BERKELEY --- During the competition break for California women's golf, CalBears.com caught up with former Golden Bear Daniela Holmqvist, who recently earned her full LPGA Tour card during the final month of 2016. Holmqvist, a native of Sweden, was a solid contributor for the Bears during her time in Berkeley (2009-12), earning multiple All-American, All-Pac-10 honors, WGCA All-American Scholar and Pac-10/12 All-Academic honors. Her final year was in 2011-12 was a spectacular one: she was named team co-MVP, won her lone individual collegiate tournament (the Avenue Spring Break Classic), and helped lead the Bears to the Pac-12 Championship, the program's second conference title in its history.

CalBears.com: For those that don't know, explain the process you went through to earn your Tour Card.
Daniela Holmqvist: All professionals who want to play on the LPGA Tour have to go through something called "Q-School". On our tour, Q-School is sectioned into three stages with approximately 400 people participating. The top players from each stage proceed to next round leading up to the final stage where around 160 people are competing for 20 full tour cards. I started the final stage tied for 19th and finished tied for 14th.

CB: What were your feelings after it happened?
DH: Relief and also joy because it's been an event that stays on your mind for a long period of time. It's hard to explain the feelings of Q-School: there is a level of anxiety because your whole upcoming year - and for some players. their career - depends on that week.

CB: Talk about your experience in college golf - and at Cal specifically - and how it helped you get to this point.
DH: On the women's tour, there are not as many players who have gone to college - and especially not graduated - in comparison to the men. I honestly think that by skipping college golf you are missing out. The positive thing with golf is that it's not a sport which is very age limited, you could hypothetically turn pro when you are 50 years old. So I'm a firm believer of getting a degree before turning pro. For me, Cal was always a dream school, and being able to combine a degree from one of the best universities in the world with playing at the highest level, is a dream come true. As for playing for the Bears and Coach McDaniel, my time in Berkeley helped me a lot more than anyone would think. Playing for Coach was more than just playing college golf, it was an education for life. I grew as a person and have become much of the player and person that I am today much thanks to her.

CB: What is your fondest memory of your time here at Cal?
DH: I think walking with Coach up the 18th hole at the Pac-12 Championship in 2012. Playing in the final group with my teammates and tapping in the last putt to beat USC for the title was such an amazing experience.

CB: How do you plan to approach playing on the full LPGA Tour this year? 
DH: I just want to enjoy playing on the highest level and to play my own game out there. I hope to make the most out of every opportunity and to be a good role model and ambassador for future generations and the Cal program.

CB: Any other words for the Cal faithful?
DH: GO BEARS!