LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Sophia Popov wanted to put her name down to play a practice round with Annika Sorenstam at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, but even that felt a little intimidating. Still, a competitive round alongside Sorenstam, who retired from the LPGA in 2008 and is playing in the celebrity division of this week’s event, would be yet another high for golf’s ultimate Cinderella.
Popov, 28, wasn’t shy about her frustrations over being left out of last month’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in her hometown of Naples, Florida. The points Popov would’ve been awarded for winning the AIG Women’s British Open last August didn’t count because she wasn’t an LPGA member at the time of her victory.
But while the popular German was left out of the lucrative season-ender, she did secure a spot in this year’s fun-filled season-opener. The ultra-social player will no doubt be in her element for the pro-am format at Tranquilo Golf Club.
“I talk a lot in regular tournament play,” said Popov, “sorry to all my fellow competitors out there, beware.”
On Thursday, Popov will compete alongside former NFL stars Marcus Allen and Sterling Sharpe. There are 25 LPGA pros in the field, including Danielle Kang, Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson and sisters Nelly and Jessica Korda.
Popov, a four-time All-American at USC, said she was aware of Allen because she’d seen his poster up around campus. She Googled him this week to get more of the finer details of his career.
Asked if it was possible for her to talk too much out there and get distracted, Popov said her boyfriend/caddie Max Melhes keeps her on track.
“I have a great caddie who tells me when to shut up,” she said, laughing.
Fellow LPGA pros have given the TOC rookie tips on the unique format, warning her of the importance of staying focused on her own game while playing alongside Hall of Famers twice her size from other sports. On the range, Popov finds herself swiveling around at the sound of a strapping major leaguer unleashing on a driver.
“I don’t know if I should mention her name,” said Popov of a player who’d recently given her some advice, “but she said it’s very interesting, because you get very excited. But these guys out here are very good. They actually spend a lot of time playing golf. It almost becomes their second career in some sense, and they’re playing great golf. They hit it very far. You have to come to peace with the fact that your golf game is totally different. For the most part, we hit it straighter and we’re probably the more consistent player, but they’ll hit some shots where they’re outdriving you by 70 or 80 yards, and you’re going ‘Oh my god, who is the pro here?’ ”
While Popov might still yet get the opportunity to play alongside Sorenstam later this week, it’s 2020 TOC champion Gaby Lopez who has that chance in the opening round as well as John Smoltz, a two-time winner of the celebrity division.
Lopez said Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa inspired her greatly growing up.
“To me, to have this opportunity to just learn from her mind,” said Lopez, “to me that’s probably the biggest takeaway. I’m going to try to sneak in and peek at her mind tomorrow.”
Popov’s whirlwind journey from winning on the Cactus Tour last summer to claiming a major championship title continues to change her life in ways beyond her tournament schedule. She recently landed major championship backer AIG as a sponsor, with the company’s logo attached to her visor this week.
“It’s definitely a different lifestyle that I’m living,” said Popov of her daily to-do list.
Because she’s a bilingual rising star, Popov has double the media requests between the U.S. and Germany.
“Everyone said ‘Oh, well, wait until you’re done with the season and then we’ll call you,’ ” said Popov. “Yep, sure felt that.”
If everything goes as planned, those requests won’t die down anytime soon.
