Where are the Hooters girls? Lucky winner "inspired by Natalie Gulbis' personal story" gets to hobnob with the calendar queen in Vegas

I know you’ve been holding your breath. The five finalists are in for the “Who’s behind your success” essay contest sponsored by Natalie Gulbis and some accounting firm.

I read through the five finalists’ essays, and they were pretty impressive. One was from a handicapped person, another was from an Iraq war veteran. The others were pretty darn inspirational, too.

But, the question is: How exactly is Natalie’s story so inspiring? Yes, she’s an excellent golfer, but it isn’t like she had to overcome terrible obstacles. And it isn’t like she’s Lorena Ochoa or Annika Sorenstam.

Gulbis’ father worked for the Sacramento County Probation Department and her mother works as a purchasing director for a Sacramento medical laboratory.

Sounds like a pretty regular, middle-class upbringing.

This contest should have been limited to Hooters girls. Gulbis’ first calendar – she has two – was called “too provocative” by the USGA and her signings were cancelled.

This is where her marketing attraction lies, not in some ridiculous, bogus contest dreamed up by marketers. Anyone who’s ever seen her strut around the golf course in those short skirts, thrusting out her assets, knows this. Maybe now that she’s won an LPGA tournament she feels like she doesn’t have to show some skin to get attention.

Keep the calendars coming, Natalie. Lay off the hypocritical marketing hooey.