Sarah Schmelzel picked up her first set of clubs when she was just five years old. And she hasn’t looked back since! The Phoenician has set the stage for a promising career that has seen her rise through the ranks to become a formidable force on the LPGA Tour. And this week, her grabbing the sole spot for first after round one at the HBSC Women’s Champion reiterated that sentiment.

But has her journey to this point been easy? Well, with nearly a decade of pro experience under her belt, she’s certainly had no straight path!

Schmelzel’s early beginnings and passion for the game

Before turning pro, Schmelzel was a standout as an amateur at the University of South Carolina. In 2016, she was named a Golfweek All-American and even received an All-America Honorable Mention, which stood testament to her exceptional early career and commitment to the sport. With multiple amateur titles under her belt, such as the Mesa City Junior Champion and the Yuma City Junior Champion, Schmelzel then turned pro that same year.

Rewinding to her rookie year on the Tour in 2019, Rolex, ranked 107th, impressively finished in sixth place at the Cambia Portland Classic, where she kept her card and set her out on what is looking like a very promising career. The third place she secured at the inaugural LPGA Q-Series in 2018 solidified her professional status as she earned Priority List Category 14 status for the 2019 season.

Just two years later, she found her groove. Over the course of 2021, the Thunderbird Invitational winner claimed a pro-career milestone with a T6 finish at the LOTTE Championship. Another T6 at the LPGA Drive On Championship, then only sweetened the pot. Although she has yet to find a win and is still yet to, her career trajectory is one of steady growth. 2022 saw the JGAA Winter Classic champion mark three top-10 finishes and her career-best third place at the LPGA Drive On Championship.

For her 2023 campaign, the former Kingman City Junior Champion displayed her prowess with two impressive T10 finishes at the Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. And now, after this week, she sits in first place at the Women’s World Championship!

Sarah Schmelzel shines at the World Championship

Sarah Schmelzel soared to the top of the leaderboard by firing a first-round 68 at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. On Friday, however, she faltered just a little with three bogeys but covered it up with three birdies, finishing at an even par. She currently stands at T4, a big step up from her T49 finish last week at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

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“It’s always great to start off the year,” she said in the post-round interview, pleased with her current performance and further explaining her loss last week. “I’ve been playing well last week. Couldn’t really get it going on the weekend… everything felt good. Working on some stuff, so it’s nice to see some hard work pay off.”

The confident LPGA Tour pro is still looking for her first win, and perhaps this week she may find it. In her own words, all she has to and can really do is “Just keep it going!”

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