Jill McGill is Enjoying the Moment

Most athletes will tell you how incredibly lucky they are to do what they do for a living. Jill McGill is no exception. Minus lugging the 70-lb. golf bag through airports, she loves her life. Like many professional golfers before her, the road to achievement has been scattered with many ups and downs. Professionally 2006 wasn’t the year she had hoped for; but personally, 2006 was the year she had always dreamed of. Jill said, “Well, I am not happy with my 80th place ranking, but in light of the fact that I will be married December 9th, I enjoyed my best year personally. I’m doing well.”

McGill loves the Del Mar area where she and husband Patrick Byerly reside. The 34- year old from Denver, Colorado fell in love with southern California while watching the Rose Bowl as a freshman in high school. She fell in love with San Diego when she came to play in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championship at Torrey Pines.

The six- foot beautiful blond didn’t grow up in a “golf family”. “ When I was 9 or 10, I remember my mother telling me that after swim and tennis, I couldn’t hang out all by the pool all day. She said that I would have to do something constructive, so I started to play golf.” Although McGill has shown promise at every stage of her golf career, she hasn’t let golf consume her life. Even in her early high school days, she almost chose not to play. “It was kind of lonely. I was on the boys team.” However, knowing she really wanted to go to college in California and that she would need a golf scholarship, she sent out letters to colleges. “I didn’t play a lot of junior golf, but I played well in a couple of key events. I shot 71-71 in the U.S. Junior Girls and then I also played well in the Junior World.”

She peaked the interest of her “dream school” and earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California. By her senior year at USC, she was an obvious All-American and the #1 ranked amateur player in the country after winning the Women’s U.S. Amateur, played at San Diego Country Club. Before she graduated she just fell short of winning back to back U.S. Amateurs, but won the prestigious U.S. Public Links Championships. It was only after the national championship success and all of the media attention did Jill seriously consider a life on the LPGA tour. She was unsuccessful in her first attempt at the LPGA Tour qualifying school, but used that year to finish her schooling at USC and go on to graduate with a degree in Communications. One of the highlights of her career and pivotal turn in her career came in 1995 at the Women’s British Open. “I finished in second place behind Karrie Webb. That was a huge confidence boost. It made me realize that I could play with the best and that I belonged out there. It really helped me through “Q” school.

Fast forward ten years and almost two million dollars in career earnings and you have McGill, now a seasoned veteran in a tour getting younger year by year. She is still enthusiastic about traveling to all corners of the world, meeting new people and loves the excitement of tournament golf. While she wouldn’t share her specific goals, she did share how excited she is to have someone to share her passions with as she gears up for the 2007 season. McGill’s success has always been self-driven and her greatest desire for the new year is to be able to live in the moment. She really is striving to let go of the outcome and the results. “I want to detach myself from all of that, let the results take care of themselves, and live in the moment.”

In addition to her professional success, she is most proud of the opportunities she has to work with charities; especially troubled kids involved in the Get a Grip Foundation. She also gives her time to the Boys and Girls Clubs, as well as being the player spokesperson for two LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Programs in San Diego. McGill also is involved in raising awareness of skin cancer.

When she isn’t on tour this year in search of her first LPGA tournament victory, she will be around San Diego enjoying what other San Diegans enjoy. While at home, she and her husband love the active, healthy lifestyle available. Both are avid college sports fans, they both love to work out, they love the beach and since he is a marathon runner, McGill is running a bit more. Her new husband is not a golfer, but she loves to play at San Diego, Fairbanks and La Jolla Country Clubs. “The people at these courses have been wonderful to me over the years. They make me feel so at home!” McGill says, “I truly feel like I am on vacation when I am at home!”

Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley is co-author to the book Golf Guide for Parents and Players (Mansion Grove House), along with Johnny Gonzales. Additionally, Jacqui played professionally on the Japan LGPA Tour, and is currently a sought-after LPGA Teacher and started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site in northern San Diego county.