It’s been a challenging first two years on the LPGA Tour for Jillian Hollis. The Ohio native first earned Membership after finishing fifth on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card in 2019. She became a part of the 2020 rookie class, whose first year was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and were allotted an extra year of eligibility in 2021. Throughout the past two seasons, Hollis has made just four cuts in 27 starts and she’s only made $45,767 in career earnings with her best finish being a tie for 12th at last year’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. Nevertheless, Jillian has persisted, and after firing a 4-under 68 in the Monday qualifier for the DIO Implant LA Open, finds herself in this week’s field at Wilshire Country Club.
“I'm super excited,” said Hollis who also Monday qualified for the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol last month. “I love this tournament. I love coming to California. This is one of my favorite places to come visit. I loved Aviara as well, down in Carlsbad. The people out here are so nice and I have a lot of friends out here and it's been a lot of fun so I'm pretty excited to play this week.”
Recently, Hollis has been making a lot of changes on and off the golf course to get her game back on track, especially with her attitude. Golf can be a bear when you’re struggling — even more so for a young professional – and for Jillian, a lack of results further compounded the negativity she was feeling about her game, making it a challenge to enjoy what she was getting to do for a living on the LPGA Tour.
“My rookie years, they were definitely a struggle and I wasn't enjoying myself,” said Hollis. “I wasn't playing well, I wasn't swinging well, I wasn't in a great place. I found myself complaining so much about things and thinking like, ‘Oh, I have to do Monday qualifiers’ and even last year when I was struggling I was finding stuff during the day to complain about and even being on the LPGA. What's there to complain about out here?”
Now, Jillian finds herself in a much better space mentally and the shift in her attitude seems to be paying off. With another shot to play in a Tour event this week, Hollis is savoring another opportunity to play competitive golf, feeling grateful to even be out here.
“It's been a totally different experience the last couple of months playing golf,” she said. “I've seen it in my scores and in my swing. I'm so lucky to be able to have status and be able to go play in Monday qualifiers and to do this. My golf scores are my golf scores, but playing every day and doing what I love, I've found that joy again. It's been a journey. Everyone has their things, and the past is the past. You can look back and learn from it but I'm just so happy for the future and my present.”
)
)
)
)
