Yani Tseng has quietly compiled one of the most amazing years in LPGA history. She has 6 tour wins and 11 top 10’s in 18 tournaments. With her two major wins this year at The Wegman’s LPGA Championship and The Ricoh Women’s British Open she became the youngest golfer, male or female, to ever win five major championships. Take that Tiger!

The 22 year old just won her 6^th tournament of 2011 by taking the title at the LPGA’s Hana Bank Championship in South Korea by a stroke over Na Yeon Choi. Tseng now leads the 2011 LPGA money list with just under $2.4 million.

After finishing sixth at the 2008 LPGA Q School, Yani became a full time member of the LPGA Tour. Since then she has been a woman on a mission, winning a total of 11 tournaments and completely dominating women’s golf over the past two years.

Born and raised in Taiwan, Yani has even tried to become Americanized. She took residence in Orlando after purchasing Annika Sorenstam’s old house and has taken English lessons to improve her communication skills for TV interviews and personal appearances.

There is no reason to believe that she will slow her winning ways now or in the near future. Her game is solid and she seems to revel in the spotlight that goes along with being the Rolex World No. 1 Ranked Women’s Golfer.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Congrats to Yani on a phenomenal season!

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No main street cruising, Friday night football games or high school proms for 17 year old golf phenom, Alexis Thompson. She is petitioning the LPGA for full membership and playing privileges for the 2012 season.

In 2007 at age 12, Lexi became the youngest woman to ever qualify for the U. S. Women’s Open. She turned professional at age 15 and two weeks ago became the youngest winner ever on the LPGA Tour by capturing first place at the Navistar LPGA Classic.

The LPGA does not allow membership under the age of 18, but Thompson successfully petitioned the LPGA to allow her to enter Q School in July. She shot four rounds in the 60’s and blew away the entire field at first stage of LPGA Q School by 10 shots.

LPGA Commissioner, Michael Whan, may have just received his Christmas and Birthday presents all rolled up into one tidy little package named Alexis Thompson. Lexi is exactly what the LPGA needs. She is a serious, talented, fresh, young, golfer with a game to back up her great style.

The LPGA has not been the same since the retirements of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa. Yani Tseng dominated the Tour in 2010 and again in 2011 but the LPGA needs an American face to bring women’s golf back into corporate sponsorship big bucks. Christie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, and Michelle Wie have not been able to fill the void left when Annika and Lorena left the tour to start families.

Lexi has the game, charm and style to help launch the LPGA back to prominence. All she has to do is “Just Win Baby”.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. Keep on eye on this young lady….she really ‘has game’!

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The Miller Family

While covering this past week’s LPGA Futures Tour in Mason, OH, I met 20 year-old Stacey Miller.  Stacey is a rookie this year with the Teva Championship being only the second tour event of her young career.  Her first event was the week before in Iowa at the Ladies Titan Tire Challenge in Marion, IA where she missed her first professional cut.  That was not the case in Mason, OH. She made the cut and earned her first professional golf check of $960 with a tie for 42nd place.

Stacey calls Bloomington, IL home.  She recently graduated with a Business Management degree     from Illinois State University.  She travels with her mom, Mary and her dad, Terry who also serves as her caddy on tour.

It was important to Stacey to finish her degree and get some additional collegiate experience under her belt before heading out to the ‘grinds’ of the Futures Tour in quest of an LPGA Tour card.

Here is her record to date:

• Competed in two U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships (2008, 2010)
• Recorded four wins in collegiate competition while at Illinois State University
• Three-time Missouri Valley All-Conference Team selection (2008-2010)
• 2011 Ladies Titan Tire Challenge – missed cut
• 2011 Teva Championship – T42

She was very gracious on the course making just a few rookie mistakes.  I was able to film the fun side of her in the article “ Having Fun at The Teva”.  Best wishes to Stacey for the rest of the season!

 

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com .  If you have pictures and stories of other LPGA or Futures players, feel free to send them my way.  These great young women deserve our support and attention.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFWzP3lcR7Q

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We love it when these fine athletes come to town.  The only drawback is finding ways to inform the public and get the local news media on board to get more fans out to see present and future stars of the LPGA.  If you are anywhere near the area or know golf fans who are please make plans to come out starting this Friday, June 10th thru Sunday, June 12th for one of the top stops on the LPGA Futures Tour.  We want to make sure they keep coming back and that requires community interest to attract and keep sponsors.

Children are free so make sure you bring sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, neighbors kids etc….and come out and watch some of the finest women’s golf in the area.

As the event gets started I will be posting pictures and some videos to share some of the action for those of you who can’t make it in person Until then…..hope to see you on the links!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Hope you’ll come back soon!

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Now that the 2010 women’s golf season is winding down and QSchool qualifiers are starting up I would like to take some ‘me’ time and throw out an observation for discussion.  Why is it that the ‘developmental tour for the LPGA – the Duramed FUTURES Tour- does not offer the players an opportunity to eek out a meager living?

Trust me, I understand that this is a tour designed to give talented young women a chance to make it to the big time and the ‘big bucks’ but where is it written that the purses have to be so small that only the winners can seemingly cover expenses?  Do you realize how many women have to quit on their dream of playing professional golf because they can’t afford the costs in trying to do so?

Folks, I am not talking about multi-million dollar purses.  My head isn’t in the sand when it comes to what is happening with our economy and the struggles with sponsorship either.  I know it’s tough out there.  Does that mean we should stay resigned to less than attractive income opportunities for these young women – the future of golf?

The Tour is at a crossroads right now.  Duramed’s sponsorship will not continue past 2010.  The task is to find a new sponsor and to try to build on what has been a solid foundation.  Let’s don’t be complacent with they way it has been.  It’s time to up the ante and move the goal line so more young women and girls may aspire to reach their dream and not go bankrupt or hungry in the process.

My question really is this….Is there a logical reason for keeping the purses as low as they are going forward or is someone at the top keeping the tour in a chokehold?  Have quality personnel left the tour in total frustration because every new idea and suggestion offered up to improve the status of the tour and its players been squashed?  Who is minding the store these days?

Now more than ever this tour needs to be reviewed and possibly revamped.  If this is the ‘farm’ team of the LPGA, I for one would like to see it get a chance to grow and thrive before it is put out to pasture.  No one needs to get rich playing at this level but where’s the harm in making a decent living?

Thanks so much for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  This article represents my personal views and I encourage and invite you to chime in with yours!

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Trying to get information out of Carling prior to the Finale was impossible.  This young women can keep a secret…aided, of course, by a Confidentiality Agreement required of every contestant.  Week after week, I sat glued to the TV on Monday evenings at 9pm ET watching the drama unfold.  The emotional toll was immense…on me!!  Nevermind those 11 golfers fighting it out over 10 episodes (a 2-week period fro the golfers).  I was a wreck!!

Soap operas have nothing on this format.  The editing was quite interesting.  What was more interesting was

watching Carling watch the edited version the same time we did.  She had no inkling as to what the finished ‘product’ would be that aired.  Queue it up for rivalries, snide comments and taking sides.  This is reality TV at its finest…if there is such a thing???

The ups and downs were as frequent as the twists and turns on the largest roller coaster know to man.  Time and again Carling rolled in clutch putts to ‘seal the deal’ and it certainly paid off in the Finale where, again she faced a 25-foot putt to take a 1-up lead over fellow finalist, Lili Alvarez on the 17th hole.  She played the 18th hole solidly to take home the title of Big Break Sandals Resort WINNER.

But that’s not all she earned.  Not by a long shot.  Personally I think they should rename Big Break to “Super Huge, Over the Top, Mind-Blowing Break”.  Here’s the list of CC’s earnings:

• $10,000 shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods
• Endorsement Deal with Adams Golf that includes $10,000 cash
• $5,000 from Skycaddie for LPGA QSchool Entry Fees
• Exemption to the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational
• Exemption to the 2010 LET Dubai Masters
• 7-night stay at Sandals Resorts and Spa with one guest ( I am thinking she’ll be inviting me….NOT!!)
• Exempt status on the 2011 Futures Tour
• Entry Fees paid for the 2011 Futures Season

Whew!  That’s a whole new tax bracket, Ms. Coffing   Good for you!

Our readers have followed your progression through your updates here on Ladies on the Tee and revel in your accomplishments on the Duramed Tour and now this crowning achievement.  The door is wide open and the world is certainly your oyster, CC.  Enjoy it!!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Please leave your comments below.

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I want to share something that is very important for golf, but also for everything else in our lives. Two words – have fun! I have played golf since I was four years old, played professional golf for the past four years, and played in more than a hundred pro-ams. What I have noticed, whether it’s someone who can’t break 100, fellow pro golfers, or in my own golf game, is that the more fun you have on the golf course, the better you play.

This is especially true in the pro-ams, where I always go in with the attitude that we’re not going to care about how we play, but we’re going to have a lot of fun! This doesn’t only relax the amateurs I’m playing with, but it also sends out positive thoughts and encouragement and they don’t feel as much pressure that they have to hit a good shot. As it has turned out, my pro-am teams usually end up with a good score in the end!

Golf is a sport that is easy to be frustrated at. No matter your skill level, you always want to play better, hit the ball farther, or win more tournaments. (Believe me, I know!) I’m not saying that you should give up on those dreams. All I’m saying is that you shouldn’t kick yourself in the butt if you don’t make it right away. Improvement takes time, and in the meantime it’s more enjoyable for everybody if you just relax and enjoy the ride!

After now having a few years of experience with professional golf on the Duramed Future’s Tour, I’ve realized that I have sometimes wanted to win too much.

When this happens and I know I can win, I’ve had the tendency to focus more on not messing up than to just hit one shot at a time and enjoy the moment. This year I’m going to take a different approach.

By being more relaxed on the golf course and just focus on having fun, I’m already playing a lot better. I was struggling in the beginning of the year with a new swing coach and new clubs, and I can honestly say that I did not enjoy practicing golf as much as I have been. I realized that I was focusing too much on my swing and that I practiced more than I played. Recently, I’ve gone out and played with friends more, and focused more on where I want the ball to go instead of every inch of my golf swing. I haven’t only had a blast playing golf again, but I’ve also played a lot better!

One tournament I played was in Daytona Beach, FL. My parents came over from Sweden that week and it was great to see them! I asked my dad to caddy, both because I wanted to spend time with him while they were here, but also because that reminded me not to be too hard on myself and that I play golf because it’s fun.

I think it was my mom who unknowingly reminded me of this one day on the golf course. My parents and I were out playing and my mom got mad because she wasn’t playing well. I reminded her that we were out there to have fun, that it was great to have them in Florida, and that it was a beautiful day out! Of course my mom could only smile and agree with me.

Last week, I told myself the same thing that I told my mom. After all, it’s just a game and it’s a game that we all love. I truly had fun on the golf course last week. Like I had told myself, I didn’t get upset on the course and instead just enjoyed the fact that my parents were here visiting me and that I do what I absolutely love doing. I ended up shooting 72-72-69 and had a good week. Having the golf course as your office isn’t too bad after all…

As a reminder to be less hard on myself on the course and to have more fun, I now have a new head cover on my putter. It’s a monkey butt! I love it, because there is no way you can look at that head cover without a smile on your face. During the last pro-am I played, I went under the nickname “monkey butt”…do I have to mention that we had a great time and none of us cared that the round took 6 hours – because we had fun!

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Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Follow Tiffany on Facebook.  She’ll love the support!

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