Mikaela Parmlid

1.1. Birthplace and Early Years

Mikaela Parmlid was born on September 22, 1980, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Her early education took place at Göteborgs Högre Samskola in Sweden, followed by studies at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States. During her formative years, Parmlid quickly established herself as a formidable talent in junior golf, winning the Swedish High School Championship in 1997. She continued her dominance by becoming the Nordic Junior Champion and the Teen Tour Champion in 1998, showcasing her early potential and dedication to the sport.

1.2. Education

Parmlid pursued her higher education at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1999 to 2003, where she majored in economics. During her time at USC, she was a pivotal member of the USC Trojans women's golf team, balancing her academic responsibilities with a demanding collegiate golf schedule. Her collegiate career was marked by exceptional performance, culminating in significant team and individual accolades that highlighted her athletic and academic prowess.

2.1. Amateur Tournament Achievements

Before turning professional, Mikaela Parmlid achieved notable success in various amateur golf events. She was the low amateur at the Chrysler Open, a LET event, in 1999. Demonstrating consistent performance, she also held the distinction of being the low amateur at the Compaq Open, another LET event, for four consecutive years from 1999 to 2002. In 2002, she won the Peg Barnard Collegiate championship. Her amateur career culminated in 2003 with a historic double victory at the NCAA Championship, where she secured both the individual and team titles while representing the University of Southern California.

2.2. Collegiate Golf Career

As a member of the USC Trojans women's golf team, Parmlid's collegiate career was exceptionally successful. She won a total of five collegiate tournaments. Her crowning achievement came in 2003 when she led her team to the NCAA Championship title, simultaneously claiming the individual championship. Following this remarkable accomplishment, Parmlid and her team received an invitation to the White House, where they met George W. Bush. Her outstanding performance earned her the 2003 Honda Sports Award, recognizing her as the top woman collegiate golfer. In recognition of her significant contributions and achievements in collegiate golf, Parmlid was inducted into the WGCA Players Hall of Fame in 2013.

2.3. National Team Representation

Mikaela Parmlid was an integral part of the Swedish National Golf Team during her amateur years, representing her country in several international competitions. In 2001, she contributed to Sweden's victory at the 2001 European Ladies' Team Championship held in Spain. Two years later, in 2003, she was part of the Swedish team that earned a silver medal at the 2003 European Ladies' Team Championship in Frankfurt, where they narrowly lost the final to Spain with a score of 4.5-2.5. In 2002, she finished 10th individually at the European Ladies Amateur held at Kristianstad Golf Club. That same year, her team placed 8th at the 2002 Espirito Santo Trophy in Malaysia, further solidifying her status as a key player for Sweden.

3.1. LPGA Tour Career

Parmlid turned professional in 2003 and successfully earned her card for the 2004 LPGA Tour through Q-School. She made her first cut in a major championship at the 2006 LPGA Championship, where she opened with an impressive round of 69 and ultimately finished tied for 54th. Her LPGA career best performance was a tie for eighth place at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in 2009. During this tournament, she also recorded a career-low round of 62 (9-under par) in the third round, showcasing her ability to perform at the highest level. She played on the LPGA Tour from 2004 to 2010.

3.2. Ladies European Tour (LET) Career

In 2011, Parmlid joined the Ladies European Tour (LET), where she enjoyed two particularly successful seasons in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, she achieved a runner-up finish at the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open, placing just behind Caroline Hedwall. She also secured a tied third position at the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters and a tied fourth place at the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open in the same year. Despite several strong performances, a win on the LET remained elusive. In 2013, her final season on the tour, she matched her career-best result by finishing as runner-up at the Open de España Femenino, one stroke behind Lee-Anne Pace. Her consistent play led her to finish 12th in the 2013 season rankings, making her the top Swedish player on the tour.

3.3. Swedish Golf Tour

Mikaela Parmlid also achieved success on her home circuit, the Swedish Golf Tour. She won the Gothenburg stop of the tour, the Delsjö Ladies Open, in 2013. Demonstrating her continued prowess, she successfully defended her title at the Delsjö Ladies Open in 2014. Her victories on the Swedish Golf Tour are detailed below:

4.1. LPGA Major Championship Appearances

Parmlid competed in various LPGA major championships throughout her career. Her results are summarized in the table below:

CUT = missed the half-way cut
T = tied

In the 2013 Women's British Open at the Old Course at St Andrews, Parmlid started exceptionally strong, shooting two opening rounds of 69, which placed her in solo 7th position heading into the weekend. However, she ultimately finished tied for 36th due to challenging windy conditions.

4.2. Team Competitions

Parmlid represented Sweden in significant team-based international golf events during both her amateur and professional careers.

As an amateur, she was part of the Swedish team that won the 2001 European Ladies' Team Championship and secured a silver medal at the 2003 European Ladies' Team Championship. She also represented Sweden at the 2002 Espirito Santo Trophy.

In her professional career, Parmlid made a notable return to competition for the 2014 International Crown, despite having retired from full-time touring after the 2013 season. She played in the tournament while six months pregnant. Her team, which included fellow Swedish golfers Anna Nordqvist, Caroline Hedwall, and Pernilla Lindberg, achieved a second-place finish, coming in behind Spain.

5.1. Major Awards and Recognitions

In 2003, Parmlid was awarded the prestigious Honda Sports Award, recognizing her as the top woman collegiate golfer in the United States. The following year, in 2004, she received the PGA of Sweden Future Fund Award, an honor that further highlighted her potential and contributions to Swedish golf. Her collegiate achievements were further celebrated in 2013 when she was inducted into the WGCA Players Hall of Fame, a testament to her lasting impact on women's collegiate golf.