Aussie’s Awesome Anna

Rising star golfer embraces the fairway… and the catwalk as her

21st Century Prototype

International golfer. Inviting good looks. Inquisitive about the game. There are a lot of ways to describe LPGA golfer Anna Rawson, one of the most visible members of the tour, but perhaps the most direct description of Rawson is as the prototypical 21st century female athlete who combines sport, sales, sex and smarts.

“I love golf but it is good to be involved in other interests to reach as many people as you can,” says Rawson, who is also an accomplished model.

Her big break as a model came at age 16 when she was a finalist in an Australian magazine cover girl contest. This led to a variety of modeling opportunities in television, print advertisements and fashion shows. However, Rawson is more than just a pretty face with a good golf swing as she graduated with high school with honors.

“All of my interests are very personal to me and I want to exceed in everything I do,” says the motivated Rawson. “I modeled before I started golfing so I am very tied to it, but I enjoy them all in different ways.”

From Down Under to USC

A latecomer to the sport, but a natural talent, by her late teens Rawson was selected to be on the Australian National Senior Squad. Her amateur career was also highlighted by South Australian and Victoria Junior Championships as well as winning the Jack Newton International Junior Classic.

After a good showing at her native Australian Open, she was recruited by the University of Southern California and accepted a golf scholarship.

“I had been to Disneyland as a preteen, but I fell in love with Los Angeles and its diversity and I still live there now,” says Rawson. “I loved my time at USC, it was a phenomenal experience—from my sports business classes to my communications major I enjoyed learning about different subjects related to my future professions. As an athlete you are also an entertainer, so it is good to know about it all.”

Rawson earned the Pac-10 scholar athlete award three straight years and was a key member on the team’s first golf national championship in history. During this run she was also invited to the White House to meet President George W. Bush in October 2003.

Her success on the golf course as a USC Trojan was influenced by the fact that she was able to dedicate herself full-time to golf for the first time in her life. Rawson credits full-time swing coach Dana Dahlquist and short game specialists Dave and Ronnie Stockton in helping take her game to the next level. Their instruction led to Rawson being named All-Pac-10 honorable mention in 2001, 2002 and 2004.

“It was nice just to be working on golf and focusing directly on that,” Rawson reflects. “It also allowed me to live in the college moment, and enjoy the experience, which helped me so much socially. I couldn’t imagine passing up the best experience of my life so far.”

The Pro Process

By the end of 2004 Rawson turned professional and played a full season on the Future Tour. She made an instant impact on the tour, earning two top 10 finishes during her first season on the tour. Rawson missed the cut at the 2004 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament. She then took her game to Europe, adding even more to her international appeal by playing in the Ladies European Tour in 2005 and 2006.

“Sometime my mental game is my weakness, so I try to quiet my mind down because I am quite hard on myself,” she admits. “I can get down on myself fast and it feels like I have a little man on my shoulder who tells me what I am doing wrong—so I try to ignore him. The results will come as I continue to increase my focus.”

Rawson’s focus increased as she qualified for a full-time LPGA tour card in 2008 for the 2009 tour.

“It is a big jump in competition because the players on the tour here are so strong,” says Rawson. “The talent pool is so deep that you can finish in the top 10 one week and then miss the cut the next week. There is such a fine line between making and missing the cut, you have to remember that you are playing against the best players in the world and that you will not beat them every week.”

To help her compete against the best players in the world every week, Rawson engages in a strict practice and exercise routine for eight hours each day. Her exercise routine includes aerobics, yoga, flexibility exercises and a weekly massage. She works with a sports psychologist along with practicing the standard golf drills.

Rawson has been able to share her golf expertise with millions of people across the world as she produces her own original content as a syndicated monthly columnist for over 15 golf magazines in more than 20 different countries.

Even though she enjoys her rising fame on the golf course, her focus remains on her game.

“Thankfully I have improved every year and been able to beat my low score,” says Rawson. “I haven’t been able to break through with a win yet but it is all about continuing to improve and the rest will take care of itself.”

Rawson’s Role Models

Rawson lists many golf influences, naturally beginning with the legendary Aussie golfer Greg Norman. As she was in the middle of enjoying her amateur success, the rise of fellow Australian Karie Webb as the world’s number one golfer definitely caught her attention.

“That was very inspirational and motivational,” she says.

Although she keeps her game original and focuses on using her own talents, she does enjoy observing the swings of Steve Elkington and Zach Thompson.

“It is hard to emulate someone else,” says Rawson. “You just have to use your own talents and do what you do best.”

To increase the sharpness of her mental focus Rawson is drawn to observing Tiger Woods, perhaps the game’s greatest closer of all time.

“I like to watch golf and see who is mentally tough down the stretch,” she says. “Every now and then you see someone who wants to win go out and grab it, and that is so cool to me.”

The Model Mystique

Rawson is suited for walks down the catwalk in fashion shows just as much as walks down the fairways, which gives her obvious extra attention than the regular LPGA golfer. However, it is a long-time career she takes seriously, as she began modeling in live fashion shows for Chanel and Escada in Australia. She has enjoyed similar success modeling in fashion magazines including Vogue, L’ Official, Cleo and GQ.

“There are a lot of similarities between golfing and modeling that most people would not think about,” says Rawson. “You have to be fit and healthy, so your body is extremely important. Both take a long time to complete and are eight hours on your feet, so it is a good thing I am not in high heels on the course.”

Rawson is heavily influenced by designer Lucy MacGill of Platinum Fashion in Australia and she recently signed a deal to assist in design of a new collection with J. Lindeberg, serving as spokeswoman and creative director for the women’s golf line of clothes.

“Golf, fashion and modeling are all fun,” says Rawson. “And when I am starting on the course or the catwalk I get the same nervous butterfly feeling of excitement.”

LPGA Golf—The Rawson Way?

True to her communication major, Rawson is not shy about discussing how to increase the popularity of the LPGA game. More proactive marketing, teaming with the PGA and increasing gallery access to the players are all ideas Rawson believes would make the LPGA more dynamic.

“My ideas are outrageous and most of them would never be implemented,” Rawson admits. “But I like the attitude and atmosphere of the Waste Management Tournament, and especially the 16th hole, and I think we should have one hole in every tournament like that. I go to other sporting events and wish I could have people cheering for me the same way.”

Rawson would like to see other LPGA players follow her lead in using marketing to gain more mainstream attention, even if it means using their sex appeal.

“We have a lot of attractive girls in the sport and it is interesting for people to see them outside of their regular environment,” she says. “All exposure helps us reach out to the fan and gives us more visibility for our sport.”

If Rawson had her way that golfing environment would include mandatory interviews after the ninth hole so players can explain their strategies and thoughts.

“It is what’s inside our heads that people want to know,” she says. “That is what would draw us closer to fans.”

She hopes that her success off the course can influence the LPGA on the course—even if it is just a little bit.

“I love my following of fans from across the world, and I think it is because they are able to see the real me off the course,” says Rawson. “I want to thank all of them and keep increasing my visibility overall as an entertainer.”