Austria’s Marina Stuetz has had an incredibly unique career path.
After securing 11 national titles and becoming runner up at the 2012 European Ladies Amateur Championship, Stuetz headed to LPGA Qualifying School at Daytona Beach and achieved what no one expected.
The 19-year-old Austrian secured her LPGA card. Yet after one season, Stuetz quit professional golf and regained her amateur status.
After 10 years away, 32-year-old Stuetz has decided to return to professional golf with this week’s Allegria Ladies Open in her home country.
“I’m very excited to be playing this week in Austria. It’s been a while for me. It’s almost more than 10 years since I’ve played in a professional tournament. So, I’m very excited to be here and support the Austrians.”
Stuetz was thrust onto the LPGA at such a young age and found the transition to professional golf tricky.
“I played a full season on the LPGA in 2013 and after a full season there, I stopped. I was 19 years old when I joined the LPGA and turned 20 during the season.
“I was quite young back then and I was, to be honest, very overwhelmed.
“I came from high level amateur golf straight into the highest level of professional golf. So it was, quite a switch.
“I never lost the love for the game, but my decision to back then step back from playing professional golf was so I could continue to love the game.
“I was a little bit lonely at times back then. I came from school and didn’t really know who I am and who I was and what I wanted to do. Of course, I always loved golf and that’s why I made the decision to quit, for the love of the game, to, stop playing on the LPGA tour and just play for fun.”
After quitting professional golf, Stuetz left the sport entirely and started working at her family’s jewellery business.
“I quit playing for a couple of years, and then eventually started, working at the company and was running a company in the last eight years.
“I’m a gemmologist. That’s what I learned after my bachelor’s and I’m also a jewellery appraiser.
“I work a lot with the courts and through jewellery appraising.”
Part of the reason Stuetz left professional golf was to spend more time with her family after her father’s leukaemia diagnosis nine years ago.
“I also had to, like, step in after my bachelor’s and help run the family business. But my father, I’m very happy about, is very well now and is also supporting all the decisions and me playing golf again.
“I have no expectations this week. My only expectation is to do my best. To have fun and enjoy it and support the young Austrian girls. I will do my best and take it one shot at the time.
“We all know how golf can be very frustrating. I think it’s the most unsatisfying job in the world, but still, it’s the greatest game in the world. So I’m just trying to do my best and have fun and enjoy it.”
Stuetz tees it up at 12:45am local time alongside Czechia’s Sideri Vanova and Sweden’s Louisa Carlbom.
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