By Julliana Bravo
In 2024, Nikki Powers participated in her first competitive golf tournament in five years. To say she was anxious was an understatement. “It was 100% nerve-wracking,” says Powers about the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur qualifier at Green Brook Country Club in North Caldwell, N.J.
As a former college athlete with a competitive drive, Powers wanted to do well. In the back of her mind, she expected to hit the same shots she did in her collegiate days. Instead, she made bogey on the first two holes. It was then that Powers forced herself to calm down. She redirected her priorities and played to enjoy herself. The result? Qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
“I got my itch back … and it was the first time I was playing for myself,” says Powers, who plays out of Aspetuck Valley Country Club in Weston, Conn.
Powers was always an athlete, but it wasn’t until eighth grade that she started to take golf more seriously. Golf was different. As Powers explains it, she had the ability to control her own outcome. That’s what hooked her the most.
Despite her love for golf, the journey – as it is for many – wasn’t always easy. When college recruiting came around, she felt a pressure to compete at her best, knowing coaches were there to see not only her, but also those she was playing against. In early February 2014, she had offers from great schools, but just before signing day, she visited the University of Tulsa. Tulsa was the perfect mixture of great academics and a small student body atmosphere she was looking for. It also had a Midwest feel that reminded her of her Illinois home.
At Tulsa, she got the experience she needed to grow as a golfer, not only improving her scoring, but her mental approach as well. She learned how to handle new pressures, such as juggling a new academic schedule and playing golf at the Division I level.
After receiving an MBA at Tulsa, she landed a position at the PGA of America working in marketing and hospitality, including the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits and the 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco. It was also during her stint with the PGA that she met her husband, Brian, who caddied for her at the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
Powers spent six years with the PGA and is now based in the Met Area as a tournament manager for Excel Sports Management, working events like the Mizuho Americas Open and made-for-tv events such as the Crypto.com Showdown. She understands that the future of golf is ever-changing – she thinks for the better – especially as it gets presented in non-traditional landscapes and formats that give fans a different perspective on the game. Powers finds it encouraging to see the game grow through new eyes and new audiences.
When Powers first picked up that golf club in eighth grade, she did not know golf was going to be such a big aspect of her life and career. But one thing led to another, and she grew to love the opportunities life has presented.