At first glance, you’d never suspect that Amanda Leonard lives a megawatt, jet-setting life traveling alongside PGA Tour player and hubby Justin (with three kids under age 5, mind you). Yet, onlookers immediately sense her upbeat outlook on life. The happy-go-lucky mom bounds with energy and radiates a striking glow of happiness, especially when you get her talking about her family.
WHO SHE IS
Before golf glamour, Leonard studied journalism at the University of Georgia. As a Florida native and new college graduate, she worked behind the scenes at Atlanta-based CNN.
But something was missing — she wanted a greater challenge. So, despite the fact that she knew little about the city, the mid-20s blonde uprooted herself from the Southeast and headed to Dallas. Leonard was quick to make friends, and she soon joined the marketing group at Mark Cuban’s early webcasting company, Audionet.
And her hard work paid off. The single workingwoman snagged a posh condo in Turtle Creek – just a few doors down from her future husband. After meeting Justin in the hallway, Leonard now admits that she was blind to his golf fame. “He was about to move from the building, so it’s really fateful that we were able to meet in such a short time period,” she explains.
The couple became engaged after a year of dating (and plenty of time spent traveling together). Five months later, the pair wed and enjoyed a yearlong honeymoon touring the globe with the PGA. Not long after – a year, to be exact – the Leonards started their family of three: Reese Ella, 5, Avery Kate, 3 ½ and Luke Garrett, 2.
WHAT SHE DOES
Husband Justin’s golf tournament schedule lasts from January through November. In between spending time at their Highland Park and Colorado abodes, as well as visiting their Florida-based relatives, the family hits the road about 32 weeks each year. Jumping from plane to plane and hotel to hotel with three kids sounds exhausting, but Leonard’s assuring attitude paints a stark contrast.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t stop and appreciate our life,” she details. “From the beginning, the nonstop travel schedule came naturally to me and my kids. They’re so adaptable. They love the adventure, just like us.”
It’s obvious, too, that Leonard wells with joy while watching her golfing pro husband do his best on the links. “Golf is such a mental game. Yes, it takes a whole lot of talent, but it also requires the athlete to clear his head and commit a tremendous amount of focus to the game,” she stresses. “We stay together on the tour, so when Daddy needs to focus it can get a little tricky with the kids. This is when I load up the stroller and give Justin some space.” Leonard’s husband has trumped a total of twelve PGA tournaments and ranks eighth in career earnings on the PGA Tour.
When she’s not filling sippy cups or hitting museums with the kids, Leonard takes time for herself while socializing – and running – with other PGA wives and friends. The marathoner is currently training for several races this year, including the San Francisco Half Marathon Nov 2.
HOW SHE DOES IT
What happens when Leonard needs childcare on the fly? (If you're wondering, she and Justin refuse to employ a nanny.) The mom utilizes what she deems one of the greatest aspects of the PGA Tour: traveling childcare. “The PGA does a really great job at keeping the players’ families together by providing childcare that travels with the tour. This way, the kids can spend time with sitters that they’re familiar with, who – my kids in particular – have literally grown up with,” she remarks.
The hands-on mom also explains that there will be a time when the family will need to settle down a bit more, particularly when the kids start school (Leonard plans to homeschool her kids through kindergarten). “That day will come,” she adds. “But even when the kids are in school, we’ll still be out supporting Justin as much as possible.”
And, on rare occasions, the parents-of-three jet off to tournaments all by themselves, leaving the kiddos with their grandparents. “Every year we travel to the Ryder Cup by ourselves. It’s our own little trip,” she excitedly explains, detailing the celebration following the U.S. victory at the recent tournament held in Kentucky.
The multi-tasking mom readily admits that she has a lot to be thankful for; her buoyant happiness is a certain inspiration to all.
