Armed with the experience three seasons on the LPGA Tour offers, Meredith Duncan is looking to make a splash this time around.

Today the “relaxed” former LSU golfer kicks off the 2008 LPGA season at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay in Kahuku, Hawaii. Duncan hopes the lessons learned from the trials of struggling to make cuts and money pay off the fourth go-round.

“I’ve realized you don’t have to be perfect,” Duncan said. “Golf is not a game of perfect. Last year, I just realized you can make a lot of pars and still make a lot of money out here. I’m going to try to put that in play.”

Duncan’s best finish on tour is a tie for 10th at the Long Drugs Challenge in 2006. After earning just $15,000 in her first try on Tour (2004), she has earned more than $77,000 in the past two seasons.

However, she has been unable to crack the top 90 in any season. That is the LPGA’s threshold for automatically earning playing privileges for the next season.

“My short-term goal is to get into the Kraft Nabisco (Championship),” Duncan said. “We have four events. My long-term goal is to finish in the top 70 so I can get in next year’s Kraft.

“I don’t want to shoot for making cuts and the bare minimum.”

The top 30 money winners from the 2008 LPGA Tour through March 30 will qualify for the Kraft Nabisco Championship (Apr. 3-6). The 2001 U.S. Women’s Amateur
champion enjoyed her best season on Tour in 2006, when she made six of 22 cuts and cashed in for $42,835. However, Duncan fared well last year despite having non-exempt status. She was only able to get in 14 events, but made five cuts and earned more than $34,000.

“The biggest improvement from '04 is that I don’t make as many big numbers,” Duncan said. “It really throws you off for the round. I’m a lot more patient. I’m just a lot more relaxed.”

Duncan earned her way back to the Tour this season with a ninth-place effort at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament and hopes to take advance of her fully-exempt status this season.

“I’m glad I don’t have to do Monday qualifiers -- really glad,” Duncan said. “There is so much that goes into that.

“I can play in more Monday Pro-Ams. I can take Monday off if I want. I can stay overnight on Sunday and fly in Monday if I want or, if I miss the cut the week before, I don’t have to fly in early.”

Duncan goes to battle with caddie Michelle Simpson, who looped for the final five events last season. As has been customary, Duncan’s mother, Debbie, is in Hawaii and will accompany her daughter to several events this season.