Fourteen-year-old amateur Alexis Thompson will play in the third round of the LPGA Tour's Navistar LPGA Classic with a share of the lead at -10.  Thompson ended the first round on Thursday behind the lead by a shot, but enters the weekend rounds tied with the likes of Laura Davies, Lorena Ochoa, and Yani Tseng. 

In other words, Thompson is amidst competition that has won major championships, been atop the women's golf world, and has more professional wisdom than she does life experience.

Thompson has not only been impressive because of her on-course composure, but her modesty with the media.  She told the media that, "I’m an amateur, and I’m just going to look at it and just be like, ‘Whatever'" for the Saturday round.  Despite having an opportunity to make LPGA Tour history if she were victorious, Thompson knows the odds are seriously stacked against her.

No matter the outcome this weekend, though, there will be infinitely higher expectations for Thompson after the tournament ends.  Making the US Women's Open field for a fourth year in a row will be nice, but expected.  Dominating amateur golf will continue to turn heads, but not as many.  Instead, she'll be pressured to turn pro in order to capitalize upon her newfound fame. 

Not only will that pressure be applied because Thompson has little left to prove in the amateur world, but because the LPGA Tour is desperately looking for its next, young American superstar.  The Tour is rife with young players that have had serious success, but simply do not move the meter with American sporting audiences. 

Jiyai Shin is quickly becoming the best women's player in the world.  And she draws the same kind of yawns from most audiences as current number one Lorena Ochoa.  Both are spectacular golfers and endearing in their own right.  But, Americans want Americans to win.  Since an American has not won on the LPGA Tour since May, Thompson perhaps proves to be the Tour's best chance to single-handedly stake the American claim to the Tour.

That kind of attitude, though, should be a major red herring.  The warning should come from past experience in promoting a young American too much, too quickly.  19 year old Michelle Wie starts Saturday just two back of Thompson and her fellow co-leaders.  Wie is the perfect example of the negative impact of the burden of overzealous promoters.  Between her parents, writers, observers, and sponsors, Wie was expected to "save" women's golf - or at least deliver the boost that the LPGA Tour would need to reach mainstream popularity.

Wie turned pro too quickly, at the behest of her parents, and was unable to deliver against the expectations placed on her.  Just now, Wie is finally gaining acceptance among her peers because she has earned her Tour card and a Captain's Pick for the victorious US Solehim Cup team.  But, had Wie never turned pro so soon and faced so much pressure to win, perhaps Wie would not have lost three years of her career.

Alexis Thompson is a fourteen year old.  Yes, she has a golfing pedigree - her brother Nicholas starts the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Championship just one shot out of the lead today.  But, that's it.  And that's how it should remain until Thompson is willing and able to perform the day-to-day grind of being a professional golfer and savior for the LPGA Tour.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  She may be poised and capable, but Thompson has the benefit of zero expectations this weekend.  If she wins, or comes close, then that all changes.  If she turns professional - and she would undoubtedly be granted an exemption from the Tour's 18 year old age floor - then more pressure can be lumped onto her back.

Fans and observers should appreciate this weekend for what it is, rather than trying to make the future become a reality too soon.