Kelly Whaley, still feeding off a record stretch of eight consecutive birdies in Saudi Arabia, heads to U.S. Women’s Open qualifying with mom Suzy on the bag

“My mom is really good at bringing me back to the present, whether that’s in a nice way or not so nice way.”

Kelly Whaley was back home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, chasing after two 9-month-old black Labs named Gracie and Lulu, when she picked up the phone. She’ll soon be off to Fort Myers, Florida, with her mother, Suzy, for U.S. Women’s Open qualifying May 4 at The Forest Country Club.

Suzy, the first female President of the PGA of America, qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Open in 1986 at age 19 and will caddie for her youngest daughter this time around.

Kelly, now 24, would love to make her first USWO appearance this year at Pine Needles, site of her U.S. Kids Golf World Championship title. It would be a dream, she said.

“My mom is really good at bringing me back to the present, whether that’s in a nice way or not so nice way,” said Kelly. “She knows when to give you a kick in the butt or say it’s all good. That’s what I really love about her caddying.”

Kelly Whaley with the family’s newest set of sisters, Gracie and Lulu. (Photo: Kelly Whaley)

It has been a year of firsts for Kelly, who competed overseas for the first time in March at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. While there she set a Ladies European Tour record of eight consecutive birdies in a final-round, course record-tying 63 at Royal Greens that put her in the top 10, giving her a spot in the next week’s field in South Africa.

“When I was leaving for Saudi,” said Kelly, “I did not expect to jet off to South Africa right after. That was a blast.”

Kelly Whaley during the final round of the 2022 Aramco Saudi Ladies International. (Photo: Tristan Jones/LET)

There are five more events on Golf Saudi’s Aramco Team Series schedule this year and on Sunday, Kelly heads to Bangkok for the next installment.

Competing in events backed by Golf Saudi is a controversial topic, of course, particularly when it comes to human rights issues and the arrival of a rival league in the men’s game. Kelly said she approached the event as an opportunity and “wasn’t really taking account into what was going on outside.”

She also wanted to check out the Ladies European Tour, and what she found in Cape Town, South Africa, was particularly appealing with new friends, stunning ocean views and beautiful vineyards.

“I’m so thankful I did go because it’s opened many doors for me,” said Kelly, whose sixth-place finish in the Joburg Ladies Open earned her a spot in the Investec South African Women’s Open, where she tied for 26th.

Kelly, who like her mother played for North Carolina, has missed the cut in her last two Epson Tour events, but she tries to channel the feeling she had in the final round in Saudi Arabia every time she tees it up.

That birdie run started on the fourth hole and ran through the 11th, a stretch that included two par 5s. Her longest birdie putt was from 25 feet on No. 7 and her shortest was an inch on the 10th, where she stuffed a wedge from 105 yards.

“It’s almost like you have this confidence that just overcomes you,” she said, “and you can’t miss.”

Kelly Whaley at the 2022 Aramco Saudi Ladies International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Tristan Jones/LET)

Prior to Kelly’s eight-birdie run, the LET record of seven in a row was shared by Linda Wessberg, Marine Monnet-Melocco, Nicole Garcia, Kristie Smith and Stacy Lewis.

“That round has really kept me going this year,” said Kelly, who had her high school coach on the bag in Saudi Arabia. She would like to secure more invites to LET events this season but will mostly compete on the Epson Tour.

Kelly and her mom have the same competitive spirit. They strategize in similar ways too, and Kelly’s green-reading skills have improved since she started caddying at Seminole Golf Club during the offseason. Kelly, who is naturally more introverted, likes the enthusiasm mom brings.

“My mom is super energetic,” said Kelly. “There’s never a moment of silence, which is what I need.”

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Kelly Whaley sets Ladies European Tour birdies record, former soccer player ties for second and Georgia Hall routs field at Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Hall cruised to victory at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, but two others had incredible weeks as well.

Kelly Whaley tied the course record with a 63 and set an Ladies European Tour mark with eight straight birdies.

Former soccer player Kristyna Napoleaova, who’s only been playing the game for six years, tied for second.

But it was Georgia Hall who routed the field Sunday en route to a five-shot win in the 2022 Aramco Saudi Ladies International.

Hall shot a 71 and finished 11 under to win for the first time on the LET in nearly four years.

“It’s fantastic to win in March, so early in the season,” she said. “I really love this place and love the golf course.” Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, hosted the event.

She birdied two of her first three holes to build her lead to seven shots and cruised from there.

“That was the plan in my head,” she said. “The front nine is a little bit easier, a little bit less wind than we’ve had, so I tried to take advantage and hit some really good shots on the front nine to get me further ahead, and that kind of settled me.”

Johanna Gustavsson tied for second at 6 under along with Napoleaova, an LET rookie, who was a standout soccer player in the Czech Republic before starting her golf career. Napoleaova turned pro in 2020; she only took up the game in 2016 and the Saudi event was just her eighth LET start.

“To be honest, it’s kind of like a dream,” she said. “I didn’t expect even to get into the event. Golf Saudi provided me with an invite, which was incredible. What happened this week is like a fairy tale. It’s been an absolutely incredible week. I’m so grateful to have been here and can’t wait to come back again.”

Emily Kristine Pedersen was solo fourth at 5 under while Carlota Ciganda was solo fifth at 4 under.

Whaley started her week with a 79 but was 16 shots better during her final round. She finished tied for sixth at 3 under.

“It is the best round I’ve ever had in a tournament,” she said. “My whole goal today was to just enjoy it and have fun, being my first international professional event. I’ve never had eight birdies in a row. Once I made about four or five, I said, ‘Okay, you’re in it now – you can’t stop.’ So I just kept giving myself opportunities and it was a lot of fun.”

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Suzy Whaley’s daughter, Kelly, learned to caddie at Seminole and her short game is better for it

Kelly Whaley spent much of the offseason caddying at Seminole and the Symetra Tour player’s short game is better for it.

Kelly Whaley thinks she’d caddied maybe once in her life, for her mom, before she took a job at Seminole Golf Club last November. Knowing that she likely wouldn’t get her first start on the Symetra Tour until May due to limited status, Whaley decided to that she needed to make some money.

Her mother, PGA of America president Suzy Whaley, thought caddying would be a good gig. After an email and a short phone call interview with Seminole head pro Bob Ford, Kelly found herself in the caddie yard in no time. At the time, she was the only female looper.

“My first time going there,” she said, “it’s so private, and you just feel so special when you enter the grounds.”

On Sunday, the renowned club will make its debut on national television for the TaylorMade Driving Relief charity skins match featuring Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff.

Whaley, who played college golf at North Carolina, said she stopped working at the club in March when golf courses were shut down in South Florida due to the coronavirus outbreak. She lives with her family at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, about 20 minutes away from Seminole.

Whaley said her first loop around Seminole was with a family friend, so that made her feel more comfortable. The caddie attire at Seminole consists of a white collared shirt, khakis and bib. Her biggest whiff was a dead range finder mid-round. She quickly learned to carry extra batteries.

Members were generous tippers, she said, which will help fund travel when tournament golf cranks up again. She’s signed up for several upcoming Women’s All Pro Tour events in Arkansas and Texas. The Symetra Tour is scheduled to restart in July.

Last year she received four sponsor exemptions on the Symetra Tour and opened with a 66 in her first round to co-lead the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic in her first start.

“I think that really helped me for this year to prepare,” she said.

There were more 60 caddies over the winter at Seminole, she said, and several were also pursuing their dreams of professional golf. Whaley said she was able to play the Donald Ross treasure as many as four days a week if the tee sheet was quiet. Playing on Seminole alongside aspiring Tour players proved a tremendous learning opportunity for the young pro.

The caddying helped too.

“Reading greens for someone else, you’re so much more focused,” said Whaley, “which sounds crazy because you want to play the best when you’re playing. But you’re trying not to screw up – you pay attention to every little thing, things I’ve never really thought of when I was playing.”

The 15th hole is Whaley’s favorite. It’s a par 5 that plays safe down the left side (they call it A1A after a local highway) and shorter down the riskier right side (there’s water). She likes that it was Arnold Palmer’s favorite hole too.

“I had a chance to play not too long ago,” she said. “It was super quick – the greens were like a 13.”

Depending, of course, on how her other job goes, she’d love to be back there working next winter.

Who could blame her?

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