Women’s golf makes headway thanks to LPGA founders’ efforts, fruits of success reaped in Founders Cup 2012
The LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) has proved its worth by successfully staging the much-hyped 2012 RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup.
The Founders Cup came up to the expectations of organisers and observers, as it staged its 2nd edition, with the full backing of the LPGA Tour.
The tournament started with a flurry of excitement, as analysts had been predicting some major developments in the LPGA event.
The $1.5 million tournament was something the fans had been impatiently waiting for, as the field featured a number of talented players on the LPGA Tour.
The crowd was expected to break the previous year’s record in terms of number.
According to analysts, officials of the Founders Cup had predicted that over 20,000 spectators would be gracing the course of JW Marriott Desert Ridge’s Wildfire Golf Club, Phoenix.
The LPGA officials are happy to see another event of the Tour getting off the ground, as they have been seeking to bring the much-needed changes and advancements to women’s golf.
The Founders Cup was launched to honour the services and contributions of the LPGA founders to the sport and this 2012 edition reflected the true spirits of the Tour.
One of the founders of the LPGA, Marilynn Smith was also present to witness the Cup.
Smith has grown too old to stand on her feet but she was thrilled to watch young players making strokes in a tournament that was all about her and her other counterparts.
Smith sat in a cart and witnessed the first round with interest. Speaking to the media about the progress of the LPGA over the years, Smith was keen to attribute this success to the hard work of the officials and the players.
Smith recounted the days when the LPGA was a fledgling entity, saying that she is proud to say that the Tour has made a considerable progress in the last few years.
Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, LPGA has now grown into a varied entity, facilitating several tournaments across the globe.
The Tour has organised hundreds of events so far in its history but the Founders Cup has its uniqueness because of the purpose of its launch.
The other founders of the Cup include Babe Zaharias, Louise Suggs, Shirley Spork, Sally Sessions, Betty Jameson, Helen Kicks, Opal Hill, Marlene Bauer Hagge, Helen Dettweiler, Bettye Danoff, Patty Berg and Alice Bauer.
Following the successful completion of the Cup, observers have said that more and more players will be attracted to golf.
They said that, since men’s golf is expanding its scope by the day, it has become crucial that the female circuit should also thrive across the world.
Smith said that she remembered the excitement of fans when the Tour first launched its events back in 1950’s.
"We had to do it all back in those days — promotion, the back-office jobs, sometimes even setting up the golf course," she said.
The first day of the Founders Cup was the scene of great excitement, as a number of players paid tribute to Smith for what she did for women’s golf.
Paula Creamer, who was preparing to tee off, could not keep herself from giving a hug to Smith and shared her thoughts with her.
Observers have said that one of the most important factors in LPGA’s success is the effort of Mike Whan, the current Commissioner of the LPGA.
Whan has helped the Tour expand its influence by staging events in regions that were once strangers to women’s golf.
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