Editor’s Note: Being No. 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list is no doubt a precarious position. In one respect, you’ve had a strong season and you’re in the running for an LPGA Tour card. From another perspective, you are by no means a lock for a card and have pursuers creeping up to take your spot. Welcome to Kendall Dye’s world. She currently ranks No. 10 with six events left. To make clear why it could be considered a “precarious position”, she is less than $2,000 clear of No. 11 Lindsey Weaver. We caught up with Kendall – who played college golf at Oklahoma and graduated through the Epson Tour in 2014 – to find out what’s going on in her mind heading down the stretch of the year.
EpsonTour.com: How do you approach the last stretch of the season ?
Kendall: I have experience from over the years of watching girls in my position play "prevent defense" if you will. I know for certain that does not bode well. I believe I have more wins in my near future so I'm having my blinders up to the money list and putting the pedal down for lots of birdies and being in contention as often as I can.
EpsonTour.com: How much do you follow the money list and number crunch?
Kendall: There's too much math involved and a lot of golf left for me to study the money list. I know that all I can do is give it my best each and every day. I cannot control other players and how it's going to play out. I can only control what I can control and that is giving it my best until the last putt drops in Daytona (Beach).
EpsonTour.com: How much will you relay on your experience down the stretch of the season?
Kendall: Like I said earlier, I have watched girls freak out in prior seasons when they are in the position I'm currently in. It does you no good to sit there and worry about the what ifs and the future. I've had success at upcoming golf courses (particularly the one I won on in 2014 – IOA Golf Classic at Alaqua Country Club) so I know I can finish off the season strong and hopefully find a win or two or six. Playing smart, aggressive, and with confidence is what has given me success in the past and there's no reason to change that game plan now. There are 20 rounds left in the season, 360 holes. It's a marathon, not a race. However, I sure would like to win quickly.
EpsonTour.com: I know you don’t want to put pressure on yourself, but how important is it for you to finish in the top 10 – avoid Q-school – and get the full LPGA card back?
Kendall: It's extremely important. I was on the LPGA for a hot second in 2015 with conditional status in 2016. A full card is where it's at. I learned a lot my rookie year about myself and how to go about doing things better. I'm proud of myself for staying the course and believing in myself when others may have tried to steer me to throwing in the towel and doing something else with my life. I really want and need to go back to Zambia in December with Golf Fore Africa. The timing is always during Final Stage of Q-School and I've been dying to go back and see the work we've done and see the need of what more needs to be done.
EpsonTour.com: You have lots of friends in golf, will you talk to anyone before the final stretch?
Kendall: I haven't reached out to any, but I'm very blessed to have them keeping an eye on me and pulling hard for me to get back on the LPGA with them. I hear from them often and I am very fortunate to have friends who have been extremely successful in this game to lend advice.
EpsonTour.com: Any particular part of your game that needs to be on point over the final six in order to get the job done?
Kendall: I've struggled in par-5 scoring this summer so I am focusing on 100 yards and in during this time we have off. My putting really held me back after I won in South Bend but I had a phenomenal lesson with Betsy King's long-time coach Ed Oldfield in Chicago and now I feel like I have the secret to life!
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