LPGA and ADT Championship changes

LPGA tour commissioner announced a year end one million dollar playoff to begin starting with the 2006 ADT Championship. That is my hometown tournament that I attend every year at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

To me it sounds like a gimmick. I've got nothing against match play, its that the LPGA has a huge marketing problem and in my opinion this is just more window dressing. I'd much prefer the usual stroke play tournament for this event. I like to pick and choose the players I watch while I walk 18 holes and I tend to avoid the big galleries too. These are not fan friendly changes at least in my case.

My biggest worry with the LPGA right now is when the musical chairs with old tournaments dying and new ones staring will finally fall apart. Ladies golf in the US right now is in survival mode and I just hope it doesn't collapse.

LPGA Institutes $1M Playoff for 2006
By BOB LENTZ AP Sports Writer

HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. (AP) -- The LPGA Tour will have its own version of the playoffs next year, culminating with two players competing for $1 million in the final round of the season.

Commissioner Ty Votaw on Tuesday unveiled the "LPGA Playoffs at The ADT," the first time a golf tour has had a year-end playoff system comparable to other sports.

The '06 season will be split into two parts, with players earning points toward making the 32-player field at the ADT Championship at Trump International, which previously served as a Tour Championship.

Fifteen players from each half of the season and two wild cards will advance to the LPGA Playoffs. After 54 holes of stroke play, the top two golfers will meet in an 18-hole showdown for $1 million, nearly double the richest payoff in women's golf.

Votaw expects the new format to boost fan interest and bolster the tour's schedule, increasing the importance of each event.

"LPGA Playoffs at The ADT is an innovation that will energize our yearlong schedule and generate significant fan and media attention throughout the year as players compete for playoff spots and the speculation about who's in and who's out builds throughout the season," Votaw said.

Points will be awarded depending on the tournament.

- Winners of the four majors automatically qualify for the playoffs, while points will be awarded to the top 10.

- Limited-field events and certain full-field tournaments will automatically qualify, although no other points will be awarded, setting up an all-or-nothing conclusion at those events.

- Select full-field events will offer points through 10th place, although the winner won't get an automatic bid.

- The players with the best performance in the Asian swing in the fall will qualify for the playoffs.