Published>Thu, Apr 22 10 10:08 AM
While flattered by suggestions she could be the "next Tiger Woods", teenage sensation Mariah Stackhouse has no desire to live up to comparisons as she carves out her own unique path to glory.
The 16-year-old American got her first taste of the LPGA Tour when she competed in the made-for-television Mojo 6 tournament in Jamaica last week and has set her sights on turning professional after she finishes university.
"I'm sure it's a compliment because we all know that Tiger is a major force in golf," Stackhouse told Reuters.
"But I have to develop myself as Mariah Stackhouse. Tiger is a great golfer but I don't want to model myself too much after anyone else because then you're trying to get to a level where they're at and you never know what you can achieve.
"Tiger has done great but I want to see how far Mariah can go."
Stackhouse has already established herself as one of the top junior golfers in the United States and she made a significant impression last week on LPGA veteran Cristie Kerr.
"She's got a terrific short game and she's a good putter," Kerr told Reuters, having beaten Stackhouse by 4-? points to 2-? in their six-hole match in the LPGA-sanctioned event at Cinnamon Hill in Jamaica.
"She needs to get longer (off the tee) but she's only 16. If she were to gain 20 yards or so, she would be competitive on the Tour. Everybody (in Jamaica) was very impressed by her."
World number six Kerr, whose 12 LPGA titles include the 2007 U.S. Women's Open, felt dubbing Stackhouse as the "next Tiger Woods" was unfair.
UNFAIR COMPARISON
"When Tiger was 15, he was winning the U.S. amateur," the 32-year-old American said. "She is exposed to all this (hype) but I don't think it's a fair comparison that she is going to be the female Tiger Woods.
"However she certainly has a lot of potential and if she were to get a little bit longer and get more experience, she could have a very bright future on the LPGA."
Stackhouse lost her other first-round matches last week by the same score to world number four Suzann Pettersen of Norway and American Amanda Blumenherst but relished the experience.
"It was amazing and a great opportunity for me," she said in a telephone interview from her home in Georgia. "It was an experience to see how they played and, if I want to get to that point, how I need to turn myself in their direction."
A sophomore at North Clayton High School with a love of science, Stackhouse wants to major in business management when she continues her golfing development at university.
"When you play college golf, it takes up a lot of your time so you're going to have to have good study habits," she said. "Right now, I want to learn as much as I can at high school so that when I go to college I will be well prepared."
As for her golfing hopes and dreams?
"In college, I want to develop myself to the point where I am playing consistently," said Stackhouse who won the Georgia state women's match play championship at 13 and the women's state amateur title at 14.
"If I graduate from college and I feel I have prepared myself well enough, that is definitely the time that I want to try professional golf. That's the aim of my life right now."
Source: Web Search
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