After a decade bouncing between the LPGA and Epson tours (and even retiring briefly in 2019), Maude-Aimee Leblanc recently made the decision to start seeing a sports psychologist.
“I feel like my scores haven’t been as good as my game has felt the last few months, and we are just trying to figure that out,” said the 33-year-old Canadian, who earned her way back to the LPGA this season but hasn’t cracked the top 20 in a tournament since opening the year with two top-10s in three starts.
“The mental part was a big reason for that.”
In recent months, Leblanc has been challenged to read more, specifically books that will help her develop a stronger psyche on the golf course. Her current selection: “Attitude is Everything,” by Jeff Keller.
Change your attitude, and you change your life!
“Just try to change my mindset and just look at everything a little bit more positively,” she explained. “Feels like my game is good. That’s why it was frustrating, and that frustration took over a little too much, so yeah, just been trying to feel more relaxed out here, and again, yeah, look at the positive side.”
Through 54 holes at Dundonald Links, that hasn’t been difficult. Leblanc fired a 6-under 66 Saturday to vault to 14 under, one shot off the Women’s Scottish Open lead shared by Lydia Ko and Celine Boutier.
Full-field scores from the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open
With players going off in threesomes for Sunday’s final round, Leblanc earned herself a spot alongside Ko and Boutier in the final group as she chases what would be her first career LPGA victory.
“In these moments in the past, my adrenaline tends to go up a little bit and it gets harder to control distance, and then everything gets a little more quick, decisions and everything,” Leblanc said. “I think tomorrow is going to be key to notice if that happens and then focus more on my breathing and then try to slow everything down.”
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