Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) - Part 2 (The 1985 Women's U.S. Open)

In this second installment of our three-part conversation with 1985 U.S. Women’s Open champion Kathy Guadagnino (Baker), we journey deep into the most defining moment of her golf career—and the faith that carried her through it.

Kathy recounts the pivotal decision to pursue professional golf, guided by a strong spiritual calling and a leap of faith at LPGA Q-School. Listeners will be drawn into the tension and triumph of that qualifying experience, where she tied for low honors alongside Juli Inkster. Her vivid storytelling brings to life the unique pressures of playing for your future, and the fierce internal battles that often define great performances.

The heart of the episode is Kathy’s inspiring and emotional retelling of her 1985 U.S. Open win at Baltusrol. From a quiet moment listening to a cassette tape that seemed to foreshadow something bigger, to the surreal vision during a Tuesday practice round, Kathy shares how her faith and focus shaped the outcome. With candor and warmth, she reveals the tension of the final round, her strategic mindset, and how birdies and bogeys mixed with divine nudges and personal resolve led her to a career-defining victory.

Beyond the ropes, Kathy opens up about life on tour as a mother, balancing professional competition with raising children, including playing while pregnant and pushing for better accommodations for moms on tour.

This episode is more than a recap of a great golf win—it’s a heartfelt look at purpose, resilience, and a deep belief that golf was just one part of a greater plan.

Join us for an unforgettable conversation with one of the game’s most grounded and gracious champions.

Transcript

Mike Gonzalez 0:15

I guess we'd probably be interested in hearing about that decision process to play this game for a living. Was that uh something you'd known for quite a while, or was it uh something that came later in your college career?

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 0:28

Like I said, turning point for me was probably my junior year when I kind of had that little conversation with the Lord. I really felt like that was the direction we were going. And so I made the changes, and then um I had finished four years of college. I was still a semester short, like 18 hours short. Uh, and so I was kind of at a crossroads because it was um we had the um qualifier, which was in August of that summer, and so it was kind of a question do I do that? Do I do that qualifier? Because the next qualifier wasn't for for another year. So um I remember meeting with one of my counselors in college and she was really, really good. And she just said, you know, Kath, you have an opportunity that doesn't come every day. School will always be here for you, but those opportunities may not be. And so I went to the qualifying school. Remember, uh Julie Inster was there because she had missed the first qualifying school, so she was pretty nervous. It was it was a tough event because we had, I think, 122 players going for 12 spots. So it was it was pretty, you just and I remember your first thing. Um I remember sitting on the the uh in front of the clubhouse on the the hill that was there, sitting next to Julie, and we had just made the cut, and we were just talking, she goes, I'm just really thankful I made the cut this time, you know. And so as it as it would turn out, um she had uh both of us tied for low on that qualifying school. So that was that was pretty cool. But these, you know what, when you think of the amount of um pressure that's on you in these events, it it you know, unless you're just completely oblivious to your surroundings, which I have to admit, that was me a lot of times. So that was probably one of my strengths. Or, you know, you had to be really disciplined in your focus and your mind just to let stuff go. And um, even for me, that last day, I remember in a uh teammate of mine was was catting for me, it was Jody Anschutz, and I was nervous, and I knew I was, and I was trying to get get rid of the shakes and everything else, and uh, and there was a moment where I think I had had a couple three putts, stupid stuff, and I I just kind of internalized and I I remember I looked at Jody, I said, Enough of this. I said, I'm birding birdieing uh eight and nine, and we're gonna finish this out and get this done. And she goes, You do it, Kate. That's what you used to call my Kate. She said, You do it. I was like, Okay, so then I I birdie eight, I birdie nine, I'm sitting over maybe a two-footer for birdie on 10, and I'll never forget. It was like almost, you know, you like you see the little angel and the devil sitting on your shoulder, and I hear this whisper, you only said two birdies. And I was like, golly, shut up. And I made the birdie, and then it was like I was focused after that point. But I I'm sure you guys can relate for these things. You get these moments when you're out there playing, and it's like fight or flight kind of thing, and it's like, no, we're gonna get this done. And actually, who was it? I was at a I think it was doing a pro-am or something with Tom Lehman. And I remember um he said something that really stuck with me, that really helped me after the fact, but was that you know, he used to go out there and he would play three hole matches with himself, where he figured if he could be one under for every three holes he played, you know, by the end of the round, he'd be, you know, six under. But within your mind, what you were doing, okay, I'm just gonna par or set your mark if it's gonna be a par or one under for these three holes. And then once they were done, they were done. And you remove them out of your mind. Okay, now we're gonna do these next three. And it was a really good way to help kind of diffuse a lot of that pressure comes in. It kind of just kind of distracted you just enough. You were still in the game, but not in the way you would think. And I I know that really worked out well for me because there were several times after that that I was able to use that and just say, okay, because you can tell when those nerves are getting the best of you, and you've got to reel it in real quick, or else it's not gonna end well.

Mike Gonzalez 5:07

Well, to hear each, you know, all of you, men and women, describe the process of going through a tour qualifying school almost to a person, they all say, That was the worst in terms of pressure.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

That was the absolute worst.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 5:21

It was. And you know, it's funny because you're you're in hindsight, I can look back and I can kind of see what was happening. And in and in my life, I felt like God really orchestrated a lot of the events that took place. But when you're in the moment, you really don't know. And so as I looked at that, it's kind of like we had that, and I still didn't know how far this was gonna go. Again, I was gonna play golf for God. I was gonna see how far this was gonna go, and now I'm qualified on tour. Okay, so now we go on tour. I'm there the first year. I I had some you know decent events, and then the second year I uh come in, and obviously that's that's when I won the open, and I it just it was amazing to me to um just see how God had prepared me for that particular event. It I had another point I was gonna make, but as you know, when we get older, it kind of'll come back to me. Yeah, but there was a purpose for that little rap trail.

Mike Gonzalez 6:26

That's never, that's never ever happened. No senior moments have ever occurred on this show.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 6:34

Just being honest.

Mike Gonzalez 6:35

No, like I just it takes me back to uh one of the earliest interviews Bruce and I did with with Dave Stockton. I I remember Bruce, you know, he he every once in a while he'll signal me, you know, when he wants to jump in with something common or question or whatever. He had signaled me, and so I Dave was talking, and when Dave gets done, I said, Bruce, you had something Dave just laughed. He said, I knew I was gonna love this show. Well, a lot of fun it happens.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 7:08

Uh but it does happen.

Mike Gonzalez 7:10

So that journey from sort of qualifying in '83 to getting on the on the victory podium in '85, which we'll talk about. Take us through that journey. There were there doubts as you as you kind of went from week to week across those year and a half or so.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 7:25

Um, I just wasn't sure where it was gonna go. And again, it wasn't my first love, if I can say that. And I'm wrestling a little bit with God. Okay, we're doing this. Um, what what's the purpose? I really wanted to know what the purpose was. I really felt like opportunities were given when when we won different things, opportunity to glorify God. That was that was really my purpose in life. So for me, I'm trying to figure, well, how is this gonna fit into that? And to what extent is the golf of game part of that? And the what I just say, the golf of game, the game of golf, golly.

Mike Gonzalez 8:03

We can edit that. That's fine.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 8:06

We can edit that, but you know, so I'm looking at this and I come into um the US Open, and actually two weeks before that, I'm at my I'm at my dad's just doing some stuff in my room, and I I listening to this video, uh, not a video, we didn't have really have that then. Um it was the cassette tape, and it was Morris Chapman, it was a Christian singer, and he and there was a of uh just this lyric in the song that stuck with me that just seemed to kind of pop out of nowhere. And it said, God is about to do his greatest work in you. And for some reason that hit me like boom, and it was like, wow, it just felt like as if God had said that just straight to me. And I'm like, okay. Two weeks later, I'm flying into um uh to the open at Baltasar. There were all kinds of delays, so much stuff was going on in my life at that point in time, and I'm like, I remember telling my Scott, uh, my caddy, Scotty Thompson, I said, you know, something good's gonna happen this week because I feel like everything is happening to me. You know, it's almost like trying to not make something happen. And I'm playing in a practice round on Tuesday at Baltas Roll, and I literally see it. I see I've just won the tournament. I heard what I said, it was just the craziest thing. And I'm I it was like, you know, I don't want to say a vision, but it was clear. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I haven't even started this tournament. I'm already having visions of grandeur, and it just was so uncharacteristic of me. It's not it's not the type of person I am. Go on, I'm doing well in the tournament. Uh, we get to Saturday. Um, I now have a one-stroke lead going into Sunday. And I remember that night, I was just praying. I said, God, you know, it really doesn't matter to me. My my I just want you to be glorified, and whoever's gonna do that the best for you tomorrow, that's what I want to see happen. And that honestly was my prayer. And all of a sudden, he reminds me of what I said two years prior at Cedar Ridge Country Club when I just out of the blue said, you know, I'm gonna win the US Open. And there was this just oh my gosh, and this sense of destiny. And I remember my next prayer was don't let me mess this up. I was like, oh my gosh. I don't know if it helped or if it hurt in the moment because now I was really nervous. And going into because we didn't tee off till like 2:30 in the afternoon, I think it was. And so, and I had I had to be in Boston the next day, so so I'm getting everything ready that morning. I went to church that morning, I did all kinds of stuff, and what I didn't count on was all the traffic getting into the tournament. I almost missed my tea time because I'm trying to get through this traffic to get to the golf course. Uh, my caddy, he was the only one standing on the practice range, like going, like checking his watch. And I had 20 minutes to get ready. And I threw my shoes on real quick. It was probably a God Zend looking back on it because I didn't have time to think about it. Yeah. He had a couple off the tea, okay. We're we're off, we're gone. And um, and I really didn't know what was happening on because we uh there were the first um scoreboard you would see wasn't till number seven. So, you know, those first six holes were kind of quiet. And once I got on uh I think it was on the sixth screen, that's when I could see where it was pretty much just Judy and I at that point, and I was playing with Judy. So, and as it would work out, that was a that was a blessing too, because Nancy was the favorite for that week. And if she won that, that gave her an automatic birth into the the hall of fame. So there was a lot of attention there, and a lot of the crowds went there, which was just fine by me. Just you guys go on up there, I'll just do my work back here, you know, because Judy and I were in the last group.

Mike Gonzalez 12:30

But yeah, um just remind our our listeners we're talking about the 1985 Women's U.S. Open at Baltasar Golf Club. You're playing the upper course. Uh Bruce, I'm sure you played this venue before in the men's open. Yeah, it's a great place. Wonderful golf course, really. Yeah, yeah. And uh, you know, leading up to that final round, uh uh just take us back to the beginning of the week. Uh I mean you you talked about your vision, but did you really see this coming in terms of how you were playing coming into the week?

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 13:02

No, and that was always one of my frustrations, uh if I could say it that way, with you know, because I would have these moments of brilliance, if you will, and then I was back down in the pack again. It was like whoop, and then back down again, and whoop, and back down again. And I'm like, okay, a little consistency here, please, you know. And um, it just so that dynamic was always something that I had difficulty trying to figure out what was that. I understand that more now, but at the time I didn't understand that. So we go through Tuesday, Wednesday, another practice round, Thursday. I and I think I blew I 70. I think I was two under or two under 70. Yeah, 70, and so sort of, you know, up front, but I mean with plenty of people around. And then the second day I shot 72. And so I'm still in the pack, but you know, not up front. But what was funny was I was getting interviewed each day. So they bring you into the press room, and you're getting interviewed, and uh, you gotta know I'm a brand new believer in the Lord, and I know I've been given this mission from God, and you know this is the reason why I'm even in this position. So it it became comical because it didn't matter what they would ask, I would always bring it back to the Lord, and I could see a little bit of this frustration happening, but that's where I was. I knew I knew there was a reason anytime you were given a platform, I wasn't taking the credit. That was all going to him, and I knew that. So, anyway, then we go to um the third day, and uh I have the I believe it was 68. Yeah, 68, yeah. And that was that was a mover day. Um, and then I got really nervous after that because now I know you know I'm leading the tournament. Um, it's just the that kind of pressure, there's there's nothing like it. And um the battle is really within yourself, but you have to somehow work through all those emotions. Then I go into Sunday and I already told you about my start there, so it was pretty crazy. But you know what? I the one thing I'm grateful for is I did have this ability to focus. So once I got inside those ropes, I mean, I'd walk past my mom sometimes and not even see her because I was so focused on, and I knew one shot at a time, one shot at a time, and I wouldn't think what I just did or what I needed to do on my next shot. It was one shot at a time. And if I could say if anything, that was probably my strongest uh trait through that last round was I really would not allow myself to get flustered. And the only time I that got broken, if I can say it that way, was I was walking from the ninth green to the 10th T. We have you know ropes, you're walking through the ropes, but there are people all lined up through there. And uh a young kid, probably 12 years old, just broke the line, got right in front of me, and put his his something in front of my face that he wanted me to sign. And I remember it, it, you know, it kind of like really shocked me. And I just as politely as I could, I said, catch me after the round. I said, please, not right now. And I get up and I remember in that moment I was unsettled, and um, I ended up boguing the let next hole, which was 10. And I was like, okay, get yourself back, get yourself back in the groove. And thankfully, then I bogue uh birdied 11. Yeah, yeah. Then I and and I tell you what, um, a shout out to Judy. She kept things close. And um we get to 12. She makes this uh great up and down. She made some incredible up and downs out of the bunkers to keep it, keep herself in the game. I mean, it was like you were thinking you were starting to pull ahead, and then she'd come off with this incredible shot. And I'm like, holy mackerel, y'all didn't do that. And um, I mean, we are in the US Open, but still that was pretty incredible, you know. And um, and then I think we got to 13, 13, that was my turn to hit it in the bunker and manage to get up and down. And then 14, I remember this this hole was giving me trouble all week. And was it in the back of my mind? Yeah, I'd have to say it was. Um, but it was an elevated fairway, and there was this nasty little bunker that was probably, I want to say maybe 180 yards out or so, that the flight of my ball tend to be more low. And I think I was in the back of my mind, I was aware of that, and I probably just gave it a little extra, and you know, when you get a little tight, club comes up, and it just almost did a beeline for that bunker, and I'm like, oh. So then I hit out and um, you know, and still honestly had a chance for for par there. Um, but I wasn't gonna get too cute with the putt because I um I put it within like a sand wedge range, hit the uh shot up there. I think it was about eight feet or so above the cup. So these greens were slick. Like, you know, I want to make this, but I don't want to be looking at a five-footer coming back. So, and I could, you know, even as I've seen the video of it, I can tell I was tentative on that one. And uh, so then we go to uh 16 or 15, 15, 15, and I I believe I'm trying to remember. I think Judy made a um did she make a birdie or she made it, no, she made an incredible uh par out of the bunker again, but I birdied, so now I am, I think, uh still I'm I went back. I think I'm uh a stroke ahead again, and then we go into 16. 16 is where the uh it kind of changed dramatically. It was a good par four. They put the pin in this impossible position, it had this swale right in front of the pin, and you maybe had four or five feet if that passed this swale. Well, what made it difficult is anything that hit in that swale would come back off the front of the green. And so it really made going after that pin uh just you shouldn't do it. And so in my mind, I am playing for the left center of the green, okay? Yeah, however, a little butter cut and it's looking back on the telecast, it's so funny, you know, because I'm listening to the guys. Oh, now if I were Kathy, I'd be getting, you know, wouldn't you play with that grain and yep, check, check, check until you swing. And then my I caught it thin, and that was the saving graze. It landed in that swale and popped up. And I'm like three feet for Birdie, and then you're I'm listening to them, and they're going, Can you believe she went after the pin? And I'm like, No, I didn't go after it, and that's just where it went. And then I'm watching Judy, and Judy hits a beautiful shot, a well-struck shot, and that was the problem. She caught just below the top of that ridge, and it sucked right back. And I birdied, she bogeied. So now I'm I'm like four strokes ahead. And then we go into 17. 17, she almost eagles, par five, and I part it, and then so I'm three strokes um into coming into 18. At that point, you know, you're just trying to hit the fairway, hit the green, two putts, and I'll never forget that that day I was in such this of a mode of one shot at a time that we're on the 18th grain. I've got maybe um four-footer, three-footer for par left. And my caddy comes up next to me and goes, Well, this kind of changes the plans for he was already thinking about tomorrow and the next day. Boston, yeah. And I and I remember I went, Scotty, there's still work to do. Talk to me about that later because I had purposed. This is not over until that last putt drops. And um, that's kind of a little bit of the mindset that was going on there. And then, as it would be, I knew exactly what to say when I I was, you know, uh getting the trophy and all that because I'd already heard it. It was just, it was an amazing God moment, if I can say anything. And then when I went into the press room afterwards, you know, we were doing the um uh answering all the questions. And then I can't remember who the moderator was. If you told me his name, I would remember. But he goes, Well, Kath, if it's okay with you, we're going to put your name on the trophy and not God's. You know, because I I mean, it was, I knew that was the whole reason of why I was given that platform. And I'm grateful for that. Um, there's just of all the ones, you're gonna win. If you're gonna win, you know, that's the one. And you know, it's just it's pretty amazing, pretty amazing experience. It's hard to believe that that was like 40 years ago. I was thinking about that today.

Mike Gonzalez 22:37

This year. This year.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 22:40

Yep, yep. But you know, it's amazing. I can still remember it.

Mike Gonzalez 22:43

Yeah, you you you you mentioned Judy several times, of course, for our listeners. That was Judy Clark Dickinson. And of course, Bruce, you knew Gardner.

Lee Trevino 22:51

Very much so, yeah.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 22:53

Yep. Yeah, I mean, we watched the twin boys out there a lot, you know. We Judy was also in the mom's club, if you will. We had a whole group of us that um were having kids out there, and uh the the funny part was some of the uh when you're pregnant, you you need more than one Portigon out there. So you have to and I remember us moms getting together and saying, okay, this is just not working, because there were about eight of us pregnant at one time. We said, we need more of these out there, just telling you it had it's or else we're gonna have some accidents out there.

Mike Gonzalez 23:29

Yeah, we could do a whole episode on the mom experience on tour, right? With the the the uh finally getting around to daycare and some of the other you know the help that you really need to to make that all work.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 23:44

Yes. It well, there was no off time. So, you know, I have three kids. My uh first one, Nikki, who you met. Yeah, Nikki traveled with me quite a bit. Um uh, and they were just starting to have a daycare. Uh actually, I started with a nanny at first that would come out with me and watch her while I was, you know, out on tour. But it's kind of like how many hats can you wear? You know, you had to put your golf hat on. Okay, now I gotta put my mom hat back on, and trying to uh take care of her through the night and then yet be fresh the next morning to try to, you know, play a round of golf. Yeah, it definitely presented its challenges. Um I play and being playing pregnant is is a whole other ordeal. I mean, I was playing in, I want to say it was it Atlantic City, and I was pregnant with Nikki. I was like seven and a half months pregnant with her, and it was and I was doing well in the tournament. And I remember that, and the Sunday was Mother's Day of all days, so it was just kind of funny how some of those moments come back. But yeah, there's uh the whole moms thing definitely adds a because I used to say, Listen, the guys have one, and the guy and they got the moms out there. I said, you know, I said, but we need, you know. Yeah, so anyway, but they they did start to take care of us, and and that part was really cool. I always I tease Nikki all the time. I said, Oh, you've been there, you've been there. Of course, she was a year old. Oh, yeah, you were there, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 25:16

Well, you know, going back to that 85 uh U.S. Open win at Baltasar, at the time, uh you would have been the tenth player to date to have made the U.S. Open your first victory. That's kind of a cool way to break through.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 25:31

It you know what? It again, and if I could say this, I was 24. I you you just don't know what you're doing.

Mike Gonzalez 25:38

Yeah, um you're oblivious.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 25:40

You you really are, you don't understand the ramifications of what happened, and yet I'll tell you, the next day, remember I was traveling because I had to go to, I think it was a Boston event after that. And I remember sitting there because again, up to this point, I'm not sure what God's doing with golf. Okay, but now I I remember sitting there and I went, okay, God, this is great. I've just won the US Open. What have you just done with my life? Because I knew, I think in the back of my mind, I always felt like I was missing out on something else, that there was something else that I was supposed to do. And now with my newfound faith, I'm like trying to reconcile these two things. And I'm kind of like, oh my gosh, this I'm now exempt for seven years on tour. Um, there was it was obvious there were things, and I had one other victory, which was two years later, which was at the Kanaka San Jose Classic. Right. And even that was kind of a godsend because I wasn't going to go out. It was the last tournament on the season. I was home the week before. I hadn't been playing well, and you're dealing with the press, you know, what when you know, it's kind of like, what have you done for me lately? kind of thing, and what's wrong with your game? And there's nothing wrong with my game. This is just the game of golf. If you do your research, you know, golf has its ups and its downs, and it the whole time you're trying to keep yourself in a good state of mind. But I was uh, I just had this thing about you know, finish out the year. What you start, you finish. So finish out the year. And I was wasn't putting well, so I remember now if I have a slot line putter, blade putter, okay? And my husband goes, Yeah, I don't like the way you're putting, you need to switch putters. So before this last turn, he goes, Here, take this one. I had a ping pal six. You know what those look like, right?

Lee Trevino 27:41

Oh my god.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 27:42

I said, What the heck? Why not? And it was it was more of a um Bermuda. I don't think it was bent there. It was more of a Bermuda grass that they had. And so I go out there and just was in a crazy week. And I was kind of in the pack, but not, you know, up in the front until I birdied five out of the first six holes. And then I was like, okay, now we're in the thick of it. And it was just a really funny round when I think of all the different things that took place. Um, Kathy Hanlon was my closest competitor there, and she was in the group right behind me. And Kathy and I go back to amateur days where she would always clean my clock in amateur days. And so there was this little, you know, you have these little rivalries that are going on that I knew existed on my end. And at that tournament, she had said something too. She goes, I used to beat her all the time in amateur, but you know, I think I would have wanted this one better, you know. But I ended up winning there, and um, it was funny because I my husband wasn't out there, and I'm married at this point, so you know, this is he's getting his name and lights kind of thing. Yeah, and uh so we would do this thing where I would say, Um, uh, he goes, Okay, so what'd you do on the first hole? I said, Oh, it started good. I had a birdie on the first hole. He goes, Oh, good. What'd you do on the second hole? Um, yeah, I had another birdie. Goes, really. He goes, Okay, what'd you do on the third hole? I was yeah, it was a birdie. He goes, Really? Great start. How how about the fourth hole? And I go, um, I think I birdied the fourth hole, then I bogeied the fifth hole, and then I birdied the sixth hole. So we're going through hole by hole. And finally, he's like, Well, gosh, he said, What did you shoot now? Well, that was a that was 500. You shot 67, right? And I go, yeah. He goes, Well, where'd that put you? I said, I won. And he's like, You are such a stinker. But you know, it was a fun thing, but it was just random, you know, and that's what was crazy. You can only do what you can do in the game, and sometimes things fall your way and sometimes they don't. And what I've discovered in between, it just seems like he's working on your character in the midst. Yeah, and you know, you just gotta keep plugging and um develop that internal fortitude that when the time is right, those opportunities come and that you're prepared for them. And you know, when I look back, that's kind of how I view all that.

Mike Gonzalez 30:24

Yeah, well, we're talking about the 1988 Kanaka San Jose Classic. This was an Almaden Golf and Country Club, a win by one over Kathy Marino. We've talked about Almudan a lot on the show, but I have to ask you this walking off that 18th green, round four, you're a winner. You must have thought, you know, I'm just gonna keep doing this.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

What was bad about that one? It was the end of the season.

Mike Gonzalez 30:53

That's what was I you want to carry that momentum right into the following week, right?

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 30:59

Because I remember after I won the open, I was top 10 in the Boston. I finished out the year really well because you know, it's like now it does something different. You get to that, and all of a sudden, for whatever reason, some of those doubts or those things that hold you back, it's like you just and you just keep playing. And that was the most difficult part about that win was now we're off for three months, you know. And I had a couple little events, but that was crazy. That yeah, but it was still, I always I you know, I always say I won one under Baker and one under Guadanino, so we we got it covered.

Mike Gonzalez 31:36

Yeah. Yeah, so you're you know, back to that uh U.S. Open win. I don't know. Have you been to Far Hills, New Jersey to see Kathy Baker's name on that winner's board for the 1985 Women's U.S. Open?

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 31:50

You know what happened a couple years ago? I was uh coaching. I I coached at uh Florida Atlantic University here for a couple of years from I think 2014 to 2018. I was doing some recruiting, um, and I think it maybe the U.S. junior was up in the area, and I brought my son with me, and I was like, what do you think? Should we go? Because I had not been back to Baltasar since that win. And I think the PGA was being played 10 days later that that during this time, so that's when this was. So there was a lot of work going on, but I called called up there and I was like, is there any chance I could come by? And I just kind of want to, you know, show my my son about the tournament and everything. And so it was so gracious. He uh gave me a cart and he said, just have fun. So I went hole by hole and told my son, okay, I was here, I was here, and it was over here that I ran into my dad, it was over here that I and it was just it was really, really cool and brought back a lot of memories. Of course, it doesn't look the same when it doesn't have all the ropes and all of that, it's very different. And they've changed the first couple of holes a little bit because I seem to remember those fairways being much more sloped because I had to play almost in the right rough to get it to stay in the fairway because of the severe slope. But um it was it was wonderful, it was wonderful, and then I walked through the um the clubhouse, and they have the one trophy room where they have all the trophies there, and there was a um, there was a I guess down in the grill or something, I walked into a uh it was a painting of me. I mean, a very large painting, and I was I had never seen it. Never I've never seen it. I was like, holy mackerel. And my son was taking a picture of it. I mean, it's right up on the wall over here. I don't I don't know if you can see it. I don't know if I want to mess with this, but uh I got a uh somebody sent me a video. I'm gonna show it. Is it okay if I move it?

Mike Gonzalez 34:02

Oh, that's fine, yeah, yeah.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 34:03

Okay, so let's take this and let me see if I can show it to you. Do you see that?

Mike Gonzalez 34:08

Oh, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 34:10

It showed up in the mail. Uh, and they um, I guess there's another one of those hanging in the um at the clubhouse there. And it was it was so neat because they uh just uh it wasn't expected, and it was a nice little note, and he just basically said, This is um, I do this for all the winners. And so that's been up there ever since. So it's it was pretty cool.

Mike Gonzalez 34:38

Well, if you have if you have an electronic image of that or you can take a photo of it, you know, that might be something we'd we'd use for episode art for one of your episodes here.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 34:47

Okay, yeah, I can do that. I can do that.

Mike Gonzalez 34:51

So you went at you went at the Kanika, end of the season 1988, but you still played for several more years, so kind of just bridge the gap from from that last win to uh your decision to sort of hang it up to as far as playing professional golf.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 35:06

Definitely. Um, we had uh in 1990 was the arrival of Nikki, who we all met. Um I'll never forget because I got married in '87. Um and we always knew we wanted to have a family. And I, as best case scenario, you're trying. And but we had a certain window because I didn't want to mess up the season that much. So I'll never forget we're trying. And um, yeah, I know I thought what it was all about. It's about uh for five months, and I'm like, okay, well, we you're cut off now because we got the season to plan for. And I'm going over to Japan and played an event there, and um I noticed I was late, if I can say it that way. And I'm like, no.

Mike Gonzalez 36:02

And it wasn't for your tea time, yeah.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 36:05

And um like, yeah, uh, I started to realize that there was a possibility I was pregnant, and so we're flying back, and I remember um, and I had just I met with because I was with IMG, so I had met with Jay Burton, who was my manager at the time, and we were, you know, planning out the next year. So I had done all of this, and then I find out I was pregnant, and then when we figured out what the due date was, I remember my husband says, Oh, it's right during the US Open. And sure enough, Nikki was born on July 15th that year, which was the Sunday of the US Open. So he called in to let them know that she had been born. So she was so it's only appropriate that she happened to stop in here today because that it was just it was kind of cool. So kids start showing up, and I had Nikki and traveled pretty much with her, and then uh had Megan. Megan, um we had figured out the timing a lot better because the next month I was I was up in Atlantic City getting sick after having dinner, and um my husband said when I was talking to him, Joe goes, he goes, Yeah, I had a feeling you were pregnant, and sure enough, then I had uh um Megan and uh who I called really my miracle child because I was playing in an event up in uh I believe it was up in Washington DC, and I thought I had a miscarriage. And I had I had played my pro-am round and had taken a nap that afternoon, and I I ended up having to go to the hospital, and I thought I thought I had miscarried. So uh, but an ultrasound had proven otherwise, and I saw her, and she was about the size of my pinky fingernail, heart beating, everything else. And I remember I went back and crazy things, and um, I can only share the experience that I had, but I was, you know, you're you're very concerned about it. I was in my hotel room, I was flying back. I had withdrawn from the tournament, was flying back the next day, and I'm in the hotel room praying, and um I was going to bed, and all I can tell you is I'm pulling the sheets up, and it's like this shaft of light came through the sheet. And I don't know how to explain this, it was just like a shaft of light. The only way I could best describe it was like if you're in a hotel room and there's a sliver in the curtains that are being drawn, and a car pulls in, and you'll see this shaft of light come through your room. That's what it was like, but it came from up top and down. And I was like, I I pull the sheets down, I go, Well, that was really weird. And I and then I look over at the window, which was to my right, and it wasn't the type of window that had curtains that came this way, it was just one big curtain, and I'm like, How the heck did so you know I it was just kind of a passing thought. I pull the sheets up again, it happens again, and I'm like, okay, this is getting really weird. And I I pull the sheets down and I watched that room for probably five minutes to figure out what's going on here. And I'm looking around the room, and I finally I pull the sheets up again, it happened a third time, and can I tell you all bleeding stopped after that? And I take it as a miracle. I and I always tell her, I said, God wanted you around for a reason because I almost lost you. And I felt like that was somehow there was some divine intervention there because it was so you know, and when you talk about the things that you're battling out on tour, certain things come before golf. Yeah, believe it or not, there are certain things that come before golf. Absolutely. God was one of them, and my family was another. And you know, I took a couple weeks off just to make sure everything was okay. And I have my lovely second daughter who just gave me my second granddaughter from her.

Mike Gonzalez 40:18

Emmy, we'll get Emmy into the program.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 40:21

So, which is an amazing experience. You know, I've said of all the experiences I've had, there's nothing better than the birth of your children, and um, and then as a grandmother watching the birth of my grandkids, um, it's just such a miracle. I I mean you gotta believe in God when you watch that. It's just amazing, amazing.

Mike Gonzalez 40:44

Let the record show that uh Kathy had grandchild number six two days ago. Yeah, little little Emmy came a little late, but uh Yeah, a week late.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 40:54

Holy mackerel. I said I was on I was on call for like three weeks on that one.

Mike Gonzalez 40:59

Yeah.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 41:00

And uh any motion, any motion, you know.

Mike Gonzalez 41:03

And then and then son Joey still came while you were playing, right?

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 41:07

Yep, yep. I was I brought actually I brought um what we ended up doing is because you know, in the game, you you want to kind of develop some sort of momentum. So, but I didn't want to be away from the family either. So what would happen? I would take one of the girls out with me when I just had the two. I would take one of the girls out with me. Joe would come out the second week with the other girl. We would be together for that week, he would take the other, and so we were swapping. So it it worked for a while because that way I was never away from anyone more than a week at a time. And then Joey came along, and Joey was a little bit tougher because now, you know, yeah, they say when you have two hands, you got it, but that third one gets it, just got really crazy. Plus, the girls were starting in in uh preschool and stuff, and so the girls would often stay home. I'd have Joey with me, and it was it was just a different deal. And I think where I realized it was probably time, and it was hard. You'd go to the to the um airport, everybody's crying. I mean, my heart was home at that point, and and you want to be true to what you're doing. I would do my best to stay in the moment when I was out there, but it's just different when you have kids and family and all of that. And I had been off tour for I think five months. Was this with Joey, possibly? I think it may have been. He was born in 90. No, he was born in 95, so I played a couple more years after that. But I had uh gone to, I was playing a little bit less of a schedule. I think I was only playing about 10 to 12 events. Gone, I went to the Sara League Classic, which was in Nashville, and it was my first tournament out after five months, played 72, 18 pars in a row, not bad for my first showing. And Annika Sorenstam shot 61 that day.

Lee Trevino 43:07

Amazing.

Kathy Guadagnino (Baker) 43:07

And I was 11 shots behind after the first day. And I'm like, What's going on? Okay, the writing is on the wall here, you know. And if everything I want is back home, you know, what and so I finished out uh the year, um, and I think it was probably around I'm trying to remember my last, I always say I played about, it was about the year 2000 that I said, okay, it's kind of, you know, and my husband and I started our church, Solid Rock Christian Church, down here in Boca in '97. So it started, and that's when I started to do more teaching. Um, I was a teaching pro at Boca Point Country Club for a number of years, did some high school uh coaching as well, and then most recently did the coaching at uh Florida Atlantic University. But I'm I'm now pretty much. You know, helping my husband full time at the church, which in a roundabout way, God got me to where I I always thought I was supposed to be back in my twenties, and yet he accomplished so much more with his plan than he ever would with mine.

Mike Gonzalez 44:15

Thank you for listening to another episode of For the Good of the Game. And please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify, if you like what you hear, please subscribe, spread the word, and tell your friends until we tee it up again for the good of the game. So long, everybody.

Lee Trevino 44:36

Whack down the fairway. It went smack down the fairway. Then it started to slice just smidge offline. It headed for two, but it bounced off nine. My caddy says long as you're still in the state, you're okay. Yes, it went straight down the middle, quite away.