The odds were not in Elizabeth “Liz” Nagel’s favor after opening LPGA Qualifying Tournament Stage II with an 8-over 80 on Tuesday. But after all, she is used to that.

On Wednesday, she fired a 2-under 70 and then on Thursday she erased the opening round 80 completely with a 6-under 66. The script is not quite complete with one round to play.

“I don’t know what happened on day one, I hit it everywhere and couldn’t make a putt and I’m not from here so I hadn’t been down here until last week, but it could have been anything,” said the DeWitt, Michigan native Nagel. “I did it a different way than most, but I am back to even-par.”

And that is where Nagel wanted to be coming into the event.

“My goal for the whole tournament coming in was to be at even par.”

On Thursday, Nagel holed out for eagle on the par-5 13^th hole on the Bobcat Course. She was 98-yards from the pin with a 50 degree wedge.

“I hit it behind the hole and it came back and dropped right in. I actually didn’t see it and I never see cool shots. I’m the person that is always with the people that have hole-in-ones and I never see them.”

She also didn’t see coming what happened on September 11, 2013, when her grandfather, who she was very close to, passed away suddenly. Just three days later, she won the Mary Fossum Invitational, which was her home tournament at Michigan State.

It was her only college victory.

These days, Nagel’s grandmother (Carolee) is a regular at the course with her and one of her biggest supporters.

“It’s a comfort thing a little bit to have her out here. When she is not at my golf events, we text all the time, but she is my biggest fan for sure.”

Carolee will undoubtedly be out on Tour, whether it be the Epson Tour or the LPGA next year. You may see her prius, too.

“She would like to travel with me and she has a prius and I want that thing,” said Nagel with a smile. “It gets such good gas mileage, I drove it to Texas this summer and I got there with less than $100.”

Nagel, with Carolee and support from her entire family, will be a fighter on Tour without a doubt. She has already tackled thyroid cancer and is ready to tackle life as a professional.

You might also see her best friend on Tour next year, her golden doodle named Dolly.

Odds Stacked Against Liz Nagel, No Problem

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