Mehaffey reveals mental struggles after social media criticism: "It’s been a tough couple of months"
Olivia Mehaffey en route to victory in the Woodbrook Scratch Cup with a new course record score 66 last August. Photo: Cashman Photography
Arizona State’s Olivia Mehaffey shot a career-best, 10-under 62 on Sunday to put weeks of struggles behind her and answer the social media trolls who have been abusing her again, not for her appearance this time but her recent swing changes.
Just 24 hours after finishing second in the Clover Cup at the course where she plays on an invite in the Symetra Tour’s Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic this week, the Royal County Down and Tandragee star (23) was up front about her recent loss of form and the criticism that’s followed.
Last summer she received personal abuse on Twitter about her appearance and merely responded to her troll with a “#BeKind” message. But this time it was different as she has received private messages on Instagram criticising her swing changes under new coach Jorge Parada.
“It’s been a tough couple of months on and off the course,” said Mehaffey, who was 39-over-par for her previous 10 rounds before making 10 birdies in a bogey-free 62 on Sunday.
“I’ve really been struggling mentally. A lot of things off the golf course have really been affecting me on it and I didn’t think they would. It’s been rough.
“There has been some family stuff, but college work has been tough as I finish my Masters and getting stuff organised to turn pro later this year had me stressed for a while.
“But I’ve had a lot of negative messages and comments by private message on Instagram about my swing changes which is really strange for me because I’ve never had that before.
“Maybe it will help me for when I turn pro but I’m getting comments like, ‘You were a great player before you made the changes, what happened blah blah blah’. It was a little bit strange but I’ve had multiple factors going on and all people see is the score and they don’t know what’s going on.
“I’d been telling Jorge that I feel like I can win any week. Looking at my scores you might think I’m crazy but I’m actually feeling really good about my game. So I wasn’t surprised at all about the score yesterday. When I sit down and break down my game it’s better than it was before. I just had to go out and play and not get in my own way.”
Mehaffey will get the chance to strut her stuff on a sponsor’s invite in the Symetra Tour’s Carlisle Open with Northern Ireland man David Jones on her bag as his regular employer Sung Hyun Park enjoys a week off from the LPGA Tour.
Olivia Mehaffey responds to a Twitter troll — the offending tweet has since been deleted — last summer
“I’m really excited to have David on the bag because I have never had a professional caddie and we’re very good friends,” she explained. “I am excited to learn as much as I can from him and it is a really fun golf course so it is definitely nice to have a little bit of confidence with the game.
“I have more shots in my short game and yesterday didn’t surprise me because I just needed it all to click and then I need to go and play and not get on my own way and that’s what I did. I didn’t even look at where I was when we finished. I did all I could do. It was great progress for me and I felt more like myself again so that for me was a win.
I didn’t even look to see where I finish on Sunday. I just knew I felt more like myself again so that for me was a win.”
Sadly for Mehaffey, Jones will be working at the ANA Inspiration when she joins Ireland teammate Julie McCarthy for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur later this month.
“I did ask him, but he’s not available,” she said with a chuckle. “But I’ve got a nice run coming up with this week, the PING ASU and then straight to Augusta.”
