Bolton, Mass. — She may not have autographed any foreheads Monday, but LPGA star Natalie Gulbis won a slew of new fans for women’s golf with her all-day turn representing her tour and several charities at The International Golf Golf Club and Resort.
A day after posting a final-round 68 in what may be the final LPGA competition in Springfield, Ill., Gulbis jetted to Boston to help PGA Tour player and fellow McGladrey endorser Chris DiMarco raise id=”mce_marker”50,000 for several philanthropic organizations. The Special Olympics, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Massachusetts and the McGladrey Foundation were the beneficiaries of the day’s happenings, which included a golf clinic with both golfers and a best-ball tourney.
It was just another day at the office for the pink-clad emissary from the LPGA.
“It’s not talked about enough how hard the LPGA players work, not only to keep our events and to give our sponsors the best week we can, but to create new events,” Gulbis told us in an interview prior to kicking off the day’s activities. “This is an off-week and there are players going all over the place to talk to new sponsors.”
An off-week with the season’s second major, the LPGA Championship, coming up next week. You’re not likely to see any PGA pros out on the road trying to drum up business for their tour with the U.S. Open on the horizon.
Acknowledging that her PGA counterparts don’t have to pitch their tour the way the she and her peers do, Gulbis was animated about the product they sell.
“It’s part of the job,” she said, matter-of-factly. “We are really passionate about the tour. We want to keep golf here and get as many events as we can in the States. We do great internationally…, but in the States, we fight for those marketing dollars and for those events.”
It’s no secret that the LPGA has been struggling to add sponsors and dates to its calendar. State Farm’s February announcement that it would not return next year for the 20th season as title sponsor of the LPGA State Farm Classic added to the woes of commissioner Mike Whan. The tour has already lost one of its planned 25 contests (Tres Marias Championship) to ongoing Mexican drug violence and may call off what would be the inaugural Imperial Springs LPGA tilt because of bureaucratic red tape in China.
With State Farm bowing out, Gulbis and her playing partners were hard at work trying to win a championship (Yani Tseng cemented her status as No. 1 in the world with the victory) as well as chatting up corporate executives who might consider footing the bill to keep women’s golf in Springfield.
“I haven’t met so many potential sponsors in a week in a while because [Whan and his staff] are working very hard [to attract one or more companies to the contest],” Gulbis said. She noted how sad it was to see the homes around Springfield’s Panther Creek Country Club sporting signs that pleaded, “Wanted: Sponsor,” and “Keep our girls here.”
Such setbacks do not deter Gulbis from her goal, which she views as boosting the sport she loves.
“One of the missions behind the LPGA is to grow the game of golf, to give back to the game, to get people excited about the game of golf,” she said. “Women’s golf, men’s golf, the game of golf.”
Gulbis gave props to her sponsor, which staged Monday’s activities at one of New England’s premier golf destinations.
“When [McGladrey] has events like this, when they use an LPGA Tour player along with their PGA Tour players in their advertising and part of their events,” she said, “it really promotes our tour.” (McGladrey has inked Gulbis, DiMarco and 2012 Ryder Cup captain Davis Love to endorsement deals).
With some talk about bringing the LPGA back to Massachusetts (the LPGA most recently visited in 2004 for the U.S. Women’s Open), Gulbis said she could envision the women teeing it up at The International.
“These golf courses are beautiful,” she said as she gazed at the club’s “perfectly tree-lined, beautifully cut fairways.
“I got here today and thought this would be a good place for an LPGA event,” she said. “Two golf courses, looks like it’s pretty fan-friendly. I don’t see why not.”
Gulbis noted that her participation at The International (her workday began when she arrived at about 9 a.m. and ended after the last award was announced, sometime after 7 p.m.) could well lead to the club becoming a regular tour stop.
“This is a great golfing area, there’s a lot of support,” she said. “Sometimes when we come and do these events, they create a little buzz…so you never know.
“I don’t see why not,” Gulbis added, after mulling over the possibility. “It’s happened quite a few times when we go out and do a day with our sponsors and it turns into something more.”
Count 13-year-old Steven DiLisio as one fan who would come out to cheer on Gulbis and her cohorts. The 13-year-old, who owns a 3.3 handicap index, was glowing after Gulbis complimented him for his monster drives during the golf clinic.
“[Gulbis] has a very busy schedule and she came out here,” said an appreciative DiLisio, who is the two-time reigning titleholder in the boys’ division of the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship. “She’s really nice.”
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out on the Waggle Room, Boston Golf Examiner, National Golf Examiner, and GottaGoGolf websites. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
Related posts:
- LPGA star Natalie Gulbis to support Special Olympics with Boston visit
- Natalie Gulbis who? New England golf
- LPGA Tour golfers await release of 2011 tournament schedule
- LPGA Tour waives age restriction for new pro Jessica Korda
- LPGA Licensee Antigua Signs Corporate Partnership with Duramed FUTURES Tour
