LPGA Tour Veteran Emma Talley Takes on IndyCar
By Kaylee Smith
LOS ANGELES - In a game where it’s better to slow the pace and take a deep breath before executing a shot, LPGA player Emma Talley changed her usual scenery from the golf course to an exhilarating racetrack on April 21, 2024, when she attended the Acura Grand Prix in Long Beach, CA.
Talley, an LPGA Tour veteran, Epson Tour winner and a former NCAA All-American from the University of Alabama, is competing both on the LPGA Tour and Epson Tour in 2024. She will be making her first LPGA start in 2024 at the JM Eagle LA Championship. But before that debut, she had her first taste at the racetrack with the competitive IndyCar Series.
“I'm from Kentucky. So the Indianapolis 500, like, I kind of knew, but I had never been to one. But wow, what an experience. And I think the Indy does a really good job of just, like, making the fans get involved. And I think that's something that I just came away from, like, wow, this is like a really fun event.”
This was Talley’s first experience with racecar driving; she had met with racers Colton Herda and Mario Andretti and got to interview them. Being athletes from different sports, Talley enjoyed hearing about the routine that these racers have and what their experiences are like. Talley even hopped in on the fun and learned how to change a tire for a racecar, involving herself in their community.
“The drivers were so fun. They were all so young, which was crazy. Got to meet their families, and everyone was just so nice. They're definitely small human beings. But they were so nice...They definitely have a new fan. I had so much fun, I can't even tell you. I'm still pinching myself, that's for sure.”
Departing from the racetrack and postponing a newfound dream of racing in a Grand Prix, Talley returns to the Wilshire Country Club for the JM Eagle LA Tournament April 22-28th. This course is one of her favorites: the perfect one for her 2024 LPGA Tour debut to start on.
“It's my happy place. I love coming back to LA. I love coming back to Wilshire. And I'm so, so thankful to get a chance out of last year. Basically, just getting the chance is just so meaningful because I feel like I'm playing well, and I was just kind of in a rut last year. Just this lifestyle can really get to you mentally.”
With golf being a difficult sport, one thing that keeps the love and the challenge alive is Talley having one of her #1 supporters with her out on the course.
“My dad's going to be on the bag with me this week, so that's a new experience. He's never caddied an LPGA event before, so, it's just going to be a great weekend.”
The JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plaspro will feature a $3.75 million purse, the largest prize pool on the LPGA Tour in 2024 outside of the major championships and the CME Group Tour Championship. The tournament will take place at Wilshire Country Club in Hollywood from April 22-28th. Talley may not be racing around the course, but she will be out there competing fast and furious.
