Injuries happen. Ask any athlete, at any level, and they will all tell you the same thing. It’s just part of sports. Golf is no different, and Sophie Hausmann fell victim to every athlete’s worst nightmare during her 2023 Epson Tour campaign – a season-ending injury.
Hausmann played in 16 events before a stress fracture in her left foot sidelined her for the rest of 2023. In those 16 events, the German made 12 cuts, which included three top-10 finishes, one of which was a runner-up at the IOA Golf Classic presented by LPT Realty. Hausmann had a real chance of making a run at a spot in the Race for the Card top 10 with six events left to play in the 2023 season, but the stress fracture was just too much to play through, and the frustration started to set in for the 26-year-old.
"Of course, there was frustration, a lot of tears. Let's be realistic here and honest here,” said Hausmann. “For me, a stress fracture, I never really thought about it. It never crossed my mind. I had no clue what was going on with my foot, and I felt like there was a little hump in my game that I just got over. So, I'm like, okay, let’s finish strong.
“The final five-week stretch, I felt like with the event in Utah was a great strong stretch. So, I was excited for it. And since I was injured the season before, I was like, okay, let's finish this. Since it did come out of nowhere, I was super frustrated.”
Hausmann has a different mentality when it comes to injuries, and like most professional athletes do, she thought she could come back faster and stronger after her stress fracture. Her initial goal was to play at Stage II of LPGA and Epson Tour Qualifying School, just a few short weeks after her surgery took place.
“I was back home and on crutches trying to walk and putting as soon as I could stand,” said Hausmann. “Pretty soon after that, I thought chipping would be a good thing to start on because, to be honest, my goal was to play second stage. Looking back, it was super unrealistic. It didn't work out because even chipping, getting on my left side just wasn't quite there.
“I didn't hit my first ball till Thanksgiving. People told me stress fractures will take time, so just don't rush it. And once I knew the season was over, I'm like, ‘Okay, I think we should get it done properly.’ Recovery went well. It was slow but overall good.”
After not making it to Stage II, the 2021 IOA Championship winner decided to focus her attention on making a full recovery and reflecting on her last season.
“I think it was a lot. A lot of time to think about things, to maybe start things on it with a different approach,” explained Hausmann. “It took a little bit to get back to things and to get normal at first, but I think you have a lot of time to reflect and think about things which can be good and bad.”
Now, it is finally time to return to the game she loves so much at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. Hausmann has had some success at the Epson Tour’s season-opener, never missing a cut in her three previous appearances. A T22 finish in 2020 is the best result the German has put together, but this year’s event is more about health than results for Hausmann.
“It sounds silly for some people, but for me, my goal is playing a healthy season. I think that's my number one thing I've learned from the last two seasons,” said Hausmann. “Score-wise, I know what I'm capable of. But obviously, you have to play a full season. Like getting back in November and even now playing a few rounds. I'm like, okay, you have the excitement, which is great.
“I feel like I’ve overcome the injury by now. I think we'll see what it leads to, but I think it’ll be a good season.”
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