(Kim Hyun-jun, Asia golf reporter) ○…Sofia Popov (pictured right) teamed up with her husband as a caddy to win first place in the US Open sectional qualifying…
On the 4th (Korean time), Popov carried the caddy bag for her husband Maximilian Mehles (both German) at La Quinta Andalusia Golf Club in California, USA. Interestingly, Mehles shot 6 under par that day to qualify as the top qualifier for the US Open final qualifier. Truly a demonstration of the power of spousal support. Mehles played for the University of Kentucky golf team before turning professional and currently competes on the Canadian Tour while dreaming of joining the PGA Tour.
Popov is the player who reached another milestone in August 2020 by becoming the first German national to win a major tournament on the LPGA Tour, winning the AIG Women’s Open. Her story of overcoming Lyme disease at the time attracted even more attention. Initially similar to the flu, the illness can worsen and cause arthritis, heart disease and neurological problems. Since then, she has only reached the top 10 twice, and this year especially, she faced a difficult journey, missing the cut five times in eight events.
Mehles was her caddy when she won the 2020 AIG Women’s Open. Popov said: “Before this section qualification, I carefully studied course strategies during the practice rounds,” adding: “It was a great help to me.” This isn’t Popov’s first time caddying. During the 2020 LPGA Tour Drive On Championship, she accompanied her close friend Anne van Dam (Netherlands) as a caddy. In an interview with Golfweek, she joked, “Maybe I should consider becoming a professional caddy.”
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