You have to pause and appreciate the interactions with your fellow players. When you win your first LPGA event as an amateur in Vancouver, the whirlwind will shock you. You won’t understand or appreciate the significance of the moment. That’s okay. You’re a kid. The most important thing to remember is the encouragement you receive. Stacy Lewis will walk beside you in the final round and say, “You’ve got this. You’re playing well. Now, finish strong.” That moment will take your breath away, not just because Stacy is a fellow competitor, but because she has been the No.1 player in the Rolex Rankings and is an ambassador for the women’s game. For her to take the time to encourage you in the middle of a final round is an example you will remember and aspire to emulate.
For a while, winning will seem routine, almost automatic. You will lose track of all the “firsts” and “youngest evers” you set. Don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s easy. And don’t for a moment believe it will last forever. The truest axiom of golf is this: no matter how you are playing, it will change. One week, one season, one year or two, every shot will seem simple and every putt will look like a tap-in. Then, a week or two later, maybe longer, the shots that used to land exactly where they should will fall just a fraction to the left or right. The putts that seemed to find the center of the hole will veer off by mere centimeters. Don’t panic. The game hasn’t abandoned you. You haven’t forgotten how to play.