A rising star on the links
In an economically difficult world, it pays to know your assets. If you are in touch with your ambitions, know who you are and what it is you do well, you’ve made an important step toward supporting step toward financial independence. Review your personal checklist mentally in much the same way you would when evaluating your finances. Installment loans and debt consolidation are options that should be considered carefully – much like your direction in life.
Yet there are no guarantees. You must work hard for what you want in life. If you love dance and have practiced until the blisters bleed, make yourself the ballerina you dream of being. If you can hit the fairways consistently on your drives and handle the greens, golf may be your career path. No matter the endeavor, you must provide the mental toughness. That’s exactly what Maria Verchenova brings to the Ladies’ European Tour. She wishes to earn her way to success on the strength of her golf game.
Eyes on the prize
As Matt Cooper’s recent Golf 365 interview with Verchenova shows us, she is a strong-minded young woman. The 23-year-old from Moscow is determined to become a winner on the Tour. Despite a lack of golfing opportunities in Russia during her childhood, Maria Verchenova took to the game. She is the first Russian to achieve full-time membership on the Ladies’ European Tour. In her rookie year of 2007, she showed promise, finishing top-10 in Wales. In 2008, Verchenova contended for the lead in the Dubai Ladies Masters, even dueling with golf legend Annika Sorenstam for a time.
But what will casual fans remember Maria Verchenova for when all is said and done? It is my sincere hope that her game does all the talking, as this is her stated goal. But it is inevitable that there will be those who affix derogatory labels like “the Anna Kournikova of golf” (Natalie Gulbis was the first women’s player to be unfairly burdened by the title). For those who don’t know, Kournikova was a talented tennis player who focused more energy on her modeling career than tennis. While this is a perfectly legitimate choice to make, the paparazzi and controversy surrounding her tended to overshadow the game that hundreds of hard-working players had devoted their lives.
Being attractive should not be a burden for women in sports
But the reality is that many people are less than enlightened when it comes to gender issues and sexuality. Maria Verchenova has done modeling shoots. She has admitted that Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova is a role model, and Sharapova is another talented athlete whose modeling endeavors have tended to overpower her athletic exploits. Yet Verchenova is very clear about what she takes from her admiration of Sharapova:
I am looking at Maria, not because of the way she looks but because of the way she plays. I think Russian women are strong mentally. They are trying really hard and they are achieving things.
Sex plus controversy may well equal the world’s most powerful marketing cocktail. The mix guarantees to create a handful of enemies and an army of fans. It’s a dangerous cocktail too. Go too far and your marketing department’s inbox may become jammed with complaints. Then again, if you provoke the right amount of controversy, (it) could put your brand name on everyone’s lips.
Success: the sweetest brand
Thus, image can be used for positive gains, so long as the precarious balance athletes like Anna Kournikova could not maintain is struck. Judging by her responses in the Cooper interview, Maria Verchenova is on the right track. Pay particular attention to how motivated and gracious Verchenova is:
Golf365: You’ve had to work hard to earn the right to play golf professionally because so few opportunities exist in Russia. Do you think that experience has had a positive effect, because it shows you have heart and ambition?
Maria Verchenova: Russia doesn’t have programs such as Korea, Japan, countries in Europe or the U.S. have. We have support in tennis and hockey but not in golf so this is something we have to work on. It has been tough for me to get to this level considering the difficulties which came to me along my young career. I wish I could have had more support and experienced people to rely on in the past. But the exciting part is that I can be this person for the next generation and this is priceless! I will do all my best to be a good pioneer and give back.
Golf365: (In 2008), you contended for the lead in Dubai – what has being so close to the lead taught you about how to cope with these situations in the future?
Maria Verchenova: Well, first Dubai is a special place for me as it’s my home away from home, I practice there a lot thanks to the support of Emirates Golf Club. So I was very happy to hit the ball well there. Being in the lead was a great experience, another step for me. I will keep working hard, learn and hopefully, very soon, I will hold the lead till the end of the tournament.
Golf365: Do you have any targets in 2009?
Maria Verchenova: That’s a simple one: Win!
Letting her game do the talking
Verchenova goes on to explain to Cooper that while her driving accuracy has been her strength, she isn’t going to rest on her laurels:
All last year and this off season, I have been practicing very hard on my short game. I can feel that I’m getting it to a whole new level so let’s say that it is one of my strengths from now on! But overall my target is to develop my game to get to a level where I can repeat a reliable swing in every situation.
Consistency of this nature is the key to a long, successful career. Maria Verchenova appears to have the tools to become a professional golfer, period. Physical beauty can open doors; it’s foolish to deny that. But it does not define who Verchenova is as a golfer or a woman. It is one facet. I wish her the best and hope that one day, she’ll be mentioned in the same breath as Mickey Wright, Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa – among the greats of the game.
Related Video:
There’s nothing better than to get the best of both worlds.
Maria Verchenova is not only talented, but is absolutely gorgeous. Obviously she can advance her career in a modeling profession without any worries. Being able to play golf professionally is yet just another plus on her part.