Professional golfer Madelene Sagstrom didn’t make the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open, falling short by five strokes, but her performance drew widespread attention for remarkable circumstances — she competed while 26 weeks pregnant.
The 33-year-old Swedish golfer recorded rounds of 77-76 at Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles. She’s expecting a baby boy in September.
This major championship marked the sixth tournament Sagstrom has entered during her pregnancy. While competing, she experiences occasional contractions and feels her baby moving during play.
“I keep saying I will keep going until my body’s telling me something different, and I think that it’s telling me to,” Sagstrom told The Athletic on Friday. “I lose my stamina out there. And then when I get tired, I’m not hitting the right shots. If I’m going to play, I want to be able to compete. I’m going to play one more (tournament).”
The world’s 73rd-ranked player found herself receiving unusual amounts of support during the tournament. Spectators and television audiences took notice of her condition, giving her applause typically reserved for higher-profile competitors.
“I didn’t realize it was going to turn into such a spectacle, the whole thing,” Sagstrom explained. “For me, golf is all I’ve ever done, and it’s my job. So it was natural. If I feel good, just keep trying to play.
“But it’s so lovely. It’s nice that people are understanding that it’s not easy, and everyone’s been super supportive.”
Throughout her professional career, Sagstrom has captured two LPGA victories and accumulated over $5 million in prize money. Her best major championship results include a second-place finish at the 2021 Women’s British Open and a fourth-place showing the year after.
Her performance at Riviera showed the physical challenges she faced. Thursday’s opening round featured four bogeys and one double bogey. Friday’s second round included two birdies but also five bogeys and another double bogey.
Despite the struggles, completing 36 holes of championship golf while 26 weeks pregnant represents a remarkable accomplishment.
“It’s good to show that there’s more to our lives than just to play golf,” Sagstrom reflected. “We live day in and day out with our results, and sometimes we make decisions about other things that are important to us. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t do this and you can’t come back if you want to.”
