The LPGA yesterday released its '15 schedule, and for the first time since '01, it "will start in Florida," according to Greg Hardwig of the NAPLES DAILY NEWS. The Coates Golf Championship at Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club "already had been announced, and will be played Jan. 28-31." The tour will "end back in Naples, with the CME Group Tour Championship scheduled for Nov. 19-22." The '15 schedule "has 33 events plus the Solheim Cup, with a total prize money increase" of more than $4M, and a "record number of hours in television coverage." Players will compete for a total of $61.6M in prize money in '15, with "over 410 hours of television coverage." This season, the tour had the "highest year-to-date viewership average on Golf Channel" since '09. LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said, “I’m excited that our team has achieved our target number of events to fill our schedule over the past few years" (NAPLES DAILY NEWS, 11/19). USA TODAY's Steve DiMeglio notes of the 33 official tournaments, 22 "will be held in North America, nine in Asia/Australia and two in Europe." In '11, there were "23 official events" with purses worth a combined $43.65M. Emerging from the "down days of fleeing sponsors and a sluggish economy," the LPGA has "ensured players will vie for the most money offered in its history." Also, 33 of the 34 events "will be shown on television." Two of them -- the U.S. Women's Open and the KPMG Women's PGA Championship -- will "appear on network TV." Only the U.S. Open "appeared on network TV this year" (USA TODAY, 11/19).
MIKE DROP: GOLFCHANNEL.com's Randall Mell writes, "Apologies to Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer, but the man of the year in golf is in the women’s game." Whan "continues to deliver in the clutch while leading his tour to the best comeback in the sport." Brought on five years ago to "resuscitate a withering entity, Whan has breathed vibrancy back into the LPGA." The "angst that once permeated the tour is fading" as confidence in Whan, CMO Jon Podany and the "rest of the executive staff grows." Golfer Juli Inkster said, "I’ve been out here a long time, and players are always bitching. You just don’t hear that much anymore.” Mell noted the LPGA is "looking at extending Whan’s contract again." His original deal "was renewed" at the end of '12 and now runs through '16. LPGA player President Vicki Goetze-Ackerman said, “We are doing everything in our power to keep him on our team, because we know what an asset he is. Hopefully, we can get an extension, but nothing has been presented to Mike at this point" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 11/18).
GOING GLOBAL: In Florida, Craig Handel wrote Whan has "turned the oldest women’s pro sports association from life support to beyond stable." With the "best players coming from Korea, China, Japan, Norway and Sweden," as well as the U.S., Whan said that a "perceived weakness now has become a strength." Whan: "We have 32 tournaments, which is the right number if you want to have an offseason. With the majors and Asian travel, you have 32, 33 weeks to sell, the 32 events plus the Solehim or International Crown. If you play 45 times, that sounds great for the LPGA but not great for the title sponsors. If players play 30 tournaments, you’ll have 15 unhappy sponsors. We have to invest in the ones we have. The Naples event is a top priority in 2015. We want to build and be stronger around the majors and Kraft Nabisco" (Ft. Myers NEWS-PRESS, 11/18).
