“It absolutely was a difficult decision given that I had been living a miracle in public places and you will was a little afraid to change you to definitely,” claims Jones. “I didnt have to tarnish the picture of your LPGA otherwise some of the dating I experienced which have sponsors, organizations otherwise associates I got.”
Jones, an incredibly brief hitter whose strength toward greens are preparing in advance and you will having fun with courage, used to be once again convinced one step ahead.
“Ahead of We generated the latest Olivia statement, We known as LPGA, each of my personal sponsors, my personal golf club affiliates within the Atlanta, all the organizations that we are becoming a spokesperson, and you will pair intimate fellow people, to let her or him know very well what I found myself about to would,” she says. “We advised them that are the full time so you can bail or prepare for the questions they might rating.”
“I was maybe not offered one to ounce out of bad viewpoints out-of those individuals phone calls,” Jones states. “It absolutely was not surprising that in it and so they don’t care and attention. I really achieved endorsements the next few years. The newest LPGA assisted orchestrate my news appeal. In the place of capturing the topic under the carpet as in the fresh new prior, they produced the new transition as simple as possible for me, the tournaments, sponsors and you will fans.”
Something got changed from the very early 2000s, but nonetheless particular about news concerned about the woman individual life. “It was tough to exposed my spirit into the concerns questioned away from me immediately following a spherical of good tennis, but ultimately the questions got in so you can tennis also it is actually perhaps not the big thing any further,” she says.
Just what Jones discovered are chances having Olivia you to, along with the service away from her sponsors, family relations and LPGA, provided her a platform about what to help you in the end feel by herself.
What she realized are all of these agencies just who treasured the woman once the a guy and you will acknowledged the lady while the an expert performed very for any reason
“I was sick and tired of not authenticating who I became because the good individual,” Jones says. “It actually was yet another amount of time in the world of sporting events and you will life inside our country [than when she first turned pro.] We felt that brand new concert tour was in a unique place, sponsors was significantly more performance-inspired while the societal are becoming more use to the latest gay life. More performers, stars, musicians, political leaders was in fact out. It actually was the best going back to myself, this new LPGA and you can all of our admirers.”
Following, within the 2004, since the the girl LPGA career are winding off, Jones had a corporate options you to required the girl supposed public from the the lady sex
Looking right back 15 years afterwards, the difficult to comprehend just what a world-moving moment it was to have Jones and also for the LPGA, actually the flipping out-of an important area both for.
“The latest feedback I’d from your fans try a whole lot more fulfilling the currency I gotten regarding my the fresh new gay sponsor,” Jones states. “Individuals made an appearance of your own carpentry going out of the method thanking myself having coming out and being brave getting located and you can representing the newest LBGT people.”
On 59, Jones are partial-retired, carrying out carpentry, going swimming and you can coping with the woman mate regarding 14 age, Carrie Sexton, to your Hilton Lead Isle. “Our very own fresh addition are Berty, new puppy lady,” Jones says, “And you may I’m working on my video game towards U.S. Older Womens Unlock, Senior LPGA plus the Legends Trip.”
“It actually was very invigorating and you can cathartic for me to answer your questions,” she said. “I believe really a sense of liberty and you can empowerment so you can ultimately display and you may tell you what it try particularly for my situation and many other people during those times on the trip. Thank you much for planning on me and you can reminding myself out-of my personal voice.”