Another factor in many young women’s decisions to turn pro is the fact that so many young players, particularly teenagers, have impacted the LPGA Tour over the past decade. Players such as Amy Alcott, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel were once exceptions when they joined a more veteran Tour. Now, teenagers are pouring in — and winning. Players like Hull, Jang, Hyo Joo Kim, Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson, In Gee Chun, Xi Yu Lin, Ariya Jutanugarn and Minjee Lee. And then, of course, there’s New Zealander Ko, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, who boasts 15 professional wins, one major, and nearly $5 million in career earnings — and won’t turn 19 until April.
Last year’s 31 LPGA Tour events produced just four winners over age 30. The window of opportunity in today’s women’s game is brief, so players enter earlier, hungrier, readier — and more unprepared than ever.
“You don’t know where you’re going — both figuratively, and literally. It’s very difficult to play a new golf course every single week,’’ says former UW star Paige Mackenzie, who turned pro in 2007 and is now a studio host on The Golf Channel. “The funny thing is, if you ask a rookie, they’re going to admit that. They’re going to say, ‘Yeah, yeah, it’s tough.’ But it’s not until your second year on Tour that you realize how difficult it was.
“Every single week you’re learning something new — you’re learning where the airport is, where the locker room is within the clubhouse, the bounces on the green, where to hit it and where not to hit it,” Mackenzie continues. “Experience cannot be taught, and as a rookie, you’re behind — you’re behind everyone else who has been out there for a year or more. And it’s a frustrating place to be.’’
Mackenzie has the luxury of perspective. A decade ago, she was in a similar situation as Yan and Kim when she embarked on her professional career. She was UW’s first Pac-10 champion, capped her junior year with a tie for 13th at the U.S. Women’s Open and was named Golfweek’s Amateur of the Year as a senior. Yet, in her first full season on Tour, she made a meager $25,464, missing the cut in 11 of 15 events she entered. Over the decade since, Mackenzie has banked $669,684 in career earnings, including a career-best $94,000 in 2012.
“It’s hard to figure out how to balance your life,’’ Mackenzie says of the college-to-Tour transition. “In college golf, these girls are coming from U-Dub, where you’d go play a tournament for three or four days, then you’d come back and work on your game for a few days. You can’t do that in Tour life. You’re playing four weeks in a row, five weeks in a row.
“If you’re struggling, you need to figure it out on the road, on these foreign golf courses, when you’re not next to your coach every day,” she adds. “It’s a huge adjustment from a preparation and competition standpoint, just managing how to get better, when you’re never home.”
At this point, Mulflur says that Kim (who couldn’t be reached in time for this article) is at a slight disadvantage.
“It’s harder for her,’’ Mulflur says. “There’s not as much guidance or financial support quite yet, [and] she has a tendency to be hard on herself. But she’s one of the purest ball strikers you’ll ever find. Jing is really mature beyond her years. Even as a freshman in college, she was the consummate pro. She’s not rattled out there. She has a good demeanor for her to have a nice, long career.
“In the next few years, she’s going to be one of the players you’ll have to contend with.’’
One more reason, Yan added, why she misses U-Dub and her coach.
“It’s part of why I love coach [Mulflur], she has unique insights and beliefs in others,’’ Yan says. “I’ve wanted to play on the LPGA Tour since I was nine years old. Everyone on Tour is hungry for a win and there are winners every week. Hopefully I can be one of them soon.
“I think that’s the reason we are all out there, trying to be world No. 1. And I’m no different.’’
Brian Beaky is the editor of Cascade Golfer. Bob Sherwin is a longtime Seattle sportswriter and co-founder of GolfersWest.com, who writes regularly for Cascade Golfer, The New York Times, the Associated Press and MLB.com.