Madelene Sagstrom, the world’s 73rd-ranked player, is competing in the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club while seven months pregnant. The 33-year-old carded a six-over-par 77 in her first round, managing the physical challenges that included pre-contraction cramps during play.
The pregnancy has significantly altered her mechanics. Sagstrom’s coach noted her spine angle has shifted four degrees forward, and she has experienced a loss of 5 mph in swing speed and over 10 mph in ball speed. These changes prompted a mid-tournament equipment switch in a recent event to incorporate more woods. Despite the adjustments, she expressed frustration with her opening-round performance at Riviera, which included battling a toe-hook and an inability to make birdie putts. Still, her motivation remains high, seeing golf as a purpose during this period. “[Golf] gives me a reason to wake up in the morning,” she said. “To go to the golf course, to play. I’ve been playing well beating my friends at home, so I’m like why not try, you know?”
Sagstrom acknowledged the unexpected difficulty of competing while pregnant. “Unless you are pregnant yourself or have kids, you don’t realize how hard it is,” Sagstrom stated. “And I don’t think I realized it either. I mean, beginning of the year — when I found out I was pregnant — I’m like, I’m gonna do this, this, this and this. And then it hits you hard.” Despite the physical toll, she is committed to playing in next week’s Dow Championship and has not ruled out the KPMG Women’s PGA later this month.
She views the experience as a unique challenge and an opportunity to test her personal limits. Even after a difficult round, her focus is on competition rather than simply participating. “At the same time, I don’t want to stop my life,” she said. “I like my life. I get to play Riviera for fun. Or not fun. Whatever you want to call it.”
