Making the turn

This month the LPGA will welcome the second half of the 2010 season, which executives and fans are waiting for impatiently since the tour wasn't as spectacular as expected and brought some bad moments during its first part.

Tournaments:from February to May there were 9 events, compared to 17 that will be played from June to November. From those disputed in the first semester, the most interesting were the Kraft Nabisco Championship, first major of the year, and the Tres Marías Championship, which was Lorena Ochoa's farewell as an active member of the tour.
Thus, the second part of the schedule will certainly make the ratings raise, since the top players will dispute the remaining Grand Slam tourneys -LPGA Championship, U.S. Women's Open and British Open- as well as the prestigious Evian Masters.

Lorena Ochoa: her decision to leave the game was shocking because, even when Jiyai Shin became world number 1 -after a very consistent 2009 season- it's gonna be tough for the LPGA to find another player with Ochoa's charm. Perhaps the youngsters, such as Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome and Anna Nordqvist, can take Lorena's legacy, but their game hasn't been as mature as it should be to become the boss in the most competitive women's golf tour.

Erica Blasberg: the decease of the 25 year old North American shook the LPGA and its members in a very particular way. The cause of death is still unknown, therefore there have been lots of theories about ex-Wildcat's relationships and way of living off the course. With this background, it will take at least 3 more weeks for the coroner to release further information.

Paula Creamer: she's, by far, one of the favorite golfers around and, even when she's one of the most devoted players of the tour, the Pink Panther hasn't seen action in 2010 after going through surgery in her left hand, as a result of an injury that had been bothering her since last year. Now it's just matter of weeks before she comes back and makes her debut at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Asian players: once again it was pretty clear who leads the tour. The golfers from the Far East won 7 of the 9 tournaments played from February to May, after displaying quality and consistency on the course. Besides, they lead the top 5 of the Rolex Rankings: Jiyai Shin (1), Ai Miyzato (2) and Yani Tseng (4). It's gonna be very interesting to see their performance in the remaining events, but it's almost a fact that they'll continue to dominate.

The best of the season is still to come, so expect lots of emotions and many youngster winners because the average age of those who have lifted a trophy in 2010 is 24.7 years.

In Erica Blasberg's honor

In March 2008 I received a call, it was the Publishing Coordinator of Caras Sports Magazine (previously Caras Golf). To tell the truth I was shocked since it had been almost 6 months from the last time he published me, when I covered the 2007 RICOH Women's British Open.
After exchanging a few words he told me that we might gather with a player named Erica Blasberg and that I was going to interview her a couple of days before the third edition of the MasterCard Classic took place.

So, the LPGA confirmed the date, it would be March 12th at 8 am. at the Fiesta Americana hotel, which hosted the event.
The day was here, Erica came out the elevator with a huge suitcase full with clothes and shoes and was looking for the people she was supposed to meet with; behind her was her dad who caddied for her back in the day.

I remember she asked me how we were going to do it, so I explained it step by step and, while she was in the make up area I interviewed her. Even when I had already spoken to another LPGA player, Lorena Ochoa, it was all improvised; I had never done something like this, so it was my first formal shooting.

Erica told me she lived in Las Vegas, that she loved shows and that she hung out with her friends in the most famous casinos of the Strip; still her priority was her family, even when she was passionate about the game she played.

I must confess that I was very nervous, but EB's great sense of humor and warmness calmed me down. Without noticing we were already talking about music, shows, PGA players and her impressions about Mexico. Between shoots she recommended me a band, The Fray, and asked me to add her as a friend on Facebook.

From time to time I ran into her in some of the LPGA tournaments that took place in Mexico and we used to chitchat. At the 2008 Corona Championship I walked, for the very first and only time, the 18th holes of the daring Tres Marías Course and at the end, she came by and thanked me for the feat; she also said I needed to listen to Jason Mraz, who, by the way, I have already seen live.

A year later, when I gave her some copies of the magazine where her interview appeared, she took one of her mags and signed it for me; with a big smile and a hug she thanked me for working so hard in her feature.

The last time I talked to her was May 1st. 2010, at the Tres Marías Championship; I was getting into the clubhouse, while she was leaving; she turn around, we saw each other and start talking. she said she was great and that the course was in good shape; she even asked for my Publishing Coordinator and then we just said bye.

With only 25 years old, she was one of those players who stop to sign a cap or just to thank her fans. she was, without a doubt, a golfer with lots of potential and only needed a little push to become a LPGA star. I'll always remember those short, but very significant talks we had over the last couple of years, which gave me new musical favorites and the satisfaction to have met a superb human being.

Rest in peace Erica Blasberg.