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Frankly, its great the ladies’ circuit is able to attract
sponsors but until there are more American players at
the top every week, American golf fans are not going to
be especially interested.
Just in case you aren’t conversant with the LPGA Tour
money list here are the top 10 after the first four events:
Yani Tseng-$460,932
Ai Miyazato-$398,284
Suzann Pettersen-$380,203
Cristie Kerr-$276,921
Song-Hee Kim-$270,997
Jiyai Shin-$234,742
Inbee Park-$207,525
Karrie Webb-$152,274
Jee Young Lee-$135,497
Lorena Ochoa-$131,709
A good bet is a large majority of fans can’t even name
one of the events played so far except for maybe the
Kraft Nabisco but can they remember who won? (Yani
Tseng by a shot over Suzann Pettersen). The first two
events of the schedule which began in February were
in Thailand and Singapore respectively while number
three and four were in Calif. and the fifth is in Mexico,
which doesn’t count the limited field Mojo Six, an
intriguing format also played out of the U.S. in Jamaica.
So the inescapable conclusion is the LPGA is not out
of the woods by a long shot and Ochoa’s “stepping
away from the game” will do nothing to help. Until
someone like Paula Creamer, Kristie Kerr or Michelle
Wie begins to visit the winner’s circle – regularly – U.S.
golf fans just aren’t going to pay a lot of attention.
sponsors but until there are more American players at
the top every week, American golf fans are not going to
be especially interested.
Just in case you aren’t conversant with the LPGA Tour
money list here are the top 10 after the first four events:
Yani Tseng-$460,932
Ai Miyazato-$398,284
Suzann Pettersen-$380,203
Cristie Kerr-$276,921
Song-Hee Kim-$270,997
Jiyai Shin-$234,742
Inbee Park-$207,525
Karrie Webb-$152,274
Jee Young Lee-$135,497
Lorena Ochoa-$131,709
A good bet is a large majority of fans can’t even name
one of the events played so far except for maybe the
Kraft Nabisco but can they remember who won? (Yani
Tseng by a shot over Suzann Pettersen). The first two
events of the schedule which began in February were
in Thailand and Singapore respectively while number
three and four were in Calif. and the fifth is in Mexico,
which doesn’t count the limited field Mojo Six, an
intriguing format also played out of the U.S. in Jamaica.
So the inescapable conclusion is the LPGA is not out
of the woods by a long shot and Ochoa’s “stepping
away from the game” will do nothing to help. Until
someone like Paula Creamer, Kristie Kerr or Michelle
Wie begins to visit the winner’s circle – regularly – U.S.
golf fans just aren’t going to pay a lot of attention.
LPGA not out of the woods
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
By ED TRAVIS, Editor FrontPageGolf
Let’s see, the world’s number one female golfer is
hanging up her spikes for what seem like pretty
straight forward reasons-desire (i.e., lack of) and
family. Lorena Ochoa can be congratulated for
making a life decision though at 28 years of age she
was no doubt gong to be in the Hall of Fame except
now she won’t have had the request ten years on
the LPGA Tour to qualify. She leaves with the
memory of the previous world number one Annika
Sorenstam’s retirement still fresh.
So what does this all mean for the LPGA Tour?
The Tour’s new commissioner Michael Whan appears
to be off to a good start in his new job and seems to
be well thought of by both the players and tournament
sponsors. It could even be said the LPGA Tour was at
last building a little momentum towards regaining the
relevancy they used to have with golf fans.
The Tour recently has had a tough time attracting
sponsors for tournaments in the United States. It
began with the disastrous Carloyn Bivens tenure as
commissioner which was compounded by the
recession but there is also the simple fact American
women are not dominating the Tour as in the past.
More and more players from outside the U.S. are
winning more and more tournaments making it more
and more difficult to sell domestic fans on following
the Tour. The biggest tournament news is the folding
of another U.S. event followed by the signing of
another sponsor who is often in Asia.
hanging up her spikes for what seem like pretty
straight forward reasons-desire (i.e., lack of) and
family. Lorena Ochoa can be congratulated for
making a life decision though at 28 years of age she
was no doubt gong to be in the Hall of Fame except
now she won’t have had the request ten years on
the LPGA Tour to qualify. She leaves with the
memory of the previous world number one Annika
Sorenstam’s retirement still fresh.
So what does this all mean for the LPGA Tour?
The Tour’s new commissioner Michael Whan appears
to be off to a good start in his new job and seems to
be well thought of by both the players and tournament
sponsors. It could even be said the LPGA Tour was at
last building a little momentum towards regaining the
relevancy they used to have with golf fans.
The Tour recently has had a tough time attracting
sponsors for tournaments in the United States. It
began with the disastrous Carloyn Bivens tenure as
commissioner which was compounded by the
recession but there is also the simple fact American
women are not dominating the Tour as in the past.
More and more players from outside the U.S. are
winning more and more tournaments making it more
and more difficult to sell domestic fans on following
the Tour. The biggest tournament news is the folding
of another U.S. event followed by the signing of
another sponsor who is often in Asia.