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WILL GOLF VIEWERS HANG AROUND THIS WEEKEND FOR WOMEN'S OPEN?

          With "back-to-back" coverage of this weekend's British
     Open and U.S. Women's Open, ESPN will "resemble The Golf
     Channel for the better part of Thursday and Friday,"
     according to Prentis Rogers of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. 
     Originally, ESPN planned to start its live, five-hour
     coverage of the British Open at 9:00am ET Thursday.  But
     upon learning the tee times of Tiger Woods and Jack
     Nicklaus, ESPN decided Tuesday to add another hour and will
     begin tomorrow's telecast at 8:00am ET.  Following that six-
     hour telecast will be live, four-hour coverage of the U.S.
     Women's Open.  Rogers writes that "even the most ardent golf
     fans will have a tough time sitting through 10 straight
     hours of coverage, which likely means ratings for the
     women's major will stumble and fall this year."  ESPN Dir of
     Communications Mike Soltys: "What we're looking at is the
     great opportunity presented by the British Open to promote
     the women's telecast.  We hope people tuning in to see that
     will have their interest further piqued for the Women's
     Open."  Rogers: "File such hopes into the wishful thinking
     folder" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/19). The DAILY SOUTHTOWN's
     Tim Cronin notes that NBC will televise the final round of
     the Women's Open following ABC's conclusion of the British
     Open on Sunday.  Cronin: "How many British Open viewers
     switch to the Women's Open is the big question, but the
     ratings should be better than last year's Women's Open,
     which went head-to-head with Tiger Woods winning the
     Memorial" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 7/19).  N.Y. Times Sports Editor
     Neil Amdur "expects" U.S. Women's Open stories to be
     "shunted to the background" up against the British Open.  
     Amdur: "Lots of times (the final round of) the (Women's)
     Open leads our sports section on Monday.  But this is an
     extremely busy sports weekend.  I think going up against the
     British Open was a mistake" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/18).  But
     LPGA Tour Commissioner Ty Votaw said of the scheduling
     against the men's major, "There are negatives, but there are
     positives to be pointed out, too.  Certainly, having the
     golf audience to ourselves will hopefully generate one of
     the largest TV audiences we've ever had" (AP, 7/19).  
          HOPING TO PAK THEM IN: In Chicago, Ed Sherman previews
     the U.S. Women's Open and notes the contingent of ten South
     Koreans participating in the event.  Tournament organizers
     took out ads in local Korean newspapers for the event,
     "anticipating" Chicago's "large Korean community will come
     out to support" the players (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/19).

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