Date: July 11, 2012
Author: Whitney Hillier / Golf Australia

Whitney Hillier blog: Hard work pays off

By Whitney Hillier Bre and I had the most amazing week with Karrie at the US Open. The experiences we got were once in a lifetime opportunities and to be able to stay with Karrie and learn about what happens inside and out of golf was just incredible. I personally have known Karrie for a few years but to be able to actually ask her questions and talk in a relaxed environment was the best. We saw and learnt how to deal with situations in a professional way, seeing her managing her physical and mental work every day after the round. She is very precise in what she wants and knows how to get it – which is why she is a true champion. The amount of hard work she does throughout the week is amazing. Then to have a laugh during dinner and great chats were an awesome way to relax and prepare for the next day ahead. I was really impressed with all of the players out there. Many amateurs qualified too which just shows that lots of girls around the world are wanting the exact same things as us and it just depends in how hard you work and how much you want it. That makes the difference in playing/making it on the LPGA Tour. It was great to have 4th July in Milwaukee. We had a nice relaxed night in our house and lit up some fireworks in the backyard. We were all like kids lighting them up! Bre and I had our Aussie gear out and so many people commented on it and got lots of media coverage which was a lot of fun! We followed Karrie with our flags proudly flying high and she enjoyed our fun cheers throughout the week. We learnt a lot about how the other golfers are from a player s perspective. Some are a lot different to what they look like on TV playing. I found it very interesting how so many girls have different attitudes towards certain things but the main point is that every girl on the LPGA Tour is just doing what they love and fighting for the win so it&aposs great to experience what it s really like from a player s point of view. After this week, we are so keen to get out there and keep dominating the amateur circuit and turn pro very soon. We both learnt a lot and took so much out of it. We met so many amazing people, learnt how to plan and play an LPGA standard length course and be professional with everything we do. Thanks so much to Karrie for the best life experience, encouragement and support! Also thank you to Golf Australia for helping us make this happen. Hard work really pays off. Breanna Elliott and Whitney Hillier are members of Golf Australia&aposs National Squad. They were the recipients of the 2012 Karrie Webb Series scholarships. The Series comprises up to 13 events annually and forms part of the Australian Women&aposs Amateur Ranking System.