This is Stacy Lewis.She's 23, fresh out of the University of Arkansas and trying to earn her LPGA card by finishing in the top-80 on the money list at season's end through sponsors exemptions into tournaments.
Last Sunday at the Women's U.S. Open Lewis was in the final group, struggling to a 78 in her first LPGA tournament as a professional but still finished third, good enough for $162,487. The problem is, none of that will count towards the money list, giving her exactly $0 in earnings.
Sounds stupid, right? It's one of those things that's hard to wrap your brain around it, like why do people in my apartment complex have doormats when it's carpeted all the way down the hall?
Well, here's the explanation.
Starting in 2003, the LPGA expanded the maximum number of sponsor exemptions for non-members from four to six tournaments, and counted only domestic tournaments with at least 75 players in the field toward the money list. The U.S. Women's Open didn't count, because it is not co-sponsored by the LPGA.
The policy favors rank-and-file LPGA members, noting that non-members who want to earn a card without going to Q-school should have to compete in fields comprised almost entirely of LPGA members.
The fear was that someone could have one big week at the richest event in women's golf and get a card, for prize money at the Women's Open used to dwarf everything else. While the Women's Open purse of $3.1 million remains the largest, there are a dozen other LPGA events with at least $2 million in prize money.It turns out, Lewis would be 68th on the money list right now if the earnings counted. She's playing in the NW Arkansas Championship this week, a tournament she shot an opening round 65 at last year as an amateur, but heavy rains caused the entire thing to be canceled.The rule is absolutely ridiculous and needs to go. No way should someone with this much talent be forced to go through Q-School. Lewis needed to make something happen in a hurry, did just that, and now won't be rewarded for it.
She seems to be taking it well, going with the "it is what it is" approach, but the LPGA needs to realize they're dropping the ball. With six possible sponsors exemptions, Lewis will probably just earn her card the way they want, but it isn't fair.
What next LPGA, brooms in the bunkers?
