THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Her second career win came only three weeks ago but was two decades in the making. Madelene Sagstrom shed more than a few tears after capturing the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards in Las Vegas, five years after her first career victory, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio. But in hoisting that trophy, a cascade of memories from Sagstrom’s childhood flooded her mind, memories of how many times she had lived that very moment in her dreams.

“I felt that I did dream big,” Sagtrom said just 17 days after winning at Shadow Creek and one day before teeing off in the season’s first major at The Chevron Championship. “My mom always tells me that one day (as a child in Uppsala, Sweden) I came home, and I gave her a timeline. ‘This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to go to golf high school, and then I'm going to move to America and go to college and play on the LPGA Tour.’ I think I always had in my mind an idea of what I wanted to do.

“Little did I know I was going to follow those steps exactly.”

Sagstrom played for the Swedish National Team – check one. She then moved to Baton Rouge, La., after signing to play collegiate golf for Louisiana State University – check two. In 2016, she won three times on the Epson Tour and wrapped up the season by earning the Player of the Year award after finishing first on the Official Money List, securing her LPGA Tour card – check three.

Now, she has multiple LPGA Tour wins and has represented Sweden on four European Solheim Cup Teams, an event in which she has become a go-to leader in the team rooms.

“I don't think I have ever really been afraid of dreams, but I think it comes with the expectations of, if I don't reach them, I don't actually fail because at least I tried,” she said. “I've always felt like I'm going to go for it, and what's the worst thing that can happen?”

Like all kids, Sagstrom stood on the putting green in her youth and said, “This putt is to win a major” or “This is for the Solheim Cup.”

“You're trying to put as much pressure on yourself as you can all the time when you're out playing with your friends and having fun,” she said.

Now, as an LPGA*USGA Girls Golf ambassador, Sagstrom sees those same dreams and hears that same self-talk in all the little girls who wait for her autograph outside the gallery ropes. And she answers the question they all want to ask: What should I do to get where you are now?

“I actually got that question last week,” Sagstrom said. “There was a little girl that came up to me, and she was like, ‘What advice do you have for me?’ I was like, ‘How long do you have?’ But I always say the biggest thing is to have fun with it. I think a lot of kids and a lot of parents probably take the game too seriously too quickly.

“Golf is such a wonderful sport. You have so many chances to build great relationships for life. Even if you don't play in high school and college, the friendships you get along the way are tremendous.”

Sagstrom feels like girls, especially, need that message. Young boys are encouraged to compete before they can walk. Many girls feel the need for permission before forging relationships through sports.

“I know for girls, sometimes we can be a bit intimidated with the game, going out to practice and play,” Sagstrom said. “Just knowing you have your friends there to do something fun with, it helps a lot. You learn some great life skills in this game. You learn integrity and all the things that are going to help you in life. So, I mostly tell people to have fun and enjoy it.”

Then she reflected for a moment, propelling herself back to those days when young Madelene dreamt of the life she now lives.

“I always tell people, don't be so hard on yourself,” she said. “You're going to have good days and bad days. I was very hard on myself as a kid. Just have fun with it, find some good friends and enjoy the ride because it's a lovely game.”

Coming back to the present, she had some advice for her fellow Tour players on what being a Girls Golf ambassador means and how important it is to be a role model.

“We were all those little girls standing here wanting an autograph from our idols,” Sagstrom said. “It's important to remember that I used to be that girl. It becomes bigger than yourself and your own game. You see a little girl walking around the golf course, and you say, hi, maybe give her a high five, and it brings a lot of energy, brings a lot of perspective.

“It helped me a lot in my career to remember how fortunate I am to have this as my job and what a great responsibility comes with it. To give back to the game and to show people that they can dream big and achieve that dream, it's wonderful.”

How Madelene Sagstrom’s Big Dream as a Little Girl Became Reality

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