Can Natalie Gulbis win the European Double?

In my mind, Natalie Gulbis winning the Evian Masters last week is the biggest feel-good story of the year in professional golf. Perhaps only Tom Watson winning the Senior Open Championship - just a few weeks after his back nine evisceration at Whistling Straits in the Senior US Open - is close. But Watson has enjoyed his day in the sun many, many times on his way to becoming one of the greatest golfers in history.

On the other hand, Gulbis has put in an incredible amount of work on her fitness and her game, only to get the “Anna Kournikova” tag. You know, cute, hottie, whatever - but can’t win. (I’ve always thought that was a ridiculous notion regarding Kournikova anyway. Do you have any idea how good somebody has to be to reach the finals of a pro tennis tournament? We all wish we could do something like that.) Now that the pressure is off, what will happen to Gulbis’ career? Will she find it easier to win or will she continue to seriously contend once every 3 or 4 events?

I think she’ll get in the hunt about once a month, just as she has for the past couple of years. But I think that now she’ll have a little better chance of cashing in when she gets there. How terrific that Gulbis beat an all-star field while playing alongside Annika Sorenstam and with Lorena Ochoa charging from behind. Confidence is an amazing thing. Gulbis also has an experienced caddy, which cannot be underestimated at St. Andrews. She should do well at the Old Course this week but I can’t see her winning. The only thing going against her is that split-handed putting stroke. Had she putted very well last week, she would have smoked the Evian field in a runaway. And if there is one thing you must do on the Old Course, it is putting well on those monstrous greens.