Tubert looking to refine swing on LPGA Tour
Emily Tubert would like to get back on track and she knows where to begin.
It’s been frustrating of late for the former Burroughs High girls’ golf standout, though she’s remaining upbeat while looking to develop her swing that once helped her enjoy an impressive run through high school and college before rising as an amateur.
Now a member of the LPGA Tour, things haven’t gone as planned for the former All-Area Girls’ Golfer of the Year, who began playing golf in 2006.
“I know I need to keep working on my swing because you are playing at the highest level and with the best golfers from around the world,” said Tubert, a former CIF Southern Section champion and an All-American at the University of Arkansas. “I feel like some parts of my game are going great, but I’ve been making some changes with my swing and trying to get comfortable.
“The fundamentals are just not there right now with my swing and I’m trying to tighten it up. All you can do right now is keep at it.”
Tubert, 26, turned pro in 2016 and joined the LPGA Tour in 2017. She’s participated in eight events in 2018, missing the cut six times. The former Burbank Leader Girls’ Athlete of the Year turned in her best performance in June at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, tying for 58th with a six-under-282. Earlier, she tied for 68th at the Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic at one-over-143.
Tubert last competed at the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I, which was held July 12-15 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. Tubert missed the cut after two rounds, shooting a three-over-145.
“I’ve felt good going into the different events and then something happens, starting with my swing,” said Tubert, who dislocated her shoulder in 2017. “I have big expectations and I feel comfortable out there.”
Tubert has reshuffled her support staff, working with multiple swing coaches since September to refine her game. She turned to a familiar face in Zach Allen, who first worked with Tubert when she became interested in golf.
“It’s challenging when you work with eight or nine different coaches,” said Tubert, who won the United States Amateur Public Links championship in 2010 and was a member of the United States Curtis Cup team in 2012 before competing in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2013. “The coaches offer a lot of good suggestions about different parts of my game, but it’s just about feeling comfortable.
“Zach has seen me hit the most shots and I have a lot of respect for him. He knows exactly what I need to work on and I trust him.”
Allen, an instructor at Vista Valencia Golf Course in Valencia who previously served as an instruction director at De Bell Golf Club in Burbank, said Tubert is trying to regroup.
“I’ve seen her play since she was in the seventh grade and it’s been a journey for her since,” Allen said. “I saw the success that Emily had at Burroughs and then at Arkansas and she was always so good at persevering.
“In golf, there’s challenges out there and she’s playing now at the professional level. She’s trying to meet her own high expectations and making cuts at these events can certainly be a struggle. She still has a great attitude and I’m always willing to help her get better. We just want to work on some of her mechanics and look to maybe shorten her swing a little bit.”
Allen and Tubert have worked to simplify Tubert’s swing to put her in position to hit the ball farther and set her up for success on the greens.
While it might take time for Tubert to bolster her swing, she remains optimistic about turning the corner.
“This is what I’ve dreamed about and that’s to play professional golf,” said Tubert, who plans to compete at the Indy Women in Tech Championship at Brickyard Crossing Golf Club in Indianapolis from Aug. 16-19 and the Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Macan Course in Portland, Ore., from Aug. 30-Sept. 2. “I’m living that dream and I haven’t lost sight of that.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
