It’s been a busy five months for rookie Gaby Lopez.
For many talented young players, the decision to embrace the college experience or turn professional is a difficult choice. But for some it’s not a decision at all, instead a delicate balancing act that involves taking classes on the road along with life on Tour. Alison Lee successfully pulled it off last season, earning her way onto the U.S. Solheim Cup team in her rookie year while continuing her studies at UCLA.
With a semester remaining at the University of Arkansas, Lopez earned her Tour card for 2016 at the LPGA Qualifying School and elected to follow Lee’s example.
“I juggled a little bit with school and playing on Tour,” Lopez told LPGA.com via email. “Sometimes it was really hard to do assignments or tests. On the other hand, school was a great distraction to keep my mind away from too much golf.”
For the past five months, Lopez has taken her remaining classes at Arkansas in order to complete her degree in Communications. On May 14, rather than make the trip to Virginia for the Kingsmill Championship, she returned to Arkansas to receive her diploma.
“Going back to Arkansas for graduation involved a lot of feelings, happiness, nostalgia, excitement, but most importantly I felt amazingly proud and blessed to be a Razorback,” Lopez said. “I am forever thankful to that place and the people that helped me grow as a person and a player.”
As a member of the Razorbacks, Lopez finished runner-up at the NCAA Championship, picked up three tournament wins and posted 19 top-10 finishes in 36 events. During her time at Arkansas she also played in the LPGA’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and the U.S. Women’s Open.
Those experiences have served the rookie well in her first season on Tour. She currently sits fourth in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Standings having posted three top-20 finishes and missed just two cuts.
“My mom has been traveling with me, therefore, adjusting to airports, restaurants, hotels, good and bad rounds is a lot easier with her by my side!” said Lopez. “No question we have a lot of fun together that’s one of the reasons I enjoy tour life so much.”
Lopez will be making yet another appearance in the U.S. Women’s Open at Cordevalle this summer after winning the USGA’s qualifier at the Woodlands Country Club in Texas on May 17, posting rounds of 71-69 to win by three strokes.
“Honestly, I have been playing very solid golf. I feel that the more I play the confidence I get, so I am not very surprised I won the U.S. Open qualifier. However, this means nothing, the big challenge starts on July 7th.”
That same perspective has kept Lopez grounded in her first season on Tour, aware it wasn’t that long ago that she was the one watching these players and hoping to make her own life on Tour.
“One of the things I have enjoyed the most is spending some time with the little girls that run to the scoring tent and wait for the players to get autographs. I see myself in them, I remember that getting a ball signed by a professional would make me fall more in love with the game and I love making that little impact in those girls lives.”
Now focused on golf, look for Lopez to have a big impact in the second half of 2016.
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