From Stepping Away to Stepping Back In: A Pro Golf Return Story
Credit: Imago
Credit: Imago
Three-time LPGA Tour winner Austin Ernst is back at the Tournament of Champions.
Ernst is returning to the LPGA approximately 2.5 years after stepping away. In the time since her last appearance, she built a life away from full-time golf, working a job, becoming a mother, and completing her college degree.
Austin Ernst stepped away from full-time LPGA competition in June 2023 after a bone spur in her neck led to nerve pain that made it difficult for her to keep playing.
The issue first showed up at the 2022 Lotte Championship in Hawaii. She completed the opening round without any trouble, but later that night, she felt nerve pain in her right shoulder.
The discomfort worsened overnight, and she eventually withdrew from the event. Doctors later diagnosed the problem as a bone spur, which also caught Ernst off guard.
"I didn’t think people under 60 got bone spurs. They can’t really tell me why it happened," Ernst told Golfweek.
Solheim Cup Austin Ernst of Team USA hits from the 9th tee during the Solheim Cup at Inverness Club, in Toledo, Ohio, USA, on Sunday, September 5, 2021. Toledo Solheim Cup United States lemus-solheimc210905_np44W PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xAmyxLemusx
Solheim Cup Austin Ernst of Team USA hits from the 9th tee during the Solheim Cup at Inverness Club, in Toledo, Ohio, USA, on Sunday, September 5, 2021. Toledo Solheim Cup United States lemus-solheimc210905_np44W PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xAmyxLemusx
Still, the drive to compete never left Ernst. During her 2.5-year break, Ernst worked as an assistant coach at Texas A&M and welcomed her son, Charlie, in December 2023.
She later finished her sports commerce degree online from Louisiana State University in December 2025.
Now, after years away from the demands of full-time professional golf, 33-year-old Ernst is set to return on a part-time basis.
Austin Ernst’s Plans for the 2026 Pro Golf Season
“I’m still competitive enough that I’d like to try to win tournaments,” Ernst told Golfweek.
Austin Ernst will return to competition this month at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Ernst is aiming to play about 10 events, depending on her health and family schedule. She is already set to play at least two majors, the Chevron Championship and the Evian Championship.
She also expects to travel with her son, Charlie, to events she can reach by car, focusing on tournaments that are easier to manage from her home in Richmond, Virginia.
"Fields are deeper than when I was playing, but I still believe in my ability," Austin Ersnt added. So it's only a matter of time before fans witness if the American golfer makes a triumphant return.
Written by
Aditi Singh
Edited by
Sagnik Bagchi