Paula Creamer was absolutely masterful in her conquest of Oakmont in the U.S. Women’s Open. Someone who has not played this brute can fully appreciate how difficult it is, not to mention under USGA championship conditions.
Creamer’s four shot win is huge for her, her family and American women’s golf.
As we have been writing for the past several years, American golf fans relegated the LPGA Tour to a second class status. It not been just because Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the other boys have hogged the attention, though they have, but because American fans have shown little interest in the outcome of events when native born players aren’t winning.
Call it whatever you want but the decline of the LPGA Tour in the eyes of U.S. fans has been a dramatic force in terms of the business of the tour – sponsorship, endorsements, television, etc. Additions to the schedule have been overseas, Mexico and other locations making the LPGA a truly global tour so when the fact is added Americans have had so few wins, fans in this country in general give the ladies ciruit a big yawn.
Too bad. Now after four wins out of 14 events this year (beside Creamer, Meaghan Francella-1, Cristie Kerr-2) and with Kerr number one in the world rankings maybe fan interest will rekindle.
The LPGA has gone through rough times, not helped by the Carolyn Bivens tenure as commissioner nor by the economic downturn but winning breds winning. With Americans winning, fans should be returning and that’s a winning combination.
About Ed Travis
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