Jun
16
Wonderful and Horrible Golf Decisions on the Same Day from the USGA
Only the blue bloods of New Jersey could manage to both elate and grate on the same day. The USGA announcement of holding the 2014 Women’s US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 on the week following the men’s Open is the kind of bold and innovative thinking you’d want from a national governing body. Personally, I think this will prove to be a brilliant move. The only potential stumbling block is if there is the out-dated Monday 18 hole playoff to the men’s championship. Perhaps, if we’re lucky, infringing on the Women’s Open will provide them with a convenient “excuse” to move to some form of a sudden death format, like every other major championship has done.
But on the heels of that comes the news of this year’s Women’s US Open qualifying, which was held yesterday. Almost as if they can’t stand prosperity, the USGA has limited automatic qualifying to the top 10 on the current LPGA money list, down from the top 30 a year ago. What possible logic could have been used to come up with that little gem? The LPGA is the greatest collection of female talent in the world - and it isn’t even close. Why would you not want every one of those top 30? Pardon me for suggesting but I’d have to say that all of them are easily within the top 156 golfers in the world and should be in the Open, no questions asked. Some of the elite players between 11th and 30th who are playing at a very high level so far in 2009, are players like Natalie Gulbis and Michelle Wie. But don’t look for them at the 2009 Women’s US Open. They just missed out in the 36 hole qualifier on the day after the LPGA Championship where they finished 21st and 23rd.
Apparently, half a golf season on the toughest women’s tour in the world is not qualifier enough for the USGA. Idiots.
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24 comments
Comment from: Brandon Tucker [Visitor] 
Wow, no Gulbis for the US Open, why even watch??
06/16/09 @ 13:36
Comment from: coolio [Visitor]
Haha!
The Teenage Golf Sensation did not qualify!
Although, I fear that the powers that be will find a way to still get her mug in, somehow.
Looking forward to a hopefully Wie-free Women’s US Open!!
--Coolio
The Teenage Golf Sensation did not qualify!
Although, I fear that the powers that be will find a way to still get her mug in, somehow.
Looking forward to a hopefully Wie-free Women’s US Open!!
--Coolio
06/16/09 @ 15:17
Comment from: Rich James [Visitor]
The US Open without Michelle Wie is not worth watching or going to.
The USGA has screwed up big time by changing that rule!
The USGA has screwed up big time by changing that rule!
06/16/09 @ 16:24
Comment from: coolio [Visitor]
"The US Open without Michelle Wie is not worth watching or going to."
Some golf fan you are, Wienuts!
Some golf fan you are, Wienuts!
06/16/09 @ 18:26
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
No one should ever qualify for a USGA event based upon any money list. But why keep last year's number at 40 while cutting this year's list to 10 the year the biggest draw is an LPGA rookie who can only benefit from this year's list?
06/16/09 @ 21:44
Comment from: Barry [Visitor]
I agree with Rich, I'll be one of the millions of golf fans who won't be tuning into the U.S. Open without Wie or Gulbis. How idiotic is the LPGA? It's supposed to be entertaining fans, yet, it would rather have a bunch of no-names who have no chance to win play based on getting hot in a 36-hole qualifier, rather than the top money winners. I'll bet the idiots at the LPGA change that qualifying rule next year based on this.
06/16/09 @ 22:26
JimC, I couldn't disagree with you more. That money list is directly proportional to the quality of play IN COMPETITION against the best players in the world. Not only do those players have to make the 36 hole cut to get anything, they have to finish pretty high in the tournament to get anything substantial. I can see the 36 hole qualifiers for fringe players, but the top 30 are the elite in the game at present.
06/17/09 @ 07:32
Comment from: GirlGolfer [Visitor]
First of all (Barry), the USGA makes the rules for exemptions into its championships, not the PGA Tour,not the LPGA Tour...so blast the USGA not those bodies for rules pertaining to exemptions in USGA Championships.
Having said that, it is very apparent tht the USGA seeks to include as many amateurs as professionals in its championships...that is why they limit exemptions for the pros. If you look at the final qualifying sites for the Women's Open, there is one event where all professionals qualified. At other sites, tehre were only 4 or 5 pro TOTAL that qualified. What happens is that the field is top heavy....with highly ranked professionals but is by no means the strongest field possible for a major championship. That, to me, is the travesty of it all...it is a major with a minotr field.
06/17/09 @ 09:36
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
Shanks
The LPGA money list discriminates against amateurs or non-LPGA pros who prove themselves in LPGA events but are excluded from the list. The USGA should use measures that fairly assess the performance of both LPGA and Non=LPGA players.
I think the USGA really wanted to reduce the 40 number from the previous year, but LPGA people wouldn't budge, so the USGA slashed the current year number from 30 to 10. There also may have been people who wanted to see Wie go through Open qualifying one more time as payback for her past special exemptions--Gulbis was an added benefit.
The LPGA money list discriminates against amateurs or non-LPGA pros who prove themselves in LPGA events but are excluded from the list. The USGA should use measures that fairly assess the performance of both LPGA and Non=LPGA players.
I think the USGA really wanted to reduce the 40 number from the previous year, but LPGA people wouldn't budge, so the USGA slashed the current year number from 30 to 10. There also may have been people who wanted to see Wie go through Open qualifying one more time as payback for her past special exemptions--Gulbis was an added benefit.
06/17/09 @ 12:50
The field for the US Open will be 156 participants. We're talking about between 1 to 20 LPGA players not otherwise qualified. As this is the pre-eminant group of golfers IN THE WORLD, I would prefer qualifying over 12 full field events to a one day 36 hole event. Furthermore, those golfer who participated at Bulle Rock during the previous 4 days were at a distinct disadvantage to the "weaker" qualifiers who rested and prepared just for that single day.
In my opinion, this change is horrible.
In my opinion, this change is horrible.
06/17/09 @ 12:58
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
Why didn't LPGA players pick a qualuifier where they were not at such a disadvantage coming off a Major.
06/17/09 @ 14:56
I'm guessing here, but it likely has to do with scheduling.
06/17/09 @ 15:02
Comment from: coolio [Visitor]
Shanks,
The solution for Wie is simple -- play better!
Others, who played on Sunday, made it through the qualifier.
For a woman who is 'destined' to dominate the LPGA and play in the PGA, this should have been a cakewalk.
--Coolio
The solution for Wie is simple -- play better!
Others, who played on Sunday, made it through the qualifier.
For a woman who is 'destined' to dominate the LPGA and play in the PGA, this should have been a cakewalk.
--Coolio
06/17/09 @ 15:11
Coolio, you are 100% correct about Wie needing to play better last Monday. (The "dominate"" comment has nothing to do with my complaint however.
What I am saying is that the event is what suffers when one of the obvious best players currently playing does not automatically qualify for the most important tournament in the world. The USGA wants the best possible field and the change in automatic qualifying requirements has resulted in that not being the case. It was a stupid move on their part.
What I am saying is that the event is what suffers when one of the obvious best players currently playing does not automatically qualify for the most important tournament in the world. The USGA wants the best possible field and the change in automatic qualifying requirements has resulted in that not being the case. It was a stupid move on their part.
06/17/09 @ 15:18
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
Wie did not need to play better on Monday. She needed to not qualify so she wouldn't have to play on a USGA Open course designed to tear a game like hers to shreds. She is better off taking a week off and focussing on the Evian which has a course where she could do well. Unless she can do so well she gets one of the last qualifying LPGA spots, she is better off not playing.
06/18/09 @ 09:54
That's an unusual take on the situation there JimC. Can't say I agree. If anything playing under those conditions would help her stand out. From what I've seen so far this year, it's her putting that is holding her back, not her ball striking. Now, I'm no David Leadbetter, but her putting stroke seems to be ultra mechanical.
06/18/09 @ 11:16
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
LPGA Stats show Wie is Tie 22 in putting average, Tie 7 in putts per GIR, and 143 in driving average.
06/18/09 @ 14:04
I see your point about the driving. That would be tough to overcome if the rough is up. But Tiger Woods, for example, was hitting it all over the lot last year but still won the Open. So that's no reason to miss playing in the event. Besides, your season average doesn't really mean much if you're having a good week.
To be honest, I've only seen Wie sparingly on the weekend telecasts, and in those instances, her putting has looked woeful. But obviously, by her ranking 16th on the money list, she's been making some serious birdies in the early rounds.
To be honest, I've only seen Wie sparingly on the weekend telecasts, and in those instances, her putting has looked woeful. But obviously, by her ranking 16th on the money list, she's been making some serious birdies in the early rounds.
06/18/09 @ 14:38
Comment from: JimC [Visitor]
I think it is unfair that Wie should be put at a competitive disadvantage by having mom and pop with her instead of a legitimate coach. By all means ban her parents and let her have a real coach to help her prepare.
06/24/09 @ 22:01
Comment from: Shanks [Visitor]
I don't know what to say about that, other than I presume the LPGA is aware of the situation - other players & caddies would report infractions - and, if there was a rule broken, acted accordingly.
Fines/reprimands are kept from public consumption on every tour. For instance, Tiger Woods is annually the most-fined player on the PGA Tour, usually for foul language.
Fines/reprimands are kept from public consumption on every tour. For instance, Tiger Woods is annually the most-fined player on the PGA Tour, usually for foul language.
07/06/09 @ 08:25
Comment from: The Gazebo Restaurant Maui Breakfast [Visitor]
Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.
12/03/10 @ 06:28
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