TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - HOW DID ERICA BLASBERG DIE?

—AP PHOTO

About the same time as the news about Hank Haney’s resignation as Tiger Woods’ swing coach was making its way around golf channels, there came the tragic news of the death of 25-year-old LPGA Tour player Erica Blasberg, who was found dead about 3 p.m. Sunday after police responded to a 911 call from the two-story, three-bedroom home she bought for $281,000 in November 2007. Blasberg’s agent, Chase Callahan, said yesterday that his client had her bags packed for a tournament in Alabama when she died suddenly at her home in suburban Henderson, Nevada. Although suicide is still suspected, police aren’t yet indicating how they believe she died.

Blasberg was apparently scheduled to fly to Mobile, Alabama and tee off on Monday in qualifying rounds at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic. During yesterday’s Titleist golf ball function at Eagles Nest GC in Maple, I met a Titleist staff member who has caddied on the LPGA Tour and apparently knew Blasberg. He said she was physically abusive to herself on the course—even punching herself in the arm over errant shots. There were also rumours about her dealings with her father as not being the perfect father-daughter relationship portrayed in the media over the past 24 hours by her dad, Mel, who was also her swing coach.

Blasberg, a Southern California native, was in her sixth season on the LPGA Tour. A former junior golf standout, the 25-year-old was a two-time All-American from 2003-04, 2003 NCAA Freshman of the Year and 2003 Pac-10 Player of the Year while at University of Arizona.

She turned professional in June of 2004 and won once on the Duramed FUTURES Tour before qualifying for the LPGA Tour in 2005. Her best year on Tour was 2008 when she earned a career-best tie for eighth at the SBS Open in Hawaii and over $113,000 in winnings. This season, Blasberg had played in one event, the Tres Marias Championship, where she tied for 44th.

It’s horrible to hear of anyone taking their life, but Blasberg was a young, beautiful talent, although she had not fulfilled her potential. Hopefully that wasn’t responsible for whatever happened in her home last weekend.

On the LPGA Tour’s website, there’s a “Quick 18″ Q&A with Erica that includes a couple questions that show her more tender side:

Tell us something that most people might not know about you?
I love sleeping…I really really want a small dog probably a shitzu…I like running in pretty neighborhoods…I really like drawing hearts and stars…I snack a lot…I’m obsessed with CSI and Newlyweds…I think I am addicted to shopping…I love reading Tabloids…I can’t sing or dance…I like to cook and bake…I love my I-pod…I really like the beach at night…I think that’s a good amount of stuff most people don’t know about me, but I am sure there’s more…

What is one of the best presents you have ever given or received?
A friend of mine for my birthday one year bought me my own star…like an actual star. I even got to see it in a telescope.

Blasberg is among those stars now. A sad, sad ending.

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