The Outlook for 2007 – LPGA
I think 2007 will be a pivotal year for the LPGA. Yes, they are no doubt riding a tremendous wave of interest and I see this continuing for the next decade or so. However, I think there are some short-term question marks that could cause some gear slippage in upcoming season.
First off is Michelle Wie. While she’s not a card-carrying member of the LPGA (and does she want that?), her forrays into men’s golf are now starting to cause serious credibility issues within the LPGA suits. There’s still plenty of interest in Wie, both here and abroad, but I think if she doesn’t win in 2007, then 2008 could lead to a serious disinterest in Wie (at least domestically).
Natalie Gulbis needs to win in 2007. She’s got the game, but she needs to close the deal in 2007 and prove that she belongs in the top 10 year in and year out. Is it a coincidence that both Wie and Gulbis are winless, yet both are managed by meddling fathers that have no business managing their daughter’s careers? As I’ve said before, when Tiger purged the management team his Father created when he was a rookie, he became the true professional he is today.
Is Morgan Pressel for real? It’s too early to tell, but I think she’s the real deal. Because of her emotions, she’ll probably lose more tournaments than she’ll win, but eventually she’ll figure that out.
Will Paula Creamer return to form? Absolutely. I see Creamer having a good year in 2007, and probably challenging in all the majors. But she needs to win early to get her confidence back.
Ochoa vs. Sorenstam. Is this the big rivalry in 2007? It could be and it should be. However, I think Ochoa has to be careful of a letdown after having a banner year in 2006, and you know Annika will constantly be at or near the top in the tournaments she enters.
Will the Asian girls continue to be a factor in all the tournaments? Yes indeed. They are the real deal and if the non-Asians aren’t careful, they could literally dominate the leaderboard week in and week out.