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It’s the photograph that pulls you in. Three little ladies double-clutching outsized crystal trophies from one of many largest days of their younger {golfing} lives.
There’s Mariah Stackhouse together with her broad smile, already dressed like a professional. On the proper, there may be Alexis Thompson — not but “Lexi” — together with her trademark ponytail. And within the center is Marissa Kay, the smallest of the three, holding the largest trophy because the winner of the ladies 7-and-under division on the 2001 Doral Publix Junior Golf Basic.
It’s the form of day the place golf desires are shaped. This occasion (now the First Tee of Miami Doral Junior Golf Basic) is without doubt one of the high junior tournaments on the calendar, bringing greater than 600 girls and boys from around the globe to South Florida every December. Stackhouse and Thompson would later add their names to the championship roster, becoming a member of a protracted listing of winners who set their sights on the LPGA Tour. Previous winners Michelle McGann, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer and Carlota Ciganda are just some of the victors who would go on to play professionally.
However what in regards to the woman within the center? She selected a unique path.
It was her father, Gary, who handed Marissa her first golf membership. Her household moved from Maryland to South Florida when she was 5 years previous — near the household of her mom, Renee. Marissa beloved being together with her cousins, Morgan and Madison Pressel, which meant spending time on the golf course.
“They have been like my huge sisters,” Marissa stated. “Morgan was seven years older than me and Madison, 4 years older. Our grandfather, Papa Krickstein, labored with them from an early age. The practices have been already occurring, so I used to be simply introduced alongside on that journey.”
Sports activities have been within the Krickstein DNA. Herb Krickstein and his spouse, Evelyn, raised their 4 kids as tennis gamers. Their son, Aaron, performed professionally and their three daughters have been additionally completed gamers.
Dr. Krickstein thought his granddaughters have been extra fitted to golf. He was proper.
The Pressel sisters shortly developed as main junior gamers. At simply 12 years previous, Morgan turned the youngest to ever qualify for the U.S. Girls’s Open, a mark that might later be eclipsed by Thompson (2007) after which Lucy Li (2014).
“Morgan was clearly so younger and gifted,” Marissa stated. “I knew it was extraordinarily onerous to qualify for the Open, however she made it really feel so attainable.”
The cousins continued to apply and play collectively. Marissa made the Saint Andrew’s College golf group in sixth grade and performed on the squad by means of her highschool commencement.
“After I was a junior in highschool, I performed within the ANNIKA Invitational. Annika spoke to the gamers and stated, ‘Elevate your hand if you wish to be an expert golfer.’ Nearly everybody within the room raised their hand and I simply sat with my fingers in my lap. That was by no means my dream.” – Marissa Kay
Exterior of golf, Marissa excelled within the classroom as properly. Renee remembers that her daughter loved learning and hated to overlook faculty: “She performed AJGA occasions principally in the summertime in order that she didn’t have to decide on between going to class or taking part in golf,” Renee stated.
“Golf was by no means her the whole lot,” Morgan stated. “She had so many different pursuits. She’s good, artistic, curious and enjoyable. She’s all the time been this excellent spirit, considerate, candy and big-hearted.”
Though professional sports activities ran within the household and he or she achieved early success in golf, Marissa by no means aspired to play on the LPGA Tour.
“After I was a junior in highschool, I performed within the ANNIKA Invitational,” Marissa stated. “Annika spoke to the gamers and stated, ‘Elevate your hand if you wish to be an expert golfer.’ Nearly everybody within the room raised their hand and I simply sat with my fingers in my lap. That was by no means my dream.”
Marissa was once more influenced by her household.
“My brother, Stanley, stopped taking part in golf to pursue his curiosity in journalism,” Marissa stated. “Seeing him take one other path gave me braveness to go to school, get a terrific training and see the place that might take me.”
And she or he additionally realized from Morgan.
“Rising up, I noticed Morgan taking part in on the LPGA and he or she was clearly very profitable,” Marissa stated. “It might appear glamorous, taking part in in the perfect tournaments on the perfect programs. But it surely’s grueling to journey each week and never know whether or not you’ll make a paycheck.”
Marissa loved group golf and set her sights on discovering a college the place she might pursue her tutorial pursuits and play collegiate golf.
She discovered her match on the College of Pennsylvania, one of many eight Ivy League faculties recognized for his or her emphasis on teachers. She was thriving as a enterprise scholar within the Wharton College. Her golf teammates had develop into shut mates. She joined a sorority and was lively in campus life.
And nonetheless, she needed to do extra.
Midway by means of her junior 12 months, Marissa made the wrenching determination to step away from aggressive golf.
“I discovered myself wishing I used to be doing different issues as a substitute of taking part in golf,” Marissa stated. “So I made a decision to step away … the toughest conversations have been with my coach and teammates. However I couldn’t have requested for a greater response. They understood it was the perfect factor for me at the moment.”
Marissa graduated magna cum laude in 2017 and headed to New York to start her profession. The woman who beloved studying is excelling within the company world. She progressed shortly and, at simply 27 years previous, is now the senior supervisor of pricing technique for WeWork, an organization that focuses on workspace and workplace house options.
“Marissa is an overachiever in the whole lot she does,” Morgan stated. “She has the intelligence and the drive to achieve enterprise, however she additionally has the uncommon high quality to attract individuals in and put them comfortable.”
After I requested Marissa if she has any regrets with golf, her reply was an unequivocal ‘no.’
Her time away from aggressive golf has given her perspective and a brand new love for the sport.
“If I hadn’t performed golf, I’d be a unique individual as we speak,” Marissa stated. “It taught me to be unbiased and develop as my very own individual. It taught me to make my very own selections. It taught me to separate my feelings from my work. And it helped me construct relationships with individuals of all ages and backgrounds.”
Marissa has no grand profession plan, a minimum of not but. However she does have the starvation to be taught, develop, construct relationships and be a part of a group. And she or he’d wish to play extra golf, each socially and in enterprise.
Most of her coworkers don’t know that she performed in school.
“It’s a enjoyable factor to have in my again pocket,” she stated. “‘Oh, you’re searching for somebody for the company scramble group? I can play’.”
Marissa received married final 12 months and now lives in Boston. Her marriage ceremony reward to her husband was a set of golf golf equipment. He’s new to the sport and it’s one thing they take pleasure in doing collectively.
“I’ve began to apply once more and admire once I do get to play,” Marissa stated. “However I’ll by no means let him beat me. By no means.”
As we wrapped up our dialog, I requested Marissa what recommendation she would give her youthful self.
“I’d inform younger Marissa there are completely different paths in golf they usually’re all good,” she stated. “Some individuals could select to play on tour and that’s wonderful. Others will wish to play in school and that’s additionally nice. Some individuals may play to take pleasure in time with mates or household or to be exterior in stunning locations. They’re all good causes. I’d need her to know that you just don’t should compete on the highest stage to benefit from the recreation.”
It’s been greater than 20 years since Marissa, Stackhouse and Thompson posed with their trophies on the Doral Publix Junior Golf Basic.
Mariah went on to play at Stanford College the place she was a four-year All-American and helped her group win the 2015 NCAA Division I Girls’s Golf Nationwide Championship. She certified for the LPGA Tour in 2017 and continues to play on the Epson and LPGA Excursions. She’s an envoy for LPGA*USGA Women Golf and works to convey extra underrepresented girls and ladies to golf.
Lexi was homeschooled and turned skilled at 15. She’s been on the LPGA Tour for greater than a decade and has 11 LPGA victories. She’s a two-time Olympian and can be an envoy for LPGA*USGA Women Golf. One of many recreation’s hottest stars, who not too long ago stepped away from taking part in full time, she’s growing the “Lexi” model in skincare and health.
Three little ladies who met on the form of day the place desires are shaped and whose lives have been profoundly formed by golf.
Now outstanding younger girls, every selecting her personal path.
Roberta Bowman is a visitor contributor and former LPGA Chief Model & Communication Officer.
Photographs: Courtesy Marissa Kay
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