Maria Fassi: Can She Inject Women's Golf With Star Power?

I’m a believer after watching her remarkable play at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, but she also just missed the cut in her “home” debut in Arkansas.

As Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols writes in an excellent look at Fassi’s prospects, the talent and star qualities are there. Read it all. As a side note, I found two things here interesting:

On Tuesday in Arkansas, she spent three hours working on her wedges with Estes-Taylor, who did the same for Lewis years ago.

It was Lewis who insisted that Fassi get out of the 100-plus degree heat at the U.S. Women’s Open in Charleston, S.C., and save her body. She’ll need truth-tellers like that in her circle.

Fassi missed her first cut as a professional at her “home” event, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, but handled the disappointment with class.

Whan points to the “long string of can’t-miss college kids that missed” and hopes the degree-toting Fassi puts together a blockbuster career. Lewis remains the only four-year college player to rise to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings.