Nataliya Guseva‘s official website describes her as the “rising star of world golf.” That claim isn’t far off, with her revolutionizing Russian golf forever. Becoming the first Russian to gain a full LPGA card, the ‘Goose’ is quickly making her mark. Her legacy began only a year ago in 2024, making her LPGA stint short but impactful.

Born on March 6, 2003, Guseva is 22 years old. The parents of the professional golfer are Nikolai Gusev, director of Russia’s Vympel Design Bureau, and her mother is a golf enthusiast who first introduced her to the game when she was just 10. Since then, she hasn’t been able to “pull the golf club out of her hands.” Consequently, she went on to compete in the Russian national team at just 11 years old, showcasing her raw talent and innate passion.

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Natalia Guseva’s stint from amateur to professional golf

Goose beat the historical odds to become the first Russian athlete to get invited to the European continent of Europe team, competing against the UK and England. However, this rise to the highest of female golfing honors was anything but easy.

A former tennis player, Guseva has proved her worth across multiple disciplines. At age 11, she began playing in the Russian national team through the Moscow School of the Olympic Reserve. Her rise in her junior and amateur careers was meteoric. From the fall of 2018 to 2020, Guseva secured 8 titles before beginning her collegiate career.

Some of her notable amateur wins include the 2017 Evolve Spanish Junior Championship and the Zavidovo Juniors International, the Bulgarian Amateur Open, and the Turkish International Amateur in 2018. In 2019, she secured three more titles: the Austrian International Amateur, the Turkish International, and the Spanish Stroke Play Championship.

Showcasing her stellar shot-shaping and mental poise, Guseva made her trip to the Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England for the Junior Vagliano Trophy in 2019, where their team secured the trophy. She also represented Russia in the European Young Masters and the European Ladies’ Team Championship, both in 2019.

After stringing together a commendable amateur spell, Guseva was ready to bring that charm into her collegiate and professional careers. However, she didn’t let her athletic endeavours get in the way of her academics, proving that studies and the golf club don’t have to be traded off for each other.

While Guseva had decided to go to Stanford, a visit to the University of Miami altered her decision. Meeting the coaches and her incredible college golf team, Guseva ended up choosing MU, where she studied Sports Management and Marketing.

In her collegiate spell, she entered the scene with 8 titles and a dream. Playing for the Miami Hurricanes team, Guseva ended a five-month COVID-19 hiatus with five spellbinding top-5s. That run included consecutive wins at the Campeonato Internacional de Andalucia Sub-18 and the PGA Catalunya Amateur Cup in September. She also led the European Girls Team Championship to its best finish in nearly two decades.

Turning pro in 2022, Guseva has kept turning heads with her exceptional golfing calibre and a personable character.

The ‘Goose’ in the pro circuit

After joining the professional golfing beat, Guseva turned her focus to the development Tours, quickly earning her way to the major women’s circuits. She joined the Epson Tour in 2023, and the same year, she also secured her first professional victory, the Black Desert Resort Championship. Her website claims her to be the first Russian athlete to achieve that milestone.

After finishing tied for 23rd at the LPGA Q-Series, Guseva earned her full card status for the LPGA Tour. She also earned full LET status by winning the LET Q-School in Morocco by 4 shots at 23-under. As of now, on the LPGA Tour, the 22-year-old has carded 8 top-10 finishes and 15 top-25 finishes. Ranked 99 in the Rolex Women’s rankings and 64 in the Race to CME Globe, Guseva has earned a total of $1.4 million in her career as of this year.

Nataliya Guseva has competed in several majors already, including the US Women’s Open (T36) and the Women’s PGA Championship (T75). Moreover, her statistics show a decorated set of strengths and some weaknesses. With a driving distance of 269.96 and a driving accuracy of 61.37 %, she is one of the best in the field. In fact, her best stat includes the SG: Off The Tee at 0.21, ranked at 52nd on the Tour.

Guseva works with an incredible team of coaches and mentors, helping her refine these numbers. This includes her head coach and manager, Nikolay Afanasyev. Moreover, Bryce Wallor is her Swing Coach, while Cameron Graham is her fitness coach. Additionally, Steven Yellin is her mental coach, and Yongkuk Shin is her Physiotherapist. Apparently, Guseva prefers a well-rounded approach to life and sports.

Her golfing bag features Titleist as her sponsor equipment provider. She has other associations and brand endorsements, too, from top-notch brands like the Russian National Golf Center, Putting Precision, Faberlic, and Malbon.

Coming with a champion’s mindset, the 22-year-old plans to become the World No. 1 one day: “I set the goal of becoming number 1 in the world one day. Some people say it’s impossible, but for me, anything is possible! I will always work hard to fulfill my dreams!”

She’s active on social media (Instagram handle: @gusevatata03) with over 45K followers, and her representation is by WME/IMG. Away from the golfing beat, Nataliya Guseva maintains a private personal life.