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The Game
NATALIE Gulbis, one of the top young players on the LPGA Tour, is making her move to also become one of the top young players in marketing via sports and non-sports endorsement deals.
The 23-year-old earned more than $1 million playing golf in 2005 (sixth on the LPGA money list) and this year already has had three top 10 finishes. Her skill and looks are translating into sponsorship and other high-profile opportunities, including her own calendar, a reality show on The Golf Channel {The Natalie Gulbis Show) and a pictorial in the November 2004 FHM (call them, not us). Early endorsements have focused on golf-related products (TaylorMade Golf, Adidas, Titleist). But new deals are being brokered by Giff Breed, managing director of golf at Octagon, Richmond, Va., with whom Gulbis signed in January.
The first from this relationship are with Canon USA and SemGroup, a Tulsa, OkIa.based...