LPGA Championship’s run in Havre de Grace is coming to an end
This is it. The last chance for local golf fans to catch a women’s major championship live, at least for a while. This is the final year for McDonald’s to sponsor the LPGA Championship and the last time it will be held at Bulle Rock.
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The run was short (five years). But at least it lasted longer than the tournament’s first two stints in the area — four years at Bethesda Country Club (1990-93) and two at Pine Ridge in Baltimore (1975-76).
Players have been generous with their comments about Bulle Rock, many saying they will miss the unique course in Havre de Grace with distant views of the Chesapeake Bay. But disappointment over the loss of a quality venue is minor compared to the concern over the overall health of the tour.
“It’s on everybody’s minds. Everybody is wondering when the bottom is going to come,” said Cristie Kerr, the LPGA’s leading money winner this year. “There are so many tournaments up for renewal, maybe 14 this year. It can be pretty overwhelming thinking about it.”
After winning one of the LPGA’s signature events, the Michelob ULTRA, last month in Williamsburg, Kerr’s joy was tempered as she had to field questions about the possibility that it was the last go-round for the economically-troubled tournament, also played on one of the tour’s best courses, Kingsmill.
“We need to have a tournament here,” said Kerr. “This would be a monumental loss for the LPGA if we lost the event [in Williamsburg].”
With the recent and much-criticized decision to allow players to connect with fans via Twitter during rounds, the LPGA appears desperate for some kind of buzz, even if it’s negative.
The good news is this year’s LPGA Championship has drawn an elite field including Lorena Ochoa, Karrie Webb, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis. Also here are rising stars Angela Stanford and Brittany Lincicome, along with former champions Se Ri Pak (2006), Suzann Pettersen (2007) and last year’s bubby, rookie winner, Yani Tseng.
The prediction is for temperatures in the 80s with a possibility of thunderstorms Thursday and Friday. The weekend looks clear, but can anything stop the clouds from gathering on the LPGA tour?
“I am concerned. I’m 22 years old. This is my fifth year on tour, and we don’t know where one of our majors is going to be,” said Creamer. “It’s sad we are leaving Bulle Rock. It’s been great and it’s been nice coming here. It’s unfortunate.”
