After making 20 cuts on golf’s biggest stage since the start of 2018, Darquea entered the 2020 season looking to continue to grow as a professional and make strides toward her ultimate goal of being the top female golfer in the world.
However, as Darquea wrapped up play at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open on Feb. 16, she quickly learned the season was in jeopardy. As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the globe, the LPGA put a halt to its tournament action.
Not knowing what the future would hold, Darquea’s “brief visit” to Ecuador lasted much longer than she anticipated. However, the time back home was a blessing in disguise during these unprecedented times.
“Following my trip to Australia, I was only planning to be in Ecuador for a week before they started cancelling everything. The visit was longer than expected, but it was great because I got to spend some time with my mom,” Darquea said. “It was just great to be home. I feel like my family is pretty much my entire support system and I think the hardest thing about playing professional golf is that I have to travel a lot and I don’t get to see them very often. I just loved being with them…helping to make sure they were all staying healthy during these tough times.”
Back in her native city, Darquea looked to make the most of her opportunities and remained focused on staying physically and mentally strong in preparation for the moment competition resumed.
“In Ecuador, the protocols were a little bit different than here in the U.S. We weren’t allowed to practice or do anything for two months. So, I made sure to try and stay in shape by doing a lot of bodyweight exercises,” Darquea said. “At first it was fun, but then, as you would expect, it started to get a little bit boring, but I think I managed it well.”
After two months, the Ecuadorian government began granting permission to the country’s high-level athletes to start practicing. Darquea took the opportunity to return to the golf course.
“It was really interesting to start practicing after such a long break, since I literally had not touched a golf ball [during the stretch],” Darquea said.
Another thing that helped get her through the sports’ hiatus involved taking what she had learned from her time spent in the UM classrooms. Darquea, who earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, has put her knowledge to good use.
“I have been focused on my nutrition. I have been cooking a lot,” she said. “So, that has been another good thing about this stretch. I have been able to cook my own meals, eat healthier and work on getting better nutritional habits in general. So, I am hoping to carry that while I am traveling for tournaments.”
These new habits are already playing a major role, as she is currently practicing social distancing in Toledo, Ohio, in preparation for the return of LPGA tournament action on July 31.
Set to compete at the LPGA Drive On Championship, Darquea is looking forward to what she anticipates to be a stress-free season since she knows her card status will be safe heading into the 2021 campaign.
“I think, this year, it is mainly about, hopefully staying healthy while traveling and having some fun. It is a year where we don’t necessarily need to play really well to keep our card because we are safe for an extra year. So, it is a year where I get to pretty much just play the events I feel comfortable traveling to,” Darquea said. “Playing without that added stress, I think, is definitely going to give me some confidence to perform at my highest level and I think it will be very valuable. It is going to be more of a ‘let’s have fun’ attitude, rather than worrying about how many points I need to secure my membership status.”
