When to play for money

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Morgan Pressel returned home Sunday night after six grueling but exhilarating weeks on the road.

Her life has been a whirlwind since she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur outside Atlanta two weeks ago, but she didn’t sleep in Monday.

“I was up at 6 in the morning,” Pressel said.

She was up to go hit balls in a tune-up with swing coach Martin Hall at Ibis Golf & Country Club.

“I had to see him,” Pressel said. “He’s leaving for England.”

Though the precision of this 17-year-old’s swing made news around the world this summer with her runner-up finish at the U.S. Women’s Open in June and the staggering nature of her rout at the national amateur last week – 47 birdies and an eagle over 142 holes – she wants to make sure she’s razor sharp for next week’s return to the LPGA Tour.

Pressel hits the road again this weekend to prepare for next week’s Wendy’s Championship in Columbus, Ohio, and then the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill., the week after.

She’s wrestling with a fairly large question as she prepares for her fifth and sixth LPGA events of the year. Should she shed her amateur status and begin playing as a pro next week?

“We’re definitely weighing the options,” Pressel said. “I’m not sure yet.”

This summer, LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw granted Pressel a partial waiver of the tour’s 18-year-old age requirement. He is allowing her to play the tour’s qualifying school this fall, but his ruling doesn’t allow her to claim any membership status she earns at Q School until she turns 18 on May 23.

Still, Pressel is allowed to turn pro anytime she wants, play the tour as a non-member and collect prize money.

Basically, Votaw’s ruling only limits Pressel’s access to tour events and means any money she wins as a non-member will not count toward the tour’s money list.

So why turn pro now?

Pressel has a chance to avoid qualifying school. To do so, she would have to win enough money in two weeks to equal at least what the 90th player on the tour’s money list makes at season’s end. Last year, that was $102,457. If she does that, she would still have to wait until she’s 18 to claim member status.

However, if Pressel wins the Wendy’s or State Farm events – not unrealistic, considering her U.S. Women’s Open finish – she would have cause to appeal to Votaw to reconsider his ruling and grant membership before her 18th birthday.

The first-place check at the Wendy’s Championship is $150,000; at the State Farm Classic, $195,000.

“She will probably play as an amateur, but there are some advantages to turning pro,” said Herb Krickstein, her grandfather and coach. “We are giving a little thought to those. The negative is that she wouldn’t be eligible to play in the Junior Solheim Cup (Sept. 5-7).”

Or play on the St. Andrew’s High School golf team. If she remains an amateur this fall, Pressel plans to rejoin her team. That’s an ominous thought for St. Andrew’s opponents.