Every month in this column, we play nine holes with PGA Tour veterans or various other golf VIPs who share their war stories. This month is different. Anna Rawson is not a veteran. She is a 26-year-old LPGA Tour rookie.

Anna’s story is compelling. At age 16, growing up in Adelaide, Australia, she won a popular young-women’s fashion magazine cover contest. Throughout high school, she was a four-sport athlete and a runway model. Her scholastic and athletic achievements brought her to the University of Southern California on a golf scholarship. At USC, she helped her team win the 2003 NCAA championship while she was completing a BA in communications.

After college, Anna spent two years on the Futures Tour and the European LPGA Tour, where she kept a watchful eye on the ultimate prize, a Tour card and the opportunity to play against the best in the game. Last fall, that dream was realized when she earned limited exempt status at the LPGA Tour’s Qualifying School. She’s planning on playing a full schedule on the LPGA Tour this year.

To help refine her considerable talent, Anna has enlisted the help of fellow USC Trojan Dave Stockton. The counsel of the two-time PGA Championship winner could be the final piece of the puzzle for Anna’s success on the Tour.

1. Tell us about your first week on the Tour.
I really can’t wait to compete. Training and practicing every day is a different kind of battle. In competition, it’s all about scoring. But when you’re practicing and getting ready, it’s hard not to get into that mindset where you think that everything has to be perfect. I’ve had some time off, time to reflect, and I’ve been able to do some PR and promote women’s golf — but now I’m ready to go.

2. Was modeling a dream in the same way that golf is now?
It was when I was younger. Maybe it’s every young girl’s dream to become a model and for people to think that you’re beautiful. But once I got involved, I pulled back. It wasn’t that challenging. In modeling, you’re judged purely on someone’s opinion. You don’t have any control.

3. So, in a sense, you’re now living a second dream. Two dreams in twenty-six years is pretty cool.
Yes, it’s very cool. You know, when you’re involved and working and grinding away, you kind of lose sight of that. I’m always climbing and trying to reach the next level in golf, and I never take the time to stop and think about it in those terms. It’s funny you mention that because I’m the type of person that says, “OK, I’ve done this, now I need to do this next,” and I never really stop or pause to think about any of the accomplishments.

4. You’re going to have a lot of extra attention this year. Does that come with any added pressure?
Well, sure, because I want to be the best. I know I have the talent and I know I can do it — but it’s so hard. When you look a certain way, some critics say that you can’t do it. But I know the game and am learning more and more. This is what I do for a living.

5. Do you feel a sense of responsibility to represent the sport?
I feel like I can reach people and attract them to the game. By doing that I can help raise the profile of women’s golf. That’s my responsibility as a professional no matter what I look like or what my personality is — because as a professional you’re an entertainer. So, yes, I feel like I need to promote women’s golf. The LPGA Tour and women’s golf is underappreciated at every level, whether you’re talking about exposure, money, or respect. So I feel like it’s my responsibility to get the word out that these girls are really good.

6. A lot of people are pulling you in a lot of different directions. Is that a disadvantage?
It can be, but that’s been a part of my whole life. Since I was a kid I’ve been in constant motion. When I was fifteen, I played four sports. Golf was one of them. I modeled and went to school at the same time. Then college was like a full-time job, and I played on the golf team. I’ve always had so much going on in my life, and I’ve managed to thrive in that environment. Now can I be the number-one player in the world and do all of these extra things? I really don’t know, but maybe I can be number ten and have a richer, more rewarding life.

7. How did you meet Dave Stockton, and how has he helped you?
I met Dave at a USC fund- raiser, where he was one of the honorees. Afterwards he said that he liked the way I was swinging the club, but he felt like he could help me. So I went down to work with him and his son Ron. The timing was great, and his teaching is a perfect match. It’s both simple and effective. Obviously there’s a wealth of knowledge with Dave.

8. Are there women in other sports who you admire?
Sure, the ones that I admire are the ones that really promote women’s sports. It’s such a tough thing to be a female athlete. For one thing, it’s hard to make a living. And then you’re always looked at in some kind of weird way. In many respects, the woman as a professional athlete is still not totally accepted. But women like Anna Kournikova have helped change the perception. I really admire her, even though she didn’t have the competitive career perhaps she might have had. I also look up to Annika Sorenstam for her ability to focus and be successful.

9. With so many opportunities, how do you decide what to devote your time to?
I would never say no to a fan who wanted a moment of my time. But in a different context, I’ve turned down any number of opportunities to play in events I didn’t feel like I had the right to play in. I could have been playing tournaments on the LPGA through sponsor’s exemptions right from the beginning, but I didn’t want to until I had actually earned the right to play there. So I went to qualifying school and earned my way, and I’m very proud of that. It was very important to earn it.

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John Maginnes, a former PGA Tour player, writes the Nine Holes column for US Airways Magazine every month. He can be heard covering live Tour events for XM Radio.