The LPGA has altered the set-up of the RR Donnelley Founders Cup event scheduled for next month in Phoenix, and the "most significant change is that the amount being donated to charity has doubled," according to Beth Ann Baldry of GOLFWEEK. The purse is dropping from $1.3M to $1M, but the "entire amount will go to charity -- $500,000 to the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and $500,000 to designated charities of the top 10 finishers." The winner of the event "will be able to donate $200,000 to the charity of her choice, second place gets $100,000, third place $55,000, etc." Baldry: "It's a good move by LPGA commissioner Mike Whan, who listened to the concerns of several top players" (GOLFWEEK.com, 2/11). THEGOLFCHANNEL.com's Randall Mell reported golfer Paula Creamer confirmed she will play the Founders Cup after the changes Whan made "specifically addressed concerns Creamer had about the charity structure." Creamer said, "I believe Commissioner Whan has shown his leadership abilities by listening to his players and implementing changes as a result." Mell noted Creamer, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel "all expressed frustrations with the Founders Cup planning and said they were undecided about playing" (THEGOLFCHANNEL.com, 2/12). Kerr has yet to commit, but she said that Whan's "willingness to work with players shows a strength in the tour and his leadership" (GOLFWEEK.com, 2/13).
