March 27, 2026 • 9 mins
Professional golfer Amelia Garvey has enjoyed a solid start to her year over in Australia with a couple of top 10 finishes.
Garvey is about to head back to the US with some lofty goals in mind. She’s looking to rise up in the world rankings, going from 140 to within the top 70.
She spoke with Lesley about her start to the year and her plans for the next few months, including trying to get home a bit more often.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, she's an absolute gym and we love having her
on our program. And I'm talking about Kai Point Golf
Club's very own Amelia Garvey. Good morning again, good even
where do we find you?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello? Good morning to you as well.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Where are you at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm back home in christ Shit? Oh yeah, yeah, I
have been back just for this week, so it's been
nice to kind of be home till last time until
I hit the road for a while. Now.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
How good is it being back here after your fantastic
time in Australia and given how good you were on
the Ladies European Golf Tour last year.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it's really nice. I'm trying to make the most
of my time at home this year and I'm probably
going to want to come back a little bit more
than what I did last year. So yeah, it's really
nice and refreshing. But taxes are you pretty soon, so
I'm having to do all of it rather than playing
too much golf right now.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
It's amazing to think that you played in your first
ever New Zealand Open at the age of thirteen.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah that's a long time ago now, but yeah, I
remember that day when I teed it up the first
time out at clear Water. Yeah, I think that was
the moment that I knew that I wanted to continue
playing and chasing my dream of getting to do that
every week for a living, you know, And that's what
(01:32):
I do now.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So five years on from your professional debut, how far
do you think you have come? Your game?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Oh? Very fun. Well, some days feels different to others,
but looking back at it, yeah, it's been a crazy
journey up to now. And just proud of myself the
way that you know, I've hung in there, and I
think I had a challenging start to my professional and
had to overcome a lot of obstacles and obviously moving
(02:06):
overseas and staying over there after college and then making
a decision to go as the European Tour, And yeah,
it's been really fun along the way by challenging as well.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So apart from the money. What's the difference in playing
professional golf to amateur golf? I mean, how different is
your approach?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
If there is a difference, Oh, it's just a lot
more professional in general. I think so much goes into it. Then,
so much more goes into it than what people realize.
You know, we're not just playing four hour round the
golf where we're out there on the course or at
(02:49):
the course for at least six or seven hours every day,
And obviously the practice rounds are usually the hardest days
because that's when you're doing all your work and you know,
getting your practice in to obviously keep refining your game,
but also getting ready for the week and learning the
conditions of the course. And yeah, it doesn't stop once
(03:11):
you leave the golf course either. It's you know, when
you're at an event, you're kind of on and you're
doing everything that you can to perform twenty four hours
of the day. You know, you sleep your recovery and yeah,
just getting into the right mind frame to go out
and compete the next day. And it is tough when
(03:32):
you're out there. You know, I just played four four
weeks in a row, and you do get mentally fatigued,
for sure, and it's just really important to be aware
of kind of where you're at mentally and just starting
fresh every day and motivating yourself to go, Okay, this
is a new day and this is what I need
(03:54):
to do. Well.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
We talked at the beginning about your fantastic debut year
on the Ladies European too. The lip. Now you've started
twenty twenty six over in Australia, must be happy with
your form from there, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, yeah, obviously I started over I think we chatted
right before I was going to Saudi Arabia and I
got a nice start under the belt over there, and
then did four weeks in Aussie and I've had at
a top ten and then a top five last week,
which was really nice to, you know, just show that
(04:27):
what I've been working on over the off season is working.
And I could definitely see a lot of things coming
together and a lot of different shots that I've been practicing,
just getting comfortable playing those different types of fields and
stuff like that. So it's always nerve racking the start
(04:48):
of the season because you don't know whether what you've
been working on is going to hold up or not.
And it seemed to do pretty well over the last
four weeks, so I'm excited for the rest of the year.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Fantastic. So this time next week you'll be in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yes, yes, I'm actually on the flight out tonight, so
it's that's gonna be a fun week for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
The Shadow Greek Golf Course now there's twenty five events
on the tour this year. How many will you play?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I think with two added ones because I've qualified for
the Scottish and the British Open again this year, so
I've got twenty seven optional events and I'll probably be
playing in about twenty three of them. So yeah, pretty
full on year for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Wow, fantastic. And who is your team? Who's the people
around you?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So I've got my coach over in Manchester, and then
I've got a mental skills coach here, John Quinn in
christ Church that I've just started working with again after
a little break, but I kind of grew up working
with him since I was like thirteen. And then I've
got my caddie who is actually my eldest cousin who's
(06:06):
been on the bag for the last four years now,
and he also is my putting and short game coach.
And then obviously just my family too. They play a
big role and just keep me grounded and you know,
making sure that you know Amelia herself is good rather
than just a good golfer.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Oh nice, Yeah, that's a really important part, really is
So do you have any specific golfing goals?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah? For sure this year I kind of want to
crack the top seventy five in the world. I've made
a pretty good jump down in the world rankings the
last month, and my main goal this year. I was
finished inside the top ten on the Order of Merits,
so I get a shot at that LPGA card at
(06:58):
the end of the year. So those are my short
term goals, I guess, and then in the long run,
I've always dreamed about winning a major championship, so that's
always been the biggest goal of mine since I was
you know, since I started the game. So yeah, hopefully
(07:20):
I be able to get on the LPGA and play
in more of those, but it's nice to have one
on the calendar for this year anyway.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Did you see any of Dan ludia Co's twelve under
sixty in Arizona?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, that was crazy. No eagles either, Literally, just twelve
birdies on a scorecard is crazy. And to see what
she's doing, you know, coming towards the end of her career,
just shows you how motivated she still is to go
out there and compete and play in a lot of
(07:59):
tournaments as well. You know, this isn't like a major
tournament to them, but she's still going out with the
same fire, and I kind of think she treats every
event the same, which is amazing to see after you know,
everything which she's done.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Oh absolutely, well, Look, we know, Amelia Garvey that you've
had nothing handed to you, that you've had to work
for everything that you've got. Sometimes it's been really hard
and sometimes it's really good. And I guess that is
the life of being a professional athlete. But we love
that you're available to us. I know that how proud
Kaiapoi Golf Club are of you and everything that you do,
(08:32):
and you are an exemplar and we're grateful to have
some time on air with you and go well in
the let this year and hopefully catch up with you
during the year, but especially next week in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Amazing. Thanks so much, Leslie. Love what you're speaking with
you and.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Take care you as well. Yeah, look after yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You as well.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Right, Thank you, Bobby. That is Amelia gave just such
a treat to have access to her and just keep
looking at where she is going, what she is doing,
and realizing that it's not all bows and whistles when
you are a professional athlete. For more from News Talkst
B listen live on air or online, and keep our
shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts on
(09:14):
iHeartRadio
Well, she's an absolute gym and we love having her
on our program. And I'm talking about Kai Point Golf
Club's very own Amelia Garvey. Good morning again, good even
where do we find you?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Hello? Good morning to you as well.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Where are you at the moment.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I'm back home in christ Shit? Oh yeah, yeah, I
have been back just for this week, so it's been
nice to kind of be home till last time until
I hit the road for a while. Now.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
How good is it being back here after your fantastic
time in Australia and given how good you were on
the Ladies European Golf Tour last year.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it's really nice. I'm trying to make the most
of my time at home this year and I'm probably
going to want to come back a little bit more
than what I did last year. So yeah, it's really
nice and refreshing. But taxes are you pretty soon, so
I'm having to do all of it rather than playing
too much golf right now.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
It's amazing to think that you played in your first
ever New Zealand Open at the age of thirteen.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah that's a long time ago now, but yeah, I
remember that day when I teed it up the first
time out at clear Water. Yeah, I think that was
the moment that I knew that I wanted to continue
playing and chasing my dream of getting to do that
every week for a living, you know, And that's what
(01:32):
I do now.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So five years on from your professional debut, how far
do you think you have come? Your game?
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Oh? Very fun. Well, some days feels different to others,
but looking back at it, yeah, it's been a crazy
journey up to now. And just proud of myself the
way that you know, I've hung in there, and I
think I had a challenging start to my professional and
had to overcome a lot of obstacles and obviously moving
(02:06):
overseas and staying over there after college and then making
a decision to go as the European Tour, And yeah,
it's been really fun along the way by challenging as well.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So apart from the money. What's the difference in playing
professional golf to amateur golf? I mean, how different is
your approach?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
If there is a difference, Oh, it's just a lot
more professional in general. I think so much goes into it. Then,
so much more goes into it than what people realize.
You know, we're not just playing four hour round the
golf where we're out there on the course or at
(02:49):
the course for at least six or seven hours every day,
And obviously the practice rounds are usually the hardest days
because that's when you're doing all your work and you know,
getting your practice in to obviously keep refining your game,
but also getting ready for the week and learning the
conditions of the course. And yeah, it doesn't stop once
(03:11):
you leave the golf course either. It's you know, when
you're at an event, you're kind of on and you're
doing everything that you can to perform twenty four hours
of the day. You know, you sleep your recovery and yeah,
just getting into the right mind frame to go out
and compete the next day. And it is tough when
(03:32):
you're out there. You know, I just played four four
weeks in a row, and you do get mentally fatigued,
for sure, and it's just really important to be aware
of kind of where you're at mentally and just starting
fresh every day and motivating yourself to go, Okay, this
is a new day and this is what I need
(03:54):
to do. Well.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
We talked at the beginning about your fantastic debut year
on the Ladies European too. The lip. Now you've started
twenty twenty six over in Australia, must be happy with
your form from there, Yes.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Yeah, yeah, obviously I started over I think we chatted
right before I was going to Saudi Arabia and I
got a nice start under the belt over there, and
then did four weeks in Aussie and I've had at
a top ten and then a top five last week,
which was really nice to, you know, just show that
(04:27):
what I've been working on over the off season is working.
And I could definitely see a lot of things coming
together and a lot of different shots that I've been practicing,
just getting comfortable playing those different types of fields and
stuff like that. So it's always nerve racking the start
(04:48):
of the season because you don't know whether what you've
been working on is going to hold up or not.
And it seemed to do pretty well over the last
four weeks, so I'm excited for the rest of the year.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Fantastic. So this time next week you'll be in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yes, yes, I'm actually on the flight out tonight, so
it's that's gonna be a fun week for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
The Shadow Greek Golf Course now there's twenty five events
on the tour this year. How many will you play?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I think with two added ones because I've qualified for
the Scottish and the British Open again this year, so
I've got twenty seven optional events and I'll probably be
playing in about twenty three of them. So yeah, pretty
full on year for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Wow, fantastic. And who is your team? Who's the people
around you?
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So I've got my coach over in Manchester, and then
I've got a mental skills coach here, John Quinn in
christ Church that I've just started working with again after
a little break, but I kind of grew up working
with him since I was like thirteen. And then I've
got my caddie who is actually my eldest cousin who's
(06:06):
been on the bag for the last four years now,
and he also is my putting and short game coach.
And then obviously just my family too. They play a
big role and just keep me grounded and you know,
making sure that you know Amelia herself is good rather
than just a good golfer.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Oh nice, Yeah, that's a really important part, really is
So do you have any specific golfing goals?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Yeah? For sure this year I kind of want to
crack the top seventy five in the world. I've made
a pretty good jump down in the world rankings the
last month, and my main goal this year. I was
finished inside the top ten on the Order of Merits,
so I get a shot at that LPGA card at
(06:58):
the end of the year. So those are my short
term goals, I guess, and then in the long run,
I've always dreamed about winning a major championship, so that's
always been the biggest goal of mine since I was
you know, since I started the game. So yeah, hopefully
(07:20):
I be able to get on the LPGA and play
in more of those, but it's nice to have one
on the calendar for this year anyway.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Did you see any of Dan ludia Co's twelve under
sixty in Arizona?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, that was crazy. No eagles either, Literally, just twelve
birdies on a scorecard is crazy. And to see what
she's doing, you know, coming towards the end of her career,
just shows you how motivated she still is to go
out there and compete and play in a lot of
(07:59):
tournaments as well. You know, this isn't like a major
tournament to them, but she's still going out with the
same fire, and I kind of think she treats every
event the same, which is amazing to see after you know,
everything which she's done.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Oh absolutely, well, Look, we know, Amelia Garvey that you've
had nothing handed to you, that you've had to work
for everything that you've got. Sometimes it's been really hard
and sometimes it's really good. And I guess that is
the life of being a professional athlete. But we love
that you're available to us. I know that how proud
Kaiapoi Golf Club are of you and everything that you do,
(08:32):
and you are an exemplar and we're grateful to have
some time on air with you and go well in
the let this year and hopefully catch up with you
during the year, but especially next week in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Amazing. Thanks so much, Leslie. Love what you're speaking with
you and.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Take care you as well. Yeah, look after yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
You as well.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Right, Thank you, Bobby. That is Amelia gave just such
a treat to have access to her and just keep
looking at where she is going, what she is doing,
and realizing that it's not all bows and whistles when
you are a professional athlete. For more from News Talkst
B listen live on air or online, and keep our
shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts on
(09:14):
iHeartRadio
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