LPGA 2012: Players likely to rule the headlines
The 2012 LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) has seen plenty of players rise to the occasion and make a name for themselves, while there are some who are still struggling to regain their lost reputation.
Despite shifts in the top rankings and stats in recent months, there are some contenders who will continue to shine in the foreseeable future, given their solid work ethic and skills.
Current world number one Yani Tseng may want to call the 2012 season a silly one for her, despite her winning three tournaments early in the year, but she is still as big a player as she was when she became the world number one several months ago.
Tseng turned professional in 2007 and has crafted a solid resume that speaks of her talent and resilience. Having racked up 15 LPGA titles so far, Tseng is among the top winners of the Tour and is still as hungry for a victory as ever.
Despite playing well in the 2011 season, the star golfer saw a performance slump in the late 2012 as she lost a string of tournaments, causing her fans to wonder what it would take her to rise again.
The 2012 season has not been that awful as the top-ranked prodigy had done well early in the year, winning three titles.
Tseng-Lewis rivalry rages on
American Stacy Lewis, who is perhaps the only player in the United States capable of putting her country back on the map. Lewis has recently proved that she has what it takes to rule the golf world as she is now trailing Yani Tseng in the Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Lewis has vowed in most of her recent interviews that her number one goal for the 2012 season is becoming number one.
It remains to be seen how the resurgent American routs Tseng, but it is interesting to see that she has already started her winning journey, with a stunning victory at the Navistar LPGA Classic 2012.
With the spotlight on Asian stars, golf fans have started wondering why Americans have not been able to capitalise on their golfing skills and reputation they have gained over the years.
Ever since Lewis started overshadowing other American contenders, fans in the United States are seeing that there's finally someone who can inspire local players.
When it comes to swing and putting, Lewis has fixed flaws in her strokes and now she has better control on her driver and can maneuver the ball easily on the greens.
“I've definitely gained some distance off the tee. That's all the game is now; it's all about how far you can hit it, and I think that's huge,” she said in one of her interviews.
“A lot of it for me is just confidence, and knowing that I can contend week in and week out, and being comfortable seeing your name on the leaderboard and having the lead and just getting in that situation more”.
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