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Email Nicole: njeray@aol.com |
About Nicole Jeray
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Personal Info |
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Name: Nicole Jeray Date of Birth: Oct 11, 1970 City Of Birth: Berwyn, Illinois |
Common Questions |
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How old are you? I am 36 years old, born on Oct 11, 1970 (two days after Annika Sorenstam, you'd think with birthdays so close our golf games would be more similar). Where are you from? I was born and raised in Berwyn, Illinois. Berwyn is a blue-collar town just outside Chicago. Golf is not a common sport in Berwyn, although there is a country club near by. Riverside C.C is a 20 minute bike ride away. I became a caddy there when I was 13 years old. I was practically the only girl in the caddy shack. On Mondays, we actually got to play the golf course. Are you married? I am not married, and I have never been married. I have been seeing the same guy for a while now, Jody Keepers, from Augusta, GA. When I met him he was caddying on the men's tour. Jody caddied for me in a tournament near his home. He was the best caddy I had ever experienced. Eventually he caddied for me again, and very soon after that we were dating. Jody currently caddies on the LPGA, but not for me anymore. Do you have a big family? I have a terrific Mom, an older Brother, and an older Sister. My brother has a girl, Brooke and a set of twin boys, Eric and Elliot. My sister also has set of twins, one boy and one girl, Jack and Julia. It wasn't looking like my Mom was ever going to be a Grandma. Then all of a sudden there were 5 grandkids. When did you start playing golf? I started when I was 11 years old. It was just another sport of the many other sports I played - basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball and football. Yep, I was definitely a "Tom Boy". I wanted to do everything my big brother, Kyle. Do you have a home course? I currently represent Cog Hill, home of the PGA Western Open in Lemont, IL. This is where I play and practice when I am in Chicago. Cog Hill is a public facility owned and operated by Frank Jemsek. Four golf courses and the best practice facility anyone could ever want. When I was 15 years old, I worked at Fresh Meadow G.C. which was also operated by Joe Jemsek. This gave me playing privileges and a discount on range balls. I also could chip and putt as much as my heart desired. I made some money, honed my golf game, hung out with the guys. This is where I matured as an individual and a golfer. In college I worked my summers at Cog Hill and was able to get off for tournaments whenever needed. The Jemsek Family has been so kind to me throughout the years. Where did you go to College? I attended Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, Illinois on a full golf scholarship. Pam Tyska was my coach and she was the greatest coach ever. Other teams were jealous. Pam is still the women's golf coach at NIU. Our team won several times and somehow I won 8 college tournaments during my four years. My major was Finance and I graduated in December 1992. In 2002 I was inducted into the Hall of Fame at NIU. When did you decide you wanted to be a professional golfer? When I was a Junior in College I saw a beautiful dog, golden retriever, at Cog Hill G.C. He happened to belong to George Lucas who was laser-measuring the golf course in preparation to make a yardage book for the PGA Western Open. George and his dog, Corky, saw me hitting balls at the back of the driving range. George, who used to caddie for Arnold Palmer, had been in the golf business a long time. He said he saw something real good in me and ended up convincing me to try to qualify for this LPGA event in a few weeks. He agreed to caddy for me and I agreed to help him with his yardages books for the PGA and LPGA events in Chicago. So we did as planned and on that qualifying Monday George and I shot 68. He told me where to hit it and I did. I never even broke par before this day and my score just qualified me to play in an LPGA tour event. George caddied for me in the LPGA tournament at Oak Brook G.C. I was so nervous, and so green. But, I birdied the first two holes and missed the cut by only one shot. I absolutely loved playing in the LPGA tournament. The crowds, the applause, the media attention - I loved it all. The people inspired me. Everybody I knew came to watch. The whole NIU women's golf team came and were all dressed in uniform. After just one day, actually one hole, I knew that playing on the LPGA is what I wanted to do. Thanks to George Lucas, the official yardage book maker for the PGA and LPGA, I got my start on the LPGA tour. I am very fortunate to have discovered what I truly love to do. How long have you been professional? I turned professional just after I graduated from college. Played the Central Florida Challenge and Futures Tours in 1993. I did very well. Went to the LPGA qualifying school that fall and finished 4th. I had exempt status on the LPGA for 1994. That means I have been a professional golfer for 14 years - Yikes. What was your Rookie year like? It seems like yesterday. I aged 10 years my first year on tour. It was a lot to handle for me, because I had no idea what I was getting into. It was only 2 years ago that I even had a thought about playing professional golf. I did not know what to expect, everything was new, and I did not know one person on the LPGA. My friends from the mini tour did not get their tour card. So I listened to whoever would talk to me, some bad advice, some good advice. Like most rookies, I had to figure it out. I cried at least once a week. Towards the end of the year, I started getting the hang of things and I became much more in touch with my needs. Therefore, I played a lot more like I was supposed to. During the last 7 tournaments, I played the weekend 5 times. I went back to the tour qualifying school with confidence and regained exempt status for 1995. How long are you going to do this? Yep, I've been at it a while, so this is a very common question. I absolutely love playing competitive golf. I love traveling, I love the lifestyle. I also want to win. It is possible. My scoring average gets better every year. I feel better than I have ever felt (see section on Narcolepsy). Until the love stops, I won't either. Who do you admire most? My Mom is the bravest and smartest person I know. She is from Germany and left home when she was 18 to find a better quality of life. After waitressing in England to learn English and save money for the boat ride across the pond, she came to the US. She was 23 when she arrived and worked as a maid to save money for Beauty School. Met my father while she was in school, he helped her study. They married after her graduation. Soon they had three kids, and then suddenly my father got sick and died. My mom raised the three of us by herself. Her bravery and intelligence made us who we are today. My brother is now an orthopaedic surgeon, my sister is a nurse, and I am a professional golfer on the LPGA. My mother amazes me. She finds a way, no matter what the situation is. She jumps and lands on her feet every time. Might wobble a bit, get a few bruises along the way, but always lands on her feet. Who do you admire most in the golf world? In the golf world I most admire Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa, and Julieta Granada. Annika for her work ethic. Lorena for her sincerity and kindness. Julieta for knowing exactly what she wants and going after it without letting others influence her decisions. I also admire Nancy Lopez and Julie Inkster for raising children while being the best women golfers in the world. Of course, all of these women, I admire for their golf skills. What do you like to do when your NOT playing golf?
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