It was last week that Madelene Sagström revealed on Instagram that she and her husband Jack Clarke, former caddie for Ludvig Åberg, are expecting a son in September.
But it will be a while before Sagström puts away her golf clubs. This week, the 32-year-old will compete in the LPGA Tour Founders Cup in California. And the plan is to keep the season alive with the Women's PGA Championship, the third major of the year, which is played at Hazeltine in Minnesota the last week of June.
She is now in her seventh month.
I'm stubborn and like to have some goals and ambitions. Now maybe this is a bit ambitious, but at best it will be three majors. That would be awesome, Sagström tells TT.
Already hitting shorter
She found out she was pregnant just before New Year's and has only played one competition since then, the Tournament of Champions at the end of January. The fatigue has been noticeable, but otherwise she has been doing well.
"At first I almost wished I felt a little worse to know it was real. But I have been spared from nausea," says Sagström.
She is ready to face new challenges in the competitions in the coming months. Her swing speed has already slowed, so her shots fly shorter. And during practice rounds at home in Florida, she can save energy by zipping around in a golf cart, a luxury not available on tour.
I don't want to be out there playing if I'm playing really badly and can't maintain any standards. But it's felt completely okay in training.
Aiming for a comeback
Sagström learned to swing a golf club while growing up in Enköping, but has lived in the United States since 2011. She has won two events on the LPGA Tour, finished second in the British Open and played for Europe in four Solheim Cups during her more than ten years as a professional.
The thought of starting a family has always been there, but Sagström previously thought that it would also mean the end of her career.
That's not going to happen.
I'm very happy with my career and it would feel totally "fine" to leave. But when I found out I was pregnant I felt: "wow, cool. But then - here we go! We'll test and see if I can come back".
Sagström is set to resume her career sometime next year.
Winning last year (in the match play competition in Las Vegas) gave me the motivation to keep going. I still feel like what I have now is good enough to compete with the very best. At the same time, I will be going through the most physical change and test for my body. It will be exciting to see how it goes.
Facts: Madelene Sagström
Born: November 11, 1992.
Career: Made her professional debut in 2016. Has been a regular on the LPGA Tour since 2017, where she has won two events. Best major is the 2021 British Open, when she finished second behind Anna Nordqvist. Has played four Solheim Cups for Europe, including the last three meetings with the USA. Also represented Sweden in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
World ranking: 55.
Current status: Continuing to play on the LPGA Tour during her pregnancy. Initially planning to play three tournaments in three weeks. The first major of the year, the Chevron Championship in Houston, is April 23–26.
