The KNC Amateurs

Sticking with our women's amateur golf theme today, let's congratulate the Kraft Nabisco Championship for reserving seven spots in the field for top amateur players. This is certainly in keeping with tournament founder Dinah Shore's commitment to developing the women's game. It's a chance for these amateurs to shine in a national spotlight, for fans to get to know a little better what the future of women's golf might look like, and perhaps for one of the amateurs to have a big impact on the tournament. As Stacy Lewis did last year with a Top 10 finish.

So who are the seven amateurs in 2008? Well, there are only six of them. That's because Lewis declined her spot in the field, saving all her sponsor invitations until after she turns pro (she hopes to earn enough money on sponsor exemptions following the Curtis Cup to avoid Q-School).

So the 2008 KNC Six are:

• 
  
• Mallory Blackwelder: Winner of 2007 Women's Western Golf Association National Amateur Championship; junior at Kentucky.
  
• Amanda Blumenherst: Reigning two-time NCAA women's player of the year; runner-up 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur; two-time Curtis Cup member; junior at Duke.
  
• Mina Harigae: 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship; Curtis Cup team member; senior in high school (committed to Duke).
  
• Kimberly Kim: 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur champion; No. 1-ranked junior golfer; Curtis Cup team member; junior in high school.
  
• Maria Jose Uribe: 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur champion; freshman at UCLA.
  
• Alison Walshe: Winner of 2008 Harder Hall Invitational and 2007 North and South Golf Championship; senior at Arizona; Curtis Cup team member.
  

Blackwelder is the daughter of former LPGA Tour player Myra Blackwelder; and current LPGA Tour caddie (Juli Inkster) Worth Blackwelder.

In what order will they finish? I say ... 1. Blumenherst; 2. Kim; 3. Walshe; 4. Harigae; 5. Uribe; 6. Blackwelder.