Retired Pro’s Struggles With Daughter’s Epilepsy Pushed LPGA to Make Major Overhaul in Tour

“I think this type of trauma just changes your DNA,” said Jane Park, her voice heavy with the weight of a mother’s heartbreak. Her life took a devastating turn when her 10-month-old daughter, Grace, suddenly suffered severe brain seizures while Park was competing at the Volunteers of America Classic. One moment, Grace was toddling with support, and the next, she was in the ICU, fighting for her life. Faced with the unimaginable, Park put down her clubs and stepped fully into her role as caregiver. However, her sacrifice left a powerful imprint on the LPGA.

Speaking on the Mixed Bag Podcast, Amato recalled that Grace’s incident shed light on a glaring gap in the LPGA Tour— the absence of a mental health specialist. The tour, shaken by the reality that no support system existed for such crises, began to reflect, and then-commissioner Mollie Marcoux realized and knew exactly who to call. Almost a year later, sports psychologist Dr. Julie Amato joined the LPGA Tour.

“I think it really highlighted for her [Mollie Marcoux] at that time, ‘Wow, we don’t have a mental health person on staff to help with the crisis that we are managing right now with this player.’” Marcoux, who had worked with Amato during her time as Princeton’s athletic director, reached out immediately. Amato added, “I have a problem and I need your help with this particular situation… but then she said, the bigger picture of this is let’s just highlight that we need a mental health person to help the women on this tour.”

Grace was eventually diagnosed with intractable epilepsy, even after part of her brain was surgically removed. For Jane Park, golf became secondary—her daughter’s survival was now her only focus. To cope, she began blogging, documenting Grace’s small victories in a journey filled with setbacks and resilience. While her daughter’s battle continues, her story forever changed the LPGA, setting in motion a commitment to prioritize mental health for its players.

Since stepping into the role in 2022, Dr. Amato has brought more than two decades of experience in sports psychology. She had already built a career working with athletes across disciplines—college athletics, Olympic hopefuls, and even professionals in basketball, soccer, and track and field. However, on the LPGA Tour, her work quickly bore fruit.

But even with decades of experience, Amato wasn’t immune to nerves. Her very first official player meeting with the LPGA tested her own composure.

LPGA Tour’s first official meeting left the experienced psychologist nervous

Recalling the moment on Mixed Bag, she laughed at how out of place she initially felt: “When I went up in the first player meeting back in 2022, I was a little nervous. You know, going over for the entire membership, essentially, and it’s like an hour-long meeting, at the very end, these players were already cooked.” Unsure how she’d be received, she introduced herself with humility, saying she didn’t want to take up much of their time.

The tension broke when Christina Kim lightened the room with her trademark candor: “Know your worth, girl! You don’t have to rush.” That simple encouragement turned an awkward debut into a memory Amato now treasures—a reminder that even experts need reassurance sometimes.

Today, Amato works not only with the LPGA Tour but also supports players on the PGA Tour, providing athletes with the mental tools to handle pressures both on and off the course. Her journey onto the tour may have started with tragedy, but it has since become a lifeline for countless golfers.