Helen Alfredsson hasn’t played competitive golf since last year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open, but she doesn’t sound overly concerned about that fact. The 2019 Senior Women’s Open champion sold her home in the U.S. last March and now lives full time in her native Gothenburg, Sweden. She likes to take long walks with her American Bully Bella, a mixture of Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier.
“She’s similar to me,” said Alfredsson. “Quite strong, quite moody but very loyal.”
Alfredsson, 57, heads to Kettering, Ohio, this week for the fourth edition of the Senior Women’s Open at NCR Country Club (South Course). One of the all-time great characters in the game, Alfredsson graduated from the U.S. International University in 1988, and after a short stint as a model, joined the Ladies European Tour, where she won 11 times.
In 1992, “Alfie” joined the LPGA and earned Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors. She won seven LPGA titles, including the 1993 Chevron Championship, and twice finished runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Golfweek recently caught up with Alfredsson to talk about her Senior Women’s Open title at Pine Needles, Swedish golf, her amateur golf schools and mental toughness.
What follows are excerpts from that conversation: