There are a lot of things you can say about Cristie Kerr including: she is the 4th ranked LPGA player in the world (highest ranked American), has two major title wins (US Women’s Open 2007, LPGA Championship 2010), is the top American money winner (in history) with career earnings of over $13.5 million, the #1 ranked woman in golf for 5 weeks in 2010, and on and on.  But the thing that I find interesting is that she transformed herself back in 1999/2000 time-frame.

Kerr, herself, once used the expression “Four-eyed Fatty” to describe herself (how sad).  But not anymore, she went from being a 5′ 3 1/2″ young woman weighing 185 lbs with glasses and brownish curly hair to a women listed in Men’s Health magazine as one of the 12 Sexiest Female Golfers in 2011. And, the other 11 golfers are all in their twenties and Kerr is 33 years old.  Good for her!

Now you may be thinking how shallow of me to focus on this aspect of Kerr given her amazing golf talent but it is not “her looks” that I am focused. If looks were my focus I would have posted before and after photos of Kerr. No, my focus is on the dedication and determination to achieve a personal goal of health.  It just happens that often times with good health comes beauty because self-esteem improves and I believe beauty is enhanced by how you feel “inside.”  As a woman who loves golf and has also struggled with weight and staying healthy, Kerr is a role model.

She is one of my favorite golfers to watch because of her talent but I have to be honest that story behind the golfer made me an even bigger fan.