At a time when so many pros haven’t signed a scorecard in months, Mina Harigae keeps lifting trophies. Harigae, in fact, has won three of the last five Cactus Tour events. The latest one by a whopping 16 strokes with a closing 11-under 61.
“The thought of 59 never really crossed my mind,” said Harigae. “I think it was more trying to beat my best score, which was 9 under.”
Score: Cactus Tour at Orange Tree
COVID-19 might have taken away playing opportunities on the LPGA, but Harigae has rediscovered something crucial in her time on the Cactus Tour: the joy of competing.
Hariage, a native of Monterey, California, has lived in Arizona for about 10 years. She practices out of Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club, where she shares the same fitness instructor as World No. 15 Carlota Ciganda. They train together with Zach Gulley and practice together, too.
Something Ciganda said back in March really resonated with Harigae, who was a rookie on the LPGA back in 2010.
“She said she honestly just loves to compete,” said Harigae. “She loves the competition. She doesn’t care whether it’s for $1,000, $2,000, $5 or $1 million. All she wants to do is compete with people.
“That’s when I realized my mindset the last few years – I haven’t even been thinking about that. It was more of, I need to be out here to make money or I need to keep my card.”
In a way, Harigae said, she had lost her sense of self along the way.
The passionate Ciganda, a two-time winner on the LPGA, wants to win at everything, whether it’s golf, sprints or pickleball. Harigae has appreciated every ounce of Ciganda’s encouragement.
But the changes haven’t been limited to the neck up. Harigae began making swing changes last September with instructor Jeff Fisher and felt like it all started coming together right before the LPGA season was put on pause. With Matt Brooks, director of golf at Superstition Mountain, she developed a simple self-check system for her short game. Add in her new PXG GEN3 irons, and Harigae can’t wait for the LPGA season to restart.
“I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt this good about my game,” said Harigae, who won $2,300 for Thursday’s victory.
The Cactus Tour doesn’t give her the same rush as an LPGA event, but the consistently low scores she’s been putting up are evidence of a game that has reached a new level.
Harigae’s first victory at Longbow in April came after rounds of 63-64-65. she was nine shots better than the runner-up. The latest victory at Orange Tree in Scottsdale included rounds of 67-65-61.
With the LPGA scheduled to make its return in late July at the Marathon Classic (though it could be pushed back to August), Harigae believes she’ll make two more starts on the Cactus Tour this summer. No one wanted this extended break, but few have likely made the most of it quite like Harigae.
“It has helped me way more than I ever thought it could,” she said.
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