Sandra Gal Profile
First Name:Sandra
Date of Birth: 9th May 1985
Place of Birth:Dusseldorf
Nationality:Germany
Exemption Status: Career Money
Sponsor: Callaway Golf
Everything started in Düsseldorf, Germany, where I was born on May 9th, 1985. Being an only child, my parents obviously spoiled me, in a good way though - at least from my perspective. I got to play golf for the first time when I was about 5 years old. For my 5th birthday my parents gave me a set of colored plastic clubs. All of our vacations were golf vacations and that was the only time of the year I usually played golf, in nice places such as the Netherlands, France or Portugal. My dad was my first coach and still is one of my best teachers of the game. But not until I was 14 did I actually start practicing seriously at a golf club close to our house.
In the mean time I had a bunch of other hobbies. I played tennis, I started ballet and violin, I got to do wakeboarding for a few years, I played theatre at school and of course I have always been painting. My mom still has some paintings from when I was about three years old, and since then you probably cannot even count them. It's a great way for me to relax and let out my creative side. Really taking golf more seriously, I realized that I can be creative in golf, too, in a different way. First I played for my golf club team, since there are no high school teams in Germany, and as I got better each year, with 17, I got to join the German National Team, which is a great honor in Germany. When I was 18, I won the German National Girls Championship and the junior ranking.
After I graduated from my high school in 2004, I decided to make the big trip to America and play college golf, which was really pretty new at that time for European golfers. I chose the University of Florida and will never regret my decision. I met some of my best friends over there and had a really good time. I got familiar with American courses, the lifestyle and the competition. While I was at college I won four events and received two All-American honors in three years.
In the mean time, I was still competing for the German National Team during summer breaks and eventually won the Ladies European Amateur ranking in 2007. That was the year, when I decided to play LPGA Q-school, while still in my senior year at UF. My college staff and me were hoping to get an exemption from the rule to turn professional immediately after Q-school. We were hoping that I would be able to play as an amateur for my UF team in my last semester and start competing on the LPGA in May. However, our attempt was not successful.
In the end, I received a full exempt card for 2008 and was very excited for that accomplishment. Although I could not play anymore college golf, I decided to still finish my advertising degree at UF. It was not easy playing professionally, while still being in school, but I graduated with honors on August 12, 2008. Since then I can really focus on my game and finally have more time for my friends and family and painting, of course.
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
Sandra Gal
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