LPGA Tour Questions for 2008

The 2008 LPGA Tour season is in full swing, and things are off to a great start. There have only been five events so far, and Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, and Paula Creamer each have at least one win already. That’s a great sign for the LPGA Tour because all three are among the most marketable in the women’s game.

The season’s first major championship, the Kraft Nabisco, starts today. This event was very exciting the past two seasons, and it should be highly competitive again this year. With the first major on the horizon, it’s time to ask a few LPGA Tour questions for 2008. Keep reading to find out what I have to say about Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, and more.

Can Anyone Overtake Ochoa in the Rolex Rankings?
Lorena Ochoa had a breakout season in 2006, winning six times. That was nothing compared to her 2007 season. Last year, Ochoa won eight times and picked up her first major championship (Women’s British Open) in the process. Her name has been mentioned in the same sentence as Tiger Woods recently, and while she isn’t nearly as dominant as Mr. Woods, she has become very tough to beat to say the least.

With two wins already under Ochoa’s belt in 2008, it looks like things will continue to go her way this season as well. The question is simple: can anyone overtake Lorena Ochoa in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings this year? The answer is yes, but it’s going to take a minor miracle from a couple of her closest competitors.

Annika Sorenstam is the first name that comes to mind. In 2007, Sorenstam was winless on the LPGA Tour for the first time since her rookie season in 1994. Annika won the first event this season, so it definitely won’t be another winless year for one of the best golfers of all time. She has stated she is healthy and her focus is on winning tournaments, so it could be a great year for Sorenstam. If she continues her hot start by winning a couple majors, the number one ranking could be in her future much sooner rather than later.

Paula Creamer is the only other golfer capable of overtaking Ochoa in the rankings because of her grit and determination to be the best. Creamer already has a win in 2008, and she has also stated she is healthier than she has been in awhile. The only thing that may hold the Pink Panther back is the swing change she is currently going through. If that pans out ok, then the sky is the limit. Even then, Creamer will need to win at least five or six times in 2008 (along with a slump from the world’s number one) to have any shot at passing Ochoa.

There is a chance Sorenstam or Creamer could pass Lorena Ochoa in the rankings this season, but it’s a very small chance. Ochoa already has one win under her belt, and with a few more wins this season, she will be nearly impossible to pass. More than likely, she will be number one going into 2009, but never say never when it comes to golf.

2008 LPGA Tour Majors
If there is one area Lorena Ochoa has had trouble with in recent years, it’s putting away major championships. She has been in contention on numerous occasions, yet all she has to show for it is one victory. It will be important for Ochoa to win a major or two this season to validate last year’s win at the Women’s British Open.

Ochoa is playing at such a high level right now that it’s hard to pick against her on any given week. With last year’s major championship breakthrough behind her, she should be well on her way to collecting numerous majors in 2008. Ochoa’s first chance will come this weekend at The Kraft Nabisco Championship, and she will undoubtedly be the favorite.

The next thing to look for at this year’s LPGA Tour majors is whether or not Paula Creamer wins her first. Creamer is the only golfer ranked inside the top five in the world without a major championship victory. She is still only 21 years old, so there is plenty of time for her to win one. However, the pressure is on right now if she wants to be the best of the best. It would be great for women’s golf to have Creamer win a major, and hopefully that will happen in 2008.

Others to keep an eye on at this year’s majors include Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen. If healthy and focused, Annika could win more than one major this season. Pettersen had her major breakthrough at last year’s McDonalds LPGA Championship, and she has the game to win every time she tees it up. The core of women’s golf is very strong right now which could provide some very entertaining and competitive majors in 2008.

Next LPGA Tour Breakout Star
The LPGA Tour has witnessed numerous breakout stars in recent years including Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer, and Suzann Pettersen. The next one to keep an eye out for is Taylor Leon. In two seasons at Georgia University, Leon was a two-time All-American. She was also a member of the 2006 United States Curtis Cup team.

After Leon’s sophomore season at Georgia, she decided to turn pro. In her second tournament on the Duramed Futures Tour, she picked up her first professional victory. She added another Futures Tour win last season and is now a member of the LPGA Tour.

Leon has only played in one LPGA Tour tournament this season, and she finished in a tie for 72nd. While that’s not too impressive, the golf world will hear a lot more from Taylor Leon in 2008 and beyond. She has all the ability in the world and will make her mark very shortly.

Has Michelle Wie Become Irrelevant?
In 2006, nearly all the LPGA Tour talk centered around Michelle Wie. The teenage sensation finished in the top five in the first three majors of the season and was well on her way to picking up her first professional victory. In late 2006, Wie started to struggle with her game and injuries, and things have gotten worse since.

Last year, Wie had a number of horrible finishes and tournament withdraws. She opened up her 2008 season by finishing in a tie for 72nd at the Fields Open in Hawaii. It’s important to note Wie isn’t a member of the LPGA Tour, so she can only play in a certain number of events each season. She was supposed to play this week at the Safeway International on a sponsor’s exemption, but another wrist injury forced her to withdraw.

Has Michelle Wie become irrelevant in the world of golf, or will she bounce back in 2008? With Lorena Ochoa and other LPGA Tour stars playing so well over the past year or two, the talk of Wie has rapidly declined. Her mediocre finish to start the season combined with her wrist injury doesn’t help matters either.

There is still time for Wie to make waves in 2008, but she is going to need to get things straight physically and mentally. With a limited number of sponsor’s exemptions, the teen will have to take advantage of every situation possible.

Right now, she is still a relevant part of the golf world, but the interest in her is dwindling with every sub-par finish and recurring injury. If things don’t get turned around in the next year or so, Michelle Wie will be well on her way to Ty Tryon status. That’s not a good status to have in the golf world by the way.

The Final Say
The LPGA Tour has gained a lot of interest in recent years, and things should continue to improve in 2008. With Ochoa, Sorenstam, and Creamer already in the winner’s circle this season, the sky is the limit for this professional tour. Hopefully fans will get a battle for supremacy between the three all season.

As for Michelle Wie, I’ve never been a fan by any means. However, it would be nice to see her regain her health and success of a couple years ago. Not only would it be good for women’s golf, it would be good for golf in general. Wie has received Tiger-like attention, and it would be nice to see her live up to the hype.

Now it’s your turn to tell me what you think about the 2008 LPGA Tour season. Can anyone overtake Ochoa in the rankings this year? Also, will Paula Creamer taste major championship victory in 2008? Finally, what does the near future hold for Michelle Wie? If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum. Thanks for reading this week’s Thrash Talk, and have a great week!

Photo Credits: © Lorena Ochoa.com.