Yesterday, I received several messages from people expressing their dismay with the above YouTube video of 17-year-old Lexi Thompson — wearing a hat with the Red Bull logo — soliciting a high school prom date.

While good intentions were likely the case, it sounded a little creepy. Well, I finally got around to watching it. Then, I spent the next two hours picking my jaw up off the ground and trying to process the whole concept. I still haven’t figured out how this stunt was approved through the ranks and multiple parties (which doesn’t include Lexi because she’s a minor and a nice girl — to be clear, my reaction to the video isn’t an attack on her).  (continue reading…)

Yani: Still smiling

I’m not sure where to start, but how about that finish at the LPGA’s first major of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship!? You know, just when I thought we were finally going to have a relatively calm and boring (in a good way) Sunday, mayhem broke loose. (continue reading…)

Salas booked her place on the LPGA Tour with four consecutive birdies (three in a playoff).

An LPGA Tour rookie with but a single paycheck to her name may appear an unusual subject for an LA Times profile, but Lizette Salas can boast of a biography every bit as stirring and inspirational as those of her more illustrious, major-winning peers. (continue reading…)

All in the family

LPGA player (and a good friend of 15-plus years) Paige Mackenzie had her brother Brock, who plays on the Nationwide Tour and mini tours, on the bag last week at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup. Brock walked away with a better understanding and appreciation for the LPGA. He also noted some enlightening differences between the ladies and men’s professional tours. “The LPGA’s new slogan is “see why it’s different out here,” he tweeted.

Here are the top five — that are guaranteed to give you a good laugh — via Brock’s Twitter: (continue reading…)

Lexi Thompson: ready for the big-time.

Teen phenom Lexi Thompson was in attendance at last week’s Honda Classic, where she announced her decision to employ a full-time caddy – they grow up so fast – and met hero Tiger Woods for the first time. (continue reading…)

Yikes.

Lest you bask too long in the warm glow of Hacker’s Schadenfreude (an APA-recognised condition), it’s worth pointing out that Stanford followed her moment of ignominy by firing an approach shot to within 15 feet of the pin and draining the birdie effort. She leads the HSBC Women’s Champions by two heading into the weekend.

Conor Nagle

That's paint!

In case anyone hasn’t seen the lovely photo gallery of LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, you should check it out. I put myself on internet timeout yesterday, so I just finished examining them.  The picture above was my favorite of the ten selects. (continue reading…)

So Yeon Ryu: back in the driving seat.

For the second time in ten days Women’s US Open champion So Yeon Ryu will enter the weekend of a Ladies European Tour event at the head of an elite field. (continue reading…)

Sarah Kemp: formerly "the next Karrie Webb".

It should come as little surprise, given the idiosyncrasies of Royal Melbourne’s test, that an Australian should lead the way after the opening round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

Few, however, could have anticipated that it would fall to New South Wales native Sarah Kemp to lead the field into the tournament’s second day. (continue reading…)

Quite good: Tseng won 12 times in 2011.

Tiger and the PGA Tour are at Pebble Beach this week, but if you want to see a genuinely world-class field tackle an innovative piece of golf architecture, the Australian sandbelt, home of Royal Melbourne and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, probably has the edge over Monterey. (continue reading…)