Last year when Jillian Hollis rolled in her final putt at Circling Raven Golf Club, she became a three-time champion of the Epson Tour, beating out Robyn Choi and the newest LPGA Tour champion, Alexa Pano. When she tees it up for her first round at Circling Raven this year, she will look to become the first defending champion of the tournaments currently on the Epson Tour since Marilyn Lovander won in 1994 and 1995 at the Twin Bridges Championship.
“I really like the idea of defending a tournament,” said Hollis. “I lost in a playoff in a tournament we don’t have any more that was in Decatur. The next year I made it one of my goals to go back and win that tournament, and I did. So, I think there is something to playing well at a course and place you like. Hopefully, I can do the same thing this year.”
The 2023 season started hot for Hollis, bringing home a runner-up finish in the first event of the year at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. After the runner-up finish, Hollis fell on a string of missed cuts on both tours but started to find her form again near the end of June. A T23 finish at the Island Resort Championship got her going on the right track. Hollis followed that up with a tie for 12th at the French Lick Resort Charity Classic and started moving up the Epson Tour’s Official Money List.
“I don’t like to put expectations on myself because then you are just looking at the end goal, and you don’t focus on what you are doing every single day,” said Hollis. “I have been trending in a really good direction, and I know if I just stay patient more than anything and let my golf speak for itself, good things can happen. At the end of the day, good golf solves everything for us out here.”
Hollis was a member of the LPGA Tour in 2020 and 2021 before losing full status in 2022. A win would not only make Hollis the first defending champion of a current event in almost 30 years on the Epson Tour, but it would also bump her to just outside the top 10 in the Race for the Card. The 26-year-old fell just short of the top 10 in 2022, finishing in the 14th spot. Hollis has her eyes set on returning to the LPGA Tour, and returning to a place with positive memories could put her on the path back.
“I am really excited to play. It is an awesome course, and just love the area,” said Hollis. “The course obviously really suits me. I plan to take the same kind of mindset and strategy into the event this year.”
Hollis will tee off Friday for her first round of the Circling Raven Championship at Circling Raven Golf Course.
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