Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36December 2016 | 11 Subscribe today at juniorgolfmag.net JG: At what point in your life did you recognize that you could be a great golfer? Tardy: It wasn’t any one big thing that hap- pened. I think my instructors must have seen something in me and they told my dad that I should keep at it. I didn’t need any urging, though, because I’ve always loved playing golf. Even when it’s cold, I like to practice. JG: Did you compete on any of the junior tours? Tardy: At first, I just played with a group of juniors who were very supportive of one another. It wasn’t anything formal, but the organizers just wanted to help kids play golf and enjoy themselves. Then I started playing in Southeastern junior golf tour- naments and later ended up with American Ju- nior Golf Association (AJGA). First I played their local events, but ultimately played in Texas and California too. JG: Was it tough to break in to tournament golf? Tardy: Well, it was very competitive and you needed to earn Performance Stars to get into the more elite AJGA tournaments, but AJGA was one of the best parts of my junior career. It was a wonderful experience. JG: In 2015, you won the North & South Amateur, among other titles. What was that like? Tardy: I didn’t know how prestigious it was un- til I won it. So I went out there with my mom to have fun; she was on my bag. I was playing Pinehurst #2 and wanted to get revenge on the course because I had played it during the U.S. Open and hadn’t done well. It was much harder during the Open, though, and this time I knew where all the good spots were to hit it. On top of that, the Bode family hosted me and they were awesome – really super encouraging too. So it was just a great experience. JG:Whatdoyoufeelisthestrengthofyourgame? Tardy: My long game off the tee is an advantage, especially on longer, firmer courses because it gives me a shorter club into the green. I also have confidence in my putting. JG: What do you remember about your college recruiting experiences? Tardy: My first letter was from Illinois, when I was in eighth grade. I was really flattered and sat down with my parents to talk about it. But I knew that I wanted to be someplace where I could drive home and then back to college in one day. Somewhere close to my family and to people I knew. JG: Why did you choose to play for the Georgia Bulldogs? Tardy: Oh gosh, I fell in love with the University and with Athens – the big school in the small town. I loved the beautiful campus and the en- tire atmosphere. In fact, the school part was just as important to me as the golf. I’m majoring in Sports Management and really like it so far. JG: Even though you were first team All-American as a freshman, were there adjustments? Tardy: Oh yeah, big adjustments. For one thing, I had to get used to not practicing nearly as much as I did back home. That’s because I had to really study. Also, I had some health problems…I must have gotten strep throat eight different times, had a concussion in the fall and an ankle injury in the spring. So it was very stressful just trying to stay healthy and, at the same time, juggle everything on my plate. JG: Was it exciting to be invited to participate in the Curtis Cup? Tardy: There is no greater honor than repre- senting your country, and doing it in Ireland was a special thrill. I was really humbled to be selected as one of the eight girls. And even though we lost, it was a great bonding expe- rience. I remember winning my first alternate shot match, with Monica Vaughn as my partner. We were on the 18th hole, a ridiculously long par 4. I hit a lengthy putt to four feet and then, with all the pressure on her, Monica drained the four-footer to win the match. It was such a great adrenaline rush. JG: What are your long-term goals for golf and for life in general? Tardy: I would love to get a degree; that’s a huge thing on my list because I always want to have a backup plan. Of course, I really hope to pursue a professional golf career. But for the moment, staying healthy is my main goal. I really want to stay positive and grow with the team. Bailey has a real joy for the sport Her swing is built for a power game