The 714-page Rules book is a hard one to swallow. But there are a handful of rules that all golfers should etch to memory, and not grounding your club in a hazard (Rule 13-4b) is one of them.
Michelle Wie claims she understands this rule, but how many times can one golfer cough up the "I'm an innocent victim" response after being penalized by an official?
Wie was on the par-5 11th hole when she hit her ball in hazard near the edge of the water. She splashed out, and after seeing that the ball advanced just a few feet and didn't escape the hazard, she grounded her club by her left foot. She finished the hole thinking she saved an amazing par, only to be told that she had been penalized for breaking Rule 13-4b.
What ensued after the round was a heated debate. While footage of the incident indicates that she deserved the two-stroke penalty, Wie claimed she was using the club to regain her balance and therefore should not incur the penalty.
"I know what it looks like, but it was a really slippery spot," Wie told the officials after her round. "It seems really unfair because I know I was off balance."
Wie added: "You were not me, and you can't give me a penalty for what it looks like. You don't know for a fact that I was not off balance."
Had Wie not been penalized, she would have finished in a tie for second place, not sixth. That drop equates to about $91,000 in prize money.
This isn't Wie's first rules faux pas. Let's tally up what the other infractions have cost her:
-2005 Samsung World Championship: This was Wie's first tournament as a professional, and she inadvertently dropped the ball closer to the hole while taking relief. That inch or two cost her a cool $53,126.
-2006 Women's British Open: Wie was in greenside bunker during the second round and hit a piece of moss behind her ball during her backswing. That deducted two strokes from her score, which amounted to about $4,000 and lots of lost momentum heading into the weekend.
-2008 LPGA State Farm Classic: In my opinion, this infraction it the most mind-boggling of all. After an amazing 67 and a third-place finish, Wie was disqualified for not signing her scorecard after the second round. This DQ cost her $113,169.
Total setback? About $261,295. That kind of money could help you buy several tall stacks of Rules books.
--Ashley Mayo
Results for March 2010
Back to Golf Digest Woman Index
Don't make Woods' return a discrimination issue
In the four months since the Tiger Woods scandal broke, I have seen some far-fetched story angles attempted by members of my profession. As if the admitted facts of Woods' incredible double life weren't enough, there seems to be a great desire to milk every possible detail of this soap opera for all it's worth and then some. Just this week, there was analysis of Woods' use of past tense when talking about his love for his wife after ESPN's Tom Rinaldi asked him why he had ever gotten married. And there was speculation over whether Woods would really wear his new Buddhist bracelet when playing the Masters in a couple of weeks, considering "very few tour golfers wear anything on their forward wrist because it interferes with their swing." (As if a 2-millimeter-thick piece of string around his arm would really mess with the guy's clubhead speed.)
But the most implausible news angle to emerge in the wake of Woods' announcement that he'll return to professional golf at the Masters on April 8 came from ABCNews.com on March 22. In a three-page story, writer Russell Goldman attempts to dust off the dead-and-buried issue of Augusta National's male-only membership policy and analyze its significance to Woods' return. In the article, he quotes USA Today columnist Christine Brennan as saying: "Is there something tone-deaf about this [decision]? Sure there is. But the male-dominated golf world has never really cared about the issue of discrimination against women at Augusta National. That this is the place that Tiger Woods decides to come back with these apparently well-documented issues that he has with women is ironic at best, and, I guess you could say, a slap in the face to women at worst."
"A slap in the face of women." Let's see, I'm a woman. Some would even call me a radical feminist (or at least I'm frequently accused of being one by readers who respond to my advice column). Does Augusta's exclusionary membership policy make me take offense to Tiger choosing the venue for his return? Do I feel "slapped in the face?" Not at all. On the list of 100 reasons to be upset with Tiger Woods, this falls somewhere between the way he scratches his nose and his fondness for mock turtlenecks. And I know the Augusta membership story well; I was an editor at Golf For Women magazine when it published the National Magazine Award-nominated article "Ladies Need Not Apply" that ignited Brennan's and Martha Burke's initial crusade against the club back in 2002. It was a story that rightfully raised eyebrows then but was dragged out for a good 18 months too long (ultimately, whether you agree or disagree, Augusta is a private club and as such has the right to set its own policies). Eight years later, it's a complete bore.
There's plenty to be repulsed by when it comes to Woods' transgressions, especially if you're a woman. But the idea that he is somehow making things worse by returning to a club that doesn't allow women members is pretty laughable. Brennan and ABCNews.com are giving Woods way too much credit if they think the issue is even on his radar screen right now. It's safe to assume he has more pressing matters on his mind, such as salvaging his ruined reputation and marriage. So let's move on from the Augusta membership policy and focus on the things we really should be upset about--like the disparity in sponsorship dollars between the LPGA and PGA Tours.
As a columnist for a national newspaper, Brennan is in a powerful position to help impact change for women across America, and she's usually right on the mark. But if she keeps wasting her breath on an issue that is completely irrelevant (and in today's economy, totally uninteresting), people will stop listening to the good things she has to say. And that would be a shame.
UPDATE: On Sunday March 28th, New York's Daily News also ran a story on the topic of Woods, Augusta and the no-female-members policy with several new quotes from Martha Burke.
--Stina Sternberg
The LPGA continues to reinvent
Two bits of advertising news were announced this week, and both strive to further thrust the LPGA Tour into the global arena.
Michelle Wie has signed an endorsement deal with McDonald's and will take part in a campaign that launches next month. Her commercial will air around the globe in five languages: English, Korean, Taglish and two dialects of Chinese.
The LPGA also announced a new partnership with NYCA, a California-based ad agency whose clients include TaylorMade-Adidas Golf and the San Diego Union-Tribune. This could be one of the bigger announcements of 2010, and it proves that the LPGA is still striving to overhaul its public image and redefine its global brand.
Since 2005, the LPGA's slogan has been "These Girls Rock." Quite honestly, I've never warmed up to the (slightly cheesy) tag-line. If I were involved in any of the marathon meetings I'm sure are taking place, I'd suggest a slogan of my own. One that encapsulates what the LPGA Tour is all about.
How about this: "Impressive. Intriguing. Inspiring."
--Ashley Mayo
Michelle Wie has signed an endorsement deal with McDonald's and will take part in a campaign that launches next month. Her commercial will air around the globe in five languages: English, Korean, Taglish and two dialects of Chinese.
The LPGA also announced a new partnership with NYCA, a California-based ad agency whose clients include TaylorMade-Adidas Golf and the San Diego Union-Tribune. This could be one of the bigger announcements of 2010, and it proves that the LPGA is still striving to overhaul its public image and redefine its global brand.
Since 2005, the LPGA's slogan has been "These Girls Rock." Quite honestly, I've never warmed up to the (slightly cheesy) tag-line. If I were involved in any of the marathon meetings I'm sure are taking place, I'd suggest a slogan of my own. One that encapsulates what the LPGA Tour is all about.
How about this: "Impressive. Intriguing. Inspiring."
--Ashley Mayo
Beatriz Recari (who?) nabs 16th spot in Mojo 6 tournament
Most golf fans have never heard of rookie LPGA player Beatriz Recari from Spain, but apparently they liked what they saw when they spotted her picture among the 12 players vying for a spot in the LPGA-sanctioned million-dollar Mojo 6 tournament.
In a nice PR move, the unusual event, which gets underway at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Club in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on April 15 (and will be played in Raceway Golf format, with 30 six-hole matches taking place over two days), had originally named 15 of the world's top players as participants. Over the last month, organizers urged the public to go to the Mojo 6 website to vote for who should get the 16th and final spot in the field, and the ballot included big-name players such as Laura Davies, Catriona Matthew, Anna Rawson and Amy Alcott. Rawson launched her own campaign to rally voters, promising to donate her winnings to charity. Alas, this time, the LPGA's unofficial beauty queen found herself one-upped by a younger model.
The 22-year-old Recari hails from Pamplona, Spain, and is playing her first full season on the LPGA Tour after four years on the Ladies European Tour, where she won once and worked her way up to 22nd place on the 2009 Order of Merit. A fan of exclamation points, Recari blogs on her own website and for the LPGA's Rookie Blog, and she tweeted as follows after learning she had won the coveted Mojo 6 exemption:
But all is not lost for Rawson. Olympic champion and Mojo 6 co-founder Edwin Moses made the following statement Tuesday, after announcing that the leggy Australian will now act as tournament host and reporter rather than contestant: "We recognize the huge charitable intent of Anna Rawson and had to find a way for her to be involved in The Mojo 6. If chosen by the fans for the 16th position, Anna was planning to donate 100% of her winnings to UNICEF, International Medical Corps and the Inspire Foundation. This attitude embodies the mission of Mojo."
The tournament will be televised on CBS May 1-2.
--Stina Sternberg
Whan to caddie on the Futures Tour
The LPGA Tour has been riding a positive wave since the appointment of Michael Whan last October, and most people say that Whan's accessible, laid-back attitude are among his best qualities.
So while his latest move might not surprise those in his inner circle, it did catch our eye. In an attempt to get a better sense for what the Duramed Futures Tour (the LPGA's developmental tour) is all about, Whan will caddy for Lili Alvarez at the Florida's Natural Charity Classic, the first round of the tour's first event this season.
"There's no way to get to know our business partners, players, volunteers, caddies, fans, etc without being there," said Whan, who spends a lot of time on the driving ranges and often walks the course during competitive rounds. "That's how you become part of the team, and I'm a new member of the team."
Whan added: "I hope Lili thinks it's cool."
That's an understatement, according to Alvarez.
"I had no idea this would happen," said Alvarez, an energetic 26-year-old who speaks with spunk and enthusiasm. "I was just sitting at home in Mexico, comfortable, doing my own thing when Zayra Calderon [CEO of the Futures Tour] called me to tell me the news. I was like, 'That's so awesome!'"
Chances are, you haven't heard of Alvarez. The native Texan studied Political Science at Tulane University, and grabbed three wins in collegiate competition. Alvarez turned pro in 2007, but life on the road has been rough. Alvarez has earned about $11,000 after two full seasons (33 starts) on the Futures Tour, so she's hoping to turn a corner this season.
"It's my third year on tour, and I've always said golf is a lot like baseball," said Alvarez. "I've been given three chances to prove myself."
Whan and Alvarez have never met, and they've exchanged just one email. So when I asked Whan about what advice he plans to give, he laughed and returned with an insightful reply:
"I'll say very little. I'll show up, keep up and shut up."
--Ashley Mayo
So while his latest move might not surprise those in his inner circle, it did catch our eye. In an attempt to get a better sense for what the Duramed Futures Tour (the LPGA's developmental tour) is all about, Whan will caddy for Lili Alvarez at the Florida's Natural Charity Classic, the first round of the tour's first event this season.
"There's no way to get to know our business partners, players, volunteers, caddies, fans, etc without being there," said Whan, who spends a lot of time on the driving ranges and often walks the course during competitive rounds. "That's how you become part of the team, and I'm a new member of the team."
Whan added: "I hope Lili thinks it's cool."
That's an understatement, according to Alvarez.
"I had no idea this would happen," said Alvarez, an energetic 26-year-old who speaks with spunk and enthusiasm. "I was just sitting at home in Mexico, comfortable, doing my own thing when Zayra Calderon [CEO of the Futures Tour] called me to tell me the news. I was like, 'That's so awesome!'"
Chances are, you haven't heard of Alvarez. The native Texan studied Political Science at Tulane University, and grabbed three wins in collegiate competition. Alvarez turned pro in 2007, but life on the road has been rough. Alvarez has earned about $11,000 after two full seasons (33 starts) on the Futures Tour, so she's hoping to turn a corner this season.
"It's my third year on tour, and I've always said golf is a lot like baseball," said Alvarez. "I've been given three chances to prove myself."
Whan and Alvarez have never met, and they've exchanged just one email. So when I asked Whan about what advice he plans to give, he laughed and returned with an insightful reply:
"I'll say very little. I'll show up, keep up and shut up."
--Ashley Mayo
Barbie and Brittany
For more than half a century Barbie has impacted nearly every facet of a young girl's life. And the company's latest endeavor continues this tradition.Barbie's "I Can Be..." campaign is striving to empower girls to dream and conquer all the goals they have. So the company has partnered with 10 women who have demonstrated the undying will to accomplish their goals.
Three of these women are athletes: Gretchen Bleiler, Olympic snowboarder, Danica Patrick, professional race car driver, and the LPGA's Brittany Lincicome.
"Golf has always been a big part of my life," said Lincicome. "It has helped teach me discipline and perseverance and has also allowed me to have fun while doing something I love. I am thrilled to partner with the Barbie brand to help introduce and inspire more girls to take an active interest in the sport of golf."
Lincicome will host several clinics throughout the year to encourage girls to start playing golf.
But Barbie didn't stop at Lincicome. A new line of Barbie branded golf clubs by Acculength ($139-$179) will debut at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Acculength, one of the leading junior club manufacturers, is the only company that offers junior golf clubs that grow as fast as children; the clubs have expandable shafts.
--Ashley Mayo
Rookie on a roll
Consider 23-year-old Amanda Blumenherst an anomaly. She was a college star at Duke University who finished 10th at the U.S. Women's Open as a freshman in 2006, and she won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2008. She obviously had the chops to compete with the best in the world years ago, yet she waited until after graduation, in June 2009, to turn pro. Imagine that.
(Photo by Scott Halleran, Getty Images)
These days, after not only qualifying for the the LPGA Tour but winning last fall's Q-School, Blumenherst is on the road as a tour rookie. The 2010 season kicked off with back-to-back events in Thailand and Singapore, and in the hiatus between the Asian swing and the tour's first event on U.S. soil (the KIA Classic in Carlsbad, Calif., March 25-28), Blumenherst, like many LPGA players, has opted to compete in the two Ladies European Tour (LET) events that are taking place in Australian this week and next. In her first rookie-blog post on LPGA.com, she gives a comical account of what international travel has been like so far:
But don't feel too sorry for Blumenherst. After a Wednesday pro-am was cancelled due to heavy rain, the ANZ Ladies Masters kicked off Thursday at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on Australia's Gold Coast, and the college grad from Indiana is the first-round leader. Blumenherst shot a six-under-par 66 in soggy, lift-and-clean conditions, and sits one stroke ahead of defending champion Katherine Hull from Australia and two ahead of a group that includes Karrie Webb and Anna Nordquist.
Whether she wins this week or not, Blumenherst promises to become the next big American star on the LPGA Tour. She has both game and personality, and she's happy to poke fun at herself. She finished her blog post, written the day before the ANZ's first round, this way:
"Keep your fingers crossed for the next two events and that I don't get into a brawl with the person weighing my bags in the next airport. It could get ugly."
--Stina Sternberg
Watch and walk
It's rare in sports that a fan can get as much exercise as an athlete during a professional event.
Golf is the exception.
So to encourage all spectators to walk the course the next time they watch an LPGA tournament, the LPGA Tour has partnered with Blue Diamond Almonds, the official healthy snack of the LPGA, to launch the 'Walk a Healthy 18' campaign. (The endeavor will also urge fans to munch on almonds and other healthy snacks, of course.) Indeed, onlookers who walk all 18 holes could easily log five miles.
"Since we began our partnership in the spring of 2008, the Blue Diamond team has worked hard to discover unique and effective ways to connect with our health-conscious fans," said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. "We're thrilled to partner with a first class brand on this creative campaign."
This new campaign will soon attract followers on Facebook and Twitter.
--Ashley Mayo
Golf is the exception.
So to encourage all spectators to walk the course the next time they watch an LPGA tournament, the LPGA Tour has partnered with Blue Diamond Almonds, the official healthy snack of the LPGA, to launch the 'Walk a Healthy 18' campaign. (The endeavor will also urge fans to munch on almonds and other healthy snacks, of course.) Indeed, onlookers who walk all 18 holes could easily log five miles.
"Since we began our partnership in the spring of 2008, the Blue Diamond team has worked hard to discover unique and effective ways to connect with our health-conscious fans," said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. "We're thrilled to partner with a first class brand on this creative campaign."
This new campaign will soon attract followers on Facebook and Twitter.
--Ashley Mayo
Ai lives up to the hype
It may have taken a little longer than she would have liked, but Japan's Ai Miyazato seems to have located the winning edge that went missing after she left a highly successful career (including 12 wins) on the JLPGA Tour in 2006 and became an LPGA Tour full-timer.
Ai Miyazato scores her second LPGA Tour victory in a row Sunday in Singapore.
(Photo by Ross Kinnaird, Getty Images)
Miyazato's back-to-back season-opening wins at the Honda PPT LPGA Thailand and the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore have earned her membership into a rare club of players to accomplish the same thing (how do the names Zaharias, Wright, Suggs and Smith sound?). More than that, they prove that the floodgates have opened for this player who shocked the world with her 12-shot victory at the 2005 LPGA Tour Q-School and then went on to endure a deep sophomore slump that lasted a good three years.
Miyazato is a superstar of J.Lo-like proportions in her home country of Japan, followed by throngs of media and paparazzi wherever she goes, so it was a great relief to both player and country when she finally broke through and won her first LPGA event, the Evian Masters, in 2009. "I did have doubts about myself before the Evian," she admitted Sunday. "And because this tour is at such a high level, you know, I did lose my confidence. But many people have supported me thus far, and I just want to thank them right now for what they have done for me."
Obviously, Miyazato's confidence is back, which promises to make 2010 an interesting season.
--Stina Sternberg
A new LPGA tournament
The LPGA just announced a new tournament, which will further expand the tour's global impact. The inaugural Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia will be played October 22-24, 2010 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Malaysia. (Michelle Wie joined LPGA executive Zayra Calderon as she announced the LPGA's newest tournament, left.)The tournament will feature the top 50 LPGA players on the Official Money List, along with 10 sponsor's exemptions. It'll be a 54-hole stroke play event without a cut to ensure that the fans, many of whom will be watching a professional golf event live for the first time, can catch a glimpse of their favorite golfers throughout the weekend.
This latest announcement continues a stretch of positive news for the LPGA. Two inaugural tournaments (the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore) just concluded a successful two-week opening-season swing in Asia, the tour added the Sybase Match Play Championship, to be played in New Jersey in May, and it secured Kia Motors as the title sponsor for the Kia Classic Presented by J Golf, to be played in southern California from March 25-28.
The Sime Darby LPGA Classic will be shown on the Golf Channel from 12-2 p.m. EST during all three days of the tournament.
--Ashley Mayo
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