After battling a back injury midway through the season, Sophie Hausmann is ready to make a run for the top-10. The German currently sits at No. 16 on the Official Money List, just six spots away from where everyone wants to be coming down the stretch.
She’s familiar with the position just outside the top-10. Last year, Hausmann finished the season at No. 22.
“It was a tough ending [last year],” said Hausmann. “One thing I learned is that you can’t get too caught up on the ranking. The season is long, and anything can happen. At the end of the day, I feel like you really have to believe that you can make it.”
Hausmann started the 2022 season strong, with five top-15 finishes in seven events. She credits the start to learning from last season.
“I had a consistent start, which is what I learned from last year,” said Hausmann. “So I tried to keep it similar and get it going. It’s a long season, and I was aware of it this year.”
She was No. 8 at the midway point of this season, when she took leave to head back to Germany to rehab her injury. Although she has since dropped out of the top-10, Hausmann feels like she is prepared to get back into it.
“I’m glad to be back swinging,” said Hausmann. “And I’m looking forward to being back in contention. That’s one of my goals heading into the next few weeks.”
Hausmann also opened up about the mental side of returning from injury and having unrealistic expectations right away. After starting the season on a positive note, it was hard for her not to expect big things upon her return.
“I was glad to be back out there,” said Hausmann. “But I quickly got into this expectation mindset again, which wasn’t helping. I really try to keep goals realistic and see what’s doable day by day.”
In addition to keeping goals realistic, Hausmann thinks twice about how she treats herself after a not deal day. She says it’s important to be your own best friend and trust the process.
With only six weeks remaining in the season, Hausmann will have her work cut out for her. Pressure starts to build, but she plans to keep a positive attitude until the end.
“Of course there’s pressure because you know you’re running out of events,” said Hausmann. “But we know it’s a performance job, and it’s a fun thing. You accept the challenge and go for it.”
Hausmann’s push for the top-10 starts in a place that she’s familiar with – the Circling Raven Championship. The University of Idaho graduate returns to the state she knows well, as well as a course she’s previously played.
“It’s a nice thing to know I still have a shot,” said Hausmann. “Top-10 is definitely reachable, but I know I have to play good golf. It’s a challenge these days, but I’m ready for it.”