The Women's Senior Golf Tour (WSGT) "can expect many of
the roadblocks" faced by the Senior PGA Tour, including
"skeptical sponsors and fans who prefer athletes without
varicose veins," according to Mark Hyman of BUSINESS WEEK.
The WSGT looks to debut with four events in 2000, and
although the LPGA Tour and the WSGT talk about
"complimenting each other, the signs of a potential conflict
are hard to miss," including the WSGT's 40-year-old minimum
playing age, which puts it "into direct competition ... for
some of the most bankable players in women's golf." Former
LPGA Tour player and WSGT supporter Jane Blalock: "We want
everyone who's eligible to play ... and not feel guilty."
But LPGA Tour Commissioner Ty Votaw said, "For Jane to say
we should relax our [conflicting event] rules is about as
creative as me saying, 'If you want to play the senior tour,
resign your membership in the LPGA and play all the senior
tournaments you like.' It doesn't get us anywhere." Hyman
adds that 25 golfers put up $5,000 to "get the venture off
the ground," and the WSGT "appears to be a sweet buy for
corporations or towns on a budget." A WSGT title
sponsorships sells for $500,000 -- compared with $750,000 on
the LPGA Tour and $1M or more on the Senior PGA Tour -- and
tour officials "have had discussions" with The Golf Channel
about televising WSGT events (BUSINESS WEEK, 5/31 issue).
