Golf FanHouse http://golf.fanhouse.com Golf FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://golf.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Golf FanHouse http://golf.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Ochoa Atop Soggy Tour Championshiphttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/ochoa-leads-soggy-tour-championship/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/ochoa-leads-soggy-tour-championship/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/20/ochoa-leads-soggy-tour-championship/#commentsFiled under:

Juli InksterRICHMOND, Texas (AP) -- Sophie Gustafson moved within two shots of leader Lorena Ochoa at the LPGA Tour Championship on Friday before second-round play was suspended because of bad weather.

Rain swamped the Houstonian Golf and Country Club before dawn and the start of the second round was pushed back six hours. The tournament resumed at 1 p.m., but light rain started falling about two hours later and play was halted for the day at 5:05 p.m. with darkness approaching.

Ochoa didn't play on Friday after shooting a 6-under 66 early Thursday. She will start her second round at daybreak Saturday.

Gustafson shot a 70 in the first round, then played 11 holes and moved to 4 under on Friday. Helen Alfredsson, Juli Inkster and Wendy Ward were 3 under.

The players were allowed to lift, clean and place because of the soggy conditions.

"The greens were really wet out there," said Inkster, 1 under through 10 holes in her second round. "I thought they left us out there too long, but that's just my opinion. I played good, but I usually do in wet conditions."

The weekend forecast is mostly clear and tournament officials are racing to finish the season-ending event by Sunday night.

LPGA Tour vice president of rules and competition Doug Brecht felt fortunate that the second round began at all, considering how the day began. The course managed to dodge powerful storms that moved up the Texas coast throughout the day.

"We're pretty lucky right now in that a big storm was heading our way and we didn't think we were going to get to play as long as we're playing," Brecht said. "Like most storms that have headed here, it broke up before it got to us and was not nearly as strong or severe."

But Brecht said tournament officials will still need "a little bit of luck" to finish 72 holes by late Sunday afternoon.

More rain is expected overnight and into Saturday morning, and if a high number of players make the cut -- the top 70 and those tied will move on -- that will push back the tee times for the last groups.

"We've got a couple of other issues, we'll see how they pan out," Brecht said.

The LPGA wants to avoid reducing the tournament to 54 holes at all costs, mainly because of the event's importance.

Ochoa is trying to win her fourth straight player of the year honor. She leads Jiyai Shin by four shots on the leaderboard and needs a victory to pass the 21-year-old South.

Korean in the points standings. Shin and Ochoa are also in a virtual dead-heat for the Vare Trophy, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average.

Several players also need good performances to crack the top 80 on the money list and avoid going to qualifying school in two weeks.

"There are a ton of things riding on this tournament," Brecht said. "We are committed to playing 72 holes."

Brecht mapped out a tight schedule for the rest of the weekend that would get the tournament finished by 5 p.m. on Sunday. He was happy to see the players set a brisk pace on Friday to move things along.

"We are playing a lot faster than we did (Thursday), because there are less rulings and no wind," Brecht said. "So we're actually playing a little faster than the time schedule that I've laid out for us going forward from here."

Shin was one of the idle players who took advantage of breaks in the weather to practice.

"There isn't much you can do, but practice and get ready," Shin said. "I haven't really had much practice with waiting out rain delays."

Brecht said the course absorbed 0.64 inches of rain Friday. Though the course drained well, he expected that players would be allowed to use preferred lies for the rest of the tournament.

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.

Ochoa Atop Soggy Tour Championship originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>FanHouse NewswireFri, 20 Nov 2009 20:36:00 EST Wie Withdraws, Ochoa Leads at LPGA's Season Finalehttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/ochoa-leads-tour-championship/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/ochoa-leads-tour-championship/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/ochoa-leads-tour-championship/#commentsFiled under:

Lorena OchoaRICHMOND, Texas (AP) -- Michelle Wie is gone, putting all the attention on Lorena Ochoa's player of the year fight with Jiyai Shin at the LPGA Tour Championship.

Wie withdrew from the season-ending event Thursday because of a sprained left ankle, hours after Ochoa shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over Reilley Rankin.

The 20-year-old Wie, fresh off her first LPGA Tour victory last week at Ochoa's tournament in Mexico, shot a 72 in the afternoon. She limped through her round on the gimpy ankle that she sprained during the Solheim Cup in August, went for treatment afterward and withdrew about an hour later.

"I wanted to do everything I could do to fight through the injury," Wie said in a statement. "It bothered me last week in Mexico, but I was able to play through the pain. I realized today that I wouldn't be able to continue to play through it."

Ochoa teed off in the morning, before the wind picked up across the Houstonian Golf and Country Club.

She was four shots ahead of Shin (70) on the leaderboard, but the 21-year-old South Korean leads Ochoa by eight points (156-148) in the race to become the tour's player of the year. To earn the distinction this year, Ochoa must win this week or finish no worse than third and hope Shin places out of the top 10.

But Ochoa says she's actually feeling more relaxed this week after dealing with the demands of hosting a tournament a week ago.

"Last week was a little bit tough in many different ways with all the things to do and all the pressure," she said. "Everything is a little bit easier, if you compare it to last week."

Shin and Ochoa started on the back nine and both were 2 under after three holes. Shin added birdies at Nos. 13 and 15 to move to 4 under.

Both players bogeyed the difficult 17th, then picked up birdies early on their second nines. Ochoa added birdies on Nos. 6, 8 and 9, capping her round with a 15-foot putt and a modest fist pump.

"Tomorrow is a new start," Ochoa said. "I'm going to play like I'm a few shots behind and continue being aggressive and give myself chances to win on Sunday."

Shin bogeyed two of her last four holes as the wind strengthened. She is trying to sweep the rookie and player awards. Nancy Lopez is the only player to win both in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1978.

Shin and Ochoa also are in a virtual dead heat for the Vare Trophy, given to the player with the season's lowest scoring average.

"I played 2 under, which was not bad in the wind," Shin said. "Lorena, she played really good, a 66. But we still have three more rounds. I will just focus on my game and try my best for three more days."

Rankin also teed off early and finished her 67 before the wind became a factor. The 30-year-old Rankin has missed seven cuts in 17 starts this season before matching her best round of the year on Thursday.

"It was nothing spectacular," she said. "I just tried to stay patient and not worry about how I hit it. I'm just giving myself chances and not getting too frustrated."

Wie drew the largest galleries and she was 3 under through 12 holes. Her ankle gave way on the 13th tee, and she stumbled backward, sliced her tee shot into the rough and took her first bogey.

She bent over in apparent pain on No. 14 and slipped again hitting her tee shot to the par-3 17th. Wie smacked her right leg and yelled an obscenity as the ball sailed right and rolled into the water. She made a double bogey to slip back to even par.

After pulling out of the tournament, Wie said she wanted to take a careful approach to her injury.

"I want to make sure that I'm being smart with it," she said. "I will return home to have it looked at by my doctors and follow their advice for treatment."

The first round was suspended because of darkness at 5:25 p.m., with four groups still on the course.

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.

Wie Withdraws, Ochoa Leads at LPGA's Season Finale originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Lorena Ochoamichelle wieFanHouse NewswireThu, 19 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST What in the World Is the LPGA Thinking?http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/what-in-the-world-is-the-lpga-thinking/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/what-in-the-world-is-the-lpga-thinking/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/18/what-in-the-world-is-the-lpga-thinking/#commentsFiled under:

Lorena OchoaThe LPGA just outsourced its season.

Twenty-four events are on next year's incredibly shrinking LPGA schedule and 11 of them will be played on foreign soil, including the season opener in Thailand.

There also are tournaments in Singapore, France, Japan, England, Canada and Mexico.

One bonus: The U.S. Women's Open stays here.

Founded in 1950, the LPGA is the longest continuous-running professional women's sports organization in American history, but its future -- obituary? -- will be written in foreign dialect. Why? Because if selling women's golf in the land of the free and home of the NFL seemed difficult before, the LPGA hasn't seen nothing yet.

More coverage: 2010 LPGA Schedule

Let's see now. The LPGA has no American stars (one win by Michelle Wie does not qualify), no network television and now almost half its schedule in other countries.

What can possibly hold it back?

What's sad is how easy it is to argue the LPGA didn't have much choice.

In 2008 the LPGA schedule had 34 tournaments. This year started with 31 events but ended with only 27 when four title sponsors bailed in mid-schedule.

This would be a good time to point out that only four LPGA winners during this season that ends Sunday at the Tour Championship in Houston are Americans.
From there it was only getting worse. The combination of a woeful economy and self-inflicted wounds left behind by former commissioner Carolyn Bivens had sent potential title sponsors running. As recently as last month players acknowledged rumors suggesting as few as 17 tournaments for 2010.

"That's a part-time job,'' said veteran Nancy Scranton.

The solution, however, is the epitome of one step forward and two steps back. It's a short-term solution with long-term peril.

If the LPGA can't attract sponsorships and a following in the U.S., then acting commissioner Marty Evans' thinking was to go where it can. The LPGA's roster includes more than 130 foreign players. Sixteen of the top 20 ranked players in the current women's world rankings are non-Americans.

"I'm all in favor of a more global expansion of the tour because that's where the demand is today," Annika Sorenstam, the headliner of women's golf until retiring before this season, said recently. "I'm all about trying to grow our tour and create awareness.

"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."

Somewhere somebody will be watching.

They just won't be on the LPGA's home turf.

And that's the rub.

If Tiger swears when he hits a ball into the forest, but no one is around to hear, did he make a noise? If the LPGA plays a tournament and America doesn't know it, do its young girls grow up wanting to one day play the tour?

"As far as globally growing the game, it does," University of Florida women's golf coach Jan Dowling said of the new schedule. "But if we are also trying to grow women's golf in the United States, the exposure is going to be less.

"As far as the economy goes, that's something they had to do. So the women have to look at it as at least we have a place to play. But we want to grow it domestically more than anything."
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This would be a good time to point out that only four LPGA winners during this season that ends Sunday at the Tour Championship in Houston are Americans. Until Wie won last Sunday, foreign players had claimed 16 straight events.

If things start to go down from here for American women, it's a good thing the tour will be in China because they'll be popping out on the other side of the world.

And another thing. Even if you want to, following the LPGA next year isn't going to be easy.

Between the season opener Feb. 18-21 in Thailand and the LPGA Tour Championship in November, there are 17 off-weeks.

The first tournament in the United States will not come until March 25-28 in Carlsbad, Calif., the third stop (and fourth week) of the season. A week later in nearby Rancho Mirage, is the Kraft Nabisco, the season's first major.

Perfect. From there it's a short drive to Mexico.

What in the World Is the LPGA Thinking? originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mick ElliottWed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:00 EST Fowler Will Be Top Offseason Attractionhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/fowler-will-be-top-offseason-attraction/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/fowler-will-be-top-offseason-attraction/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/17/fowler-will-be-top-offseason-attraction/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rickie Fowler

Rickie Fowler's dramatic play over the final month of the PGA Tour season makes him the player most likely to be watched through the offseason's qualifying progresses.

Fowler, 20, did not turn professional until late summer, but the former top-ranked amateur out of Oklahoma State, took advantage of three sponsor's exemptions to earn $571,090 in those three tries, a number that would have placed him No. 136 on the year's money list.

After finishing seventh and runner-up in his first two events, a strong performance at the Children's Miracle Network Classic could have put Fowler into an exclusive group of past players -- Tiger Woods is one of them -- to avoid qualifying school by finishing among the top 125 money winners as a non-member.

More coverage: Golf.com: Winning Wasn't Everything at PGA Finale

But after being one shot out of the first-round lead, a second-day 75 led to Fowler finishing 40th. Nevertheless, his rewards are still handsome.

As a result of finishing among the top 150 earners, Fowler gets to jump past this week's second stage of qualifying school and go directly to the final round next month at Bear Lakes in West Palm Beach, Fla.

"I'll find a way to get out here. I feel like I can play with these guys. I put up a couple of good finishes. You never know. It could come from going to Q School. It could be a few years of grinding it out and trying to get exemptions. But I'll find a way to get out here."
- Rickie Fowler Also, even if Fowler fails to be one of the top 25 finishes and ties who will earn the PGA Tour card at Bear Lakes, he's already assured of some degree of exempt status on the Nationwide Tour.

"The whole last month has been awesome," Fowler said. "I'll find a way to get out here. I feel like I can play with these guys. I put up a couple of good finishes. You never know. It could come from going to Q School. It could be a few years of grinding it out and trying to get exemptions. But I'll find a way to get out here."

Winless Rookies

Stephen Ames' victory Sunday in the Children's Miracle Network Classic, the season's final event, means no rookie won on the PGA Tour this year, something that had not happened since 1998 when Steve Flesch was rookie of the year.

That result leaves Australian Mark Leishman as the leading rookie of the year candidate. He made 18 cuts in 28 events, including one runner-up finish and three top 10s, to finish 47th on the final money list with $1.7 million.

Going Quietly

David Duval was the biggest disappointment at the season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic, arriving 125th on the money list only to shoot 76-73 and miss the cut. By the time the week was over, the former world No. 1 and British Open champ dropped to 130 on the final money list and will not be exempt for next season.

Duval is entered in final-stage qualifying, but suggested he will most likely skip it and attempt to play next season on sponsor exemptions.

Interestingly, on the strength of past accomplishments, Duval is exempt into next season's first three major championships.

"Funny, enough, I find it a bit ironic that I'm in the position I'm in right now," he said. "I don't have exempt status on the tour, but am in the Masters and the U.S. Open and the (British) Open Championship.

"It's kind of funny how the game works."

LPGA Finale

There is a lot on the line when the women's tour completes its season this week with the inaugural LPGA Tour Championship at The Houstonian Golf and Country Club in Houston, Texas.

South Korea's Jiyai Shin, already assured of Rookie of the Year honors, also leads in Player of the Year points.

If Shin can clinch the award, she would become the first player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Rolex Player of the Year in the same season since World Golf Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez did it in 1978.

Youth Served

Twenty-year-old Irishman Rory McIlroy can become the youngest winner of the European Tour's Order of Merit since Seve Ballesteros accomplished the feat in 1976 when he was 19.

The European Tour ends its season this week with the Dubai World Championship and McIlroy goes into play with a small lead over Lee Westwood.

"I will still be trying to win the Dubai World Championship," McIlroy said. "I won't be trying to protect a lead or finish ahead of this guy or that guy. I want to win. If I win it will take care of everything."
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Fowler Will Be Top Offseason Attraction originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mick ElliottTue, 17 Nov 2009 16:38:00 EST Wie Wise to Enjoy What She's Gothttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/wie-wise-to-enjoy-what-shes-got/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/wie-wise-to-enjoy-what-shes-got/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/wie-wise-to-enjoy-what-shes-got/#commentsFiled under:

Michelle WieMichelle Wie claimed her first LPGA tournament title Sunday, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. To celebrate she did not mention a desire to be the first woman to play the Masters at Augusta National, did not unveil a plan to join the PGA Tour and did not ask for an exemption to the U.S. Open.

It's a start.

After a final-round 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory over Paula Creamer in Guadalajara, Mexico, Wie, 20, received a beer shower on the 18th green -- hey, just another college kid in Mexico. She then talked about the relief that came with the victory.

"For sure, it's definitely off my back," she said. "I think that hopefully life will be a lot better."

By all considerations, that will be entirely up to Wie.
More: Wie's Career in Photos | Wie's Homepage on Golf.com

It was never if Wie would win on the LPGA, only a matter of when. That's why when she turned pro at 16 while still in high school, endorsement offers from the likes of Nike and Omega helped turn her into a household name that went beyond golf.

And then she almost ruined it.

Whatever -- parents, maybe? -- fueled the motivation, Wie's insistence on playing against male pros turned her into a novelty act. A few brief performances were just good enough to generate a great groundswell of "wouldn't it be great for a woman to compete against the men,'' but for the most part the attraction was like watching a train wreck. The more she played, the worse she fared.

Some wondered if, in an attempt to hit the ball further on longer men's tour courses, Wie didn't damage what had been a pure and natural swing.

This year, however, suggests it's not too late.

She produced a breakout performance in the United States' Solheim Cup victory, and Sunday's win is something huge on which to build.

"The tour needs somebody like Michelle," former LPGA player Dawn Coe-Jones said after watching Wie's victory on television. "We need someone to take the tour on their back, basically. Maybe now that she has opened the door, this might be the first of many, many.

"I'm happy for her and I'm happy for the tour, because as we know the tour is in need of something exciting. I think this can only help."

Only if Wie commits to the LPGA.

The victory came in her 65th appearance on the LPGA, suggesting that she wasn't exactly ready to dominate the women's tour before taking on the men. Actually, Wie's only significant victory before Sunday was the 2003 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links.

Still, as recently as early this year Wie was quoted saying she still wants to play on the PGA Tour, telling the Korea Times, "I look forward to playing on the LPGA, but if given another chance to play on the PGA I will consider it."

One word: Don't.

"I went through some up-and-downs," Wie said Sunday, looking back on her rookie season played while still attending Stanford. "It was a great learning experience for me this year."

Could the lesson be any more clear?

Creamer, who finished runner-up and Morgan Pressel, both American teammates during the Solheim Cup, rushed the green to suds down Wie after the winning putt. Nothing in sports feels like winning.

"It was just great seeing them come out and pour beer all over me," Wie said. "I've always seen it on TV and I've always wanted people to pour beer on me. It was as great as I thought it was."

Wie can, and should, make it all happen again. Often.

All she's got to do it play. On the LPGA.

"I think maybe she found it hard to fit in," Coe-Jones said. "She'd come and play six times a year, get all this attention, and she had not proven herself to her peers. I think one she proved to her peers on the Solheim team, she has been accepted. And took a lot of pressure off her."

Don't mess it up.

Wie Wise to Enjoy What She's Got originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michelle WieMichelleWieMick ElliottMon, 16 Nov 2009 13:43:00 EST Finally! Wie Gets First LPGA Winhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/finally-wie-gets-first-lpga-win/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/finally-wie-gets-first-lpga-win/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/15/finally-wie-gets-first-lpga-win/#commentsFiled under:

Michelle Wie
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) -- Michelle Wie, LPGA Tour champion.

Imagine that.

Wie ended her long wait by tapping in a birdie putt Sunday at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, and her first tour title may finally quiet the skeptics who second-guessed her career decisions and questioned the fuss over a player without a pro victory.
Analysis From Golf.com: Michelle Wie Era Has Finally Begun

"Wowww-w-w ...... never thought this would feel THIS great!!!!" she posted on her Twitter account.

The 20-year-old closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Paula Creamer. Wie finished it off in style, hitting a greenside bunker shot within a foot on the final hole.

When it was over, it was time for a celebration that was a decade in the making. Wie pulled the ball from the 18th hole, looked up to the sky, let out a big sigh of relief, bounced up and down and pumped her right fist.

After all the near misses, after all the expectations, she was a winner.

"I think it's just so awesome, seeing them on the 18th green and hugging them," Wie said. "You know, we have been through a lot as a family, and it's just so great that they are here to share my highs and to keep me up from the lows, as well."

"Right now it feels fantastic. It's a great year. I went through some ups and downs ... And obviously this tournament is the icing on the cake."
- Michelle Wie "It's definitely off my back," Wie said. "I think that hopefully life will be a lot better, but I still have a lot of work to do."

Solheim Cup teammates Morgan Pressel and Creamer showered Wie on the 18th green.

"Just seeing them come out and pour beer all over me, it was a great feeling," Wie said. "I've always seen it on TV and I've always wanted people to pour beer on me. It was as great as I thought it was."

Her parents, dad B.J. and mom Bo, were there, too, for an embrace.

"I think it's just so awesome, seeing them on the 18th green and hugging them," Wie said. "You know, we have been through a lot as a family, and it's just so great that they are here to share my highs and to keep me up from the lows, as well."

Wie earned $220,000 to push her season winnings just over $900,000. The win came in her 65th LPGA Tour event -- she had finished second six times.

Wie won the 2003 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links, the Stanford student's only significant victory until Sunday.

"Right now it feels fantastic," Wie said. "It's a great year. I went through some ups and downs ... And obviously this tournament is the icing on the cake."

Pressel (67), Jiyai Shin (71) and Cristie Kerr (72) were three back. Wie finished at 13-under 275 after starting the day at the Guadalajara Country Club tied for the lead with Kerr at 10 under.

"Congrats to michelle!!" Pressel tweeted.

Wie first qualified for a USGA event at age 10 and played an LPGA event when she was 12. She joined the LPGA this season and has begun to show the sizzling game that has made her arguably the biggest attraction in women's golf.

Dressed head to toe in red, Wie had a few shaky moments but she was steadier down the stretch as her rivals faltered. In the past, it's often been the Hawaiian who has stumbled.

The 6-foot Wie stood tall despite a nagging sprained left ankle that forced her to wear a large, black brace that extends 6 inches above her shoe top.
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She had chances to pull away on the front nine, but couldn't quite do it and finished with a 2-under 34 at the turn - 12 under for the tournament. She went to 13 under with a birdie on 11, giving her a one-shot lead over Creamer and Kerr. Wie bogeyed the next hole when her escape shot from under a cluster of trees squarely hit a trunk, the ball rebounding into the fairway behind her.

But she made par through 17.

Creamer drew even with Wie with an eagle on 10. But two bogeys down the stretch ruined her chances of victory.

"I gave it a chance, and Michelle played great," said Creamer, who has battled stomach problems for a year and fought off back and thumb injuries. She is winless this year after eight career victories.

"I feel a lot better with my golf," she said. "It's just unfortunate that you're so close, yet you're so far away."

The co-leader with Wie after three rounds, Kerr played even on the front nine before reaching 12 under with birdies on 10 and 11. After 12 holes, Wie, Creamer and Kerr were tied, but Kerr faded with bogeys on 15 and 16.

Shin, the rookie of the year, also slipped. Tournament host Ochoa shot 69 to finish six back and Ai Miyazato, No. 2 on the money list behind Shin, was 10 back after a 72.

Ochoa and Shin will battle next week for the player of the year award at the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship in Houston. Nancy Lopez is the only player to win both the rookie and player awards in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1978.

Michelle WieThe LPGA, battered by economic problems and the forced resignation of its commissioner this summer, needed this as much as Wie.

"Literally, when Michelle Wie is atop the leaderboard it's like night and day and that's star power," LPGA spokesman David Higdon said the day before Wie's win.

Wie played PGA Tour events when she was 14 - the biggest stage there is. She was criticized at the time for not focusing on women's events. She turned pro in 2005 before even finishing high school.

She ignored the criticism and, at 16, she was poised to become the first woman to qualify for the men's U.S. Open before her putter failed her. Shortly after that she began to lose confidence and went into a long, painful slump that was made worse by a wrist injury that ruined her 2007 season.

She has slowly worked her way back, earning her LPGA card for this season, gaining credibility with players and emerging as a star at this year's Solheim Cup, going undefeated in four matches.

"It just taught me so much about handling that situation," Wie said. "And actually, I wore my Solheim shoes today. So I felt pretty lucky."

By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports 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.

Finally! Wie Gets First LPGA Win originally appeared on Golf FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>michelle wiepaula creamerFanHouse NewswireSun, 15 Nov 2009 20:12:00 EST The Real Problem With the LPGAhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/the-real-problem-with-the-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/the-real-problem-with-the-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/the-real-problem-with-the-lpga/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>ai miyazatoAngela Stanfordanna nordqvistAnnika Sorenstamcatriona matthewCristie Kerreun-hee jiFred Funkhelen alfredssonin kyung kimJiyai Shinkarrie WebbLorena OchoaMichelle Wiena yeon choiNatalie GulbisPaula Creamerphil mickelsonsakura yokomineshinobu moromizatosong-hee kimsophie gustafsonSuzann PettersenTiger WoodsYani tsengShane BaconTue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST Big Challenge for New LPGA Bosshttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/big-challenge-for-new-lpga-boss/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/big-challenge-for-new-lpga-boss/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/big-challenge-for-new-lpga-boss/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>Carolyn BivensMichael WhanNancy ScrantonMick ElliottThu, 29 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST Whan Named LPGA Commissionerhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/michael-whan-named-lpga-commissioner/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/michael-whan-named-lpga-commissioner/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/michael-whan-named-lpga-commissioner/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>Carolyn BivensMichael WhanFanHouse NewswireWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST Annika Sorenstam Enjoying 'New Life'http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/annika-sorenstam-enjoying-new-life/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/annika-sorenstam-enjoying-new-life/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/annika-sorenstam-enjoying-new-life/#commentsFiled under: ,

Annika SorenstamAs 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."
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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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]]>annika sorenstamMick ElliottThu, 15 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EST Lorena Ochoa Breaks Winless Streakhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/lorena-ochoa-breaks-winless-streak/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/lorena-ochoa-breaks-winless-streak/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/04/lorena-ochoa-breaks-winless-streak/#commentsFiled under:

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 ThompsonBrittany LangLorena OchoaMichelle WieTiger WoodsShane BaconSun, 04 Oct 2009 20:34:00 EST Alexis Thompson Eight Shots Back of Ochoa After Saturday 74http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/alexis-thompson-eight-shots-back-of-ochoa-after-saturday-74/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/alexis-thompson-eight-shots-back-of-ochoa-after-saturday-74/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/alexis-thompson-eight-shots-back-of-ochoa-after-saturday-74/#commentsFiled under:

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 ThompsonLorena OchoaShane BaconSat, 03 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST Alexis Thompson, 14, Still Atop the Leaderboard in Navistar LPGA Classichttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/02/alexis-thompson-14-still-atop-the-leaderboard-in-navistar-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/02/alexis-thompson-14-still-atop-the-leaderboard-in-navistar-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/02/alexis-thompson-14-still-atop-the-leaderboard-in-navistar-lpga/#commentsFiled under:

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 ThompsonBrittany LangGiulia SergasLaura DaviesLorena OchoaMichelle WiePat HurstYani TsengShane BaconFri, 02 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST Alexis Thompson Is Leading the Navistar LPGA Classic ... and She's 14http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/alexis-thompson-is-leading-the-navistar-lpga-classic-and-she/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/alexis-thompson-is-leading-the-navistar-lpga-classic-and-she/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/10/01/alexis-thompson-is-leading-the-navistar-lpga-classic-and-she/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>Alexis ThompsonMichelle WieShane BaconThu, 01 Oct 2009 17:24:00 EST A FedEx Cup for the LPGA?http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/a-fedex-cup-for-the-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/a-fedex-cup-for-the-lpga/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/a-fedex-cup-for-the-lpga/#commentsFiled under: ,

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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]]>Dottie PepperHeath SlocumLorena OchoaMichelle WiePhil MIckelsonTiger WoodsShane BaconWed, 30 Sep 2009 13:23:00 EST Casie Cathrea Makes Hole-in-One in LPGA Event as a 13-Year-Oldhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/casie-cathrea-makes-hole-in-one-in-lpga-event-as-a-13-year-old/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/casie-cathrea-makes-hole-in-one-in-lpga-event-as-a-13-year-old/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/casie-cathrea-makes-hole-in-one-in-lpga-event-as-a-13-year-old/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>Casie CathreaMichelle WieTiger WoodsShane BaconFri, 25 Sep 2009 15:38:00 EST Na Yeon Choi Wins at Torrey Pineshttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/20/na-yeon-choi-wins-at-torrey-pines/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/20/na-yeon-choi-wins-at-torrey-pines/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/20/na-yeon-choi-wins-at-torrey-pines/#commentsFiled under:

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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]]>ai miyazatoNa Yeon ChoiFanHouse NewswireSun, 20 Sep 2009 19:10:00 EST Michelle Wie's Blog Is Interesting, Popularhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/michelle-wies-blog-is-interesting-popular/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/michelle-wies-blog-is-interesting-popular/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/michelle-wies-blog-is-interesting-popular/#commentsFiled under: ,

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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]]>Michelle WieMichelle Wies BlogShane BaconTue, 15 Sep 2009 14:42:00 EST Making the Cut: Scott Gets the Nodhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/making-the-cut-scott-gets-the-nod/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/making-the-cut-scott-gets-the-nod/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/09/making-the-cut-scott-gets-the-nod/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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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]]>adam Scottarnold palmerChristina KimGreg Normanhal suttonmaking the cutMakingTheCutphil mickelsonryo ishikawasandra galsteve strickerShane BaconWed, 09 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST Emotions Getting Best Out of Strickerhttp://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/emotions-getting-best-out-of-stricker/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/emotions-getting-best-out-of-stricker/http://golf.fanhouse.com/2009/09/07/emotions-getting-best-out-of-stricker/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Steve StrickerWith 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

    US PGA TOUR

    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

    US PGA TOUR

    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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]]>Mick ElliottMon, 07 Sep 2009 21:25:00 EST