Charles Beene, Special to Cascade Golfer
She’s got the looks, the ambition, and the marketing instincts. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer even put her at No. 2 (behind the Storm’s Lauren Jackson) on their “Seattle’s Sexiest Athletes” list in 2005.
Amber Prange’s professional golf career is just beginning, but it’s not hard to imagine her as the next Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer or Cristie Kerr, part of the new wave of players who’ve literally changed the face of women’s golf with their sex appeal.
But unlike those three, the former University of Washington standout has a lot to prove on the golf course before the big sponsors come calling.
“I’d like to market myself in that sense but at the same time I want to have the game to back it,” Prange says. “I would love to someday be a positive role model for girls today.? I feel that my generation lacks a classy, sexy, articulate, strong female to look up to. ?Hopefully with my game and marketing abilities, I will be able to put myself in a position where I could be that role model.”
But for now, she’s just one of nearly 400 players grinding it out in obscurity, hoping for a shot at the big time. Last fall, she qualified for the Duramed Futures Tour, where the top-five money winners at the end of the season earn an exempt spot on the LPGA Tour for 2009. And Prange is clearly focused on getting to the big leagues sooner than later.
“My goals are to not miss one cut, consistently finish in the top-20, and have a good handful of tournaments where I place in the top five,” says Prange, who opened the season at the Bight House Networks Open on March 14-16 in Lakeland, Fla.
“I feel I have the game, the talent, and the skill to excel but I do know that I will have to keep bettering every aspect of my game … I have a lot of work to do.?But, hey, even Tiger continues to work on his game everyday.”
A mean flop out of the rough and a tight draw to a back pin are among her “go-to” shots. But she has a good idea where she needs the most work.
“My iron striking and hitting more greens in regulation.?I have always been very accurate off the tee and I feel that my short game is very good.?But putting and the short game is the most important and every player should focus 60-70 percent of practice to that area.”
One advantage Prange will have in her rookie year is the companionship and advice of her sister, Ashley, the former University of North Carolina All-American. Since winning the Big Break V on the Golf Channel, Ashley has spent three years on the Futures Tour, winning twice in 2006 and just missing an exempt spot on the LPGA Tour.