Toronto's Rebecca Lee-Bentham says going directly to the LPGA was better for her career than starting on the development tour. (Hugh Gentry/Reuters/Files)
ORLANDO - Toronto's Rebecca Lee-Bentham was showcasing on Thursday her new and colourful Galvin Green duds that she gets as part of a new apparel deal, but it was just a quick stop before heading down under the following day.
The co-medalist at last month's LPGA Tour qualifying school is scheduled to play the Australian Ladies Masters, which gets underway this Friday. She'll stick around Oz to also play the Women's Australian Open, which starts on Valentine's Day.
It's the start of a brand new season for Lee-Bentham, one that is full of new hope that she'll improve considerably over her rookie year on the LPGA Tour, but predicting the fortunes of a young player involves so many intangibles that it's next to impossible.
That, by no means, is a slight to a player's talent or work ethic, just recognition that a young person is finding her way in a new world. It happens faster for some than for others and Lee-Bentham has at times shown she is capable of rising to the challenge.
