Morgan Pressel is an American professional golfer
currently playing on the LPGA Tour.
She is the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA major
tournament, and has reached number 4 in the Women's
World Golf Rankings.
Pressel was born in Tampa, Florida, to Mike Pressel
and Kathy Krickstein Pressel. She attended Banyan
Creek Elementary School, Omni Middle School, and
graduated in 2006 from the Saint Andrew's School in
Boca Raton, a private school affiliated with the
Episcopal Church. She has stated that her Jewish
faith plays a large role in her life.
Her mother died of breast cancer in September 2003,
after which Pressel moved in with her grandparents
Evelyn Krickstein and Dr. Herb Krickstein, a retired
physician and pathologist who is her coach as well
as her grandfather, while her two younger siblings
stayed with their father. Pressel continues to live
with her grandparents
In 2001, as a 12-year-old, she became the youngest
player to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. This
record stood until 2007, when Alexis Thompson,
another 12-year-old, beat the the record by several
months.
In 2005, at the age of 17, she was one of three
co-leaders starting the final round of the U.S.
Women's Open, and finished in a tie for second
place. Pressel was tied for first on the 18th
fairway when Birdie Kim holed out from the bunker on
18 to give her a one-stroke lead. Pressel made a
bogey on the 18th to lose by two strokes. Her
second-place finish gave her a share of the low
amateur honors with Brittany Lang.
In 2005, Pressel won the North and South Women's
Amateur Golf Championship at Pinehurst, and the most
important amateur event, the United States Women's
Amateur Golf Championship. Pressel also finished her
amateur career as 2005 Girls American Junior Golf
Association (AJGA) Junior Player of the Year.
Pressel turned professional in January 2006 after
appealing to the LPGA to become a member as a
17-year old. LPGA rules state that members must be
18 years old.
She played part-time on the tour while still
attending high school until her graduation in May
2006.
She earned her first victory in 2007 at the Kraft
Nabisco Championship. With the win, Pressel became
the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA major golf
tournament at 18 years, 313 days.
She is represented by IMG sports management agency
and has endorsement deals with Callaway Golf, Polo
Ralph Lauren, and Oakley.
Pressel made her first hole-in-one as a professional
golfer on July 15, 2007, at the Jamie Farr Owens
Corning Classic Presented by Kroger at Highland
Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. It was a 152
yard par 3 -- hole 6 for the tournament. It was not
enough to win, though; Se Ri Pak won the event for
the fifth time.
