With Wie in Korea and only the younger Sorenstam in attendance, Ochoa and Webb battle for their second LPGA trophy

In my opinion, this week’s Franklin American Mortgage Championship is comparable to the PGA’s Chrysler Classic of Tucson. Most of the big names that even casual viewers look for are not in attendance. In this case that means no Annika Sorenstam, no Michelle Wie nor Morgan Pressel. I’m not saying that the event is second rate but it does allow lesser known LPGA stars to shine without the pressure of the top players there.

Stacy Prammanasudh (pronounced PRAH-manna-sood) is one such golfer. Most people wouldn’t even know how to spell or even pronounce her name but Stacy P. has been gaining confidence and quietly climbing the ADT Money List since her 2005 Rolex first-time victory here defeating 2004 defending champion Lorena Ochoa.

But things aren’t the same as they were last year. Since then Ochoa has gained a wealth of confidence and has already taken her first trophy of this season at the Takefuji Classic. Out of seven starts Lorena has grabbed five top-ten finishes and is now the leader in the official money standings. With all of these terrific statistics it’s only a matter of time before the young Mexican superstar gives second place Michelle Wie a run for her money and topples Sorenstam off her Rolex perch. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a big Lorena Ochoa fan and believe that she will win one of the remaining majors this season. No pressure Lorena, really!

There is a “monkey wrench” in this equation, that is, Karrie Webb is also having a phenomenal season and has already won the Kraft Nabisco. Bouncing back from a few lackluster years Webb is now on a mission to regain the stature that once brought her two Rolex Player of the Year awards as well as admittance to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Currently Webb is just a single point beneath Ochoa and Sorenstam is twenty-six points back but with plenty of golf left in the season to try and earn her ninth such distinction.

Both girls last week battled it out at the Ginn Club and Resorts Open finally tying for second place when 5′1″ tall Mi Hyun Kim drove the ball 280 yards to dust herself off after a winless 2005 and defeat these two champions. So does that mean that since I’m 5′6″ tall I should be driving the ball in excess of 307.44 yards? Do the math.

Of course Kim wasn’t just sitting idly by last year. She did have nine top-ten finishes and came in fourth in driving accuracy.

Throw into the mix that this tournament is the first of a seven-part State Farm LPGA series featuring a bonus pool worth $250,000 with the winner gaining entrance into the season-ending $1 million ADT Championships held at the magnificent Trump International Golf Club and you now have a championship worth watching this weekend, even without the “headliners” attached to it.

ESPN2 will be televising the Franklin American Mortgage Championship May 5th through the 7th. Check your local listings.