With the tournament adjusted to 36-holes due to weather, back-to-back 6-under par 66’s was all Janie Jackson (Huntsville, Alabama) needed to claim her second win on the Road to the LPGA. Jackson’s win at the Guardian Championship was a special one, as she felt at home all week, from those cheering her on to knowing the course.
“It feels really special. This is a golf course I’ve played on pretty much since I was a little girl. I kinda know it like the back of my hand. I love being here and seeing some of the people who work here, they feel like family. This one is really special, and I am happy to have it under the belt as well,” said Jackson. “Being able to be close to home, having my best friend Abby and my little brother Miller watch me was great. They don’t get to watch that often, so it was great to look over and see them cheering me on and support me.”
While friends and family were cheering her on all week and have been her whole career, a newer face to the scene was happy to be here for a second win. Just two years ago, at this exact event she met her caddy David Kelley for the first time. Since then, they have won two events in this week and the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic together, finished top-5 in the Race for the Card and now compete on both tour’s together.
“I told David [Kelley], my caddy, on Tuesday when I pulled into the parking lot, ‘did you know it’s our two-year anniversary?’ And he was like ‘oh my goodness.’ This event was the first time he worked for me two years ago exactly,” said Jackson. “So it’s really special to get our second win together on our two year ‘anniversary.’”
Jackson will compete next week at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G as she enters the last few events of the 2021 seasons.
“In golf I feel like it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. I’ve had some good finishes in the past, followed up by some slow starts, so I think this is a good momentum builder going into these last few weeks of the year. I know my game is in a good place and getting a win is a good confidence booster.”
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