Historic Brownsville Open: Sheridan focused on FUTURES

It might be cliché, but the old dictum of taking a step back to take two steps forward couldn't ring more true for pro Sophia Sheridan.

Sheridan went through the difficult ride of toggling between the LPGA and Duramed FUTURES Tour, but this year her eyes are on one prize.
The Guadalajara-born golfer has dedicated herself to the FUTURES Tour and will be at the Historic Brownsville Open this week in hopes of taking another step toward earning her full LPGA card.

In 2008 she bounced back and forth between the big show and FUTURES Tour, trying to find her way into LPGA events with Monday qualifiers.

While she could practically taste her dream, the road became turbulent and it was time to rethink what she had to do to.

"It was just too much stress," Sheridan said. "All the traveling, and instability because of not knowing if I was going to make the tournament and a lot of time the qualifying site isnt the same as the main tournament so it was very difficult."

Trying the "Monday" route not only was hindering on her mentally but it took away from something very important: "Tournament mode."

"I was always anxious to see if I was going to play in the tournament because you never knew," she said. "A lot of my play was on the range, practice green, chipping and putting. I never got into tournament mode focus so I needed a reality check."

So she decided to put all her effort back on the FUTURES Tour in hopes of finishing in the top five of the money list that will give her a full exempt LPGA card. She already has a fifth-place finish at the IMPACT Invitational in the first weekend of April and is 15th on the money list heading into the Historic Brownsville Open.

And for her, in retrospect, she made the right decision.

"I think I made the correct choice," she said. "My goal is to make it to the LPGA and not just get there but be up (in the leaderboards) every week. I know I've had some bumps in the road but the plan at the end of the year is to be a better golfer and keep improving."

Louie Vera covers sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. He can be reached at (956) 982-6663 or via e-mail at lvera@brownsvilleherald.com