Courtesy: timeinc.net

The LPGA has beaten the PGA to the first major of the year by one week.

The Kraft Nabisco Championship had a familiar name atop the leaderboard at the major's halfway mark: Lorena Ochoa.

Ochoa is going for her second straight major victory on the LPGA Tour. Her first was last year's Women's British Open at St. Andrew's.

Annika Sorenstam is the only other player to have back to back majors and that was in 2003. Sorenstam is the only consecutive winner of the Kraft Nabisco, as well.

But it is Morgan Pressel at age 19 who is the defending champion, an honor she earned when she was only 18.

This is what I find unique and fascinating about the LPGA Tour; the young players - and there are some very young players on this tour - are capable of winning not only the weekly tournaments but have the mental strength to pull off victories in the majors, as well.

Pressel is the youngest major winner in the history of the LPGA Tour, edging out Sandra Post who had held the honor for years.

Consider that there are three amateurs playing in this major on the weekend: Maria Jose Uribe from Colombia, age 18, T16 after two rounds and the reigning U.S. Women's Amateur champion; Amanda Blumenherst, age 22, T29 after two rounds and runner-up to Uribe last year in the Women's Amateur and Mallory Blackwelder, age 22, T44 after two rounds and the 2007 Western Women's National Amateur Champion.

The fact these three amateurs have made the cut is testament alone to their talents. But what else does it say?

Is the pressure easier to take on the LPGA Tour? If you're a 20 something coming down the stretch of a major and you're leading by a shot or two, you have a chance to seal the deal on the LPGA.

Does that mean the stakes aren't as high as they are on the PGA Tour? Ask that of Morgan Pressel or Cristie Kerr or any of the three amateurs I mentioned earlier. Ask Lorena Ochoa or Annika Sorenstam. I think you know what the answer would be.

Those of us who play golf recreationally share one thing with professionals: we all know how hard the game is whether you're a man or a woman.

Those playing on the LPGA Tour are all phenomenal golfers who deserve as much respect as the men on the PGA Tour.

And they're proving that once again this week.