On Aug. 23 one Fountain Hills resident overcame impressive odds in Troon, Scotland, and won the AIG Women’s British Open.

Sophia Popov, born in the U.S but raised in Germany, currently lives in Fountain Hills and plays out of Firerock golf course. Popov has been playing golf most of her life but her -7 victory is the first major win of her career.

The road to getting to the Open was not straightforward. Popov has battled health issues since 2015, going to see a dozen doctors until her mysterious aliment was diagnosed in 2018 as chronic Lyme disease.

Popov was able to find the balance in her life to treat her chronic condition, but another obstacle was still in her way. In both 2018 and 2019, Popov missed the cut for the LPGA Tour by one stoke.

Determined to not give up on the sport, Popov kept playing and eventually arrived at the Marathon Classic in Ohio after some players had to pull out due to COVID-19. Popov played well, tied for ninth and earned herself a spot in the Open, all without a tour card.

As Popov walked on to the eighteenth green in Scotland, her victory already secured, she began to cry as she realized what she had accomplished.