Karrie Webb is ready to take a road Steve Stricker paved on the PGA Tour.
The LPGA Hall of Famer is ready to carve out more of a life for herself outside the ropes while trying to remain competitive as a part-time player.
“I’ve watched Steve Stricker do it for a couple years, and he’s done it pretty well,” Webb said Wednesday at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. “Hopefully, I can take part in some life events and still play some golf, because I still feel like there’s a little bit left there. I’m not quite ready to put the clubs away. I’ll see if I can do both, and we’ll just assess it as time goes on.”
Stricker cut his schedule almost in half when he was 45 in order to spend more time at home with family. He is beginning to play more now, splitting time between the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
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Webb, 43, says she is only planning to play nine or 10 events through the Ricoh Women’s British Open in August, then reassess. She played 19 events last year.
“When I was in my 20s, making decisions between a friend’s wedding or golf or some life event, it was very easy to choose golf and my career,” Webb said. “As the years have gone on, I’ve still put golf first, but the last handful of years I haven’t felt good about always choosing golf.”
Webb is in her 23rd LPGA season. She has won 41 titles, tied for 10th most in LPGA history. She won her last in 2014 at the Founders Cup.
Webb, who has a home in Florida, said she plans to spend longer stretches in Queensland, where she grew up in Australia. While she is cutting back to a part-time schedule, she made it clear she isn’t retiring.
“I don’t know if you’ll ever hear me tell you that I’m retired,” Webb said. “I can play golf until I’m 85. I might be invited to make an appearance at a golf tournament. To me, I’m still a professional golfer when I’m going out and making that appearance.”
Source: Internet
