Anna Rawson the model professional part. 2
Continued from part one. Click here to read it.
Playing on both sides of the globe has allowed Rawson to assess who makes the most birdies and bogeys in the fashion stakes, and while the majority of the world’s best players have been drawn to America and the LPGA, it is the Europeans who are streets ahead when it comes to style.
“I think the fashion on the Ladies’ European Tour is much better than the LPGA.
“I see a lot more variety and the European girls take more risks.
“But I also like how some of the Korean players dress, especially Grace Park, Jin Joo Hong and Soo Yun Kang. They always look so classy and put together. Off the course they always have cool handbags and cute shoes.”
While the world of fashion and modelling have gone hand in hand with that of a life on tour, Rawson freely admits: “I feel much more like an athlete than a model.”
Her early golfing career saw her win several amateur Australian titles, which led to a scholarship at the University of Southern California.
There she helped USC to their first-ever national title – and an invitation to the White House by former President George W Bush.
A fledgling career on the Futures Tour in America followed before Rawson switched her focus to Europe.
However, this season she combined the best of both worlds as a fully exempt member on both the LET and LPGA.
“I feel much more like an athlete than a model.”
“I can’t tell you how nice it has been to have a full card on the LPGA.
“Planning is so much easier. Unfortunately the LET and the LPGA don’t work their schedules together, so this year there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity for me to go to Europe.
“I hope it works out better next year as there are so many things I love about each tour.
“I love that the LPGA is televised on the weekends, and that when I play there I am only, at most, six hours away from my home in Los Angeles.
“But I also love to travel and explore different cities and cultures and when I play on the LET, I get to explore some of the coolest cities in Europe and the world – like Dubai.
“I don’t think I would have visited Dubai if the LET didn’t have a tournament there.”
Unfortunately for the Aussie, she still has some work to do if she is to retain those privileges for the 2010 season, having made just one top-10 finish in five events on the LET and appearing in the money only seven times on the LPGA.
A trip back to tour school looks to be imminent in the States, but the Australian will have one more throw of the dice as the LET visits one of her favourite destinations for its end-of-season finale – the Dubai Ladies Masters.
A tie for seventh at last year’s event bodes well for Rawson and it comes as no surprise to learn that this glamour capital of the Middle East is somewhere that she feels completely at home.
It would provide a fitting place for the dream to continue.
Factfile
Date of birth: August 5, 1981
Turned Pro: 2004
2009 highlights: 10th ANZ Ladies Masters (LET); T13th LPGA State Farm Classic
Favourite designers: Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Donna Karan and Alexander Wang
Favourite outfit: My black Dolce & Gabbana pencil skirt. It looks great with everything and is such a classic!
www.annarawson.com
For more golf news, discussion and videos follow @NCGmagazine on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube video channel, and sign up to our newsletter
