Sophia Popov is returning to action at the AIG Women’s Open just 10 weeks after the birth of her son Julian.
The final Major of the year will always hold special memories for the German star, who won the tournament in 2020 at Royal Troon.
Popov is at Royal Lytham & St Annes just two weeks after picking up a golf club again and is joined by her mum and Julian with her husband Max at home with three-year-old daughter Maya.
“I wouldn’t be here if things hadn’t gone a little bit smoother than with Maya,” said Popov. “When you have a toddler on the side, you don’t even notice your pregnancy. Then the delivery, thank God bless him, was a lot easier.
“He knew he had to give me a break, so it was a lot quicker! The recovery has also been easier because I know what to expect. I talked to Beany yesterday and she said the second one is easier. You just put him anywhere and he’s happy and you’re more relaxed.
“Maya is excited. It was really tough to say bye to her for seven days, but she’s getting seven days of full attention from Dad and I think she’s craving that. Everywhere we go, Julian is the focus and I try to balance that, but with breastfeeding him it’s difficult. She’s been very sweet.”
Despite giving birth in May, Popov picked up a golf club two and a half weeks ago and has been fitting in practice around her breastfeeding schedule.
The LET winner was motivated to return to the AIG Women’s Open and was also inspired by Anne Van Dam, who returned to action earlier this year following the birth of her first child.
She continued: “On Friday, I’ll be 10 weeks postpartum and I picked up a golf club about two weeks ago just about. I played my first nine holes two weeks ago and I made it a goal to hit balls every second day.
“I’ve had amazing support from my mum and my husband to take the kids for two hours and I’m rushing to the golf course to hit balls. I played nine holes here yesterday and as long as I can keep the energy up, that’s the biggest thing and the stability. I could definitely feel my lower back, so I said to my caddie you just have to feed me and motivate me.
“With Anne Van Dam coming back, her being my sister-in-law, we see each other a lot and it was really motivating the way she came back at Shadow Creek. I was so impressed and that gave me motivation too because after Maya I was in a terrible spot for four or five months just not knowing what’s coming my way. Anne showed me you can be more relaxed with it.”
Popov is looking forward to this week and the test of Royal Lytham & St Annes, as she’s never teed it up here before.
The Major winner loves the challenge of Links golf and enjoys being creative and using your imagination on the golf course.
She added: “This is really the only tournament that I seriously considered playing this year. I talked to my husband Max about it. I love this event so much. I love Links golf, and if there’s any tournament, I’m going to play this year, it’s going to be this one.
“It’s one of those events where you’re battling the weather and the course more than you are your own swing. I would definitely not be teeing it up at a U.S. Open or anything that’s heavily target golf. I feel like you can use your creativity and finesse and enjoy yourself a little bit more with the elements versus yourself.
“It’s awesome. My husband actually played six junior events here. He was always raving about the golf course and I hadn’t even seen it. I wasn’t here the last time it was here. It’s a great golf course, I only played the front nine, but I know the back nine too. All I can say is I think it’s going to be a great test.”
Popov tees it up in round of the AIG Women’s Open on Thursday July 30 at 9.31 am (local time) alongside Korea’s Jenny Shin and France’s Perrine Delacour.
Follow all the action throughout on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook – #AIGWO.
