The first LPGA major is almost here

Everything is set for the 40th anniversary of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first Grand Slam of the season. After four tourneys, the best women golfers are ready to visit Rancho Mirage, CA.

This will certainly be a tournament to remember, it will have more than 30 entertainers from music, TV and movies. Of course it'll display a star studded field, with 23 of the top 25 players of the Rolex Rankings.

Expect to see an Asian leader board, probably led by world number one Yani Tseng, who aside from being the defending champion, has had a stelar year so far. For starters, she won her first four tourneys, one in Taiwan, two in Australia (Ladies European Tour) and one more in Thailand (LPGA), and has two top 5 finishes and a T19 in her last three appearances in the LPGA.

South Korean Jiyai Shin will also be a serious contender for the title, even when she started with three ties (35, 11 and 29), last weekend she showed why she's one of the best players, as she finished runner-up at the Kia Classic, one stroke back from German Sandra Gal

Keep an eye on Australia's Karrie Webb, who has already won twice in 2011, at the HSBC Women's Champions and RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup; and also in Michelle Wie, who has two top 10 finishes in three events.

LPGA off to a hot start

The top women's golf tour couldn't be happier with the way the season started. World number 1, Yani Tseng, won the season-opener, Honda HSBC Thailand; while veteran and HOF, Karrie Webb, grabbed the HSBC Women's Champions.

Yani Tseng not only took home the first trophy, she did it the same way as in the last 3 events she's won in 2011, coming from behind. The Taiwanese showed that closing strong is one of her specialties; she left Michelle Wie on the way with a 3 stroke advantage. Tseng's victory strengthened her status as the best golfer in the world and stretched her winning streak to five tournaments.

One week later, Australian Karrie Webb made her experience prevail and pushed Japanese Chie Arimura to 2nd place, even when she had lead for 3 rounds. Webb shot a 69 final round, 13 under overall. With this victory, Webb has 37 LPGA titles and 51 as a pro.

Although the LPGA has been dominated by youngsters in recent years, veterans are still in the fight. Regarding nationality, South Korea keeps dominating, but they're not the only players shinning, here is the top 10 of both tourneys with players' nationality and age:

Honda LPGA Thailand

1. Yani Tseng - Taiwan, 22.

2.  Michelle Wie - United States, 21.

3. Karrie Webb - Australia, 36, and In-Kyung Kim - South Korea, 22.

5. Paula Creamer - United States, 24.

6. Juli Inkster - United States, 50.

7. Amy Yang - South Korea, 21.

8. Maria Hjorth - Sweden, 37; Ariya Jutanugarn - Thailand, 15 (amateur); Catriona Matthew - Scotland, 41; Suzann Pettersen - Norway, 29, and M.J. Hur - South Korea, 21.

HSBC Women's Champions

1. Karrie Webb - Australia, 36.

2. Chie Arimura - Japan, 23.

3. Yani Tseng - Taiwan, 22.

4. Sun Young Yoo - South Korea, 24.

5. Morgan Pressel - United States, 22.

6. Na Yeon Choi - South Korea, 23.

7. In-Kyung Kim - South Korea, 22.

8. Catriona Matthew - Scotland, 41.

9. Stacy Lewis - United States, 26, and Cristie Kerr - United States, 33.

With start studded leaderboards, the LPGA was going through great momentum, but 18 days between the HSBC Women's Champions and the Founders Cup will certainly make media and fans to draw attention elsewhere, while players in a hot streak, like Webb and Tseng, might comeback not as hot.

The note: Sun Young Yoo, Morgan Pressel and Na Yeon Choi grabbed a spot at the season-ending Titleholders, after their results in the HSBC Women's Champions.

Experience and hierarchy

She's one of the most successful golfers in the world; her flawless game has shown who she is. Besides, she's a complete class of act in and outside the ropes, which makes her a fan favorite. Recently she won her 49th tournament, which made clear that there's a lot more to come from Karrie Webb.

She's, without a doubt, the greatest female golfer of Australia.

When she was 20 she decided to become professional and went to play at the Ladies European Tour and the Duramed FUTURES Tour. In 1996 she entered the LPGA, in that season she was named "Rookie of the Year" and won 3 times, which made her the first player to surpass earn more than 1 million dollars in one year.

Her track record kept growing and by 1999 she won the "Player of the Year" award, above from Annika Sörenstam, who had received it in 1995, 1997 and 1998; more over, she had dominated the tour almost since she got there.

The Aussie was the new golfer to defeat and in 2000 se won two majors: Krafk Nabisco Championship and U.S. Women's Open; along with the "Player of the Year" award and the Vare trophy. Next season  she completed the LPGA Career Grand Slam, becoming the youngest to accomplish the feat.

Even when she was the strongest on the tour, weeb went into a slump (2003-2005) and only won at the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic (2003) and the Kellog Keebler Classic (2004), both from the LPGA schedule, and the ANZ Ladies Masters (2005) of the Australian Tour. it was precisely in 2005 when she was inductee into the Hall of Fame, becoming the youngest person alive to do so, with only 30 years old.

Webb reinvented herself and in 2006 she stopped a ferocious Lorena Ochoa who had lead for the Kraft Nabisco Championship from day one; nevertheless, Karrie holed a 116 yard shot to eagle the 18th in the last round, this forced a playoff, which Webb won after birding the l8th, this resulted in her 7th major trophy. That year she grabbed for more titles which put her in the Rolex Rankings top 10 for the first time.

In 2007 she won the MFS Autralian Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters; in 2008 she successfully defended the MFS Autralian Open. By 2009 she won again in the LPGA, when she defeated Jiyai Shin by two strokes.

This year Webb won the ANZ Autralian Ladies Masters for the seventh time, breaking Annika Sörenstam's record (she won Swedish Open six times). In this season Karrie will have to fight against to grouos: the Asians and the youngsters, both are dominating the tour by number and victories; which wil make 2010 a tough year; nevertheless, the Aussie's experience might be the secret ingredient to leave their peers on the way.

Scratch another one!

The LPGA keeps losing events and things aren't precisely in great shape. This year they started the season without two great tournaments, the Fileds Open and the Ginn Tribute; a couple of months ago the Kapalua LPGA Classic, which was supposed to take place in October withdrew from the schedule, this situation led to the "resignation" of Comissioner Bivens, the truth is some players decided it was time for her to leave.

Of course there were others who followed the Kapalua, such as the Corning Classic, which won't retuned in 2010, marking the first time this happens since its arrival 30 years ago.

Now the event which won't comeback is the so called "fifth major" of the season, the Michelob Ultra Open, that has been a premiun tournament since it's inclusion in 2003 mainly because of 2 reasons: great field and great purse, actually one of the biggest of the LPGA. Some of the former champions include Cristie Kerr (2009), Annika Sörenstam (2008), Suzann Pettersen (2007) and Karrie Webb (2006).

Seems like next year the tour will have to survive with 18 tournaments, unless something happens. This situation is clearly tough, especially for a sport which is very close to make it's Olympic comeback!