1. Who do you feel are the top-five players to watch for the 2005 LPGA Tour season?

David Feherty: Annika, (duh) Grace Park, Lorena Ochoa, Se Ri Pak, and Karen Stupples.

Kay Cockerill: It's always a question as to who is going to challenge Annika Sorenstam. She is still the player to beat. In any given week she plays, she can be beaten by a number of players. But, throughout the year, her dominance and incredible consistency is tough to overcome. Grace Park proved last year that she has the power and now the consistency to be a number one player. For Grace, it's a matter of staying healthy. Lorena Ochoa, who is entering her third year will be that much more comfortable with the courses, the travel and being in contention. She had 18 top 10's last year with two wins. She's aggressive and fearless, proven by the large number of birdies made--442 and the number one ranking in that category. If she can chip away at the number of bogeys she makes each year, she'll lower her scoring average considerably and give Annika a good run.

Donna Caponi: Obviously, you have to start with Annika Sorenstam. That pretty much goes without saying. And then I think Karrie Webb is going to have another good year. And then I'd throw Michelle Wie in there too. You should maybe start engraving her name on a trophy sometime soon. I really believe that. Cristie Kerr will continue to play well and then I would pick Lorena Ochoa to round out the top 5.

Dottie Pepper: Obviously Annika Sorenstam. She seems to be especially geared up for the new year and a new life. Grace Park: It will be interesting to see how she responds to a great year that was ALMOST huge. Se Ri Pak: How she will respond to the first bit of a struggle with her golf game and how she readjusts her goals after qualifying for the Hall of Fame.
Rosie Jones: Will she grind it out to make one more Solheim Cup team? Michelle Wie: Will she turn professional at some point this year?

Val Skinner: I think there is going to be a re-commitment on Karrie Webb's behalf to fire it up before her Hall of Fame induction. She just seems to have a new perspective and is coming into her own as a mature athlete. And I think
Annika Sorenstam will be challenged by that. While she is still number-one, more players seem to be figuring out how to mount a charge, although that's still a tall order considering how talented Annika is.

I think Lorena Ochoa will progress her playing abilities-- where that takes her, I'm not sure, but it's definitely in the top-5. I think she is on the fast-track to stardom. Like every great superstar, Lorena always seems to birdie the 18th hole. She's just one of those players. Her management of her skill, the support system she has in place, her coaching-- all the things you need to be great-- she has those in place already.

I think Michelle Wie has a chance of finishing in the top five more often than she has ever in the past. After watching her in Hawaii, she is getting better and better every single time out. I think we may even see her win this year.

Grace Park is an obvious choice as well. I think Grace has accepted the fact that to really be awesome, she would have to commit herself differently to the game. She started doing that in 2003 and 2004, and she is getting better and better. Even though she isn't off to a great start, right now, I believe she is thinking about Kraft Nabisco and defending her title there.
I think her priority is probably more on the major championships rather than the early events in the season.

2. Who do you think will is poised for a breakout season this year?

David Feherty: Ty Votaw definitely, and maybe Jennifer Rosales.

Kay Cockerill: Lorena Ochoa's primed for a breakout year. With three top 10's in the majors, she will be a force at those four championships. Cristie Kerr in her ninth year is a young veteran at 27 years. She had the big breakout year last year with three wins, vaulting into the number-five position on the money list. Her comfort at this new level of play will allow her to push for even more. I see her with another multiple-win year and perhaps her first major. Jennifer Rosales certainly started off things this year with an impressive win with the lead at the SBS Turtle Bay open. That was a huge hurdle for her to overcome, proving to herself that she can win both coming from behind and being the frontrunner. She's a fighter who could make an even bigger splash this year if her body holds out. Laura Diaz ended last season with a lot of promise for this year to get back into the top 10 on the money list where she was in 2001-02. You always have to consider Meg Mallon, Juli Inkster and Beth Daniel each and every week they tee it up as contenders, but I don't see them taking over the number one spot.

I mentioned previously that Ochoa would have a superstar breakout season. Other players who I think will make a splash, relatively speaking, are:
*Angela Stanford, who lost 20 pounds over the winter and is in great shape and spirits.
*Reilly Rankin, a fighter to the end in the truest sense. She has a pure, strong swing and with the experience she's gaining by now getting paired with the best players in high pressure situations, I see her having a big year, jumping to a position well inside the top 30.
*Giulia Sergas and Katherine Hull are two huge talents and strong ball strikers who are ready to bust out of their low profile positions.
*Heather Bowie, with her Patty Sheehan- like swing, is so technically sound that with an injection of self-confidence she could easily jump into the top 20.
*Could long-hitting Maria Hjorth, who has always been one of the most explosive players, return to the winners circle after having to go back to qualifying school last year?

Donna Caponi: Michelle Wie, for sure. I just think she's getting her confidence up, and how well she played in Hawaii is a pretty good indication of things to come. She might even win Kraft Nabisco Championship. She hits it so far, those
par fives are nothing for her. People always talk about her age, how she's 15, but I don't think that means anything. She reminds me of Nancy Lopez--when Nancy came out, she was only 20 but she had the game of a 35 year old.
Michelle is the same way, she already has that knowledge.

Dottie Pepper: I look for Karrie Webb to have a breakout year. After a coaching change, the swing adjustments are becoming more comfortable and I believe she's had time to re-gear her goals after qualifying for the Hall of Fame.

Val Skinner: Karen Stupples is really motivated. She has worked really hard, and she appreciates golf in a way that is so refreshing. You can see that she is an athlete who truly values her sport. She can be a contender in a way people
wouldn't expect. I also think you're going to see Laura Davies make a move at the Hall of Fame, and get into some serious contention on her behalf. She hasn't said this, but I think it's going to be important to her to light the candle on
her golf career cake, so to speak. Winning a few more times and getting in the Hall of Fame would be a nice addition to her career-- not that she needs it to validate her career by any stretch. It would just mean something personally to her to play her way in.

3. Who is your early pick for 2005 Louis Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and why?
David Feherty: Paula Creamer, because she looks like she's not afraid to win.

Kay Cockerill: With regards to the rookies, the US fans would love to see an American take the Rookie of the Year honors. In the last 17 years, only four Americans have won that award. In the last six years, four Koreans have won with last years winner being Shi Hyun Ahn. I think my Rookie of the Year favorite is Paula Creamer, who dominated qualifying school, winning by five shots. She is the American hopeful that everyone is looking at, including herself to win. There will be an enormous amount of pressure all year long on this 18 year old to make cuts, finish in the top ten, win, etc. She has high expectations and so does everyone else for her Rookie Year. She has the talent and determination to do it, it's just a matter of whether she executes. I will also be looking closely at two Koreans for the honor--Joo Mi Kim, in her third year as a professional, is experienced and successful with three wins on the KLPGA. The other Korean rookie to follow closely is Aram Cho who played extremely well on the 2004 Futures tour making the cut in 17 of the 18 events she played and winning twice. She ended up fourth on the Futures money list which gave her exempt status on the LPGA tour. There are actually 33 rookies and there are a good dozen who I think will have agood year. For example, Erica Blasberg is quite a strong young player, but she is a non-exempt player and it will be harder for her to get into events and earn the points necessary to win Rookie of the Year.

Donna Caponi: For early pick for Rookie of the Year I'd have to go with Paula Creamer. I don't know too much about her game just yet, but I'm really looking forward to following her this year.

Dottie Pepper: My early pick for the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year award is Paula Creamer. It would be harder to figure out why she shouldn't win the award rather than why she should. Her wedge play will be the key- a past weakness for her.

Val Skinner: Paula Creamer is obviously the hands-down favorite. What most impresses me about her-- I was her captain in the Junior Solheim Cup, and we were behind on the last day and really needed to win some early matches. I wanteed her
to go out and set the tone for us, and she shot 66 and won no problem. She has that kind of attitude: "Give me the ball, I want it. I can take the spotlight." For athletes like that, the pressure is different for them, they relish it. The initiatve to be good is in her focus.