Having Played in Two US Opens, Rachel Rohanna Has the Experience and Determination Required for a Long and Successful Career In Tournament Golf. Women’s Golf Will Be Following Rachel’S Progress Over 2015 as Part of Our Focus on the Symetra Tour as the Road to The LPGA. We Caught Up With Rachel to Find Out About Her Motivation, Goals and What Its Like Playing Professional Tournament Golf.

UPDATE: Sunday 26 April 2015
Rachel Rohanna Rachel Rohanna won the Guardian Retirement Championship, her first Symetra Tour title with a 5-under 211 total at difficult Sara Bay.

UPDATE: December 2015
Congratulations to Rachel as she has secured her LPGA Tour card for the new season. Great year – Well done!

Rachel Rohanna – photo credit: Scott A Miller

Hi Rachel, Great to talk to you. We’ve heard that you are from a big golfing family?
I started golfing before I can even remember.  I was playing tournaments when I was just 8 years old.  Golf is on both sides of my family, both my maternal grandparents are PGA and LPGA Professionals and my mother’s brother played a few mini tour events and another brother who was an assistant for a long time.  On my father’s side, I have a cousin who plays on the Latinoamerican PGA Tour and is a contestant on this season’s Big Break.  My sister is on a full ride scholarship at Youngstown State and my brother also played collegiate golf.  

There are some good role models there. Do you have a favorite player who you’ve looked up to?
I wouldn’t say I have one favorite in particular, but I do look up to a lot of them!  I have always liked Jennifer Rosales (which is why I started wearing headbands), Stacy Lewis overcoming severe back surgery is pretty amazing, Betsy King as a person devoting much of her time to her organization, Golf Fore Africa, and of course, my swing coach and grandfather, Dick Schwartz.
Pro golf is a bit different from the college or amateur game, what would you say is the one thing about playing pro golf that has surprised you most?The most important thing I have come to realize is how important a strong support system is to a professional golf career.  I see so many talented players not make it because they don’t have the background and support from family and friends to push them and help them up when they are down.  I have been very fortunate my whole life with a family who knows and understands the game and now have a husband who is also very supportive and understanding of my career.
You are just getting started but what do you see as the highlights of your career so far?Being able to say I have participated in two US Opens is not something many people can say, and I will always remember every shot of both Opens.  But, I would say shooting a 65-73 to hold the course record at Charlotte Country Club, hold an 18 hole USGA record, and forever be able to call myself a medalist of the US Women’s Amateur is by far the highlight of my career. That is impressive. What was it like playing in the US Open?It just isn’t like any other tournament, it is the most prestigious and greatest stage in golf.  The pressure and chills you feel walking up to the first tee is unmatched in any other golf event.  My favorite memory was holing out a sand shot to go to 1-under and take a share of the lead after 5 holes of the 2011 Open.  I continued to climb to -2 and hold the share for 9 holes as an amateur!  

Rachel Rohanna US OPEN

Tell us a little about playing on the Symetra tour?
Because we are a sister tour of the LPGA, the level of talent has gone way up over the last 5 years.  Most of us have played college, amateur, and junior golf together so we have basically grown up together. We all become friends and some of us become best friends!  You know you’re playing on a good tour with good people when you start missing them over winter break.  

I think we all know and appreciate that the tour staff, countless volunteers and, of course the sponsors of our tour are what make our careers possible.

Now that you’ve got a couple of year’s experience, what would your advice be to a pro who’s just starting out on the road to the LPGA?
As a pro starting out, our tour can be a little intimidating.  Not only do you have Symetra Tour veterans, but also LPGA players.  But this should only be a positive for rookies.  If your goal is to get to the LPGA, you’re going to get a lot of great experience on the Symetra Tour by learning how to shoot low scores, handle pressure, compete in 3 and 4 day events with cuts, how to handle your mental game, how to connect and network with people on and off the golf course, and how to manage your money.

Final question Rachel. What are your current playing goals and where would you like to be in golf in 3-5 years.
My short term goal is to get a win under my belt as a professional. In 3-5 years, I see myself competing on the LPGA and the ultimate goal is to get that US Open win!

Rachel, thank you so much for answering our questions. It’s been great to hear about your background and especially your experiences in two US Opens and on the pro tour. We’re really looking forward to following your progress this year and hopefully we can catch up again over the next few months as the season picks up speed.

Symetra Tour player profile – Rachel Rohanna

Also on Women’s Golf – How to Caddy for an LPGA Pro Golfer by Rich Schwartz (Rachel’s uncle and her US Open caddy).