UPDATE: LPGA Tour Championship to Orlando, Back to Tour Hands
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 26, 2010 3:41 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintGolfweek Magazine first reported the week prior the US Women's Open that the LPGA Tour would be moving its season-ending (and, sadly, full field) Tour Championship back to Florida. More specifically, the tournament would go to central Florida.
Think Orlando.
A player source revealed that the LPGA Tour could well take back ownership of the tournament - formerly known as the ADT Championship, with an innovative format - and bring it to the Orlando area. Venues were up in the air, but IMG will likely be out as owner and proprietor of the season finale.
Perhaps a run at Disney could be in the works?
UPDATE: Golfweek has learned that the site will be Grand Cypress Point in Orlando, and the tournament is December 2-5.
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The best thing that they could do is to move it out west or even Hawai’i, so the event could be shown live in prime time.
The LPGA needs to know its current position in the marketplace and quit playing the role of Don Quixote riding against the windmill of the PGA Tour’s television coverage. Note I am not saying it is an inferior product, or anything of the kind. What I am saying is that viewers will overwhelmingly choose a so-so PGA Tour event like the Wyndham Championship or similar over a ladies’ major. The ratings say so.
With that in mind, the LPGA should try to showcase itself at a time when the competition is done for the day. They could use a “classic” California course, or even one that’s well regarded but not used by the PGA (Bandon Dunes’ Pacific Dunes track, for example) that would draw the eye. Make it compelling, interesting and must-see at a time when it will be seen.
That would be a lot better than yet another Florida track.
The one thing that a lot of players complain about is that they have no stops in Florida – the home base – while the Tour has a half dozen. They just wanna get back on the big states.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 27, 2010 10:14 AM EDT reply actions
Hawaii ? are you NUTS ? You’d get Eas and Wendy ticked off for having the event so late at night for them. (JUST KIDDING Eas and Wendy !!) :-D
I’m with OMP on finding something other than another boring, flat, Florida course, but that time of year works well for that part of the country. Florida works for the LPGA with HQ there in Daytona Beach. Luckily, the LPGA broadcasts on xxx Golf Channel are on in prime time. At least in Orlando, you’re pretty much guaranteed to sell a lot of tickets.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I mean, I’d love to see a new age course volunteer to host, but they don’t want that. They want a major.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 27, 2010 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
a major what ? The Tour Championship isn’t a major…oh wait…depends on how much money a sponsor puts behind it.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I mean that a course like Bandon doesn’t want a regular tour stop, they want here-and-there majors.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 27, 2010 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions
The LPGA is desperate for additional tournaments/ TV coverage
& we get so little of it over here as to make no difference (LPGA coverage, that is). I’m for whatever it takes for them to make money; Hawaii/Orlando wherever. At least I’ve got Birkdale this week.
Essentially none - I was including LET in total LPGA coverage.
There’s absolutely no demand for it either – even results aren’t published in the national press.
Wendy...what do
you attribute that lack of exposure or interest to ? Surly, the total golf interest in the UK alone would beg that it be changed….STUB
1 in 6 members at golf clubs are ladies in the UK
and I’d imagine most of them watch ladies golf. Apart from men who do ( I’m one of them, I like good golf whoever is playing it ), there is just not enough ladies who would watch the ladies game.
An array of reasons, I think
Women tend to watch far less sport than men. Men are less interested in watching ladies golf. The Women’s British Open will be shown on BBC2 all 4 days – so no advertising revenue. The other majors/ important tournaments are shown on dedicated sports channels (& we don’t pick up your adverts) & not everyone can be bothered to pay for those extra channels anyway. Little or no advertising revenue to be had.
STUB
Read today that Catriona Matthews, last year’s Scottish winner of the British Women’s Open can’t get any sponsorship. Apparently she has managed to dredge up two weeks’ worth for last week & this week. That’s how low the profile is. Michelle Wie played well today, BTW.
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