As Tiger Woods’s dalliances dominate golf headlines, Anna Rawson is showing fans that some professionals in the sport have nicer things to offer – long legs, soft blue eyes, flowing blonde locks, and, most importantly, a big heart.
The charming Aussie is one of a dozen LPGA stars vying for the final spot in the inaugural Mojo 6 tournament being held in Jamaica in mid-April, scheduled for broadcast on CBS May 1-2. The last slot won’t be decided by on-the-course play; rather, it will be determined by a voting process. Rawson has taken the Mojo 6 philosophy — increasing awareness about the importance of charitable giving — to a new level, pledging to donate any winnings from the competition to charity.
That means that Rawson’s cut of a $1 million purse (a minimum of $25,000) will be heading to her charities of choice.
“I wanted to show my dedication to the global community by giving back to three charities: International Medical Corps, UNICEF and Inspire.”
The Inspire Foundation, a charity designed to help youth victims of suicide, holds a special place in Rawson’s heart.
“At the age of 5, I lost my mother to suicide,” she said. “I want to build an on-going partnership with Inspire to bring hope into the lives of children, who have become victims of this tragedy.”
When asked how she could afford to make such a generous donation, she responded: “How can I afford not to?”
Rawson, now 28, shatters the mold of the typical LPGA athlete, dividing her time between the rigors of golf, a modeling career that began when she was 16, and serving as design consultant for a golf apparel line. She is difficult to ignore on the links, constantly working on her swing and anxious to learn more about every aspect of a game she started playing at 13.
“I started playing golf to get closer to my father and brother,” she said. “Golf interested me the most because it was such a challenge, and I could always improve. I also loved the classic aspect of the game. I always thought of golfers as elegant, much like Katherine Hepburn, and that appealed to me. It was a game where women could be classy, glamorous and beautiful and still hit the ball 200 yards.”
Rawson’s looks haven’t escaped media attention either. Her runway model appearance has been celebrated widely; she was named Maxim’s Sexiest New Athlete in 2008, and last year was added as a GoDaddy spokeswoman.
Does Rawson worry about the inevitable comparisons to another beautiful sports phenom, Anna Kournikova? Hardly.
“I admire the way Anna Kournikova raised the profile of her sport,” Rawson said. “I admire how she did it in a feminine way, showing that female athletes can be talented and sexy. I admire her determination and drive to get to the top of women’s tennis.”
That said, Rawson envisions herself getting to the top of women’s golf, starting with the tournament in Jamaica. If she earns the final spot in the Mojo 6, Rawson believes she has a good shot at getting the win, and making some charitable organizations very happy.
“I have just as much of a chance of winning as everyone else,” she said. “You have to go into it with a positive attitude.”
In fact, her confidence is so high that Rawson believes she can duplicate her performance in the 2009 Canadian Women’s Open. In the opening round of that tournament, once a major on the LPGA tour, she shot a then course record and career best 64 (-7), propelling her to a solid 18th place finish.
While she expects the fan-friendly format to create an exciting atmosphere, Rawson would be facing some pretty tough competition in the Mojo 6. The field consists of 15 elite women golfers, including six of the top seven female golfers in the Rolex World Golf Rankings. Names like Anna Nordqvist, Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen and Cristie Kerr make for an intimidating field. Not to mention the inclusion of 15-year-old phenom Mariah Stackhouse.
But the tournament almost seems tailor-made for the fun-loving Aussie, combining the love of golf, a charitable pledge, and a smile rivaling the Jamaican sun. Anna Rawson is certainly not shy about revealing her emotions, and the prospect of playing in the Mojo 6 is no exception.
“I’m excited,” she said. “I promise to make it entertaining!”
That’s a promise worth voting for.
Rusty Weiss is a writer at NewsBusters, analyzing the main stream media. He welcomes feedback at rustyweiss@verizon.net.
