It’s the people that make the difference, as so often is the case in life.
In a year when nothing is familiar but their golf swing, rookies are finding their veteran counterparts are the biggest help in transitioning to life on the LPGA Tour. For 2015 rookie Demi Runas it has been the people she says she has enjoyed most in her first year on tour.
“Honestly, I was a little worried that I would not have anyone to go to for advice or assistance,” Runas said via email this weekend. “But everyone has been unbelievably helpful and supportive so far. Whether it be travel questions, practice rounds or going to someone just to vent, both staff and players have been more than willing to help out.”
But the transition for Runas hasn’t been easy on the course. Coming off a successful run on the Epson Tour, she played her way onto the LPGA Tour by way of a top-10 finish on the Volvik Race for the Card Money List last season with three runner-up finishes and three more top-10’s. She also enjoyed a successful college career at UC Davis where she was three-time Big West Player of the Year. But Runas has yet to find that same success this season on the LPGA Tour, making the cut in just two of eight events, both coming close to her home in Southern California at the JTBC Founders Cup and Kia Classic.
“I was able to drive to both events and at Kia I stayed with family,” Runas said. “I think those things made it easier for me to fall into a stride those weeks.”
Creating that same level of comfort on the road is something Runas says she’s working on, and she isn’t alone. Rookie Cheyenne Woods enjoyed her best finish this season in her hometown of Phoenix at the JTBC Founders Cup where she finished T-24. Otherwise, she has struggled this season, making the cut in four of seven events, a common challenge for rookies transitioning to life on the road.
The 2014 rookie class made an average of 46% cuts and Lydia Ko was the only player to make the cut in each start. This year’s rookie class is making an average of just over 40% of cuts in the first 11 events of the season, with Hyo Joo Kim and Ha Na Jang making the cut in eight of eight events.
Rookie Kendall Dye has made just one cut so far this year, but after spending five years fighting for her spot on the LPGA Tour, she has the perseverance it takes to turn her season around.
“I'm having such a great time this year living out my dream,” Dye said via email this weekend. “I haven't had the start I wanted to the season, but thankfully it's a long year.”
Like Runas, Dye earned her card with a top-10 finish on the Epson Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card Money List after winning the 2014 IOA Classic. She too has found comfort in her fellow players, making connections with those who share common interests and spending time with those who inspired her to pursue her dream of playing on Tour.
“I am getting to play golf, have dinners and go to ball games with players I have grown up watching and admiring,” Dye said. “My time as a rookie on the LPGA has been far beyond my expectations and that is because of the people I have met.”
Now a third of the way through their first season on Tour, rookies are taking a closer look at how they started their year, assessing what they learned and figuring out where they’re headed. For Dye and Runas, they’re both keeping the faith.
“My goal is to find a way to get better everyday,” Runas said. “I didn't start off the year the way I wanted to, but I have faith that if I keep putting in the work, things will fall into place.”
“I'm keeping the faith. It only takes one good week out here to set a player off and I'm working hard and planning for that,” Dye said.
Dye is currently ranked 23rd and Runas 20th on the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings.
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