Intriguing LPGA Season Begins; Bri Vega in Field

What should be a very interesting LPGA season tees off on Thursday with the SBS Open at Turtle Bay in Hawaii. Lorena Ochoa and Karrie Webb take up again their chase of Annika Sorenstam; a bevy of talented rookies have breakout potential; and "Big Break VI" winner Bri Vega (pictured) is playing on one of the two exemptions she won as BB6 champion.

An interview with Vega about her "Big Break" experience and what's in store for 2007 is posted at LPGA.com. In it, she's asked if winning the TV reality show has helped her with endorsements, and she replies:

"Yes, I now have deals with Peak Vision sunglasses, Lija apparel, Birdie Girl lightweight bags, FootJoy shoes, a shaft company, a training device and a new golf tee maker. It's awesome and it's great to know people believe in me and want to help me out. I want to help them out too by wearing or using their products."

C'mon Bri, you're going to have to do better than that. It's nice that you "want to help them out, too," but what's this: "... a shaft company, a training device and a new golf tee maker." Get those companies' names in there, girl! Haven't you ever watched NASCAR? You've got to work the sponsors' names in every chance you get!

Bri obviously has a lot to learn, which is likely to be evident at the SBS Open this week.

Karrie Webb, on the other hand, enters the tournament red-hot, coming off two wins in Australia. Lorena Ochoa is also on hand, but the other member of the LPGA's current "Big 3," Annika Sorenstam, skips the Hawaii tournaments.

Will Sorenstam be able to hold onto her No. 1 world ranking in 2007? I predict a very big year for Webb, so I expect to see Webb atop the world rankings at the end of the year. But it should be another tight race between Webb, Ochoa and Sorenstam for player of the year.

And the Rookie of the Year race should be a great one, too, with Song-Hee Kim, who dominated the Futures Tour; Jane Park, Angela Park and In-Bee Park all hitting the big leagues; and our friend Charlotte Mayorkas, whose tour diary you can read here on About.com.

In addition, "Big Break" alums Kristy McPherson and Sarah Lynn Sargent (formerly Johnston) have exempt status.

I'm looking forward to a highly entertaining year on the LPGA in 2007.

(Photo courtesy of The Golf Channel)