'I Love Golf' - Natalie Gulbis Back In LPGA Action In California

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 27 April 2023

Team USA Solheim Cup assistant captain Natalie Gulbis says her pure love for playing professional golf is the reason behind her return to LPGA action this week at the inaugural JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro.

A resident of nearby Newport Beach in California, Gulbis tees it up at Wilshire Country Club for her first LPGA event in nine months.

Gulbis retired from playing on the LPGA tour full-time back in 2020 after 19 years on the circuit.

One of the more recognisable women’s players on tour, Gulbis played in three Solheim Cups and won the 2007 Evian Masters during her long stretch on the LPGA circuit.

The 40-year-old has also had success away from the course, but is now returning to competitive action in the new JM Eagle Championship – which has a boosted prize pot of $3 million.

A post shared by LPGA Tour (@lpga_tour)
A photo posted by on

“Playing near my home in Newport Beach, I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to play in the inaugural JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at Wilshire Country Club,” said Gulbis.

“It’s extraordinary what JM Eagle and Plastpro are doing with this inaugural championship in elevating the tournament purse to $3 million and channeling a passion for empowering women athletes – that’s everything that I want for women’s golf.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to tee-it-up against the best athletes in the world.”

And Gulbis says the reason for returning to the heat of battle with her fellow pros is her sheer love for the LPGA – with competitive golf producing emotions that are hard to replicate.

“I love golf, I love the LPGA,” said Gulbis. “It’s not secret that when I joined the tour in 2001 that I wouldn’t continue to play or request an invite if I didn’t absolutely love the game and love the tour.

“It’s one of those things that there’s just nothing I can compare to it in my life - and I’ve had a lot of incredible things that I’ve gotten to do away from the golf course and opportunities, but nothing gets me that anxious, excitement, frustration the way that playing professional golf does.”

TOPICS

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter