Pressel is always up to something, or has an opinion on it. The 19-year-old is precocious in golf and life, and rarely thinks inside the box. She is also immensely approachable and, as Kapalua discovered, engaging.

She has never been afraid to show her passion for golf and life — witness the massive wince after Birdie Kim's miracle bunker shot at the 2005 U.S. Women's Open and flood of tears after the Fields Open two years ago.

She can also be every bit of 19. Pressel calls Lahaina "like the cutest little town" and her unabashed love of photography gives her a soft spot for the "whole way Kapalua is set on a mountain so you can see the ocean from every hole." She knew of the resort initially because of the Mercedes-Benz Championship and that "cool" butterfly logo.

"I would move there tomorrow if it wasn't so hard to get to," Pressel said. "I love it."

It is loving her back, already. She got her gig at Kapalua simply by adding "if you are ever thinking of having an LPGA touring pro would you please consider me" to the end of a thank you note after her first visit a year ago. The resort wasn't considering it then, but as its Kapalua LPGA Classic came to fruition — the tournament debuts Oct. 16 to 19 at the Bay Course — Gary Planos, the resort's vice president of golf operations, remembered Pressel's love for his little bit of paradise.

"Once we decided to have the LPGA event she was the logical choice," Planos said. "She likes the resort. She has become, in a short time, an excellent ambassador for us. We're excited and it's just the beginning."

Pressel has seven sponsors other than Kapalua, whose logo can be seen on the back of her right shoulder. Her endorsement list includes Ralph Lauren, Stanford Financial, Audemars Piguet (jewelry) and Busch Entertainment Corp (theme parks). She characterizes all as "five-star" companies.

It is where Pressel hopes to get her golf game this week at the Palmer Course, next week at Ko Olina and throughout her third full year, particularly at the Kapalua Classic. Planos says Pressel is "leading the charge" to get a five-star field. Few can refuse her, or want to.

"Everybody I've talked to is like, 'Hell yeah, I'm playing,' " Pressel said. "I haven't talked to one person who has even said, 'Oh, I don't know.' "

She is not the best athlete in her family. Uncle Aaron Krickstein used to be the world's sixth-ranked tennis player.

"He's a phenomenal athlete. He's 40 and still in great shape," Pressel said. "Just the fact he became a scratch golfer in three years, that's pretty athletic."

Her grandfather, Herb Krickstein, thought Morgan was "too slow for tennis," though he never told her to her face. Who would dare?

Not her closest friends on tour, like Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Natalie Gulbis and Brittany Lincicome. Not the funniest player on tour, which in Pressel's eyes would be Kelli Kuehne "because she holds nothing back." Not the LPGA player best suited to run for president which, after lots of thought going into her first election as a voter, Pressel believes should be Juli Inkster for her "dedication."

Not even Michelle Wie, who is a few months younger and will return to competitive golf next week after a disastrous 2007.

Pressel was one of the few who openly criticized Wie early for spending so much time golfing against the men, and getting so many tournament exemptions. It was just Pressel being honest ... in other words, herself.

"I hope Michelle is having a great time at Stanford," Pressel said. "I'm sure she is. I hope she comes home and plays well. She's a great player. She's played very well out here. A lot of players out here know that. And she brings a lot to the women's game. She's very popular, especially here. I really hope she plays well next week."

Maybe this "Our Morgan" stuff won't take long to get used to after all.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.