According to an AP article, the LPGA will beat the PGA Tour to the punch in offering a season-ending “playoff” system. New LPGA Commish Carolyn Bivens today announced the 2006 LPGA schedule. That schedule included details on a playoff system that will be the first of its kind in golf.
Instead of the top 30 players on the money list qualifying for the season-ending ADT Championship, the field will be comprised of 30 players who have racked up points throughout the year along with two wild cards for a total of 32. The field will be cut to 16 players after 36 holes and to only eight players after 54 holes. The eight remaining players will start the field at even par, leading to a $1M payout for the winner of the 18-hole shootout.
The field will be comprised of the major champions as well as winners of five of the larger LPGA Tour events: the Michelob Ultra Open, the HSBC Women’s World Match Play, the Evian Masters, the Samsung World Championship, and the LPGA Tournament of Champions. Points are available in those events to the top 20 finishers. The top 15 players from each half of the season and two wild cards from the money list will qualify for the “LPGA Playoffs at the ADT,” where everyone will get a paycheck. But with only $100,000 going to the second-place finisher, it’s not guaranteed to be a big one.
Said Bivens:
We got a lot of folks that are pretty excited about that. Every time there have been changes to any of the major playoff formats in sports… it’s not met with a resounding click of heels by everyone. But I would say at this point, we have most people on board.
New World Golf Hall-of-Fame member Karrie Webb said “It’s different. People are looking for different formats to pump up the excitement.” She later added “You could play your ass off for three days [and still lose]. That would be hard to swallow. But at least you know that starting out.”
The first half of the 2006 LPGA Tour season ends with the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic on July 13-16, and points do not carry over into the second half. Michelle Wie will not be eligible as she is not an LPGA Tour member, and Morgan Pressel will not be eligible to earn points until she turns 18 on May 23.
Tim Finchem, consider yourself beat to the punch. More info at LPGA.com.
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