New LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens - Wins knucklehead of the day award.

[rosskoss]

Is this women stupid or just really, really, really dumb?

Here's her latest in a series of gaffes. Look who she denied entrance to the LPGA qualifying school -



She basically kicked one of the most talented and promising upcoming golfers in the world off the LPGA tour. That's smart.

Carolyn Bivens, the new commissioner of the LPGA Tour, continues to generate controversy. Her most recent questionable action came when she denied a request by 17-year-old Kiran Matharu to attend the LPGA’s Q School.

In her letter of denial, sent to Matharu via email on September 9th, Bivens wrote: I do not believe your record in professional golf competitions demonstrates you can compete at the highest level of women’s professional golf at this time . . . I recommend you apply to qualify for the Duramed Futures Tour, The Official Developmental Tour of the LPGA.

Of all the Q School applicants this year, Matharu might actually be among the most qualified, and perhaps as importantly, the one with the most world-wide potential. She's the reigning Ladies English Amateur champion, was a member of Great Britain and Ireland's Curtis Cup team that competed last month at Bandon Dunes, and placed 15th in her first professional event. In addition, the young Englishwoman is a two-time Faldo Series Girls champion.

Yorkshire-born Matharu started golf at the age of 11 and has been an outstanding player ever since. She’s the only British Asian female golfer, has an engaging personality and been named twice as Leeds Sports Performer of the Year – in 2003 and 2004. Earlier this year she was named “Female Junior Sports Personality of the Year” at the Sony Entertainment Television Sports Personality of the Year awards for British Asians.

Of Matharu's future, Nick Faldo said, I've worked with Kiran for nearly three years now and in that time she has certainly proved that she has the potential to succeed on the big stage. Kiran combines a great game with a steady nerve and I’m confident that, with a little more experience, she will be in a position to challenge for the very highest honors that the ladies game has to offer.”

After the Curtis Cup, Matharu turned professional with a plus-4 handicap, the lowest of any female golfer in the UK. She made the cut and finished 15th in The Wales Ladies Championship, her first professional tournament.

If you're not aware of who Kiran Matharu is -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/6347085.stm

Bivens has made one blunder after another with her high and mighty mentality. Continued here...

I don't know what else Ms. Matharu has to prove that she is ready to play professionally. What is the difference between Matharu and Morgan Pressel who one year ago at age 17 applied to qualify for the tour? Both players were reigning amateur champs. That’s the argument a lawyer should make if Matharu were to legally challenge Bivens decision. The LPGA would have a tough and costly time defending it. To me Commissioner Bivens decision is both arbitrary and wrong.

Then Bivens has been making a series of blunders over the last few months.

Bivens had a rocky time during her brief commissionership, which began a year ago this month. Here's a list of some of her more controversial moves:

Requiring tournaments to pay for the electronic scoreboards that dot courses (currently, the Tour splits those costs – about $30,000 each – with the sites);

Dropping the popular LPGA-ShopRite Classic on the Jersey Shore for a more lucrative event (the ShopRite has generated $12 million in charitable donations, with more than $1.8 million going to charity last year - the highest of any LPGA event);

Creating chilly relations with many of the media that cover the LPGA, including Dottie Pepper, an early supporter;

Imposing a sanction fee of $500,000 on new tournaments that want to be added to the LPGA's schedule;

Threatening to drop existing tournament sponsors, including McDonalds, a generous LPGA backer for 26 years, the last 13 as sponsor of the LPGA Championship, the Tour’s flagship event.

Even the LPGA's unquestioned star player, Annika Sorenstam, has expressed dissatisfaction with the way the Tour's new leader has performed. I am quite concerned about some of the decisions and changes I have seen lately, commented the usually stoic Swede. “I just wonder where we are headed.

[rosskoss]

New LPGA commissioner pushing all the wrong buttons

Bill Huffman, For the Tribune

 

LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens is the Wizard of Odd. And in just two weeks, the beleaguered boss of women’s golf will descend on the East Valley for the Safeway International.

 

Make no mistake, Bivens wants to be “great and powerful.’’ Unfortunately, she is not known for “all the wonderful things’’ she does.

 

Bivens’ latest gaffe in her 18 months at the top came via the 2007 LPGA media guide. This is a book for which Annika Sorenstam had been the annual cover girl for the past 10 years.

 

Guess what? No Annika out front in 2007, as Lorena Ochoa, Seon Hwa Lee and Julieta Granada adorn the book’s cover. Granted, Ochoa belongs, but Hwa and Granada over Sorenstam?

 

The Sorenstam snafu is the equivalent of the PGA Tour leaving Tiger off its media guide. And, you can bet that will never happen.

 

Apparently snubbing the greatest player ever in women’s golf, the same player who doesn’t necessarily see right down the middle with the commish, was the point. And trust me, this latest LPGA media guide cover fiasco didn’t just roll out of the marketing department without Bivens’ blessing.

 

The same can be said for every other detail involving the LPGA these days. They are Bivens driven, and if an employee dares disagree — “You’re fired!’’ It’s happened so many times since she took over late in 2005 — 13 “resignations,’’ including her top three assistants — you have to wonder: Who’s next?

 

The above article continues here -

 

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/85419

 

Here's another article illustrating more of her nonsense

 

http://thefloridamasochist.blogspot.com/20...y-award_04.html

[mcbush25]

It is unfortunate for the LPGA and their players as they might not have much of a tour left by the time Bivens steps down. Hopefully, someone will maybe consider letting her go after this string of awkward and dumb decisions.

 

Another bad thing is the next commisioner will have a lot of work to do to clean up her mess.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

I have to agree. While some of Bivens' decisions make perfect sense to me (for example - securing more rights to LpGA photos, raising tournament fees, etc.), it seems she just lacks the personality and negotiation skills to make all the parties happy.

 

This recent denial is a perfect example - this young lady is perfectly qualified, and it would be great PR for the LPGA, and assist in a relationship with Faldo/GolfChannel, and English/British golfers. Geesh, what is she thinking?

[Bobcat43]

If you have followed her... this decision fits perfectly. She's very consistant.

 

The LPGA seems to be doing OK in spite of her poor decisions. But how long can this last? Or her for that matter. With out the current crop of young talent to bail her out she'd be in the unemployment line.

[Xt1ncT]

I think it's great - seeing as she finished 3rd at Q school for the European LPGA. The LPGA's loss is Europe's gain.

 

I wonder if she does well enough to get into the majors and earn enough money will she be exempt next year on both tours?

 

Either way it seems that she'll apply again next year when she's 18.

[sergizmo]

I can't believe this; (cool)

 

In her letter of denial, sent to Matharu via email on September 9th, Bivens wrote: I do not believe your record in professional golf competitions demonstrates you can compete at the highest level of women’s professional golf at this time . . . I recommend you apply to qualify for the Duramed Futures Tour, The Official Developmental Tour of the LPGA.

 

Bivens is a complete and utter fool. She may be smart in some ways, but has absolutely no common sense. Please LPGA board of directors (or whoever Bivens reports to) fire this woman!

[Titleist87]

"In her letter of denial, sent to Matharu via email on September 9th, Bivens wrote..."

 

A letter of denial in email? How unprofessional is that?

[smarshal75]

"In her letter of denial, sent to Matharu via email on September 9th, Bivens wrote..."

 

A letter of denial in email? How unprofessional is that?

 

 

Totally agree. A denial letter via e-mail is highly unprofessional. Not to mention the tone is quite unecessary for a 17-year old. You would think someone in Bivens position would be master of diplomacy and the act of artful writing. In any case I hope Matharu finds other channels (e.g., open qualifiers, sponsor exemptions, etc.) to get into LPGA events.

[tbowles411]

I'm really beginning to "strongly dislike" this woman. She is single-handedly destroying the LPGA.

[emc]

Kiran Matharu is a phenomenal player and, dare I say it, has pretty much the same amateur qualifications as one Michelle Wie, if not more qualifications.

[dpwrx]

Kiran Matharu is a phenomenal player and, dare I say it, has pretty much the same amateur qualifications as one Michelle Wie, if not more qualifications.

 

The issue is not talent or qualifications, but whether qualifications should equal permission to get an early LPGA membership.

 

Wie, though, has never petitioned for LPGA membersip (she plays off sponsor's exemptions -- Matharu should definitely try to grab up some of those). Thus, Bivens has never actually had to make a decision on Wie's status.

 

The comparison with Morgan Pressel (whom Bivens did grant special permission to become an LPGA member) is more parallel with Ms. Matharu, though Pressel got the exact opposite result -- admission.

[rosskoss]

Kiran Matharu is a phenomenal player and, dare I say it, has pretty much the same amateur qualifications as one Michelle Wie, if not more qualifications.

 

I don't know if she's as talented as Wie (frankly, Wie is a phenomenal golfer. She just hasn't got the mental part down) is but her record is pretty impressive. She started playing golf at the age of 11 (year 2000) and before the end of the year, she was the Captain of the Yorkshire U16's. In 2002, just two years later at age 13, her handicap came down to 6 and by 2004 at age 15, she became a scratch golfer. The next year, her handicap became Plus 3.4.

[rosskoss]

Apparently, she made a second request and that was denied too.

 

KIRAN MATHARU ESCHEWS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE LPGA TOUR

 

Last week, LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens denied Kiran Matharu the opportunity to play in the LPGA Qualifying School. Kiran, who will turn 18 in February, had hoped her formidable record as an amateur and the outpouring of support from a great many in the UK and European Golf community, might have prompted Commissioner Bivens to reconsider her denial and allow Kiran to compete for her LPGA card. Sadly, the second request was also denied.

 

While Kiran is deeply disappointed, and while her entire team - family, business, legal and supporters - firmly believe that were she to pursue her rights under the law she would have prevailed, Kiran has decided not to pursue the matter further and take legal action. Quite simply, Kiran had hoped Commissioner Bivens would let Kiran's golf game be the determining factor in whether or not she would make the LPGA Tour, not a court of law. In keeping with the spirit and the values of the game, Kiran decided she would rather settle this question with her golf clubs.

 

Kiran will now concentrate her efforts on securing her playing rights on the Ladies European Tour, where she has been playing this year since turning professional thanks to invitations from sponsors. She is looking forward to playing the Ladies English Open and competing in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying school in November. She will also be petitioning certain events on the LPGA Tour for sponsors exemption.

 

Kiran, who turns 18 in February still wishes to play in America in the future and will apply to the LPGA Qualifying School again next year, when she will no longer need a waiver to be granted to play as she will no longer be a minor.

 

Kiran is deeply grateful to all the people who have supported her application and to all her fans on either side of the Atlantic and she looks forward to playing in front of them and giving them a great deal to cheer about soon.

 

And here's an accompanying letter from her lawyer

 

Kiran Matharu to spend year on Ladies European Tour, will play select LPGA dates

 

As many of you know, I am the U.S. lawyer for Kiran Matharu, the 17 year old British professional who recently won the Ladies British Amateur, played on the Curtis Cup Team and is the number one female player in the UK under their handicap system (she's a +4, the highest in the UK). As you also know, Kiran asked for an age exception so she could play in this week's LPGA Q School so she could compete on the 2007 LPGA Tour starting next March - after her 18th Birthday. The request was denied.

 

Showing wisdom and maturity beyond her years, Kiran decided to take the high road and not sue. Basically, all she asked Commissioner Bivens for was a chance to accomplish her goal on merit - on the golf course. Commissioner Bivens would not agree.

 

Kiran knows her talent will prevail soon enough and she would rather continue to build up her fanbase by making self-less and long-term decisions that promote the good and welfare of both the game in general as well as for herself. This woman continues to make wise decisions both on and off the golf course. It's no wonder she has so many fans on either side of the pond.

[parpar41]

MidasMulligan: you always write an interesting post.

 

This current debate serves to clearly illustrate the real problem, IMO: that the exemption to Pressel was a big mistake; a 17 year old shd just enjoy being a 17 year old and wait until 18 to enroll in tour school.

 

Sitting her north of the US border, I also ask myself whether the fact that Kiran is from a country other than the good 'ol USA was not the determining factor in the denial?

 

comments?

[KTgolf1]

I think your being a wee bit harsh there midas, she was originally requesting a chance to go to Qualifying-school, not exemption on to the whole tour! Fair enough she's 17 and not 18, but its not like its a 12 year old trying to qualify. If her parents are behind her I don't see what the problem is, in the UK you can leave school at 16 and start work (even join the army) so what's the difference? Look at all the female tennis players, some of them win grand slams and are washed up before their late teens!

 

As for her legal team or her, 'stamping their feet' who knows, I wouldn't defend litigation just for the sake of it.

 

But as to her record, she is the reigning British Amatuer champion. Such a title in the men's game can give you entry into the Masters and Open Championship. So she isn't without some pedigree. As I understand it, and correct me if I'm wrong, Michelle Wie doesn't have much of a amatuer career, she was completely dependant on exemptions and invites to begin and build her career. Most of them were forthcoming due to her relative great length off the tee, rather than her overall game.

 

So, rules are rules, so the LPGA may apply them as they wish. I hope she gets some invites to show them what she can do.

[Damo75]

Well, Bivens has a somewhat mixed record so far, but it takes awhile for people to get a handle on jobs. She has done some good things also.

 

In this situation - I don't mean to be a contrarian here, but I don't see her as having done anything wrong other than to have communicated somewhat poorly.

 

First - it is certainly not her alone that makes such a decision ... but the decision itself was probably good, and the LPGA was well within its rights in making it. It may have been wrong for Bivens to say so much - but the truth is, the LPGA didn't have to say anything other than "Your request is denied".

 

Further, the trouble with granting any exception is that it has serious ramifications (Morgan Pressel is now going to be brought up by everyone wanting an age exemption for the next five years). But simply because an occasional exception is granted does not automtically mean everyone else that asks for one is going to get it. An exception, when granted, is an exception - not a precedent, or a change of the rules.

 

And no - despite what her ardent supporters say, the LPGA would NOT have a hard or "costly" time defending the decision. In fact, it is likely that the case would be dismissed at the first hearing. The LPGA is a private organization ... it has the full right to make any damn rules it wants, make - or not make - any exceptions it wants as it sees fit, and in fact doesn't need to explain why. In fact, it would be fully within the legal rights of the LPGA, for instance, to completely forbid anyone other than American golfers to play on the Tour. And no, European and Asian golfers wouldn't be able to "sue" if it did.

 

What we're seeing here with these articles about this woman (and the quotes from her lawyer) is a pretty damn vicious PR campaign - cloaked in the clothes of them taking "the high road". bullxxxx. The would have lost, badly and immediately, in court. However, if you don't go to court ... you can always come out and say "Well, we would have prevailed, but we decided to honor "the spirit and the values of the game" ... what? WHAT? The "the spirit and the values of the game" include getting told no, and then having an entire legal and PR team trash-talk the LPGA Commissioner, and hint darkly at legal action?

 

This woman has learned from Wie. She's 17, and already has a whole team of handlers and marketing people and lawyers. She asked for an exception (that many very good American, European, and Asian women would probably also love to have), and got denied. So what has "Team Matharu" done? Used it to greatly raise her profile, make her sympathetic (by using the LPGA decision makers as scapegoats) ... for what? Well, her chances of getting Sponsor's exemptions this year are now very good.

 

Going to court and losing (possibly in a really embarressing fashion) would not be good PR. Sponsors would probably not want to give her exemptions. Saying you could have "prevailed", but that you've decided to be noble is (as marketing people say) a way of "framing" her profile in the public mind (especially having a lot of people say it - and, in fact, stay quite on-message ... notice how similar the points are raised by everyone who's talked about this to the press? That's an orchestrated campaign, and a very good one ...).

 

I'm not buying it. I'm calling bullxxxx.

 

Guess what Matharu, the decision not to stamp your feet and sue when you don't get your way is not the definition of "the high road". You had no guaranteed "right" to play in the Q School if you're not yet 18. Simply because you have decided that you deserve an exception that hundreds - thousands - of world golfers would love to have doesn't mean it is your "right" to have it.

 

To your marketing team ... I'm sure you saw the numbers ... brilliant decision to trash Bivens and the LPGA as part of your campaign ... since her short tenure has been controversial, and a number of people would be immediately inclined emotionally to take Matharu's side. You framed the "unjust Bivens" vs. "poor, naive teenager who only wanted the chance to compete based on her "golf" game" scenerio ... brilliantly.

 

And, for a whole host of legal reasons, neither Bivens or the LPGA can come out publically and fight the framing. They simply need to remain silent and take it.

____________________________________________

 

She's "as good as Michelle Wie"? Please. This woman started playing golf at 11. Wie was already dominating amateur golf in the US at that age. She played her first LPGA major at 13, and made the final pairing for goodness sake. She's 17 ... Matharu is making a big deal that she finished 15th in her first European tourney as a pro. Wie already has top ten finishes in more than one LPGA major. Matharu isn't even in her league. She's a young, up and coming golfer - but there are a lot of them in the US, Asia, and Europe. Pretty much all of them are simply waiting until they are 18 to try to get on the tour. She just has a much better marketing team than most of them do.

 

Here's the thing about Wie (for everything nasty everyone says about her): She's never demanded exceptions. Her appearances on both the PGA and LPGA Tours are due to exemptions and the full use of the standards and rules of the tours ... perfectly legal means. Even though she probably could get exceptions to play full time on the LPGA Tour, the number of her appearances last year were greatly limited by the rules ... and she played by the rules. She didn't threaten to sue. (Guess what, that is "the spirit and the values of the game").

____________________________________________

 

At the end of the day, Bivens made the right choice. Its her job to look out for the good of the whole tour. This woman (and her team) are after their own interests - and have shown they'll even try to damage the reputation of the tour if that suits theuir business purposes. Bivens knows if she let this woman play ... on top of Pressel last year ... the floodgates would open ... there would likely be a few dozen women demanding the same thing. So she, and the LPGA, have to say no, and then keep their mouths shut when Team Matharu trashes them in the press.

 

But I, for one, consider it just really nasty. And if this woman gets a sponsor's exemption or two this year ... I'll be rooting for her to lose. Badly.

 

I don't agree with you for the most part, but I see where you're coming from and you do make some very good points.

 

Your last sentence however, is pretty shallow in my opinion - and I'll go out on a limb and say I bet you don't root against Michelle Wie... (cool)

[KTgolf1]

Midas, you raise some good points, and I wasn't suggesting the lady in question was as good as M.Wie. Also, you appear to have very strong objections to even the possibility that the rules be bent or amended. I'm not that bothered!

 

However, my position would be that surely if your good enough, your old enough! (within reason of course, but 17yrs vs. 18 is nothing). So, why not let her give qualifying school a shot. Surely this is about providing an opportunity, nobody is suggesting that she just walks in.

 

Also, you make the point that the 'British' amatuer titleholder should not expect any perks over other national championships. However, this is exactly the case with the men, as the British Amatuer title attracts top golfers from across the world. I don't know how the ladies version compares so perhaps they don't deserve any possible exemptions.

 

Regarding the legal wrangling, you make the point that Pressel was given the opportunity in similar circumstances, so the legal precedant was set by the LPGA. Why not challenge it? Each individual has to do whats best for themselves, this is a promising career, if you don't ask, you don't get!

 

They said no, so she'll just have to get on with it. I wouldn't vilify her for trying.

[ozone]

You're true class act. (cool)

[smarshal75]

I seriously doubt Matharu is the gensis of the comments in the media. Actually, I didn't read a single quote from her. So lets hang the rhetoric on her parents and handlers. That said, its unfair to say she should stay in Europe and is not wanted in the States. Do you seriously think a 17-year old is making PR decisions?

[smarshal75]

Man, you pin a lot on 17-year old. Under most states' laws, a 17-year old can't consent to anything, medical treatment, sex, contracts etc. The reason... it has been proven that persons of that age don't have the life experience to make well informed decisions in such areas. That said, I am confident, no certain, Matharu herself had little to do with any of the press releases/comments from her attorney, agent, or parents.

 

At 17, my parents made the decisions for me and it was disrespectful for me to question there decisions. I would say the same for someone like Matharu, Wie, and so on, the parents and handlers are calling the shots with little or no input from the young player.

 

Regardless of what her team says or prints, she can't be punished for what is said, her game will ultimately be her voice. That is the beauty of an individual sport like golf.

[8thehardway]

Midas - excellent reasoning and astounding keyboard skills.

[rosskoss]

 

They said no, so she'll just have to get on with it. I wouldn't vilify her for trying.

 

But the Tour will be in far more danger if every 16 or 17 year old prima donna in the world thinks they should have an exception made for them, and has a team of PR people TRASH the LPGA in public for their own self interest.

 

That is NOT in the best interest of the LPGA, or the "traditions" of professional golf.

 

Wait a second? Do you have any freakin' clue who Matharu even is? She's the FURTHEST thing you'll find from a Prima Donna. She's almost humble to a fault and you won't find someone more genuine than her.

 

Bivens on the other hand is the very definition of a Prima Donna. If you're so worried about the "traditions of golf", why didn't I hear you make a huge fuss when Morgan Pressel was let in? How's that any different?

[rosskoss]

I seriously doubt Matharu is the gensis of the comments in the media. Actually, I didn't read a single quote from her. So lets hang the rhetoric on her parents and handlers. That said, its unfair to say she should stay in Europe and is not wanted in the States. Do you seriously think a 17-year old is making PR decisions?

 

Well - ultimately, she is responsible. I doubt it was Bivens alone that made the decision - but since she is the face of the LPGA, she is the one at the bottom of this rugby scrum.

 

Same with the players - it is obviously part of the campaign (in fact, it is relatively standard in PR campaigns ... hell, even in political campaigns) to have others do your nasty speaking. It lets you appear above it all.

 

She has been perfectly cast as the poor young victim. All she wanted was a chance to compete in Q school early (like there aren't a LOT of other very talented players from other countries that dominate their amateur tours that wouldn't also like an exception to be made). Her team goes on the attack, but she isn't "responsible" for any of it.

 

Dig it ... she's the poor victim of the cruel decisions of the LPGA (but will take the "high road" and not sue). A whole team is then positively brutal in the press towards the LPGA, and once again she's just the poor victim of her handlers. She is just this young, angelic naive woman with a halo around her head surrounded by really mean adults.

 

While I don't think she herself could run a media campaign that sophisticated, I also don't believe she's exactly clueless about what's going on. I think that she (like a number of other young sports professionals) is pretty media saavy. She can't design the game - but she sure knows what it is ... and certainly allows quotes to be used in the press.

 

This thing has vastly raised her profile. That is how you get expemtions to play the tour a year before your old enough. She is now a public product - framed as "noble" young woman who graciously (for the sake of the "traditions" of the game no less!) declined to sue the LPGA (a suit that would have been thrown out immediately) ... Her public face is one that sponsors will like.

 

In other words - this campaign was very well done. It was effective (And if you look at all the people that immediately participated in it, and started attacking Bivens and the LPGA for the decision, you'll see the effects of a good campaign ... these people knew exactly what buttons to push.) End result is that you probably will see her on a few LPGA events this year that she would not have otherwise gotten into. That's how the game is played.

 

I'm sorry, I simply cannot buy that she's blameless, or completely clueless. She may not have architected the campaign, but she certainly would have been in the room while this was planned. And she most certainly is going to get real benefits from it.

________________________________________

 

When I say that (IMO) she isn't welcome here ... what I really mean is that I do not want to see her and her team (that, like it or not, she is responsible for) here. This situation really ticks me off because I see it as a dangerous precedent. And, unlike these people, I do care about the game of golf as a whole. I love women's golf - the LPGA Tour. It is changing, and - I believe - getting better. There's a new generation of women that are remarkable. Like the new men, they are fit, training hard, practicing in a very disciplined manner, and are really taking the game to a new level. It is great to watch.

 

However, running the Tour (that gets them paid) is becoming very difficult work. It is now big business. Bivens probably wasn't ready for the job - maybe she'll grow into it, maybe she won't. But - neither she, nor the LPGA, deserved the crap they've gotten from Team Matharu. They DO have to look out for the Tour as a whole. The Pressel decision was a bad one - and they clearly did not want to make that mistake again. Either you maintain an age requirement, or you don't.

 

Now we might have a good discussion regarding whether there ought to be one - whether anyone should be able to enter Q school at any age (the "all that should matter is the golf" school of thought). Perhaps something in-between should be considered (e.g., you don't need to be 18 at the time of Q School - you can enter it at 17 if you'll be 18 when the Tour itself starts ... or something like that). These are valid discussions. But they aren't the discussion here.

 

The discussion here is - to quote the subject line - "LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens - Wins knucklehead of the day award".

 

Fact is, Bivens has done some foolish things - but this particular decision not only was a good one, it is exactly what a senior executive is paid to do. (I run corporations - I have to make decisions daily that say "No" to people - decisions that make people quite unhappy ... because I have to look out for the good of my firms as a whole ... everyone else is looking out for their own particular interests).

 

The Pressel decision was bad, because it was arbitrary. If the Tour then made an exception for Matharu, and even one or two others ... I suspect the LPGA would understand full well what that would mean ... a nightmarish flood of requests from around the world - everyone of them thinking they also should be able to start early, talking about their records and achievements, and demanding that if the Tour did it for Pressel and Matharu, how could it be saying no to them? The Tour does have the full legal right to make, or make exceptions to, any rule it wants ... but the PR ramifications would be ridiculous. If the best amateur in England was given the right to enter early, why shouldn't the top of the Asian amateur tours? The Australian? The Mexican and Columbian?

 

The rule is ... 18 years old. Not 18 , unless you're, like, really good on your own country's amateur tour. Someone said that England is different - to some extent it is ... its traditions are some of the cornerstones of golf. However, if you are running a global Tour composed of some of (if not most of) the best women in the world - you simply cannot make a decision like that ... England may hold the history of women's golf but - at least currently - there are (for instance) a great deal more Korean players than there are English players. Priviledging one person - or nation - can easily serve to insult a dozen others.

 

And THIS is how an LPGA executive needs to look at the world.

 

At the end of the day, here's the truth: When the LPGA even-handedly, and universally, applies its rule equally to all players from all countries, it IS acting in "the spirit and the values of the game". It didn't do that with Pressel. It appears to have learned from its mistake, and it DID do it with Matharu.

 

When Team Matharu takes that decision, and trashes the LPGA very publically, as part of a marketing campaign that probably will succeed in getting her into some tour events this year ... that is not only NOT in "the spirit and the values of the game" - it is diameterically opposed to them.

 

It is BAD for the LPGA. The willingness of Team Matharu to engage in such a campaign, and the fact that it is probably going to succeed is very troubling.

 

After reading this post, all I can think is that this Midas either:

 

a) Works for the LPGA in a position close to Bivens

b) Is Bivens' hubby

c) Has the hots for Bivens

d) IS Bivens! :tongue:

 

The rule is ... 18 years old. Not 18 , unless you're, like, really good on your own country's amateur tour.

 

The problem here being, that the rationale for the denial wasn't an age issue but rather, " I do not believe your record in professional golf competitions demonstrates you can compete at the highest level of women’s professional golf at this time".

 

Which is something someone of the caliber of Nick Faldo even disagrees with.

[markpetrie]

In response to Midas Mulligan's dig about Matharu only starting golf aged 11 and Wie dominating golf at that age, I am sure I read an article a couple of years ago about Matharu. Am pretty sure that her family own their own inner -city shop and work there. Who knows what would have happened if she had a more privileged upbringing and started aged five or whatever.

 

I probably digress but I find the thought of pushing an 11 year old child to dominate Amateur golf quite distasteful - but I'm sure as long as the $$$$$ rolls in now it is fine.

 

Hopefully Matharu is a success on the Ladies European Tour, and maybe gets invites onto the Mens European Tour, as long as she doesn't finish last.

 

:tongue:

[sheppy335]

I think Ms. Wie hasnt done anything like that is that she has pipe dreams of playing and competeing with the men. If that wasnt there, i have a feeling she would apply but instead she is trying that till she is older. I also feel that she will not compete full time after the age of 18 on the LPGA tour, she will still try to compete with the men.

I do think Ms. Wie has tons of talent but Ms. Matharu has won more recently. I think they are both Talented players and maybe one day will be winners on the LPGA tour. Ms. Pressel needed to grow up a bit and i think she did that last year, she reminds me of Christie Kerr. I do respect what you said and thank you for grea conversastion Midas

[pengster1970]

This is a valid discussion, but I find it ironic that someone is accused of being "dumb", but the genius who started the thread words it as “Is this WOMEN stupid or just really, really, really dumb?"

 

Time to stand into a room full of mirrors, my friend!

[smarshal75]

Perhaps some of us just see it differently. I for one don't see it as a marketing effort. I take it at its base level...Bivens crapped on Matharu's game via an e-mail...so Team Matharu came with a little blow-back. There is big f'ing money in professional sports and you can be assured that some will to fight tooth and nail (especially parents) to get a seat at the table. In any event, Matharu will turn 18, she will go to Q-school and she either makes it or she doesn't.

 

Overall, I think Bivens should have simply invoked the age rule, instead of dissing Matharu's game. By the way, what credentials does Bivens have to judge a person's playing ability? As far as I know she was never a tour player. Hell does she play golf? Last time I checked she was an advertising executive.

[HeadonaStick]

The denial was a poor decision based on other exemptions given.

 

The LPGA may be a private organization, but as an employer their decisions must be above board. The real error was granting any exception to the age rule. Once one excepetion is granted then denial of other requests become much more difficult - especially if no real standard has been applied prior.

 

Given Pressel's record and Matharu's record, I do not see a case being thrown out of court. While I can't say who would win, I do think it would be a costly battle. However, it would be costly for both sides and I am sure that played into the decision not to sue.

 

Unless I am mistaken, Moran asked for and recieved an exception to not only qualify but to play before she turned 18 - Matharu would only have qualified at 17. Her first actual tour event would have been played after she turned 18. I think this is a significant point in her favor if this had gone to court.

 

I am certain there is more to this story, but I must have missed the "crap" that has been given to the LPGA over this. I have seen a response to a very un-diplomatic note. I would have responded as well. I dare say most of us would have responded, and some less gracefully.

 

Finally, I fail to see how this decsion in any way protects the LPGA, the game of golf or the "traditions" surrounding the game.

 

In any case, it is a moot point. The decsions have been made and we will simply have to wait a year to see how Matharu fares in the LPGA.

[shoe295]

I see another example of Ms. Bivens' inability to communicate effectively. She even skipped one of her tours major championships to attend some kind of marketing seminar in Europe, a decision I find puzzling. I am intrigued by Midas's argument but remain confused concerning it's exact target, other than the young ladies Lawyers and Marketers who happened to mention the idea of a lawsuit. In todays world with it's overpopulation of trial lawyers such a idea is applied to every topic at some point in time. I too dislike trial lawyers but only for their actions not their words.

 

I don't see this as threatening either the LPGA, golf in general, or any of the games venerable traditions. In fact I don't see it as anything other than a minor dustup. It's over, so let's move on to something else.