Golf

LPGA's new plan: compound interest

By BOB HARIG
Published June 9, 2005

The PGA Tour has been discussing ways to enhance its schedule at the end of the season, trying to come up with a plan that would make the season-ending Tour Championship more meaningful.

The LPGA Tour beat them to it.

In a plan announced Tuesday by outgoing commissioner Ty Votaw at the LPGA Championship, the tour next year will divide its season into halves, with players earning points to qualify for the season-ending ADT Championship at West Palm Beach.

Once there, players will complete 54 holes of stroke play that leads to a final competition for a $1-million first prize.

What is interesting, however, is the manner in which players will qualify for the last tournament. Instead of going strictly off the money list - as the LPGA Tour will do this year and as the PGA Tour does for its season-ending Tour Championship - a points system will be in place for both halves of the season. To sustain interest in some late-season overseas events, a separate points list will be kept, giving players another chance to qualify.

The ADT Championship, which is played at Trump International, will be renamed the LPGA Playoffs at the ADT. The idea is to give the tournament the same significance as playoffs in other sports, meaning some sort of elimination play. Although the final numbers have not been determined, the field of 32 might be cut to 16 after the first day, to eight after the second and to four after the third.

While it could mean a first-round 74 sends someone such as Annika Sorenstam home after the first day, it in turn could serve to spike interest during that round - unlike a regular golf tournament where players are simply trying to position themselves for the weekend.

Once the remaining players make it to the last day, there is talk that while the winner will walk away with $1-million, the runner-up might pocket something far less, perhaps $100,000. Again, that would create some tension.

Players will earn points throughout the season, with major championship winners and victors in select tournaments automatically qualifying. It remains to be seen if the points system heightens late-season interest. Golf classically has had trouble maintaining relevance toward season's end. But this appears to be a good attempt.

THE DONALD: Of course, billionaire developer Donald Trump was thrilled about the LPGA's decision to increase the profile of its season-ending event, which is played at his course, Trump International.

"Frankly, the LPGA did not have great luck in Palm Beach County or with this event until they came to Trump International," Trump told the Palm Beach Post . "For some reason, if you put the Trump name on it, it sells better. Between the women and the waterfalls, and now the $1-million first prize, this has become a big-time event."

QUALIFYING: For the first time, the United States Golf Association conducted international qualifying for the tournament, holding events in Japan and England in order to attract more foreign players who otherwise might not have tried if they had to qualify in the United States.

Three players earned spots at the Japan qualifier, and another nine earned a pass to Pinehurst on Monday in England, where 53 players tried. That total bothered England's Barry Lane , a former European Ryder Cup player who failed to advance. With two courses in play, as many as 100 players or more easily could have attempted to qualify.

"Some people are just narrow-minded. They are not showing any ambition when they don't bother to turn up," Lane said. "This might have been the one and only time in their career they got into the U.S. Open."

Although former major championship winners Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam did not enter, Lane's comments were directed at young players. "They should be trying to gain experience," he said. "I think it's fantastic they've brought this qualifier in and it's a shame it has not been supported."

Last year, many American players were criticized for skipping a chance to qualify for the British Open at qualifying held in the United States.

SNEAK PEAK: Tiger Woods got a quick look at Pinehurst No.2 on Monday, showing up early and twice scooting around the venue for next week's U.S. Open, virtually unnoticed, before a small crowd assembled by the time he was completing the second round.

"It was just a relaxed, quiet round of golf," Pinehurst caddie Thomas Trinchitella said. "He got a good look at the course and seemed like he was pleased with it."

Woods, who won the Masters in April, tied for third at Pinehurst in 1999 when the Open was won by Payne Stewart .

Trinchitella caddied all 36 holes for Woods, who took about five hours to finish. It was not, however, his best day of caddying.

"Tiger is up there, but a former president has got to be No. 1," said Trinchitella, who two years ago caddied for George H. W. Bush .

AROUND GOLF: Tampa's Ryuji Imada was among the players who gained a spot at the U.S. Open in qualifying this week in Rockville, Md. ... Hale Irwin , who won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in February and has at least two victories in each of his 11 seasons on the Champions Tour, turned 60 on Friday.

The Fayetteville Observer and sportinglife.com were used in this report.

[Last modified June 9, 2005, 01:18:46]