In a professional golf tour that is dominated by the likes of one of the game's greatest talents in Yani Tseng, a small number of rising stars are looking to dethrone Tseng before everything is said and done. This includes Katie Futcher, who is coming off of the strongest season of her 6-year professional career in 2011.
Futcher Boasts Career-Best Major Finishes
In a year highlighted by many firsts, Futcher also played the best golf of her major career last season boasting two top-10 finishes and a top-15 finish, including a tie for third place at the Kraft Nobisco Championship. Futcher attributes her strong play in these events to a drastically improved putting stroke, according to the LPGA website.
“The key is thatI’ve seen a lot of improvement in my putting,” said Futcher, 30, of The Woodlands, Texas, who finished 30th on the LPGA’s season money list with earnings of $373,630. “This was definitely the best year of my career.”
David Edel Offers Assistance to Futcher
Futcher's newfound success on the putting green has come as a direct result from working with putting guru David Edel, originally from Texas. Through their work in the mechanics of the putting stroke, according to Edel, the young LPGA star began to feel "more in tune" with her putter. This adjustment and practice lead to a deeper feeling of confidence for Futcher, and the results are obvious.
While having finished in the top-20 in many tournaments throughout her career, Futcher first broke the top-ten level in 2011; something she called a major stepping point in her career. Her final round 69 in the Kraft Nabisco Championship allowed her to also record her first top-5 finish, which seemed even more sweet as the performance came during the LPGA's third major of the year.
Future Work Plans and Expectations
Futcher now reports that she hopes to continue working on her putting stroke under the guidance of Edel, but also hopes to improve her ball-striking and accuracy off the tee during the offseason. Her workout regimine and dedication to proper nutrition will undoubtedly provide her an edge in all areas of training as she prepares to continue her rise to the top of both the LPGA TOUR money list and Rolex World Rankings next golf season.
Source:
LPGA.com, "Futcher Enjoys Break Through Year on 2011 LPGA Season"; accessed December 2011.
Adam Fonseca - Adam Fonseca is a certified Lean Six Sigma Change Agent and an accomplished golf writer. He currently works in health care ...
