BANDON, OREGON | A term that’s been used more and more in the last few years is “work-life balance.” Work is important to pay the bills, but it’s equally important to pursue hobbies and other things you love to lead a fulfilling life.
For Emilia Doran, golf is both her job and her passion. On Wednesday and Thursday, she played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes in the mornings and covered the championship as an on-course reporter for Golf Channel in the afternoons.
“I told myself that I will never regret it if I do both but I’ll probably always regret not doing one,” Doran said. “So I was like I might as well do both and figure out how to compartmentalize it.”
Doran has put together an impressive amateur career that includes playing on two winning U.S. Curtis Cup teams (2021-2022) and capturing an NCAA Championship with her Wake Forest team in 2023. She’s been with Golf Channel since 2021 and started working as an on-course reporter for PGA Tour Live last year. Despite her many responsibilities, Doran advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur and enjoyed every second of it.
“It felt truly amazing,” Doran said. “Pretty much every single tee you can stand out and see a wonderful view in front of you. My husband, Charlie, and I were just truly feeling grateful on every hole that we get to experience this.”
After finishing her undergrad at Wake Forest in 2021, Doran decided not to pursue a professional golf career. Instead, she took an internship as a sports commentator at Golf Channel. The decision only deepened Doran’s appreciation for the game.
“I feel like deciding not to play professional golf and having that time to sit back and work in golf, I really realized how much I loved the game,” Doran said.
Even after her final season on the Wake Forest team as a grad student in 2023, Doran wanted to continue playing amateur golf while working for Golf Channel. Despite how busy her schedule would be, Doran’s colleagues wouldn’t stand in her way.
“They were really supportive,” Doran said. “They told me, ‘You could do whatever you want but I would encourage you to play as long as you can.’ That’s really been so special.”
Doran certainly wouldn’t have missed this year’s Women’s Amateur, as it was the final year of her exemption from being on the 2022 Curtis Cup team. But it was a hectic journey to get to Bandon Dunes. The week prior, she was in Salt Lake City covering the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship. She made sure to bring her clubs.
“We didn’t go on the air until 4:00 [p.m.], so I got up at 6:30, 7:00 every day and hit balls and practiced,” she said.
Despite arriving at Bandon Dunes the morning of her first round, Doran shot 69-73 (-2) in stroke play to claim the No. 33 seed. She was the only mid-amateur in the field to qualify for match play, which Doran said felt great after she had missed match play last year, losing out in a 20-for-10 playoff to advance.
She finished work last Sunday night, flew to Eugene, Oregon, with her husband and arrived at her hotel after midnight. On Monday morning, they drove more than two hours to Bandon. Doran was the last player in the field to register and teed off in the first round of stroke-play qualifying shortly before 2 p.m.
Going into the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Doran had played in two amateur events this year. She won the Donna Andrews Invitational in Lynchburg, Virginia, and failed to qualify for match play at the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst. Despite not having as many competitive reps as others going into the week, Doran said her game felt good enough.
“I honestly felt like I got probably the best prep I could have,” she said.
Having her husband as her caddie also gave Doran plenty of confidence.
“He really is a calming presence,” Doran said. “He has a lot of confidence in me and my game and he knows my numbers well too. We have a lot of trust in each other and it’s just nice to have someone emotionally supporting you out there.”
Despite arriving at Bandon Dunes the morning of her first round, Doran shot 69-73 (-2) in stroke play to claim the No. 33 seed. She was the only mid-amateur in the field to qualify for match play, which Doran said felt great after she had missed match play last year, losing out in a 20-for-10 playoff to advance.
“To get into match play without any stress was definitely a win,” Doran said.
The only potential issue with making match play: the 3-6 p.m. Pacific Time television window. Still, Doran was determined to do her job as a player and as a reporter. Sure enough, on Wednesday morning she won her round of 64 match against Reagan Zibilski in 20 holes and was right back out there reporting for Golf Channel in the afternoon.
“Obviously you want to be out there competing but from a job perspective it actually helps me because I kind of know what’s going on,” Doran said.
Unfortunately for Doran, the magic didn’t continue in the round of 32 Thursday morning. She lost, 4 and 2, to Arianna Lau, who had defeated co-medalist and defending champion Rianne Malixi in the round of 64. After the match, Doran laughed at the prospect of covering her victorious competitor later that day.
“In 2021 I lost to Brooke Seay in the round of 32 at the Women’s Am and I covered her that afternoon,” Doran said. “I might be covering Arianna and Carolina [Lopez-Chacarra], who was my former teammate [at Wake Forest] this afternoon. I know both of their games really well now.”
Doran covered the round of 16 match between Lau and Lopez-Chacarra Thursday afternoon and interviewed Lau after she prevailed, 5 and 4.
For the next few weeks, Doran has some time off. She plans on going home to North Carolina, relaxing and playing some golf with friends. In September, it’s back to work as a reporter. While she won’t have a lot of time to practice next month, Doran will bring her clubs with her with an eye toward October’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur at California’s Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
“I’m going to try and be as prepared as I can going into the Mid-Am,” she said.