Thompson May Be Next LPGA Star, But Commish Says Pressure Is Not All On Her

Golfer Lexi Thompson “seems to be the head-turning star the LPGA tour needs to outlast a worldwide economic downturn and emerge from a few wobbly years marked by fleeing sponsors and tournaments … and the dwindling number of domestic events and appearances on network television,” according to a sports section cover story Steve DiMeglio of USA TODAY. Thompson “refuses to envision herself coming to the organization's rescue.” Thompson: “I’m not the savior. There are so many great players out on the tour.” LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan acknowledges that the LPGA “faces significant challenges as it tries to add tournaments, raise purses and increase its slice of the sports entertainment pie." However, he said that "no one star will turn things around.” Whan: “This is no offense to her, but we don’t need Lexi to be the one any time soon. If she does become the one, great, we’ll fan that flame.” He added, “The fact that people are looking for the next one while Yani (Tseng) is currently rewriting the record books is strange to me.” DiMeglio notes things “are looking up” for the tour, as Whan “has led a resurgence that halted the exodus of sponsors.” Eight of nine sponsors "renewed agreements with the tour for 2011 and beyond” last year, while “five of six sponsors renewed for 2012 and beyond” this year. Though the ’12 schedule “isn’t final, the tour has added three tournaments.” Whan said that the LPGA “is working on adding more domestic tournaments for next season” (USA TODAY, 11/16).

END ON A POSITIVE NOTE: In California, Larry Bohannan wrote the LPGA “ends its season this week at the CME Group Titleholders in Orlando, Fla., and the year ends with a distinct lack of drama.” Fan should "be happy with the fact that a season that could have gone so wrong actually had more positive moments than negative ones.” If you believe golf “is strongest when there is a dominant player on a tour, then Tseng is helping the LPGA” as well as the rise of Thompson. Bohannan noted there is a "chance the European team winning the Solheim Cup was actually a positive women’s golf,” as it showed “there was balance in women’s golf that wasn’t just from Asia” (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 11/15).