In virtually every sense, the LPGA Tour lags far behind the PGA Tour, though the LPGA has made a targeted effort in the last two years to increase their presence, striking deals for more tournament television airtime and pushing a massive social media campaign.

Still, the current stars are few, and the Americans on the tour have been virtually shut out in most of the major competitions.

In order to help raise awareness, compete with the men and attract more women, the LPGA is desperately looking for that next group of stars; players who are young, exciting, bankable and can play.

Rise of the Teen Phenoms

The good news is, they might have found them with the newest batch of teen phenoms who have taken the stage this year and attracted the attention of more than a few fans.

Tour officials were hoping that Inbee Park’s quest to sweep all five majors would give the brand a boost. But the pressure and notoriety grew, until the few cracks that are in her game began to show at the British Open.

This left the door open for someone to come in and grab the spotlight, which was done by American Stacy Lewis. But, what the American ladies were hoping would be a sign of things to come turned sour after a bad showing at the Solheim Cup.

The Hot Property: Charley Hull

What did emerge as a bright spot, however, was the play of 17-year-old Charley Hull of England.

Hull caught the attention of golf fans with five second place finishes on the Ladies European Tour in her rookie season. She showed them even more at the Solheim Cup, where she proved she had the chops to play a high pressure match in unfriendly territory, defeating former U.S. Open champion Paula Creamer  5 and 4.

Hull recently announced that after much consideration she would skip out on the second round of the LPGA Qualifying School, opting to use sponsorship invites and other qualifying routes to get into a number of LPGA events for 2014.

This will allow Hull to effectively split her time between the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour, keeping her in the LPGA money list game while attempting to keep somewhat low profile in the U.S. It’s doubtful, however, that she will be able to fly under the radar in 2014 if she plays as well as she did in 2013.

The “Veteran:” Lexi Thompson

Right now, Hull appears to be trying to slow down the path trod by Lexi Thompson, who is already well into the sponsorship game.

Thompson turned pro at 15, and immediately signed sponsorship deals with both Red Bull and Cobra-Puma Golf. She knows how the process works, and might have a consulting gig on the side after it was recently revealed that Lydia Ko’s family consulted her on her experiences turning pro at a young age. Her advice and guidance could be exactly what has helped push Ko down the path towards turning pro.

In terms of her season, she had a good year, finishing 2013 12th on the money list, with ten top 10 finishes and a victory.

The Newest Pro: Lydia Ko

After an incredible season that ended with a victory at the CN Canadian Women’s Open and as runner-up finish at the Evian Championship, all signs pointed to Ko officially turning pro at some point during the 2014 season. Especially since her CN Canadian Women’s Open win qualified her for a spot on the tour.

Estimates have it that she has left over $1 million on the table from winnings she couldn’t accept because of her status, which left many figuring it wouldn’t be long until she decided to cash in.

It appears the time is now, as just today word broke that she will turn pro for her next event, the LPGA Titleholders held in November. And her family has already petitioned LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan for a waiver that will allow her to bypass the 18-year-old age requirement to be an LPGA Tour member.

Built-In Excitement

What makes these three women golfers so exciting is that they are essentially debuting on the tour during the same time frame. In the past, a singular teen phenom has usually excited golf fans (see: Woods, Tiger and Wei, Michelle). But this group of three can not only play, but it makes for a built-in rivalry that golf fans should be able to enjoy for years to come.

Thus far, the powers that be at the LPGA have granted waivers to both Thompson and Hull in order to get them on the tour, so it stands to reason Ko will not be an exception.

And judging by the fact that both Ko and Hull were paired off at the CN Canadian Open, which not surprisingly got the most media attention, the professional tours know where their bread is buttered.

As the 2014 season approaches, it will be interesting to see just how this popular trio might be able to attract more viewers, fans and female players to the sport. They might just be the buzz the LPGA Tour has been looking for.