Golf FanHouse

The Real Problem With the LPGA

Shane Bacon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

It's golf's offseason, which doesn't really mean much for fans and players alike except there aren't any majors, and the competition dwindles. It also gives media and players a chance to reflect on the bigger picture. Players evaluate their years and see what could be improved, promising to work on that before next year rolls out. Media has the opportunity to hand out awards, evaluate certain tours and find flaws in those tours.

That is where this concept came up, about the LPGA and their struggle to gain identity. You could argue that women's golf is the second most important female sport, behind tennis, but it still seems that women's golf has struggled this decade to resonate with sports fans, even some golf fans. Annika Sorenstam had moments where she became a story bigger than golf, but most of that dealt with a missed cut and a skirt, the latter being more of a Fred Funk prank than anything.

So, why can't the LPGA become more popular? Why is it losing sponsors and tournaments and money? Is it because of a down economy that has made a run of damn near everything? Yeah, that has something to do with it. But what seems to be the bigger issue is the ability to market the faces of golf. Plain and simple ... the superstars on the golf course aren't the same superstars that companies are turning to. It's confusing the fan base. It's making it strange to see no-name golfers hold the trophy. The LPGA is in need of a marketable superstar.

Any logical golf fan would take this moment to toss their hands in the air, stomp on their computer and scream the name "Michelle Wie!" Makes sense. She was a phenomenon when she burst on the scene. She set records at a young age and had promise that even Tiger Woods couldn't comprehend. She was a pretty girl that could hit the ball a mile and was the face of the new-age girl -- someone that needed length, embraced it, and used it to her advantage.

The problem is, it hasn't panned out. I'm one of the first people to jump to Wie's defense when people scream about her inability to win golf tournaments, but the bottom line is she still hasn't won a professional event, and she's been making money in golf since 2005. She was the LPGA's Bright Hope, and while she is improving and becoming more of a factor (she finished in the Top 10 seven times this past season), she still isn't hoisting trophies and making cuts on the PGA Tour. It's the thing that we wanted to happen, it just hasn't come through yet.

What we are looking at are tournament-winning golfers with no appeal. That is superficiality at it's best, but it's true, and the fact that Tiger became such a presence in the world of sports had just as much to do with his million-dollar smile and bicep reconstruction as it did with his ability to hit drives 300 yards and fist-pump with the best of them.

When you think of the top LPGA golfers, who do you think of? Lorena Ochoa, Wie, Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr? Serious golf fans are familiar with the names Jiyai Shin and Angela Stanford, but that's stretching it.

Well, here are your Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings as of November 2.

1 -- Lorena Ochoa MEX
2 -- Jiyai Shin KOR
3 -- Suzann Pettersen NOR
4 -- Yani Tseng TPE
5 -- Cristie Kerr USA
6 -- Paula Creamer USA
7 -- Angela Stanford USA
8 -- Ai Miyazato JPN
9 -- Karrie Webb AUS
10 -- In Kyung Kim KOR
11 -- Na Yeon Choi KOR
12 -- Song-Hee Kim KOR
13 -- Anna Nordqvist SWE
14 -- Catriona Matthew SCO
15 -- Michelle Wie USA
16 -- Eun-Hee Ji KOR
17 -- Shinobu Moromizato JPN
18 -- Sakura Yokomine JPN
19 -- Sophie Gustafson SWE
20 -- Helen Alfredsson SWE

Ochoa is tops, which makes sense. Everyone knows her as the Tiger of the LPGA, even if she "only" won three times this season.

Kerr is fifth, Creamer is sixth and Wie is 15th. That is it. Fans are familiar with about 20 percent of that list, and have no clue about the other players.

The easiest way to judge popularity, in this day in age, is Google. Using the search engine, we come to find out that Wie runs way with hits in a generic search, of nearly 1.72 million, while Pettersen, third on the Rolex Rankings, has just 187,000.

On the PGA Tour, the two top guys are your most popular. Tiger is obviously Tiger, but Phil Mickelson, ranked second on the Official Golf Rankings, is just as much of a crowd pleaser as Woods.

The LPGA has to battle to get their faces up the leaderboard. Hell, Wie and Gulbis didn't even qualify for the U.S. Open this year!

The solution is obviously an early impossible one to conquer. Have someone that is damn good at golf, can win tournaments in a professional setting, and can make the generic viewer interested. If Wie starts winning, she can become this. If she doesn't, the LPGA will continue the search for its marquee player. It just seems right now, the women's golf tour could use that person to step up.

The Real Problem With the LPGA originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big Challenge for New LPGA Boss

Mick Elliott — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

It's not as if Michael Whan does not know what he's getting into.

Before being introduced Wednesday as the new LPGA commissioner, Whan, 44, served as North American vice-president/general manager of TaylorMade Golf. According to the LPGA's announcement, his business unit represented more than 70 percent of the company's worldwide sales and profit.

And prior to working at TaylorMade Whan spent time with Wilson Sporting Goods managing all aspects of the company's golf ball and glove business. He even brings experience heading Wilson's marketing department, two manufacturing facilities and the Research & Development division.

So what's a smart guy like Whan doing getting himself into a mess like this?

"At this stage of my career, or maybe I'd even say this stage of my life, I really look to three things when I think about the future, and that's people, that's opportunity, and that's passion," Whan said.

"I've never been one that looks at words like issues or challenges or problems as bad words. What they represent is tremendous upside potential. I can't wait to get started."

Whan's official first day is Jan. 4, but give him credit for already working damage control. One day after being introduced in New York, he was in San Diego to make an appearance at a scheduled Tournament Owners Association meeting.

The TOA basically is the go-between for the tour and tournament sponsors. As its title says the TOA is the meat and potatoes of the schedule. Members are local groups that find a golf course, recruit a title sponsor, gather volunteers and host the players. TOA also happens to be the group that former commissioner Carolyn Bivens financially browbeat until it could hardly take it any more.

After having 34 events on this season's schedule, next year's yet-to-be-released slate is expected to have fewer than 25 -- possibly fewer than 20.

Sure, the economy stinks, but the drop is very much the result of Bivens' heavy-handed management driving support away.

Whan's introduction suggests a more cooperative approach.

"With regard to the leadership and the job, I have a personal philosophy about leadership that maybe not everybody understands, so I'll just say it this simply," Whan said. "I believe in listen, learn and lead, and you do it in that order. You've got to listen so that you can learn, and once you've listened and learned, you're prepared to lead. So I tend to believe that my first few months in the position is going to be with pretty large ears and pretty small mouth because I've got more to learn than I've got to offer and beyond, but I can't wait to jump in."

Nancy Scranton, a 24-year LPGA veteran whose career now spans seven commissioners, welcomed Whan's message.

"I think we need to secure the tournaments that we do have," Scranton said. "Obviously, in my opinion, we need to get some more events because there are not enough full-field events. If you are a rookie, it's not even a fulltime job any more.

"I think he's off to a good start."

Things will not get any easier.

Also demanding Whan's immediate attention will be the direction he should steer. With its best players foreign -- primarily South Korean -- and few Americans generating even the slightest amount of buzz, does the LPGA commit to growing internationally at the price of losing more ground at home?

"It's more of a world game now than it was when I started," Scranton said. "Everything was here. All the best players were hear with some sprinkled in from other countries. Now it's different.

"We need to figure out if we are a world tour or an American tour. It's not going to be easy."

Whan was warned.

Big Challenge for New LPGA Boss originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whan Named LPGA Commissioner

FanHouse Newswire — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

NEW YORK (AP) -- The LPGA Tour has picked Michael Whan to be its new commissioner, turning to a former marketing executive in golf and hockey equipment to rebuild the tour's relationships with sponsors.

Whan previously worked for TaylorMade and Wilson golf companies and most recently was president of Mission-Itech Hockey.

"I was that crazy high school kid cutting greens at 5:30 in the morning so he could play free golf in the afternoon and caddying on Sundays," Whan said Wednesday, during an introductory news conference at Madison Square Garden.

He was selected following a three-month search to replace Carolyn Bivens, whom the players forced out in July as the LPGA Tour kept losing sponsors.

"Certainly he's got the business savvy to function in the challenging role of the commissioner," said Dawn Hudson, chair of the LPGA board of directors. "He's worked in the sports industry and specifically the golf industry.

"He appreciates women's golf and isn't daunted by the challenges we face, but rather sees the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead for the LPGA."

Acting commissioner Marty Evans will stay on the rest of the year. Whan will start in January.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Whan Named LPGA Commissioner originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Annika Sorenstam Enjoying 'New Life'

Mick Elliott — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, FanHouse Exclusive

As the LPGA seeks to hire a new commissioner and deal with a shrinking schedule caused by economic and management woes, golf great Annika Sorenstam says global growth is key to the tour's survival, even if it means a lower profile in the United States.

"I'm all in favor of a more global expansion of the tour because that's where the demand is today," Sorenstam told FanHouse Wednesday afternoon. "I'm all about trying to grow our tour and create awareness around the world and get new fans.

"That's what I'm trying to push. Hey, let's just grow globally. That way we are going to raise the profile of the players, the product and what we have to offer."

Although Sorenstam, 39, stepped away from competition at the end of 2008, and six weeks ago gave birth to daughter Ava Madelyn McGee, she remains active on the business side of golf and is serving as an adviser to the LPGA board of directors.

The LPGA hall of famer with 72 career wins and 10 major championships made her comments from the U.S. Golf Association Museum in Far Hills, N.J., where she was participating in an American Express promotion that included Lucas Glover and Morgan Pressel.

"I'm here to give my opinion as a player," Sorenstam said of her LPGA advisory role. "The last 15 years I've been traveling. I know what every tour stop is like. I've seen the growth of the game."

Although an increase in foreign tour stops would inevitably lower the American-based tour's presence on its home turf, Sorenstam believes the move makes sense.

"Wherever the market takes us," she said. "If there are tournaments here in the U.S., of course, we should welcome that. I think that would be wonderful.

"It's just a tough time now economically and companies are staying away from entertainment and sponsorships of golf events when you having to let go of several hundred people.

"I welcome opportunities to play for the players. If it's in the U.S., wonderful. If it's globally, that's wonderful also. I just want to make sure the players have places to play and can pursue their dreams."

The LPGA's player roster long ago went global. Korean Jiyai Shin is this season's leading money winner, and only three American are among the top 10. Of the top 50 players in the current Rolex World Rankings, only 11 are Americans, topped by Paula Creamer at No. 6. Some 120 foreign players are LPGA members, representing 26 countries. South Korea with 45 tops the list of non-Americans.

Former LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens even made a push to make it mandatory for players to speak English, in an effort to attract sponsors, before a public relations backlash torched the idea.

But, while LPGA heads labor with the task of replacing Bivens, who resigned in July under pressure, and to protect its brand, Sorenstam sounded content in her new life.

After ending her playing career and marrying Mike McGee in January, Sorenstam turned her energies to the business side of golf. Her commitments include the Annika Foundation, the Annika Teaching Academy, golf course design, Annika Fragrance for women, a clothing endorsement deal and a new wine.

She also worked on golf's successful push for a place in the 2016 Olympic Games.

"And, oh yeah, I'm a new mother, too," she laughed.

Happy and content, she added.

"The new life is wonderful," she said. "Our little girl, Ava, has changed our lives, I can tell you that.

"Competition seems like it was ages ago. It's a new life and a new chapter. I'm staying very, very busy. I feel like I'm busier now than I was. I'm just not traveling as much, but doing a lot of work and enjoying it."

Annika Sorenstam Enjoying 'New Life' originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lorena Ochoa Breaks Winless Streak

Shane Bacon — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:34:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

Imagine for a minute Tiger Woods going over five months without winning a PGA Tour event. The world, as golf journalist know it, would stop. We'd be calling for his head, his swing and his spikes. It would be Armageddon, birdie edition.

Well, that was the current situation in the LPGA. Lorena Ochoa, the best female golfer in the world, won her last event in April, at the Corona Championship, and was looking like she might not win again in 2009 until Sunday at the Navistar Classic.

Tied for the lead after two rounds, Ochoa turned her game to red, shooting eight under on the weekend to claim her third victory of the year. Her final 18-under tally was four clear of the second place finishers, Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang, and well ahead of the early story, 14-year-old Alexis Thompson.

Thompson, who made her third cut of '09 this week, opened the week with a 65 to steal the headlines, and followed that up with a 69 to tie for the 36-hole lead, but consecutive 74s on Saturday and Sunday had her dropping back to the rest of the pack and the young phenom finished t-27.

Wie showed more signs that her first professional win might be just around the corner, firing a 66 on Sunday to jump the leaderboard and finish in a tie for second.

Lorena Ochoa Breaks Winless Streak originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alexis Thompson Eight Shots Back of Ochoa After Saturday 74

Shane Bacon — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

It would have been fun.

It would have been fun to see a girl two years shy of earning a driver's license make a run at a professional golf tournament, becoming the youngest player to ever win an LPGA event. That is what Alexis Thompson was trying to do after a first round 65 was followed up with a 3-under 69 on Friday, giving her a share of the lead in the LPGA Navistar Classic. It would have been fun, but this is why 14-year-olds don't normally win professional sporting events.

Thompson, competing in just her fifth LPGA tournament as an amateur, was trying to become the first non-professional to win on the LPGA tour since 1969, when JoAnne Carner took home the Burdine's Invitational. So needless to say, seeing a girl with an asterisk on the top of a leaderboard is pretty rare. On Saturday, Thompson struggled to a 2-over 74, leaving her eight shots back of who else, Lorena Ochoa with 18 holes to play.

More: Navistar Classic Leaderboard

Thompson isn't going to win, but her story was incredible, and it's clear that she might just be the next big star that her website proclaims.

Starting her third round, Thompson birdied the first hole, looking nearly jitter-less, but they caught up to her a few holes later when Alexis made a double-bogey on the par-4 6th hole. A birdie two holes later got her one back, but she couldn't card another birdie all day on a course that the professionals are eating alive (Thompson is only one of the three players in the top-22 that failed to break par on Saturday).

With one round left, Thompson has a chance to do something she's never done before -- finish in the top-20 for the first time in her career. She's currently tied for 13th, so a good round around par Sunday should keep her in that group.

She isn't going to win, but it sure would have been fun.

Alexis Thompson Eight Shots Back of Ochoa After Saturday 74 originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alexis Thompson, 14, Still Atop the Leaderboard in Navistar LPGA Classic

Shane Bacon — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

Alexis Thompson's Web site proudly proclaims her as "golf's next big star," and if she keeps up the play she's brought to the first two rounds of the LPGA Navistar Classic, it might just be true.

After a first round 65 that had her a shot back of the leader, the 14-year-old Thompson joined an elite group at 10-under after her second straight sub-70 round, firing a 3-under 69 in her fifth career LPGA tournament. Before Thursday, Thompson had never broke 71, but the amateur continues to play well.

That is the good news. The bad news for Thompson fans is the group she is a part of. Lorena Ochoa and Laura Davies both are in the group of five at 10-under, along with Yani Tseng and Giulia Sergas.

More: Navistar Classic Leaderboard

If Thompson plans on doing the unthinkable, she will have to take down Ochoa and Davies, who combined have won 46 LPGA Tour tournaments, not to mention a gob of other professional victories around the globe.

Chasing the leaders is a strong pack, including Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang at 8-under, and Pat Hurst at 7-under.

This is the third cut Thompson has made in her young career, making her 3-for-3 in 2009 at advancing to the weekend in LPGA events.

Alexis Thompson, 14, Still Atop the Leaderboard in Navistar LPGA Classic originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alexis Thompson Is Leading the Navistar LPGA Classic ... and She's 14

Shane Bacon — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:24:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

Update: Janice Moodie, a LPGA veteran, birdied six of her last seven holes on Thursday to take the lead over Thompson by one shot.

Most 14-year-olds are focused on one thing and one thing only ... getting ready for the leap into the nasty world of freshman year of high school. Alexis Thompson is currently worried how she's going to follow up a first round 65 in the LPGA Navistar Classic.

A week after a 13-year-old made a hole-in-one in her first ever trip to the LPGA, Thompson made eight birdies on the Robert Trent Jones design in Prattville, Al., leading a shot over Michelle Wie (remember when she was the young one?) and two shots clear of a big group at 5-under.

More: Live Leaderboard

You might recognize the name Alexis Thompson from when she was, gulp, a young buck. At 12 years old, Thompson became the youngest player ever to qualify for the Women's U.S. Open. She shot 76-82 that week to miss the cut, but did finish ahead of Wie, who withdrew that year after an opening 82.

This is Thompson's fifth LPGA tournament, and her highest finish came earlier this year at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, where she finished t-21. She finished 35th at the U.S. Open this year, and will be 3-for-3 on made cuts if she somehow avoids a blow-up tomorrow.

She might be just 14, but she can hit the ball. The 5-8 Florida native averaged nearly 250 yards off the tee on Thursday and needed just 26 putts. I guess the saying, "putt like a kid" really applies to Thompson.

Alexis Thompson Is Leading the Navistar LPGA Classic ... and She's 14 originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A FedEx Cup for the LPGA?

Shane Bacon — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:23:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, FedEx Cup

Last weekend, the PGA Tour concluded with some much-needed FedEx Cup drama. For two years, the PGA Tour's playoff system had failed, basically crowning the winner before the final event had even concluded. Now, for the first time since the PGA Tour went FedEx, we had putts on a Sunday that were for more than just the tournament at hand -- they were for a prize most guys on tour couldn't totally grasp.

So what is the next logical move? The LPGA getting its own FedEx Cup, or so Dottie Pepper thinks. On Tuesday, Pepper wrote on Golf.com that she thinks the LPGA could benefit from a FedEx Cup-style postseason, pointing out the extra exposure for sponsors and such. The problem with Pepper's plan is simple -- the LPGA can't get sponsors right now ... for anything. Why focus on adding something new to the schedule when all the regulars that have been around for years and years are dropping out like bar patrons at 1:58 in the morning.

Here is Pepper's plan.

The 2010 season probably won't start until late March. Perfect. Have the season run from March Madness to Oktoberfest with scheduled weeks off during the men's majors, leaving 24 solid events in which the players accrue points based on the simple, understandable notion that $1 equals one point (something the LPGA did in 2008). The playoffs would comprise three events. In the first two the field would be winnowed from 120 to 60 and then to 30. The survivors would advance to the tour championship, which would bear the season-long sponsor's name. That event would be played under the multiple-cut, winner-take-almost-all format of the old ADT season-ender, which was extremely well received by the players and TV.

For the most part, Pepper brings up some good ideas. Yes, I like the 24 solid events, while skipping weeks when men's majors are going on since nobody would be paying attention to the LPGA anyway.

What I don't agree with is the idea that a FedEx Cup-style postseason would work for the LPGA. Why?

First of all, it hardly works for the men. This year included the two names needed to make people interested. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were in the mix and it made us forget that just four weeks prior, a guy named Heath Slocum won the first playoff tournament. No knock on Slocum, but say he caught fire in the last two events and took home the FedEx Cup -- I'm pretty sure ratings wouldn't have doubled from '08 like they did at this year's Tour Championship.

Second, you can't mimic something in a lesser market and hope for success. If the LPGA wants a draw, do something different. Think of an idea that would make people interested. Maybe make it a postseason, three-week match play event, where you get one player a day, ranked on how they finished in the points system, and you play that person. So, if Michelle Wie has a bad year, and finishes 120 in points, she has to play Lorena Ochoa in the first round of the playoffs, in a "win or go home" style format that would make people care about it. Sure, some of the matches wouldn't draw any interest, but if real money was at stake for these girls, at least the pressure would be for real.

Lastly, the LPGA needs to focus on the here and now. No reason to add something else when current tournaments are folding. Think of something that will get sponsors interested in the regular season events before you add a playoff.

I like where Pepper is with the idea that the LPGA could spice things up, but copying a format that is far from perfect seems like a bad idea for a tour that is struggling. Maybe if things turn in a few years, this could be a solid idea. For now, either think of something new and fresh, or stick to making the current situation bearable.

A FedEx Cup for the LPGA? originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Casie Cathrea Makes Hole-in-One in LPGA Event as a 13-Year-Old

Shane Bacon — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:38:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

Casie Cathrea is 13, meaning she's so young, Taylor Swift won't even sing about the travails of her adolescence, but it does mean that if you've got the golf game, you can play in a professional golf event, and maybe make the swing of your life.

Cathrea, a 13-year-old freshman did one of the hardest feats in sports unknown to most fans -- she Monday qualified for a professional golf tournament, the LPGA Challenge, and in her first LPGA round, made a hole-in-one.

Casie aced the par-3 12th hole on her way to posting a 2-over 74, not bad for a kid in her first year as a teenager.

While it looks like Cathrea won't match Michelle Wie's record of being the youngest player to ever make a LPGA Cut (Wie was 13 years, 5 months, 17 days when she made the weekend at the '03 Kraft Nabisco Championship), it is still a pretty incredible way to hit the ground running in professional golf.

Cathrea does have this to hang her hat on -- Wie didn't make her first cut when she was an amateur (back in '02), and she also didn't introduce herself to the golfing world with a one on the scorecard. It also brings to mind Tiger Woods' first hole-in-one, in his first full season on the PGA Tour, at the Phoenix Open in 1997. No word if cups were tossed when Cathrea's went in the jar.

Casie Cathrea Makes Hole-in-One in LPGA Event as a 13-Year-Old originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Na Yeon Choi Wins at Torrey Pines

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:10:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

SAN DIEGO(AP) -- Na Yeon Choi of South Korea lost her seven-stroke lead, then rallied to shoot 1-under 71 Sunday to win the Samsung World Championship, her first LPGA Tour victory.

Choi finished at 16-under 272 and held off runner-up Ai Miyazato of Japan, who shot a 69, the low round of the day at Torrey Pines.

Choi began the final round with a two-stroke lead, got birdies on two of her first four holes and made a 10-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole to extend her lead to seven strokes.

It looked then like Choi, who has won four times on the Korean LPGA Tour, would cruise to her first LPGA Tour victory.

But Miyazato, playing in the group in front of Choi and Jiyai Shin of South Korea, made two quick birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 to cut Choi's lead to five.

Choi missed a 2-foot putt on the ninth hole for a bogey, cutting the lead to four heading into the back nine.

She continued to struggle with two consecutive bogeys, and Miyazato tied Choi at 16-under with a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 16. Miyazato took the lead shortly after when Choi three-putted for bogey on No. 14.

Then it was Miyazato's turn to make a mistake. With 203 yards remaining for her second shot, Miyazato's 5-wood approach hit the bank in front of the 18th green and rolled into the water. She dropped in front of the pond but could not get up and down for par.

Choi's second shot on the 18th reached the front left of the green and her third shot came to rest 5 feet below the pin. Choi, who had missed several putts of equal or less distance, converted the birdie for the victory.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Na Yeon Choi Wins at Torrey Pines originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelle Wie's Blog Is Interesting, Popular

Shane Bacon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:42:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, Golf Odds and Ends

Michelle Wie's Blog might be overtaking her popular Twitter page for fans interested in the life of the 19-year-old professional golfer.

Named "Black Flamingo," the blog is said to be, "a mindless blog about life ... and the stuff that doesn't quite fit in," and that isn't too far off. Michelle Wie started posting on the blog on September 10, with this simple introduction about her idea behind the site.

"so i never used be into art or anything about art. i hated art class back in 7 and 8th grade and just dreaded going to that damn art class. but all of a sudden (i'm a junior in college), the artsy fartsy wheels have just begun to spin. I have all of a sudden been obsessed with drawing, painting, spray painting, and anything to do with diy. so here is my first post i guess about my stuff. I dont feel like any of this fit into any category. maybe they do and im just hopelessly clueless about this stuff but i hope u guys what i do. and if no one likes it...then...oh wells...i guess im truly just a black flamingo."

In the midst of NFL and college football season, you'd expect something like this to be overlooked? Yeah, not so much. After posting a photo of herself in some scantily clothed number, the site starting gaining traction, and Wie continues to post.

Since the clothing number, a piece she made herself, Wie has focused on posting paintings she's done, cute jokes perfect for her age (What kind of socks do Pirates wear? Arrrrrrgyle!) and a picture of her in a cat mask she found for a dollar.

I guess for a kid that was never given a proper childhood, this little blog is a way for her to express herself for anyone to see.

Michelle Wie's Blog Is Interesting, Popular originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making the Cut: Scott Gets the Nod

Shane Bacon — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, PGA, Presidents Cup, FedEx Cup

Each Wednesday during the golf season, FanHouse will list the top five names in golf and why they're important. Did Barack play 18 with Tiger? Did a certain player do something controversial off the course? Or was just playing golf enough to get the pot stirring? Join us for a weekly feature we call Making the Cut.

5. Ryo Ishikawa -- The 17-year-old (who will turn 18 on September 17) was named to the Presidents Cup, making the potential for some Tiger vs. Ryo matches all the more possible. Tiger lives for stuff like this, and even though the two were paired together at the British Open, it wasn't the same as match play. Two things will happen with Greg Norman's teenage pick -- either he comes out, shows signs of brilliance and earns a point or two for the International side, or he crashes and burns, and the Japanese media will be all over him.

No matter the outcome, it will be a bonus to see if Ryo comes out with a matching headcover of himself again.

4. Arnold Palmer -- The King turns 80 on Thursday, which is insane when you think about it. If you love golf, you love Arnie and all he's done to advance the game to what it is today. Before Jack, there was Palmer. Before Player, there was Palmer. Even before Tiger really pushed golf to a new level, Arnold was there making golf popular enough to play it for a living. He had a style that people could buy in to, and he was the type of man that knew exactly what he needed to do to win over the crowd. Maybe more than anything else, Arnie made wearing a pink polo damn cool, and he could pull it off better than anyone alive.

3. Christina Kim -- They're taking aggressive tactics, but the LPGA is trying their hardest to get more exposure to the sport. The latest move? Have three of the lady golfers pose in ESPN the Magazine's Body Issue. Kim will join Sandra Gal and Anna Grzebian as they flash their bods in the Body issue.

You can't help but notice that Christina has been working on her figure the last few months, dropping pounds through, via Twitter, "... room yoga, ab work and a lil dancing to get my heart rate going lol.. I go running tomorrow. Can't fathom it esp when I woke up at 3:45am." I guess this is the payoff for working so hard at her own bod.

2. Steve Stricker -- His win at last week's Deutsche Bank Championship was his third in nine starts, nearly doubling his career wins with seven. He is now atop the FedEx Cup points standings, and that is saying a lot about a guy that at one point in his career was so wayward off the tee that he could barely take the driver back. Two years ago he was claiming his second straight Comeback Player of the Year award. Now, in 2009, he could be winning the award for best golfer of the year, and if he keeps up his current ball-striking, not even the man in second will overtake him.

1. Adam Scott -- Oh Adam, Adam, Adam. You were supposed to be done for the year, heading back to Australia to work on your game, your mind and probably your ego. It has been a soul-sucking season of missed cuts and over-par rounds, and after you missed out on the second FedEx Cup cut, that was supposed to be it (If you want some picture irony to go with that last sentence, check out Scott above, head bowed, with two trash cans next to him, basically symbolizing his '09).

Well, until Norman nabbed you as a captain's pick, making you one of the strangest picks in any team event ever. Scott has missed 10 cuts this season, hasn't had a top-10 since January and has looked as confident with his golf swing over the summer as Andy Murray did with his tennis racket this week at Flushing Meadows.

Like Hal Sutton at the 2004 Ryder Cup, when he decided to pair Tiger and Phil Mickelson together, only to see the plan crash and burn, Norman's coaching legacy will be remembered simply by this -- picking a fellow countryman who hasn't been playing good golf. Scott will have to go out and play, or Norman will be ridiculed much the same way Sutton was five years ago.

Making the Cut: Scott Gets the Nod originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Emotions Getting Best Out of Stricker

Mick Elliott — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:25:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, PGA, Champions Tour, FedEx Cup

With two tournaments left in the PGA Tour season, the FedEx Cup points leader is not a guy recognized by a cut-throat stare or rapid-fire fist pump but rather for his tendency to tear up over anything more emotional than a complimentary breakfast buffet.

After Monday evening's one-shot victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston, Steve Stricker, a mild-mannered quiet guy from Edgerton, Wisc., was last seen blinking back tears.

Talk about a battle cry.

Stricker didn't just shoot a final-round 67 for one-shot victory over Scott Verplank and Jason Dufner, he jumped in front of Tiger Woods in the playoff points race for a $10 million bonus. He birdied Nos. 17 and 18 to come from one shot back with two holes to play.

And with victory in hand he tried not to lose it.

"I hate when I cry all the time,'' Stricker said. "I'm just glad to be playing as well as I am.''

No one is playing better at the present. The victory is Stricker's third of the season, more than any other player on tour other than Woods who has five. But Stricker's three wins have come in his last nine events. And there's also last week's runner-up finish at The Barclays, where he missed forcing a playoff with Heath Slocum only when a 10-footer putt on the final hole rolled did not drop.

Now he goes to Chicago for this week's BMW Championship and then to Atlanta for the Tour Championship as the player everyone much catch. Including Tiger Woods.

"It means a lot," Stricker said when the day was over. "It solidifies myself, solidifies my chances of winning the FedEx Cup. It ensures that I'm going to be in that Top 5. I can control my own destiny come that last Tour Championship, and that's what my goal was coming into these first three events -- just to make sure that I played well and remained in the Top 5 so I could have a chance to win it all. I think this pretty much does it.''

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, presents Steve Stricker with the winner's trophy after the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR) *** Local Caption *** Seth Waugh;Steve Stricker

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Scott Verplank hits a drive from the ninth tee box during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR) *** Local Caption *** Scott Verplank

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Jason Dufner reacts on the 18th tee box during the final round of the the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jason Dufner

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Padraig Harrington works out of the rough toward the 10th green during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Padraig Harrington

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Jason Dufner watches a tee shot during the final round of the the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jason Dufner

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Jason Dufner walks down the 16th fairway during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jason Dufner

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Padraig Harrington watches a tee shot during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Padraig Harrington

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Steve Stricker hits from the fourth tee box during the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR) *** Local Caption *** Steve Stricker

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Scott Verplank gestures during round four of the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Scott Verplank

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NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 7: Steve Stricker laughs with Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank America, after Stricker won the the Deutsche Bank Championship held at TPC Boston on September 7, 2009 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Seth Waugh;Steve Striker

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Stricker, 42, has a good reason to be emotional, although he rarely needs one.

He was once among American's top young players. In 1996 he had two victories and finished fourth on the season money list. In 1998 she contended for the PGA Championship, finishing second to Vijay Singh.

But as fast as Stricker's career seemed to be rising, it fell off the radar screen. He tumbled so badly and so far that to climb back it took Comeback Player of the Year Awards in 2006 AND 2007.

Now he back in the hunt and No. 2 ranked in the world. He is the golfer in front of Woods on a season-long ranking. When Woods has more than one leg to stand on, few players have been able to make that claim.

"As far as the World Ranking goes, that's just something that's a bonus, I guess, for playing well," Stricker said. "You know, it's a nice honor to be up there. But that's all I really look at for that. I mean, good play takes care of a lot of things, and that's what I'm focused on is just to play good.

"Slowly I've been gaining confidence when I'm under the gun. It's just a totally different feel out there. You know, I mean, you're numb at times, at least I am. It's been a lot of fun," Stricker said. "It's a lot of fun getting in contention like that, and it's even more fun when you can pull it off like I did today.''

Stricker, for crying out loud, just changed everything.

RESPECT FOR SENIORS

Only the grumpiest of Champions Tour critics could not, as America's First Golfer might say, get "wee-weed up'' over Sunday's finish at Pebble Beach in the Walmart First Tee Open.

The running slam on the senior circuit is that "who's he?" is more prevalent than the "who's who" needed to fuel spectator interest.

Not this time.

Jeff Sluman, a six-time PGA Tour winner and 1988 PGA Championship titlist, won, in part, thanks to a 178-yard 8-iron that aced the par-3 fifth hole.

That's good stuff, but then check out other names among the scoreboard's top 10: Tom Lehman, Mark O'Meara, Olin Browne, Loren Roberts, Fred Funk, Tom Watson and Mark McNulty.

Sluman overcame a six-shot final-round deficit by shooting 68 on a wind-whipped day, recording four birdies and the ace.

"Any time you make one, it's great," said Sluman, who has five hole-in-ones in competition, including the only one ever made on No. 4 at Augusta National. "And to make one in the last round that's pretty important is pretty special."

Sluman also received the Pebble Beach stamp of approval.

As he prepared to putt out for victory at the 18th hole, Sluman was interrupted by comedian Bill Murray who yelled out "We love you Jeff!"

Senior Moments: The victory was Sluman's second straight Walmart First Tee title and third since joining the Champions Tour in late 2008 ... Loren Roberts' tie for fifth gave him five consecutive top-5 finishes for the season. ... In the pro-junior competition, the tournament within the tournament, the team of David Eger and Will Bishop of the First Tee of Lexington, Ky., edged Sluman and junior partner, Erica Schneider of The First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee, Fla., by one stroke. Eger/Bishop carded a better-ball team score of 17-under-par 199.

PETTERSEN'S MESSAGE

The big news from the CN Canadian Women's Open wasn't as much Suzann Pettersen winning the title as much as a pre-final-round text message she received from Tiger Woods.

According to the 28-year-old Norwegian, who was taking a five-shot lead into the final round, any lack of eloquence on Woods' part was offset by directness.

"I got a message from Tiger," she reported after collecting her sixth career LPGA title. " 'Keep doing your (crap).' "

LPGA Notes: Pettersen's win vaults her into second spot on the season's money list with $1,294,810. It was her first title since 2007, a stretch that included six runner-up finishes.

Emotions Getting Best Out of Stricker originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelle Wie Asks That Everyone Leave Her Parents Alone

Shane Bacon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

The Solheim Cup changed her, for all we can see. She was 3-0-1 as the United States rolled, and despite a less-than stellar first round at the Canadian Women's Open, Michelle Wie might look back at the '09 Solheim as the event that changed her.

Something else she wants changed? The public criticism of her parents. B.J. and Bo have been in the conversation of the 19-year-old Wie since she first burst on the golf scene in 2003, and have been the subject of criticism nearly the entire time. Now, Michelle is asking that people leave them alone.

"You know, it's hard to hear stuff being said about your parents," Wie said. "I just don't like when people write stuff when they don't know what they're talking about. But you know, people write what they want to write. And you know, everyone has their opinion and everyone's entitled to it. But I don't think that gives the right to bash anyone's parents."

While Michelle has a point (she's the one golfing, not her parents) overbearing guardians can provide more cooler talk than the actual people that became famous (hello Serena sisters).

At the Solheim Cup, both parents were told they weren't going to be allowed behind the scenes, and Michelle had one of her more impressive golfing weeks since she turned professional. While it seems that could be a pattern (I know far too many golfers that became better players once their parents backed off), Michelle isn't going to let anyone walk over the people that got her where she is.

What we do know is '09 could very easily end another year that Wie has gone without a professional victory. Sure, she's shown strides, but she is going to have to win eventually for people to take her seriously. Maybe having the parents take a backseat will solve both her problems -- less knocks on the two that created her, and more trophies they can put next to the dinner table.

Michelle Wie Asks That Everyone Leave Her Parents Alone originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Annika Sorenstam Has Baby Girl

FanHouse Newswire — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

STOCKHOLM (AP) -- It's a girl for Annika Sorenstam.

The Hall of Fame golfer wrote in her blog that Ava Madelyn McGee was born Tuesday morning. She weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 inches long.

Sorenstam said both her and her daughter were doing well and that she was "very excited" about the new addition to the family.

Sorenstam retired from the LPGA Tour last year after 72 victories and 10 major titles, saying she wanted to start a business and a family.

She married Mike McGee in January near the couple's home in Orlando, Fla.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Annika Sorenstam Has Baby Girl originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Range Balls: Ryan Moore Video

Shane Bacon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:08:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA, PGA, Golf Odds and Ends

In an effort to keep our golf visitors well informed on what is going on around the Internet, Range Balls is our weekly link dump. Every Tuesday during golf season, we will toss out some of the most interesting things we came across. If you have a tip, e-mail us at fanhousegolf@gmail.com. Enjoy the links.

-- Stephanie Wei sat down with Ryan Moore for a video interview. The video is below. [Wei Under Par]

The Moore You Know from Stephanie Wei on Vimeo.

-- When Tiger Woods fails to win a major championship, you can't expect anything less than another interview with his left knee. The good news -- the left knee is ready for the FedEx Cup. The bad news -- it hasn't slept since August 15. [Armchair Golf Blog]

-- Most people in this world will never reach this level, but that is what one famous actress did -- wore whatever she wanted to the golf course, and nobody cared. Halle Berry was seen with some parachute pants and no shoes, putting, with the two-ball. [Golf Girl Diary]

-- Juli Inkster helped the U.S. win the Solheim Cup this past week, making it three in a row for the red, white and blue. What she won't be doing is pulling a Brett Favre, her own words, about her decision to retire from the team competition. [Waggle Room]

-- A breakdown of what the Solheim Cup victory really means. [Bushwood Country Club]

Range Balls: Ryan Moore Video originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Christina Kim's On-Course Antics Rub Some People Wrong

Ryan Wilson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

It was a big weekend for women's golf. The United States defeated Europe in the Solheim Cup, but more than that, Michelle Wie finally played up to her potential. She was 3-0-1, the best among her teammates, and was loose, smiling and having fun while doing it.

Maybe a break from her overprotective parents had something to do with it. Or perhaps it was her Saturday fourball partner, Christina Kim, who helped keep things light. Whatever, the LPGA will be forever grateful if Wie emerges as the face of the tour.

That story has yet to write itself. In the meantime, the news out of Europe in the aftermath of the Solheim Cup has to do with Kim's on-course antics. Depending on your perspective, her actions were somewhere between slightly distracting to Happy Gilmore-tastic. I watched parts of the telecast over the weekend and I tend to think it was more the latter.

That's not to say there isn't a place for emotions in golf -- in fact, that's exactly what the sport needs, more players who don't robotically go through the motions and consequently bore viewers into comas -- but you can also overdo it.

At the 1999 Ryder Cup, Justin Leonard drained a 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole of his Sunday's singles match with José María Olazábal to help seal one of the most miraculous comebacks in golf history. Leonard, possibly more shocked than anyone that the putt dropped, went bonkers, running around the green as Olazábal waited to putt.

Was Leonard out of line, at least in terms of his gentlemanly responsibilities to the game? Yeah, sure, but his actions were spontaneous, fueled by adrenaline and the enormity of that one moment. The guy's allowed to cut loose.

But Kim, who's known for her excitable on-course persona, played the entire tournament like she was hooked up to a Red Bull IV. Look, I'm all for team spirit, but at some point it goes beyond that. I don't think it took away from the event, but it was distracting. There are worse things, I suppose.

Either way, GolfDigest's John Huggan wasn't impressed.

One other lowlight -- at least some of the time -- was the behavior of Christina Kim. The extrovert American clearly has a big heart and a kind heart given her obvious affinity and loud interaction with the spectators. But there is a line that must never be crossed with this sort of thing. And, at the risk of being portrayed as a bit of a fuddy-duddy, it must be pointed out that Kim, on occasion, veers into a place where opponents are -- however inadvertently -- treated with something less than proper respect. The time to gee up crowds is between holes, not while a competitive situation exists.

In general, I would agree with Huggan -- he's being a fuddy duddy -- but as I watched the coverage this weekend I couldn't ignore Kim. She was in your face whether it was to work the ropes after every shot or raise the roof or have Wie slap her ass after Saturday's impromptu post-match shimmy on the 18th green.

In Kim's defense, she's different, and in golf, that can sometimes be a good thing. And although it's a bit much at times, she points out on Twitter that her behavior was never "discourteous." Not sure her opponents would always agree with the sentiment, but at least she's not morose and petulant.

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Michelle Wie and Christina Kim of the USA with the trophy after the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie;Christina Kim

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: The Solheim Cup Trophy at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Christina Kim of the USA with the trophy after the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christina Kim

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Morgan Pressel of the U.S. Team chips onto the green on the 16th hole during the Sunday singles matches in 2at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Morgan Pressel

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Laura Davies of England and the European Team on the tee at the 1st hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Laura Davies

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: John Solheim the CEO and President of Karsten Manufacturing Company (back left) with his brother Alan Solheim with (sitting left to right) Louise Suggs (founder member of the LPGA), Louise Solheim (wife of Karsten Solheim the founder of the Ping golf company) and Shirley Spork (founder member of the LPGA) on the 1st tee during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Solheim;Alan Solheim;Louise Suggs;louise Solheim;Shirley Spork

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: European fans on the 1st tee during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Michelle wie and Paula Creamer encourage fellow team members on the 18th hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Paula Creamer;Michelle Wie

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Christina Kim's On-Course Antics Rub Some People Wrong originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Wins the Solheim Cup! Now Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

Greg Couch — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:10:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. -- Women's golf keeps waiting for The Big Moment and ...

Hello? Are you still there? Did I lose you already, with those first two words? Women's golf?

Well, picture this: Michelle Wie playing great, smiling, laughing, waving an American flag, out of her shell. A packed house, a record crowd, with fans chanting and singing to the players, and an electric finish.

It all happened Sunday, as the U.S. team beat the European team 16-12 to retain the Solheim Cup. It was everything women's golf could ask for, could pray for. But it was not The Big Moment. That's too much to ask. No singular moment can create a spark here.

If women's golf has hope, then it needs a lot of luck, an improved economy and also a whole lot more days like it had Friday through Sunday.

For women's golf, this was a week with blinders. The women's tour looked like a garden you had forgotten to water for weeks. This weekend was a major rainstorm. Now, just wait to see if something can grow, or if it's too late and everything is dead.

Ultimately, this tour might not make it.

Start with the Michelle Wie problem. Definitely, she bloomed some this week. She is the biggest, most marketable star. She and Natalie Gulbis. But so far, this game's biggest star has been a gimmick, trying to play on the men's tour and failing. And she has been a point of acrimony on tour, as other players felt she was being placed ahead of them without dues. She hasn't won anything yet. So you put that together, and the face of women's golf is a mess.

"By far, I think it was the most fun I've had playing," Wie said. "Every hole felt like a major championship, coming up 18, times 100. I mean, these crowds were absolutely amazing, and to have 11 other team members as great as these people, it was just so fabulous.

"The intensity ... I've never felt anything like that before. Definitely the highlight of my career."

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Cristie Kerr of the U.S. Team lines up as shot with her caddie John Killeen on the third hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Cristie Kerr;John Killeen

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Solheim Cup Photos

Someone from the team, hearing that, teased her that she's only 19. Others nodded. A few clapped for her. The whole team sat together, and at one point Wie was talking about something privately with Gulbis. Afterward she walked off with her arm around Christina Kim. And when Wie won her final match, beating Helen Alfredsson 1-up, meaning she won by one hole, she ran off and high-fived teammate Angela Stanford.

For the weekend, Wie went 3-0-1. So this was a big weekend for her. She helped a team win, meaning she was playing for a flag and not her overbearing parents. And she was personable. That's three good days for Wie.

Meanwhile, this was a near Dream Team for women's golf, as all the best Americans were here. Wie and Gulbis, yes, but also Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Kim, Morgan Pressel, Cristie Kerr and Juli Inkster.

That said, it was just U.S. vs. Europe. The world's best player is Lorena Ochoa from Mexico. And the Koreans could have beaten both teams combined.

That's another issue for women's golf: The best players are Koreans who don't speak English particularly well, if at all. Former LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens actually tried to make a rule suspending Koreans for not learning to speak English. If you'd like to know why Bivens was forced out, well, now you know.

That, and the way she ran off hard-hit sponsors with a hard line. But she had one point about the Koreans: If the U.S. media can't communicate with them, then that's going to lead to less coverage, and less of a connect with American fans. Meanwhile, an American hasn't won a U.S. event on tour since May. The Solheim Cup avoided that issue.

"I just think if more people could come out and actually watch us play ..." Inkster said. "If people would write about the golf and not about all the other stuff, you know, we would be ... we're going to be great. We're going to be good. You guys just have to be patient with us."

For the week, a record 120,000 fans came. On Sunday, they were packed several rows deep, and no matter where you stood on the course, you heard wild screaming from somewhere else. The scenes on TV must have been something, as this course, Rich Harvest Farms, built by a Chicago-area rich guy named Jerry Rich, looks part idyllic, part comic book.

A few years ago, Rich gave me a tour of the grounds, including the building housing his car collection and also a carousel, as his wife loved a merry-go-round. Basically, the guy is Willy Wonka, so the event was played in a wonderland.

But did people watch? Will it spark anything?

Stanford, like Inkster, insisted that the product is good. She said the tour just needed to go to more cities, show the excitement to more people.

Sounds great, but that means more tournaments, more sponsors. And this tour has lost several tournaments the past few years, and might lose more -- perhaps in the double-digits -- next year alone. The tour might be forced to take a several-weeks long hiatus next year.

The economy is a big issue, as the men's Senior tour is in trouble, too. There aren't enough dollars to go to niche sports now, and women's golf is a niche of a niche.

Women's golf has Gulbis, known mostly for her great looks, swimsuit calendars and appearance on The Apprentice. It also has Wie, who might have just had her coming-out party. And now it has a weekend. If anyone was still around to notice.

Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com

US Wins the Solheim Cup! Now Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USA Wins the Solheim Cup

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: LPGA

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. (AP) -- The United States didn't want to be called the favorites at the Solheim Cup.

Winners has a much better ring to it.

Morgan Pressel delivered the clinching point with her 3-and-2 victory over Anna Nordqvist on Sunday, and the Americans won their third straight Solheim Cup with a 16-12 decision over Europe. After Nordqvist missed an 8-footer to keep the match going, Pressel's teammates, who had been watching at the side of the green, leaped up and started celebrating.

"This is so important to us," Pressel said, wiping away tears. "It's not about pride. It's not about money. It's about country. It's about our teammates."

Michelle Wie, whose 3-0-1 record was the best of any American this week, grabbed a U.S. flag and held it aloft to cries of "Wheee!" from the crowd. As the last three matches finished, there were shrieks of joy when the next American joined the party, and new rounds of "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

When the last match was done, they ran around the 18th green hugging each other and waving American flags. The fans at Rich Harvest Farms, so boisterous all week, serenaded the players with more chants and applause.

"Most of the day, I didn't think it was going to happen," an emotional U.S. captain Beth Daniel said.

The Americans were heavy favorites this week. They had some of the top players in the world while four of Europe's players were ranked 125th or lower. Annika Sorenstam, Europe's anchor the last decade, is no longer playing. And the United States had won the last two Solheim Cups, and were unbeaten on U.S. soil.

But Europe captain Alison Nicholas pulled out every trick she could this week to inspire her team, including video messages from Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, whose "Spanish Armada" was regarded as the greatest partnership in Ryder Cup history.

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Christina Kim of the U.S. Team celebrates after winning the 14th hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christina Kim

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Solheim Cup Photos

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Morgan Pressel of the U.S. Team hits her tee shot on the third hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Morgan Pressel

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Paula Creamer of the U.S. Team hits her tee shot on the 13th hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Paula Creamer

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Paula Creamer of the U.S. Team celebrates her 3&2 victory over Suzann Pettersen of Europe on the 16th green during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Paula Creamer

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Christina Kim of the U.S. Team celebrates winning the 14th hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christina Kim

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Team USA's Juli Inkster hugs Team Europe's Tania Elosegui of Spain after their singles match at the Solheim Cup golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The USA team won 16-12 to retain the cup. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Team USA's Kristy McPherson, left to right, Brittany Lincicome, Nicole Castrale and Morgan Pressel celebrate after their singles matches at the Solheim Cup golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The USA team won 16-12 to retain the cup. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Team USA captain Beth Daniel, left, and the team huddle on the 18th hole after their singles matches at the Solheim Cup golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The USA team won 16-12 to retain the cup. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Team USA captain Beth Daniel walks up the 18th hole during a singles match at the Solheim Cup golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The USA team won 16-12 to retain the cup. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Midway through the afternoon, Europe was leading in six of the 12 matches.

"'Get that red on the board, get that red on the board,' that's all I was thinking about," Wie said.

Angela Stanford gave the Americans their first boost, beating Becky Brewerton 5 and 4 to give the United States the first point of the day. Paula Creamer followed with a victory over Suzann Pettersen shortly after, and Wie rebounded to beat Helen Alfredsson 1 up.

Wie had been 3 up through six holes, but the former European captain made some clutch shots to even it after 11 holes.

"It was tough," Wie said. "Helen's the best. She's just so tough to beat."

Wie showed again that when she's on, few can touch her. Her drive on the par-5 15th went 305 yards-no, that's not a misprint-and she hit an eight iron to 20 feet. She two-putted for the birdie, and Alfredsson couldn't make the putt to match her.

Wie went in heavy rough off the tee on 17 and had no choice but to punch out. She still had a chance to halve the hole, but her 20-footer stopped right at the edge of the cup.

"I did not want to go to 18," Wie said, "but it came to that."

She hit another booming drive, and was so amped up she started walking as soon as she hit it, leaving her tee stuck in the box. Her approach landed 25 feet below the hole, and she left it 2 feet short. Alfredsson's 35-foot eagle putt was short, too, and Wie simply tapped in to win the match.

She screamed "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" and pumped her fist before being bearhugged by Stanford.

"People have seen a different side of me," said Wie, saddled with the expectations of being the female equivalent of Tiger Woods since she was in grade school. "This was just a lot of fun. There's nothing to describe it."

The biggest shift came when Juli Inkster and Brittany Lang turned around matches that appeared to be going in Europe's win column, scratching out critical halves.

"It's very tough. Once you lose a few games, the momentum starts going the wrong way for us," said Catriona Matthew, who gave Europe one of its only two victories with a 3-and-2 win over Kristy McPherson.

Inkster, at 49 the oldest player and a captain's pick, hit a solid shot into 12 feet on the par-3 16th. Then Gwladys Nowcera missed a 6-footer for par on the 17th, squaring it up.

"I had a great time, and I'm glad Beth and Meg thought enough of me to pick me," said Inkster, who said after the match that this was her last Solheim Cup. "It's a great ride."

Davies was 3 up through 15 holes, and went to the 17th knowing the worst she could do was win a half point. But the four-time major champion, benched for the entire day Saturday, closed with back-to-back bogeys.

The United States won the singles 8-4, and Europe has won the singles matches only three times at the Solheim Cup.

"The girls have played well," Nicholas said, choking up. "It was good fun, but it's a disappointment."

By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

USA Wins the Solheim Cup originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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