Sophia Popov couldn’t help but burst into tears once she became the 2020 AIG Women’s Open Champion on Sunday. The title marks the first major victory in the 27-year-old’s golf career.

At the last hole, Popov began wiping tears from her eyes as she tapped in a bogey putt and won the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon.

During a press conference following her big win, Popov admitted that she had doubts about her chances of winning the tournament.

“I got here on Tuesday and I knew my game was in really good shape. I took that belief into every round but I didn’t expect this. I was uber nervous this whole round,” she told reporters.

“I was glad I could get it done, and it is definitely different to winning on the Cactus Tour.”

Popov went on to reflect on her major comeback following her bogey from the first hole. “I used to always be the player that liked to not lead and come from a couple of positions behind,” she said.

“Inside I felt I was making so many good shots the last three days, and I had this belief going into this round that no matter what happened today I was always capable of making birdies. Kudos to my boyfriend for keeping me calm.”

Popov’s latest win comes after her disappointing 2019 Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) loss. The athlete failed to secure her LPGA status after missing a single shot.

The golfer was only able to qualify for the British Open after higher ranking players were unable to attend the sporting event due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Nonetheless, Popov kept her eye on the prize and can now celebrate her hard work after becoming the 2020 AIG Women’s Open Champion. Popov is currently ranked no. 304 in the world.

Sophia Popov
Sophia Popov of Germany hits a tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the Marathon LPGA Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club on Aug. 9, 2020 in Sylvania, Ohio. Andy Lyons/Getty Images
RELATED STORIES
Coronavirus New york city