The 2013 Symetra Tour season is in the books! I’m currently on a flight heading home to Phoenix after being in Florida for the last two weeks. I am so ready for a break of travel, practice rounds, and grinding. This season has been a success in many ways. It was my best professional season result wise for starters. I grew as a player and a person this year. I’ve met some fantastic people over the years and this year was no different. My knowledge for the game has grown exponentially and I hope that I will be able to help not only myself in the future but also many others who are looking to perfect this game we call golf. My “team” has grown in number this year and these vital people are a direct reflection of my success on and off the golf course. As you often hear, I would not be where I am today if it were not for my dear companions in life.
Life is great! I have such a different perspective today than I did three years ago. It’s taken me a ton of heartache, sleepless nights, and countless counseling sessions with my preciousbest friends and professionals to get a better grasp of how truly blessed I am. I wouldn’t trade my life or my story with anyone. I am a much stronger person than I ever thought could be possible. I have been heavy weight to so many friends in my life and I hope to be able to pay it forward one day. I am indebted to you all!
I did not know what 2013 had in store for me but as it’s coming to an end, I’m turning the page with a huge smile on my face. With the slow start I had, I wouldn’t have predicted this feeling of pride and accomplishment. My first event of the year was held in my backyard of Arizona and I kicked the year off with a missed cut. A couple of more tournaments came and went with me making cuts but finishing near the bottom of the totem pole. I remember vividly a conversation I had with my host-housing mom Debbie in her kitchen in Charlotte, NC after I received another meaningless paycheck. I was sick and tired of not seeing my work pay off. It was a turning point. I’m either done playing golf or I’m going to change things up. What isthe definition of insanity? Something like doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result?
I began traveling and staying in hotels by myself. I would show up at the course during practice round days with no one in particular to play with. It was the luck of the draw. Sometimes I’d play the entire round by myself or sometimes I’d play with girls I’d never played with before. That allowed me to not only meet new friends but also see how my competitors played their golf. Prior to that I was in the same old routine and practice rounds felt like Groundhog’s Day to me, playing with the same people over and over on courses we have seen for four years in a row. Those people were and are still my best friends but it was good for all of us to change the scenery. I needed to freshen things up and that was one way of doing it.
I never knew coming in to professional golf that I would be on the Symetra Tour for four years. I didn’t think it would take me this long. But it has. I used to be bitter about it and not enjoy the moment. That is one more thing that I made a conscious decision to change. Enjoy the moment. Enjoy the process. Enjoy the people around you. Why be unhappy with where your life is at the moment if you’re always looking ahead to something that hasn’t happened yet?
After playing on the Ladies European Tour in 2012 I realized that their membership and staff were one big happy family. I felt like that was something that was missing on the Symetra Tour up until this year. We have a revamped staff and I truly believe that has changed the personality of the Tour, from a player’s point of view. For the most part, the professional female golfers all get along and enjoy each other’s company. We have had so much fun year. This Tour is getting better and better and it is because of the people who are putting in the hard work to put on our tournaments week in and week out.
I don’t feel the need to go into nitty gritty details about my golf results other than I had a great second half to the season. After my Charlotte tournament I had two runner-up finishes as well as a sixth place finish. A hole-in-one was made in June and a few other highlights I’m sure. Being happy and whole in my life is one large contributor to my personal success and confidence. I sometimes reflect back to college when I didn’t come on that strong until my last two years as an upperclassman. I got my feet wet and I saw how things were done and once I put myself into contention a few times I understood it and I liked it. I’m attaching my professional career to that. I’ve gotten my feet wet. I understand how things are done and after putting myself into contention a few times, I like it and I want to be there every week. Confidence and self-belief is the recipe for that.
I found out this morning that I finished 19th on the season ending Symetra Tour money list so that means I will be sent directly to Final Stage of LPGA Q School. That’ll save me some money by not having to go to LPGA 2nd Stage Q School and I get to go home and actually have a longer off-season! I need it, as does everyone else after this long year. I thank you for being my support, my friends, and my family as I go through this journey of a dream.
Boomer.
Kendall
