PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – Madelene Sagstrom rested her left hand on her belly as she readied to hit a bunker shot in the practice area at Riviera Country Club. Nearly seven months pregnant with her first child, the 33-year-old Swede said that as long as she’s feeling good and enjoying it out there, she’ll keep plugging away. At least until the LPGA goes overseas in July.
A two-time LPGA winner, Sagstrom plans to play in next week’s Dow Championship as well as the third major of the season, the KPMG Women’s PGA at Hazeltine at the end of this month.
Madelene Sagstrom hits a tee shot on the first hole during the first round of The Chevron Championship on April 23 in Houston.
This marks the first U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, which means a lot of players couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play, including a number of moms who haven’t teed it up in a long time.
When Ally Ewing shot a final-round 66 at Lancaster Country Club two years ago to finish third at the 2024 U.S. Women's Open, she knew she was retiring at the end of the season. Ewing gave birth to son Tate on May 30, 2025, and started taking him out to practice with a pack 'n play earlier this spring. Ewing will have husband Charlie, head coach at Mississippi State, on the bag for the first time this week, and yes, Tate made the trip to L.A.
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Ewing, a three-time LPGA winner, hasn’t played a round of tournament golf since the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship.
“I’ve still never had any doubts about stepping away from full time,” said 33-year-old Ewing, “because even when I practice for this, I'm like, OK, that's enough.”
Madelene Sagstrom, who is due in September, plans to play in two more majors before starting maternity leave.
It’s a similar story for China’s Jaanet Xiyu Lin, who makes her first competitive start since her son, Barney, was born in October. Barney also made the trip to California. Lin, 29, won the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games and last teed it up on the LPGA in May 2025.
Alison Lee grew up in nearby Valencia, California, and is staying with her parents this week to have extra help with her 1-year-old son Levi. With traffic, it can take up to 90 minutes to get to Riviera, so if time gets tight, Megan Khang has offered up the extra room in her AirBnb.
Lee has been honest this year about how Levi’s sleep impacts her play. Lately, however, they’ve had a breakthrough in the sleep department and she’s hopeful everyone can get enough rest. She has an aunt and some cousins nearby to help either way.
“I’m just trying to figure it out day by day,” said Lee. “It’s been really tough trying to juggle everything. I feel like sometimes I’m drowning under water, but thankfully I have some great people and great help around me where I can get through it.”
Lee, who tied for third at the Mizuho Americas Open last month on Mother’s Day, has made it known that she wants to make the 2026 U.S. Solheim Cup team and secure her first LPGA title. No mom has won on the LPGA since Stacy Lewis in 2020. The last mom to win the U.S. Women's Open was Juli Inkster in 2002.
Alison Lee hits a tee shot on the first hole during the first round of The Chevron Championship on April 23 in Houston.
For former U.S. Women’s Open champions Brittany Lang and Michelle Wie West, this marks their first appearance at the event as a mother of two. Lang, the 2016 USWO champion, gave birth to her son, Krew, last June. Wie West’s son Jagger was born in October 2024. Both players also have a daughter (Makenna, 5, and Shay, 6).
Last month Wie West played in the tournament she hosts, the Mizuho Americas Open, and shot 82-80. This week, she aims to follow the advice she gives daughter Makenna before her tournaments: Score doesn’t matter, just try hard and have a good attitude.
“That is what my mantra is,” she said. “Makenna has kind of been my sports psychologist. She just told me to breathe, and if I get still nervous to take a drink of water. I'm just gonna go out there and, you know, have fun.
"Maybe this is it, right?”
