Olivia Mehaffey is excited to see where her game is at when she returns to the Ladies European Tour grind at this week’s Jabra Ladies Open.
The Tandragee star was last seen in March when she recorded back-to-back missed cuts in South Africa having played all four rounds at the Magical Kenya Open.
Halfway through a medical exemption in 2023, Mehaffey has further dates to look forward to in Belgium and Sweden either side of US Open qualifying and while it’s been unusual to have an extended time back home in recent weeks, Mehaffey insists there’s no back to work anxiety ahead of this week’s assignment. Rather it’s nothing but excitement.
“I’m feeling good and really looking forward to getting going again,” Mehaffey says. “I’ve got my family coming out with me so it will be really nice to have them there.
“I’m really excited to get back at it. It’s weird being home for long periods of time – you don’t really get used to being home when you’re so used to being on the road so it will be nice to get back into tournament mode again.”
Just because Mehaffey’s been away from the tour doesn’t mean the work has stopped – far from it. Back under the tutelage of her former short-game supremo at the ILGU, Johnny Foster, Mehaffey is delighted with how she’s swinging, while having recently started working on the mental side of the game with Dan Jenkins, the former ASU standout is finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’m really enjoying the challenge because I’ve never been in a period where I’ve felt like I really struggled with my game for such a long time,” Mehaffey says, who lost her father Philip in December 2021.
“I might’ve had a bad week here or there but never a long period so it feels like I’ve never worked harder because I’m so determined to get back to my best, and to get out of this.
“It’s a fun challenge even though it’s strange to go out and play bad golf. It’s something I’m embracing.”
Mehaffey rightly refuses to put any pressure on results upon this latest comeback. Of course she’d love to replicate the amateur achievements that made her one to watch when turning pro but if Mehaffey can feel happy in herself off the golf course, she’s convinced the results will arrive on it.
“I haven’t put any pressure on myself results-wise,” Mehaffey says.
“Obviously you always want to win, it’s just normal when you’re a professional athlete but I just think if I take care of all the things I’ve been working on mentally, all those processes, then I’ll naturally start to play better.
“Whether or not that’s this week who knows but as I said, I’m excited to get back out there.
“I really like the LET, the people are so friendly. I know a lot of people from my amateur days which is very nice and I have a nice group that I travel with so it has been great to find that family environment on tour.
“When you go through a tough time, it’s nice to know that the people you’re competing against are there for you as well.”
Mehaffey resumes her season at 12.30pm local time on Thursday when the first round gets underway at Evian Resort.
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