Pen-Ultra

by Mulligan Stu on May 8, 2008 2:58 PM EDT in News

There's a good example of a small but significant problem on the LPGA Tour this week: Their scheduling needs some improvement.

Once again, one of the biggest LPGA Tour events is drawn against of the most important PGA Tour events. The Michelob Ultra Open is going up against The Players Championship.

Will the Ultra get any play on sports highlight shows and in newspapers? Not much.

We were talking a couple days ago about things the LPGA Tour could do to spur growth. One is to schedule better. The PGA Tour always has its schedule set first. The LPGA should react to that and make sure its marquee tournaments aren't completely overwhelmed by the competing PGA Tour tournament. (They'll almost always be overshadowed, but they don't necessarily have to be overwhelmed.)

Another example is the continuing problem of having only one tournament in between the LPGA Championship and the U.S. Women's Open. In year's past, there's only been one week. At least this year there is an off week, then the Wegmans. Two weeks.

Tweaking the schedule won't cause the ratings to surge, but it will be a small step in the right direction.

As for the Michelob Ultra today: Michelle Wie shot 75, very close to the bottom. Five bogeys, one birdie, so at least no blow-up holes. And she averaged 284 on her measured drives. Hard to know what (if anything) it means without seeing it, though. Does 75 represent the level of her play? Or, like at the Fields, was she scoring much better than she looked?

But more importantly: Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa started hot, Annika with 64 and Lorena with 65. Perhaps this is the week we'll be treated to a showdown. Given the LPGA's luck, it probably will be the week - the week of The Players Championship, when hardly anyone will notice.

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like I said...

...move over Biv - Stu needs that chair !

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 8, 2008 4:01 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

did you catch the 5th major references...?

...in the pre-tournament interviews, that is? I dunno, if the Evian or HSBC Singapore events ever become full-field with cuts, this week's had better watch out, but I suppose it deserves the title (if, unlike Shackelford, you buy into the idea of a 5th major)....

I'm not as worried about scheduling. If the LPGA gets a deal with GC/networks where their events precede PGA ones (let's say), it could work out in their favor to have overlapping big events every once in a while--since more people who don't usually pay attention to golf are in those weeks and there are better than even odds the LPGA competition will be more compelling than the PGA (showdowns among the top 20, with everyone with a realistic shot of unseating the Big 3 or 4, are more likely on the LPGA than PGA), it's entirely possible the women's tour could garner more regular fans in those weeks.

As long as it doesn't happen very often, that is.

by The Constructivist on May 8, 2008 5:12 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs

it gets old...

all this 5th major - on both Tours - talk has gotten tedious. It seems like a media created "controversy".

A couple of years back, it seemed like there was at least one woman who would call whatever tournament they were playing that week a "5th major". It got ridiculous.

Just stick with the four majors - there is too much tradition in those four big names to add more.

On the women's side - except for the US Open - the title "Major" seems to be up for sale to the highest bidder. Kind of cheapens the whole thing. I'd hate to think that Evian or HSBC could just up the antie and claim a major.

Don't hold your breath on xxx Golf Channel ever giving LPGA events priority over PGA events. Especially as long as Tiger is still playing.

As defensive as it sounds, scheduling LPGA events so they do not conflict with big PGA Tour events just makes sense. Every little bit helps. They have plenty of open weeks during the year so they can play around with things - and definitely spread the majors out a little more.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 8, 2008 5:36 PM EDT up reply reply 0 recs

not even parity!

I wouldn't expect even parity with the PGA on GC ever. Which makes Ryan Ballengee's suggestion at GNN that the LPGA get serious about ESPN/ABC look better and better....

On Wie, she tied 1 former ROY and beat another (what the heck is up with Angela Park). Still, with 90 people at par or better, she certainly didn't take advantage of what seems to be one of the easier courses on tour (no matter how high the rough is, apparently)....

by The Constructivist on May 8, 2008 7:14 PM EDT reply reply 0 recs