Emily Talley is ready for a break and she deserves it. She played in 19 of 20 Epson Tour events in 2014, played in one LPGA Tour event and just won $50,000 by draining the most pressure-packed putt of her life in the Big Break Invitational.
“After Daytona (Epson Tour Championship), I was done with golf, I was like ‘no more’,” said Talley, who finished 18th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list. “I love the sport and I’m not really hanging the clubs up, but I’m going to hang up the competitive and practice side for a few more days.”
Take a week, Emily.
It’s time to have a little fun for Talley – which actually means more golf. This week, she is playing in Jerry Rice’s celebrity golf tournament and this weekend she will be at the Frys.com event on the PGA TOUR.
Life is good for Talley. She had a terrific year on the Epson Tour, nearly tripling her money earned from her rookie 2013 season ($12,501 to $34,058).
All signs point towards her ascension to the biggest stage in women’s golf. The Napa, California native had six top-10 finishes (as opposed to one in 2013), her scoring average dropped (72.46 to 72.13), she’s hitting the ball farther (242.689 to 246.813) and she’s putting better (30.97 to 30.55).
“I was just happy with how consistent I was able to play this year,” said Talley, who made 18 of 19 cuts in 2014. “I took how I played last year (2013) and just got better in all aspects so I was really happy with how I improved. I handled the nerves better, I put myself in contention more and there were just a lot of things from a competitive side that I was really, really happy with.”
The next serious event for Talley will be the Arizona Women’s Open (November 10-12), which she will use as an opportunity to gel with her LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage III caddie Meaghan Francella, who caddied the back half of the Epson Tour season for Min Lee (No. 5 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list).
“Meaghan and I are going to work together at the Arizona Women’s Open just to get it down pat what our plan is for Stage III. I played a lot with her when she was caddying for Min so I know how we work well whether she is in my group or she is my caddie.”
Talley, who admits she wasn’t ready for the LPGA Tour after 2013, now feels fully prepared and ready to tackle Stage III in December at LPGA International.
“I’m really getting to a point right now where I know I am ready. I know I can compete so I just want to be given an opportunity. I honestly think that I earned it this year with my consistency and I’m ready to go, I would love to play up there (LPGA).”
And maybe her confidence and the belief that she belongs is where she has shown the most growth.
“I was so impressed with how calm I was the last day of the Big Break Invitational (with $100,000 on the line). There were some narrow tee shots and some demanding shots, but I was so calm. I don’t know how that happened.”
“I think the experience has made a huge difference because the more you are in that situation you know how your body will react. You have to believe in yourself and then everything else will fall into place. If you don’t believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter if you have the game or not.”
With budding confidence and the game to back it up, Talley seems ready to take on the LPGA.
Part of her confidence stems from Andreas, her boyfriend and part-time-keep-the-mood-light caddie, who she credits as a calming influence.
He recently accepted a job in the corporate world.
When asked what her first purchase will be with the Big Break Invitational paycheck, Talley responded without hesitation.
“I think I have to go treat Andreas and buy him some new work clothes.
)
)
)
)
