a new putter in play this week and it took a few holes for me to really get used to it. Everything seemed to be starting left for me off the face. I decided to open up the face on the back nine and the putts started online. I only ended up with one birdie, but made some great pars and finished with +2. It might not have been the best start, but I still felt like there were birdies out there for Friday.
With a late tee time on Friday I went into NYC to see “Guys and Dolls” on Broadway. Wow, what a great show! I just love live performances. The singing and dancing was amazing.
Friday’s round started off flawless. I felt confident and excited for the challenge. My first two shots of the day were pretty much perfect, which is always a good sign. Unfortunately, when I got to 15 (my 6th hole), I started to feel nervous and a little uncertain. It was the strangest thing. After hitting such great shots you would think there would be no reason for me to doubt myself. The mind does crazy things and I just could not get back on track. I ended up with +4 and was extremely disappointed that I had made it so difficult for myself. Thankfully, there is always next week.
Looking on the bright side, I got to explore NYC all weekend.
LPGA players Becky Morgan, Diana D’Alessio, Laura Diaz, Stacy Lewis and Anna Rawson look on as Angela Park plays a board game with patients at the St. Joseph’s Hospital, a beneficiary of the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite. A group of nine players took part in a visit to the hospital on Tuesday morning.
Last week was such a blast at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill, in Virginia. It was my first time at the event, and it lived up to all the expectations. The girls on tour call it the “fifth major!” It’s set up with lots of rough and super fast greens, so it plays risk reward. I just loved the course.
Overall it was a good week. I started poorly the first day +3 after 6, but fought back to shoot even par. I’m happy with the comeback because at times I find it so tough to battle back after being so many over. The second day was a great ball striking round for me. -2 was the worst I could of shot. I hit all fairways and 16 greens but the putts just couldn’t seem to drop. I struggled with line and speed.
After the second round there was a player party at Busch Gardens. Busch Gardens is such a fabulous place! The park was only open to us so we had free reign of the Roller coasters. Wow!! They had the craziest rollercoaster, I haven’t been that scared in a long time. The drops were ridiculous. Up side down, jerking to the side, I honestly doubted my survival. Luckily I ended up with a mild stomachache and some whiplash – not too bad, right?!
Round three was pretty frustrating. It was very humid out and I seemed to be continuing the rollercoaster ride from the night before. Birdie, bogie, Birdie, very frustrating! In the end I was happy to stay in it and shoot +1. Round four on the other hand was terrible. I had a few three putts, and couldn’t seem to get the ball anywhere near the hole with my irons. It didn’t help that the pins were tucked, making your misses that much worse. I finished with +5, which felt like 100! Positive for the day was that I hit all the fairways. I guess my new R9 Taylormade driver (with a stiff shaft J) is working out… if only I can find the perfect putter!
Looking forward to a great week at Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey!!
After last week’s disappointment in Mexico, it was great to have a week to work on things. I decided my wedge game simply wasn’t good enough. So after a lesson with Dana Dahlquist, we got the technique squared away. Then it was up to me to grind out the distances. I worked on it every day, and I must say it feels good. I am eager to test it out at this week’s Michelob Ultra Championship.
On Thursday, I headed to Vegas for a little fun before my 3-week stretch on the road. It was great to play the beautiful Wynn course again, which was much easier the second time around!
The buzz in Vegas was great on Friday. There were so many people in town for the Pacquiao/Hatton fight. Unfortunately, I missed seeing it in person because I had to head to Virginia early Saturday for the LPGA Summit. I had been watching the 24/7 specials on HBO and was thinking it was going to be a close match…not so much.
Even though I missed the Friday fight, I was fortunate enough to see LOVE, The Beatles Cirque du Soleil show at The Mirage. Amazing! LOVE celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles through their timeless, original recordings. I was actually singing along through pretty much the whole show. There was such a youthful, raw energy, which was channeled through aerial performance, extreme sports and urban freestyle dance. Definitely a must see, especially if you are a Beatles fan!
Reminder: Don’t forget to tune in this weekend to The Michelob Ultra LPGA Classic!
On Monday evening I headed down to Morelia Mexico for the LPGA’s Corona Championship. I was definitely excited to compete – 3 weeks off is too long!
I had been to Morelia last year and was excited to go back. The tournament is very well organized and the clubhouse is absolutely amazing! The golf course is a little unusual (you never get a flat lie) but it is always in great shape and this year was no exception.
Tuesday I gave a clinic to the members of Tres Marias. It was fun to hit some shots for them and answer all of their questions. It was funny how intrigued they were with my relationship with my caddy! I told them it’s like a marriage!! Ha ha
After the clinic I headed out for 18 holes, then I popped into the pro-am party before heading back to the hotel for a rest. Wednesday I played in the morning pro-am and then practiced. I felt good about the course and my game, I knew if I could trust myself I would do well.
I had a great start, was 1 under through 8 and playing very steady. The back nine can be tricky so I was keeping it simple. I then had a minor disaster on 17 but then birdie putts on all of my remaining holes! Other than a three put at 2 and a two-putt birdie at 8 my scorecard was uneventful. I just couldn’t seem to get the ball in the hole!
The next day was much of the same. My goal was 3 birdies a side at least! I managed that on the front – but with two bogies! Unfortunately, I had a bogie and 8 pars on the back. I thought I would make the cut on the number but there had been so many good scores so I ended up missing by one! I guess I didn’t deserve to play the weekend.
I must admit I was probably lacking in trust over all my shots. It’s proving difficult to keep my head into it with all the time off. I know I will get into a better rhythm when I have a few events in a row.
After being away for a few weeks it is nice to get back into my Los Angeles groove. I have a full routine for my practice days and I love it.
Every morning starts with coffee – decaff organic preferably (my trainer says its better), I never need the caffeine in the morning, I am always psyched to start the day! I usually spend a half hour returning emails and setting my calendar, then its off to breakfast. I try to find new places but I always end up at the same ones. Urth cafe, City Bakery, Joans on Third and Clementine are my favorites! I try to eat a lot in the morning to keep my energy and focus for golf training. I then train for 3-6 hours or sometimes longer if I play 18. Then its home for some more coffee and emails then off to the gym! I am not a big workout person but I love the feeling afterwards.
This Monday I went to the Observe and Report premiere? It was so fun to watch my golf buddy Mike Pena star in the movie! He was hilarious! You can check out the red carpet pics at www.wireimage.com (search: Anna Rawson).
I am looking forward to heading to sin city this weekend! I’ll let you know how it goes….
It was an exciting finish at this years Kraft Nabisco Championship and a greater person couldn’t have won. Keep it going beauty. See you in Mexico at the Corona Championship April 23-26!!
Last week I had the pleasure of flying to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet up with fellow Go Daddy sponsored NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski. And what a nice guy he was! We spent half the day on the golf course, were I managed to get him to hit one ball straight and about 200 yards down the fairway…the rest were…ummm… let’s just say not so straight. haha
