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Stacy Lewis

She almost won the 2008 US Open - her first event as a pro - and fended off Michelle Wie for medallist honours at the LPGA Q-School. But Stacy Lewis's biggest achievement is defeating scoliosis to forge a pro golf career. Meet a young Texan destined for the top.

Even as the LPGA Tour bade farewell to its brightest star, it was preparing to welcome the game's most promising young female. Just six days before super Swede Annika Sorenstam brought her competitive career to a climax with a birdie in Dubai last December, 23-year-old Stacy Lewis was signing for a 69 and a three-shot victory at the Tour's grueling five-round Q-school. The event is never a walk in the park, but pressure for the class of 2009 was cranked up by the presence of one Michelle Wie, who eventually qualified in seventh place, six shots behind Lewis.

"There was a lot more pressure and coverage," recalls Stacy. "There were even bleachers and stands, for LPGA Q-School! To have all that attention was fun, but truthfully it's just great to have it over with." That Stacy was at Q-School at all was something of a controversy; last June she made an astonishing debut to her professional career, leading the US Open after three rounds before sliding to a 78 and finishing tied third. She won $162,000, but a quirky LPGA Tour rule does not count cash won at the US Open for the official money list because of the inflated purse. Stacy was left with six sponsors' exemptions to make the 2009 Tour, but fell short.

"The US Open was surreal," she admits. "I played okay the first two days, and then all of a sudden my putter catches fire and I'm leading. "It happened so fast, and I wasn't prepared for the final group on the fourth day. Each day, after I finished playing I would go through my warm-down practice routine. But after my third round 67 I did a bunch of interviews and just wanted to get out of there; I didn't do what I'd been doing to get into that position. It wasn't clear at the time that it had an big effect, but looking back I feel that it did; I wish I'd just fit a few and calmed down a little bit."

While ending in disappointment, Stacy believes her US Open experience ultimately proved beneficial: "Those six LPGA events I played in? They felt like I was in Q-School the whole time. So getting to Q-School was almost like a relief; all I had to do now was get out and play, just for one week. My goal was to win, and I felt really calm and in control."

To those who know her, it comes as no surprise that Stacy turned a potential set-back into such a positive. At age 11, three years after her father introduced her to the game, she underwent a routine school medical examination that revealed scoliosis - a curving of the spine. For the next seven years she wore a corrective body brace for 18 hours a day - "The only time I was allowed out of it was to play golf," Stacy laughs: "I guess that's why I loved playing so much!" - but the brace didn't work. At 18, she faced a spinal fusion operation - and the possibility she'd never play golf again.

A month after graduating from High School, Stacy went under the knife. "I had a rod and five screws put into my back", she reveals. "In fact, they did the surgery a little different on me because the doctor found out I played golf. Usually they go in from the back and put rods on both sides of the spine. For me, he went in from the side and only used one rod. That allowed me to keep more rotation."

Besides the rod and screws, the operation involves grafting bone on to the vertebrae to help support and straighten the spine. They used part of one of Stacy's ribs for the fusion. "The grafting can help straighten the spine but it also tends to restrict movement," says Stacy. "In fact I did lose some of my turn. But the one blessing is that the way my spine was turned and rotated put my left side a little higher, and actually set me up to play. Had I been left-handed, I wouldn't be able to swing a golf club."

Stacy talks about the operation matter-of-factly, but there is no denying the ordeal she went through. "It was the worst pain I could ever imagine; I wouldn't wish it on anybody. They had to move a bunch of organs out of the way, so everything was hauled around in side of me. Everything hurt. I lost around 25 pounds, and the painkillers were making me sick. For probably a month and a half, I just stayed at home; I didn't want to leave the house."

Stacy didn't swing a club for six months. And while her game certainly moved to another level after the operation, it is surprising to hear her credit a mental, rather than a physical, change.

"Physically, I'm not sure it made a huge difference; coming back, I saw the tendencies I had in my swing reappearing. But what did change was my perspective. Before, I would get mad and upset; but I went six months where all I could do was watch my college team mates practise and play. It gave me a new appreciation of what you are able to do, and enjoying what you are able to do. "It didn't matter how good or bad I played, I was just so excited to be out there at all. That made me play better."

Since the operation, Stacy's game has just got stronger. A glittering college career at Arkansas peaked with triumph at the 2007 NCAA Championships. Also in 2007 she actually won an LPGA event, the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, though, rain-shortened to one round, the event was rendered unofficial. An emphatic 5-0-0 Curtis Cup record at St Andrews last May heralded her decision to turn professional. Last September Stacy became Mizuno's first ever international female brand ambassador.

"I've played Mizuno since college, where I picked out and played the MX-25 irons,' she explains. "Five years later, I still do. They set up well to my eye, are consistent, and I love their fit and feel. The pocket cavity makes them quite forgiving. Many pros go straight to blade but if I can hit the same type of shots with a cavity back I'll go to that club every time. I can still shape the ball fine. I use stiff graphite shafts, as I find them easier on my back than steel.

"I also put the MP600 driver in my bag last September. Modern drivers are getting so big, but this one has a smaller look to it which I like. The adjustable Fast Track system is set up to the standard numbers, 5 and 2, though in practice I've played around with adjusting it to hit higher or lower."

Stacy's road to the LPGA Tour may have had more than its share of twists and turns, but having got there, there's no question she has the tools to succeed. Ominously for Europe, she openly states her main goal is to make the Solheim Cup team for Chicago in August; and her dedication to making the team means we may only see her over here for the Evian and British Opens. But whatever you do, do not bet against her making the team at her first attempt.

"I've always been the kind of person that when told I can't achieve something, will do it," she concludes. "I've been through a lot, and the one thing I've learned is not to set boundaries on what you can and can't do." Annika may just have got out while the going was good.

"Stacy works harder than anybody I've ever seen"
Women's golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor worked with Stacy for five years at the Unversity of Arkansas: "Stacy has always had a fundamentally sound golf swing, but after her scoliosis surgery her short game needed to be developed. We worked extremely hard on her chipping, wedges, and her putting, especially on shot selection around the green. She was a quick learner and would take it to the golf course with no fear. But her most impressive attributes are her work ethic and course managment. She works harder than anybody I have ever seen. This, combined with her ability to play a golf course very efficiently, will always give her the freedom to feel prepared when she enters a tournament.

I caddied for Stacy at the LPGA Q-school for seven straight days and it was then that I knew she had all the shots, that she was physically and mentally ready to win on the LPGA tour. She will win; the question is how many times!"

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