U.S. professional golfer Amy Olson is doing what many have not. She is 31 weeks into a pregnancy and preparing to compete in the 78th U.S. Women's Open.
“When I found out I was pregnant, I texted some of the moms on tour,” Olson told Golf Digest.
She said, "I asked about what the sweet spot was for them and when was their cutoff. I kept hearing from people who played from 28 to 30 weeks. Beyond that was pretty borderline. I thought, 'OK, I’m going to be 31 weeks when Pebble rolls around.'"
Olson speaks about the path to the Open in a very controlled and confident way.
She told ESPN that along with the challenges of golf and getting the swing right, she is experiencing hunger every couple of hours. She made some small requests regarding cuisine at the course she's practicing on, too.
"Now that I've arrived on property, they're going to switch out the 'Uncrustables' for properly made PB and Js," she said.
Food staff now know she is not a fan of the popular pre-made frozen sandwiches.
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At 7 months pregnant, Olson says she went into her plans to prepare for the competition methodically — reaching out for advice, and just going for it.
Her husband Grant Olson said he's used to Amy's dedication to the sport.
"There are so many people that are cheering her on and wishing her good luck. I'm extremely proud of her," he said.
Olson said she spoke to Brittany Lincicome, who actually went into labor with her first child in 2019 after she took a flight to Illinois to compete in a Monday pro-am, according to Golf Digest.
Olson says it's very difficult to qualify for the Open. She said, "You have to have the right round on the right day. I thought, if we qualify, we’ll deal with it then."
She said, "There is a narrative in our culture that women can do everything, and I think that puts a lot of pressure on women to be good at everything all at the same time. There are different seasons in life, and you have to embrace each season, be grateful and joyful in each of those seasons."
The 156 players will compete along 6,509 yards of course at the 78th Women's Open on Thursday, July 6 in Pebble Beach, California along the Pacific Ocean. They were welcomed by the all-female crew of the U.S. Naval Air Forces on Wednesday.
