LPGA player and AIG Women's Open winner Sophia Popov announces her pregnancy

Sophia Popov took a brief break from her career to focus on her health, but now she won't be returning that soon. The AIG Women's Open Winner is pregnant with her first child.

Sophia Popov injured her right shoulder last year and was on medical leave. But towards the end of the year, she learned about her pregnancy.

The German golfer was diagnosed with supraspinatus tendinopathy and needed time to heal. During the treatment, she observed a drastic change in her weight, and in October, she learned about her pregnancy. Her baby is due in June 2023.

Sophia Popov was also diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Her doctors suggested having a baby at the earliest possible time to avoid any risk, as her condition can impact her fertility. Popov said that she didn't want to get under pressure, so she didn't wait long.

Sophia took to her Instagram account to share the good news with her fans. In her post, the golfer posted a cluster of last year's memories with a caption that said:

"So many incredible moments in 2022! (Little surprises at the end). Normally my yearly recap always involves my golf performance, but this year we have been blessed with something much greater than the game of golf will ever be able to give me - a baby."

She went on to write:

"Max and I are expecting baby Mehles in June of 2023. Until then, I will learn to swing around my belly and enjoy some more family time!"

Sophia is over the moon and enjoying her pregnancy. She also mentioned in her post that she is looking forward to returning to the golf course soon.

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Sophia Popov could possibly return at dusk of 2023

Popov is married to Maximilian Mehles, a former Kentucky golfer. However, he is currently working in accounting.

Sophia is highly inspired by young moms such as Stacy Lewis, who clinched a trophy after giving birth to her daughter. Popov was nervous when she found out about her pregnancy but is now happily cherishing it and building new memories. In one of the interviews, Sophia said:

"All the stress was flowing out of my body."

She is not in a hurry to return to the course. According to Golf Weekly, Sophia will maintain proper health and will only return when she is "ready to go." Possibly, the golfer will play through the end of 2023 on the Ladies European Tour or Epson Tour.

Sophia Popov is excited about her future endeavors, and in her interview, as reported by Golf Weekly, she said:

"We're lucky enough in our sport to be able to do that. Golfers often peak in their 30s and early 40s sometimes. It's great, also for your kid to see that that's a possibility. You can be a high-performance athlete and do something at a high level while traveling with your kid and showing them the world a little."

Last month, Sophia celebrated her wedding anniversary. She posted a few pictures with her husband on her Instagram account.